Saturday, January 30, 2016

Bookplates As Art Parts Two and Three

Bookplates as Art Parts Two and Three

By Mark Witteveen

Walter Helfenbein (German) for Erich Dorschfeldt (1922).

A prolific bookplate artist, Helfenbein did a series of mementos mori for Erich Dorschfeldt; several, like these two (above and below) seem to be possibly inspired by the desert exploits of T.E. Lawrence. aka Lawrence of Arabia. WWI again. Attacking trains, and Death as companion, riding by your side. “Some of the evil of my tale may have been inherent in our circumstances,” Lawrence writes in his bio-tale of the war, Seven Pillars of Wisdom.

Arthur Henne for R. Osswald (ca 1930)

Great books threatening destruction, annihilation. This Henne scene, like Melville’s White Whale, is ripe for an analysis of its symbols. The imagery is specific, yet generalized too, so the scene is able to withstand numerous interpretations. Take your pick: the rule of law, the oppressive rule of law, or enlightenment (like the Gilsi bookplate earlier), to name a few. I don’t know if Henne had specific books in mind, but I appreciate that he used two. It keeps the scene secular, and avoids the apocalyptic. (Okay sure, it’s apocalyptic for them.)

Bruno Heroux (German) for Hans Harrassowitz (ca 1929).

Amazingly, the Harrassowitz firm, booksellers, is still in existence today. They specialize in supplying American universities (Harvard, U. of Chicago) with scholarly and antiquarian books from Europe. Heroux illustrates this trade nicely in the plate: the naked messenger, with Wisdom (the Owl) at his feet, and arm outstretched, book in hand reaching across the sea to deliver it to America (the Statue of Liberty).

Georg Oskar Erler (German) for Dr. Willy Tropp, (1920).

Like other graphic artists of the time, Georg Erler was a worker, executing thousands of pay-for-hire graphic jobs: birthday cards, New Year greetings, etc. He also did a series of bookplates with a nude woman in scenes with satyrs/devils, Death, and men. This is one from the series: startling, immediate, alive with tension. What is on the satyr’s face? Frustration? Defeat? Resignation? Lust? What’s the woman’s attitude? Impossible to know - it’s hidden behind the hat, and in the mind of the viewer. Erler gets high marks for setting his scene in media res.

Sepp Frank

Sepp Frank (German) for Dr. S.B. Guggenheim (ca 1920). The early 1900s were a fertile garden for the occult and various esoteric philosophies and practices. Ideas and symbols from these found their way into bookplates; the designs can be appealing, even when the meaning is lost, or frustratingly obscure.

Sepp Frank was a successful representative of this trend, I think. His highly dramatic bookplates are always worth a look. There is much to admire in them, even when the meaning is not easily decipherable. Here, a sun-blazing Omega projects the long shadow of Death for an elegant human standing center stage in Life’s arena. (another memento mori)

Georg Gelbke (German) for Walter and Margarite Vogel (1923).

A Vogel, in German, ein Vogel, is a bird. Die Nacht Vogel weckt herzlich zu Kaffee und Skandal. The night bird wakes cordially to coffee and scandal. Gelbke plays with the couple’s surname, and off they go flying in the air. The size of the script ‘Vogel’ reinforces the playful design.

Walter Rehn (German) for Hanns Heeren (1923). This Rehn bookplate has the lessons of Van Gogh. Recall Night Cafe. In one of his letters to his brother Theo, Vincent writes, “I am trying to exaggerate the essential but leave the obvious things vague.”

In Rehn’s bookplate, a mere candle sets the room ablaze with light, contrasted with the lack of detail elsewhere. The man holding the candle, for instance -- any child of five could draw his legs with a stubby pencil. Rehn sets the scene: the man has been startled awake in his bed by strange noises. Hesitant with fear, he dons a robe, lights a candle and dread in his heart, sets out to investigate. What could be more comforting to a homeowner, or more delightful to a lover of books, than to discover three giant ghosts enjoying the treasures of your own library?

Mark Witteveen, 2015

mwitteveen@earthlink.net

Interested in early 20th century bookplates/ex libris

For purchase or exchange of duplicates

Sunday, January 17, 2016

Bookplates As Art

Bookplates as Art Part One of Three

by Mark Witteveen

I collect bookplates as art. European pieces primarily, from the early 20th century prior to the rise of the National Socialists. Many of these bookplates are cultural artifacts. Charged with emotion, full of meaning, they come to us with complex legacies through the murderous upheavals and triumphs of the last century. By turns, on their own or through the sharpening lens of hindsight, they can entertain, enthrall, and disturb all the while vibrating with a strong pulse, like good theater. Or they can explode like a firecracker.

Representational imagery in bookplates really flourishes after 1900. I’m strolling along a dark corridor with a flashlight scanning the walls, and I discover I’m not in a corridor at all but a vast museum of connecting rooms where thousands of small pictures hang upon the walls.

Also from this time, with great appeal, narrative appears. We see bookplates with commentary on the human condition, personal stories and insights, hobbies, sports, the Arts, humor, playfulness, frivolity, reactions to world events, and more. Made by incredibly talented artists. And I remind myself that most bookplates were commissions. So not only did artist and occasion have to meet, he or she had to wrangle with a client. No doubt that negotiation varied, but what was a typical arrangement? Imagining one scenario, I picture Walter Helfenbein with one of his risqué bookplates wrought fresh for a client, who upon seeing it, retreats a quick step and says, “Ahhh yeah, no thanks pal.”

Fritz Gilsi (Swiss) for Alfred Kaufmann, (ca 1923) shows progress/enlightenment, in the form of a naked woman wielding a torch, and arriving in an open book, scattering the masses.

The design is richly associative; provocative without being confrontational, and completely lacking in sentiment. Note the pilgrim hat and the woman fleeing, her hands over her face. I recall Dostoevsky’s comment in one of his notebooks: “The European enlightenment is more important than people.” Gilsi’s bookplate seems as relevant to America today as it did in Europe, circa 1923.

Mileva Roller (Austrian) for Helen Anderle (1912). At a glance, many people could pinpoint the origins of this image: Wiener Werkstatte, early 1900s. Sure, it’s of the era.

What of the artist, Mileva Roller? In doing a little research, one finds more references to her beauty than to her artistic efforts. There doesn’t seem to be much of her stuff around. Was she not very productive? Merely derivative? Not encouraged? So many questions. To what extent did she achieve recognition, outside of her obvious association with famous male artists of the era -- her husband Alfred Roller, Solomon Moser, Gustav Klimt. What’s her story?

Fritz Schwimbeck for Dr. Arthur Ludwig (1912).

Look at those etched lines. That’s a steady hand. A setting sun, and the light still reaches out to touch every boulder, to invade every nook, as if to lay claim. Then the approaching night and tailgating gloom; you can almost feel its fur against your face.

Heinrich Seufferheld (German) for Dr. Med. A W. Pietzcker (1915).

Skeletal Death is a frequent actor in medical bookplates. Vengeful, predatory. Lurking close. In this Seufferheld bookplate, however, its treatment is unique. Maybe I’ve made up a storyline, but I’m going with it. Death is the one in trouble here. The struggle is past and the patient has proved the stronger. She has won this battle. In her tender care for the actor Death, we see its grim touch in her embrace, the taste is in her mouth, its stench fills her nostrils. This closeness, this ‘brush with death’, has given her foresight, so she takes pity. No one claims victory over Death. Time will take its toll; she won’t always be strong; someday, as certainly as night follows dusk follows day, their positions will be reversed. She is pleading mercy for her own gentle end.

Arthur Paunzen (Austrian) for Th. Alexander (1917). The still-raging horrors of WWI are in this Paunzen bookplate. Small details are telling: a simple home, beside it a lone figure tries to work peacefully at a table; and the curve of the ground, suggesting not that Death is tramping across an isolated farmer’s field, but stalking the globe.

A further note on the artist: as noted on docsanddocs.com, in 1938, “Paunzen fled Nazi Austria for England with 504 drawings and graphics and one violin.” He died two years later on the Isle of Man, interned in a prison camp there by the British. I mention these facts and the website for those wanting to learn more about the artist, and to encourage collectors with Paunzen art to consider contacting the research team on the website, led by Gregory Hahn, Pd.D., who are compiling a Catalogue raisonné of the artist’s work.

Richard Lux (Austrian) for Martha Winter (1934).

A shimmery emotive quality to this scene by Richard Lux. Sometimes I look at bookplate scene and wonder, “How does this relate to its owner?” (Martha Winter, in this example below.) Did she visit the artist’s studio and choose from his existing works, ‘Yeah, make me that one please.’ Or was Lux given free reign and he found inspiration in her personal history.

To Be Continued

Mark Witteveen

mwitteveen@earthlink.net

Interested in early 20th century bookplates/ex libris

For purchase or exchange of duplicates

Thursday, January 14, 2016

My Tenth Year of Blogging Has Begun

I never fully realized how addictive my computer had become until it went through a mid life crisis earlier this week at the same time that the neighborhood computer guru left for a ten day trip to California..
In any event I am getting back on track now and playing catch up.

Here are some odds and ends that have piled up.

Fellow collector/dealer Gabe Konrad bought a large number of bookplate reference books and is in the process of printing a catalog.

Cover of Catalog

If you'd like to receive a copy of this print catalog, please email him at bayleafbooks@sbcglobal.net or call (231) 652-2665.

Bay Leaf Used & Rare Books, ABAA/ILAB/IOBA
Gabe and Melanie Konrád
79 State Rd. (M-37)
Newaygo, MI 49337

Mystery Leather Bookplate

This is one of the nicest leather bookplates I have ever had.

I no nothing about the owner nor the country he lived in.

Any input would be appreciated.

Bookplatemaven@hotmail.com

The Wonders of The Internet

One of my favorite bookplate artists is Frances Delehanty.Several years ago Richard Schimmelpfeng and I collaborated on a check list of her bookplates .

http://bookplatejunkie.blogspot.com/2013/11/frances-w-delehanty.html

This email arrived recently :

Hello Lew,

My name is David Hildt, and Frances W. Delehanty was my great aunt. I came across your blog after googling FWD, and I was amazed to see your collection of bookplates which she created. I am sending you a copy of the only one in my possession. It is one she made for her younger brother, Thornton Augustin Washington Delehanty, who was also the brother of my grandfather, John Bradley Delehanty.

Our family history hasn't been kept up very well in that last few decades, so your collection has enriched our heritage.

Thank you!

David Hildt

A collector who has 80,000 magazines.

This has nothing to do with bookplates but extreme collectors fascinate me.

http://www.bbc.com/news/video_and_audio/features/magazine-35128336/35128336?ns_mchannel=email&ns_source=inxmail_newsletter&ns_campaign=

Mineralogy Related Bookplates

Fellow Collector Larry Conklin has published his excellent article about mineralogy and bookplates.Here is a link:

http://www.lhconklin.com/bookplates.htm

Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Goodbye 2015

As the year is ending I would like to look back and look forward..

In 2015 I did not complete many of the bookplate projects I had planned.

http://bookplatejunkie.blogspot.com/2014/11/the-california-bookplate-project.html

The check lists of California artists , never got very far.
If you are in California and have the time to assist me with this project please send an email..

Bookplatemaven@hotmail.com

For the month of December here is a snapshot of readership by country.

Entry	Pageviews
United States	4290
Russia	2459
Germany	524
Ukraine	373
France	308
United Kingdom	197
Canada	176
Spain	72
Costa Rica	61
Australia	44

It is interesting to note that China which is feuding with Google never shows up in these stats even though I know many in China are reading my blog

Looking Forward

I would like to get more collector profiles and reader submissions next year.
It is hard to believe but 2016 will be my tenth year as a blogger.
In blog years ( like doggie years ) that is a long time.

To celebrate the tenth year I plan to have a bookplate contest.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Antioch Bookplate Archives–Unusual New Year’s Greetings submitted by

Rebecca Eschliman

http://blog.yshistory.org/?p=614

Among the little correspondence from the 1930s that remained in the Antioch Bookplate Company files were some New Year’s Greetings from Art Young * to his friend (a friendship developed from their shared interest in socialist causes) and Antioch Bookplate Company founder Ernest Morgan.

Art Young in the late 1930s

1936 New Year's Greeting

1938 New Year's Greeting

*Art Young's bookplate designs for Antioch Bookplate were shown on these posts:

http://www.yshistory.org/?p=47

http://www.yshistory.org/?p=3014

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From my own collection here is a New Years letter from 1943 which I cherish because it reflects

the pulse of a time long gone , when people had great respect and admiration for their leaders..

About Ralph Ward and Howard B. Cunningham

In 1941, Ward Baking Company became one of the first companies to enrich bread. The company introduced New Tip-Top Bread on June 3, 1952. This new bread doubled the calcium content and contained 1/3 more milk solids. The company was able to change its bread formula with the addition of the new ingredients without increasing the product costs. 11 The New York City headquarters of Ward Baking Company was eliminated during a company reorganization in 1974. 7 The company left the baking business entirely in 1981, when it sold the last of its baking operations to Interstate Brands Corp. 8 In 1924, George Ward’s son, Ralph, became the president of Drake Bakeries, a position which he held until his death in 1953.9 . Drake Bakeries is another bakery that is now owned by Interstate Bakeries Inc. The company is known for their snack cakes including Devil Dogs, Yankee Doodles and Ring Dings.

Ref http://www.wardbakingcompany.com/library/docs/NewYorkBakingCompanies.pdf

Howard B. Cunningham, assistant director, division of purchases, Office of Production Management (OPM), director of National Biscuit Company, New York City
http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/oem2002000263/PP/

To all of you out there may 2016 be a year for good health, joy and prosperity.

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

The Birth of a Mezzotint Bookplate

I love to receive unexpected submissions from readers like this one from Guillermo Moran

If you want to contact Guillermo about bookplate exchanges here is his email address

<guillermoran@gmail.com>:

If you want to submit an article for publication in 2016 here is my email address

Bookplatemaven@hotmail.com

Dear Lew,

Here are the pics with their short explanations. Hope you find it interesting. Maybe the text will need some editing: as always, it is up to you.

Regards,

Guillermo

Here is the original sketch, drawn with white pencil on black paper, as I find that this way of drawing is the closest to the mezzotint technique, where the areas affected will hold no ink and therefore, be white on the print.

Next step consists of cutting a copper plate to the desired size. Then it is to be grounded with the rocker': The rocker has small teeth that, when rocking the plate, will teve tiny dots and their burrs on its surface. A lot of passes, in different directions will leave an even and complete coverage of dots and burrs that will hold the ink. Before being affected by any other tools, the plate should print an intense black surface.

With a scarper and a burnisher, the plate is to be affected where it has to print white. Here is the plate compared to the sketch. On the left there is a composite tool: pointing down it is a scarper, pointing up it is a burnisher.

The lettering has been added

The plate has been inked and wiped: the affected areas do not retain the ink.

Then, a slightly wet paper is to be placed on top of the plate and the whole is passed through the press, applying significant and even pressure

The print is carefully lifted off the plate

Here are the first five proofs of the bookplate.

The final print, prior being numbered and signed.

Sunday, December 13, 2015

Bookplate Odds and Ends 12/13/2015

Collectors everywhere hope some day to find a hidden treasure overlooked by everyone else.
It is part of our DNA. That is why TV shows like American Pickers and The Antiques Road Show have such a large following.
Rebecca Rego Barry has written a book about collectors who grabbed a brass ring. My copy is in the mail and I thought the book might interest some of you.

In her new book Rare Books Uncovered: True Stories of Fantastic Finds in Unlikely Places

Rebecca Rego Barry recounts 52 extraordinary discoveries from the world of book collecting, including a stash of vintage comic books worth $3.5 million, long forgotten in a Virginia basement

THE MAN WHO MADE MILLIONS FROM OLD COMICS IN A CLOSET

HOW A LIFE-CHANGING COLLECTION

ALMOST ENDED UP IN A BIN

http://lithub.com/the-man-who-made-millions-from-old-comics-in-a-closet/

Rebecca Rego Barry

Rebecca Rego Barry is the editor of Fine Books and Collections magazine. She has also written about books and history for various publications, including The Guardian, JSTOR Daily, Preservation, The Millions, and Victoria. A member of the Ticknor Society, a book collectors’ club based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, her personal collecting specialties are 19th- and early 20th-century illustrated medical books, and Henry David Thoreau. She lives with her family in New York’s Catskill Mountains.

Here is a review of the book by fellow collector Jerry Morris

.http://www.moibibliomaniac.com/2015/12/rare-books-uncovered-true-stories-of.html

Let There Be Light

In 1879 when the electric light bulb was invented.Mr. William Connell an early user of this cutting edge technology was proud to incorporate a light bulb in his bookplate

The Clarence Edward bookplate shown below was designed in 1918 when light bulbs were no longer cutting edge technology. Mr. .Rose was an Electrical Engineer.

The Electrical Standardizing and Training Institute bookplate was designed by

**T Erat Harrison (REF. Ex Libris Journal Volume # 2 page 4)**

If you have any interesting electric bulb bookplates and want them added to this posting send JPEG images to Bookplatemaven@hotmail.com

A New Bookplate Exchange Site

http://www.collectorism.com/

I received a n Email announcing the start of a new exlibris exchange site and contacted David Kovats ,one of the site developers for some background information.

Here is his response.

Dear Lew,

Thank you again for taking the time to help us improve Collectorism as well as offering to write about it in your blog. This is a fantastic opportunity for us.

I have attached 8 images that were selected to show how diverse is the bookplate collection of Ferenc Galambos which we acquired a few years ago.

Our journey on becoming seriously involved in the exlibris trade began when we had the chance to buy this collection. Over 70,000 bookplates and the whole library that comes with it. It took us days if not weeks to even understand the volume and the quality we are dealing with. We did have some experience with bookplates; I used to see examples while on valuations with Sotheby's and Karoly has been an antiquarian from the start so it wasn't all new. However this collection took us to a whole new level. In a couple of months we knew that we want to have this as a full time occupation. We opened stores on different online marketplaces, joined societies in different countries, attended meetings, auctions and congresses. We kept selling works and buying/exchanging new ones at the same time.

We were surprised to see there is no real online platform for people to exchange their bookplates (or actually any other collectible). We wanted to create a place where everyone is welcome, where collectors can meet others without having the trouble of traveling to fairs or conferences. A place where people can showcase their collection and the passion behind it. And most importantly a visual, easy-to-use and fun system to exchange items with anyone from anywhere in the world.

The site opened last week and we already have lots of bookplates online. There are people who only want to showcase their collection or interest and that is great. It's also a fantastic way to make new contacts and there is no need to create your own website for a fortune anymore. There are also no restrictions on exchanging, so it's not just bookplates for bookplates, you can trade bookplates for a stamp collection, coins for posters or vintage toys for modern lego.

I know by experience that there are many collectors out there not able to spend $10/$50/$100 weekly to buy new works but they would love to have the chance to get access to thousands of items that are all up for exchange!

I truly believe this is a great way for exlibris lovers (and other collectors) to keep in touch, browse and find new things on a regular basis.

I hope what I put together for you is not too much, please do let me know if you have any questions
or need further information!

Thank you very much again.

With very best wishes,

David

http://www.collectorism.com/