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American book-plates, a guide to their s
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Cornell University Library
The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library.
There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text.
http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924029546540
AMERICAN BOOK-PLATES
(EX-LIBRIS)
j&m.
American Book-Plates
A Guide to their Study with Examples
By Charles Dexter Allen
Member Ex-Libris Society London • Member Grolier Club New York Member Connecticut Historical Society Hartford
With a Bibliography by Eben Newell Hewins
Member Ex-Libris Society
Illustrated with many reproductions of rare and interesting book-plates
and in the finer editions with many prints from the original
coppers both old and recent
^XSU--1*
New York • Macmillan and Co. • London Mdcccxciv
All rights reserved
A-77<*0T
Copyright, 1894, By MACMILLAN AND CO.
NotfoootJ JSrniB :
J. S. Cushing & Co. — Berwick & Smith.
Boston, Mass., U.S.A.
PREFACE.
II , i, i|i|lW|lfl|||| ^ a ^ew Years Book-plate litera-
iiSill illllll ture w*^ ^ave a P^ace 'n tne mWnmi i&lfflBH catalogues of the Libraries, as
it now has in those of the dealers in books. The works of the Hon. J. Leicester Warren (Lord de Tabley), Mr. Egerton Castle, and Mr. W. J. Hardy on the English plates, Mr. Walter Hamilton, M. Henri Bouchot, and M. Poulet-Malassis on the French, Herr Warnecke on the German, and M. Carlander on the Swedish, are all the work of master hands, and are recognized as authorities. In our own country the lists and essays of Mr. Richard C. Lichtenstein and Mr. Laurence Hutton have long been of invaluable service, and occupy a position both at home and abroad of undisputed eminence. A large number of articles has also been con- tributed to periodical literature by those well informed upon the subject, and numerous mono- graphs testify to the growth of interest in this fascinating study, and by the names of their authors, to the class of scholars and students of antiquarian lore who deem the humble book-plate worthy of their attention.
In view of what has been and of what will be written, this present modest attempt to introduce
vi Preface.
more fully than has yet been done, the book-plates of America, needs to be understood as simply a pioneer work; a great deal of information will reward the patient and painstaking investigator of the future, which is now inaccessible, and without doubt, too, much will be found even within the present to supplement these pages.
This book could not have been undertaken nor carried to completion had the writer been denied the generous assistance and hearty sympathy of our collectors, to whom he desires to express his appreciation of the kindnesses shown him.
Especially to Mr. R. C. Lichtenstein, Mr. E. N. Hewins, and Mr. Fred J. Libbie of Boston, does he feel under deep obligation for the generous loan of their splendid collections, for ready advice and counsel, for cheerful assistance whenever asked for, and for that tangible sympathy and lively interest which are worth so much to one engaged in such work. To many others also is he indebted, both for the loan of plates and for kindly words of encouragement.
To Mr. S. P. Avery, Mr. Beverly Chew, Mr. E. H. Bierstadt, Mr. Henry Blackwell, Mr. D. McN. $tauffer, Mr. Edward D. Harris, Mr. Laurence Hutton, and Mr. E. W. Nash, of New York City; to Mr. W. G. Brown of Washington and Lee University at Lexington, Va.; Mr. H. E. Deats of Flemington, N.J.; Dr. C. E. Clark of Lynn; Hon. W. A. Courtnayof Charleston, S.C. ; Miss Helen E. Brainerd of the Columbia College Library; Mr. Pickering Dodge of Washington, D.C.; Mr. Charles T. Martin, Mr. Frank B. Gay,
Preface. vii
Mr. A. C. Bates, and Mr. John C. Parsons, of Hartford; Dr. Henry C. Eno of Saugatuck; Dr. J. H. Dubbs of Lancaster, Penn., President of Franklin and Marshall College; Mr. D. V. R. Johnston of the State Library at Albany; Mr. Nathaniel Paine of Worcester; Mr. Daniel Rav- enel of Charleston, S.C.; Mr. Howard Sill of Glendale, Md. ; Mr. R. A. Brock of Richmond, Va.; Mr. Howard Edwards of Philadelphia; Dr. Swan M. Burnett of Washington, D.C. ; Mr. Richard Wijnkoop of Brooklyn; Mr. Bisbee of Dartmouth College; Mr. William Kelby of the New York Historical Society; and to Mr. Lyon G. Tyler of Williamsburg, Va., President of William and Mary College, does he wish to make acknowledgment for the favors which have con- tributed so much to the value of the work. From over the sea, particularly kind assistance has come from Rev. T. W. Carson, the veteran collector and eminent authority of Dublin.
To all others who by letter, gift, or advice have assisted him, the writer wishes hereby to make suitable and hearty acknowledgment.
The writer's thanks are also extended to those who have so kindly permitted him the use of their plates for the illustrating of the book.
A word more is due to Mr. E. N. Hewins, who very kindly, at the writer's request, accepted the labor of preparing the excellent Bibliography which appears in the volume.
CHARLES DEXTER ALLEN.
Hartford, Conn., June, 1894.
CONTENTS
PAGE
Preface v
A List of the Illustrations xi
Introductory i
Name-labels and Mottoes 16
Armorial Book-plates 35
Pictorial and Allegorical Book-plates and Plates
of Colleges, Libraries, and Societies 57
Book-plates of Special Interest 79
Early American Book-plate Engravers, with Lists
of their Work 104
An Alphabetical List of Early American Book-plates 160
A Chronological List of the Dated Plates . . . . 313 An Alphabetical List of the Signed Plates, showing
the Exact Manner of Signing 314
A List of Mottoes found upon the Early Plates,
with Translations 323
A Few Recent Examples 34°
The American Collectors and Collections .... 377
The Ex Libris Societies 387
Bibliography (American, English, and French) . . . 389
Conclusion 421
Index 423
ix
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
Copper-plates.
The Grolier Club, by E. D. French Frontispiece
Charles Dexter Allen, by E. H. Garrett .... Title-page
To face page
Edward Hale Bierstadt, by E. D. French 90
Oliver Wendell Holmes 98
Alexander Anderson, by Anderson 120
American Academy of Arts and Sciences, attributed to
Callender 126
George Goodwin, attributed to Dooliltle 132
Marshall C. Lefferts, by E. D. French 352
George Dudley Seymour, by W. F. Hopson 370
Francis Wilson, by E. H. Garrett 376
Full-page Reproductions.
Jereh. Wadsworth 1
Moral Library, Yale College 6
James Eddy Mauran 16
Eugene Field 35
Jacob Sargeant, by Jacob Sargeant 46
Peter Manigault, by Yates 52
John Williams 54
Richard Wynkoop 56
Social Law Library 66
George Alexander Macbeth 79
W. F. Hopson, by IV. F. Hopson ■ 104
William Ashmead Courtenay 122
Edmund H. Garrett, by E. H. Garrett 138
H. E. Deats '5°
Richard C. Lichtenstein, by George Moore 160
xi
XI 1
List of Illustrations.
To face page
Louis J. Haber 323
George H. Ellwanger, by Sidney L. Smith 340
John E. Russell, by M. T. Callahan 357
Dean Sage 36°
Fred C. ScHLArCK, by Howard Sill 362
Arthur Robinson Stone, by George M. White .... 364
F. W. Hoyt 366
Illustrations in the Text.
PAGE
George Lee Tuberville, Vir- ginia 2
Timothy Newell, printed by Isaiah Thomas . . 3
William Lord, East Had- dam 5
Geo. C. M. Roberts, M.D., Baltimore 6
Elijah F. Reed .... 7
Jared Ingersoll, Esq., of New Haven, Conn. . . 8
John Walters Gibbs, Charleston, S.C., by .46- ernethie 9
Peter Middleton, M.D., by J. Lewis 10
Harrison Gray Otis ... 11
Lieut. E. Trenchard, U. S. Navy 12
Samuel Elam, Rhode Is- land 13
John Adams 15
Hannah Reynolds ... 17
E Libris Thorns Holt . . 18
John Campbell, Charles County 19
Richard Sprigg, Jr., by T. Sparrow 20
Thomas O. Selfridge, Bos- ton, 1799 22
Worcester Circulating Li- brary 23
Daniel Greenleaf .... 25
PAGE
Timothy Mann, Walpole,
Oct., 1810 27
A. L. Hollingsworth, Bos- ton, Mass 29
George Bancroft .... 31
William Prescott .... 32 Henry Black well, New
York City 33
Edward Pennington, Phil- adelphia 34
Gabriel Jones, Attorney at
Law, in Virginia ... 36
Joseph Dudley, 1754 . . 38 Jer.Dummer,Anglus Amer-
icanus 39
Minot, Boston 40
Frederik Philipse, Esq. . 42 William P. Smith, A.M.,
by Thomas Johnston . 45 Andrew Tyler, by Hurd . 46 John Durand, Esq. ... 47 Anthony Stewart, Annapo- lis, Md 48
Myles Cooper, LL.D., etc. 49 Andrew Oliver, attributed
to Hurd 50
Benjamin Kissam, by Daw- kins 51
Samuel Vaughan, Esq. . . 53
W. Jackson 54
De Witt Clinton, by Mave- rick 55
James Parker 58
List of Illustrations.
Xlll
PAGE
Henry Andrews, by Harris, 59
New York Society Library, by Maverick .... 60
New York Society Library, 1789, by Maverick . . 61
Monthly Library in Farm- ington, Conn 63
Village Library, Farming- ton, Conn 65
Society for Propagating the Gospel in Foreign Parts, 66
Hasty Pudding Library, Harvard College ... 68
Linonian Library, Yale Col- lege 69
Linonian Library (Yale College) 70
Arnold Arboretum, 1892, by Geo. Wharton Ed- wards 72
New York Society Library, by Elisha Gallaudet . . 74
Phoenix Society .... 76
Brothers in Unity, Yale College, by Pelton . . 77
Samuel Hill 78
Stephen Cleveland ... 80
Columbia College Library, New York, by Anderson, 81
Isaiah Thomas .... 83
Albany Society Library,
1759 ■ ■ 84
John Quincy Adams . . 86
Josiah Quincy 87
Livius 88
Dr. John Jeffries, attributed
to Callender .... 89 Geo. Washington, genuine, 91 Geo. Washington, fraudu- lent 94
Bushrod Washington . . 96
Daniel Webster .... 97 Brander Matthews, by
E. A. Abbey 99
Edmund Clarence Sted-
man 100
PAGE
Laurence Hutton .... 102 Winfield Scott .... 103 Robert Hale, Esq., of Bev- erly, by Hurd .... 107 John Chandler, Jr., Esq.,
by Hurd 108
Lewis De Blois, by Hurd, 109 Joshua Spooner, by Hurd, no Harvard College, by Hurd, 112 John Vassall, Esq., by
Hurd 114
John Lowell, by Hurd . . 115 Peter A. Browne, by Akin, 1 18 John Pintard, LL.D., by
Anderson 120
Apprentices' Library, New York City, by Ander- son 121
Thomas Russell, by Cal- lender 125
Henry D.Gilpin, by Childs, 127 Whitehead Hicks, by Daw- kins 130
Social Library, Wethers- field, by Doolittle . . . 133 Eli Forbes, by Fumass . 135 John Chambers, by Elisha
Gallaudet 136
Anonymous, by Maverick, 141 Abraham Bancker, by
Maverick 143
Gardiner Chandler, by
Revere 146
William Wetmore, by Re- vere 147
Paul Revere, by Revere ■ 148 John Lenthall, by Thack-
ara 153
Bloomfield, by Trenchard, 154 Luther Martin, attributed
to Trenchard .... 155 John Franklin, Boston,
New Eng., by Turner . 156 Bloomfield Mcllvaine, by
Seymour 157
G. A. Smith 159
XIV
List of Illustrations.
PAGE
Anonymous, by Maverick, 161 William Belcher, Savan- nah 171
Absalom Blackley, by Mav- erick 173
Hon. William Carmichael,
Esq 181
Col. John Skey Eustace . 199
Ewing 201
Andrew G. Fraunces, by
Maverick 205
John Goelet, attributed to
Maverick 209
Richard Harison . . . . 215 Barrack Hays, by Hutt . 219 Samuel Farmar Jar- vis, D.D 227
William Jauncey .... 229 Thomas Johnson, by Mav- erick 231
Edward Livingston, by
Maverick 238
Abraham Lodge .... 240
Rev. John Murray . . . 253 Francis Panton, Jr., by
Maverick 259
Samuel Parker 260
William Penn 263
James Power 270
Samuel Smith 283
J. B. Swett 289
John Tayloe 291
Richard Varick, by Bil- lings 295
Virginia Council Chamber, 297
John C. Warren .... 299
W. Warren 301
William Duer 322
Malvians 339
Thomas Bailey Aldrich
Melvin H. Hapgood . .
Joseph Henry Dubbs,D.D.,
James Phinney Baxter . .
Albert C. Bates . . . .
George Wharton Edwards,
John Herbert Corning, by H. Sandham ■ .
George L. Parmelee .
Paul Lemperly, by Bert K. Canfield . . .
Joseph H. Wheeler
Chauncey Lawrence Wil- liams, by Geo. R. Halm,
Samuel Wesley Marvin
Adam Van Allan .
Marcus Benjamin .
Henry S. Rowe .
Julia Dexter Coffin
Jeremiah Evarts .
John Andrew . .
Paul Lemperly, by E. H. Garrett
343
344 345 348 35° 35 1
354 355
359 361
364 366
367 369 376 374 386 388
421
g| yereh* Wadfwortfj*- |g
AMERICAN BOOK-PLATES.
INTRODUCTORY.
E cannot venture to guess which was the first book-plate made in America, nor to say with absolute certainty whence came the first plate used in our country; but undoubtedly the latter came over already pasted into some book of a Dutch or English settler. The larger part of our books came from Eng- land, and very few plates are found with arms of other nationalities. The colonists who came from England bringing books, brought also the home ideas concerning books, and the book- plate was a natural piece of property to acquire. Their descendants, who continued the connec- tion with the mother-country, used plates more generally, and the fashion spread naturally. It never became very general, but was confined to those of gentle birth ; the clergy, the lawyers, and men of education. We shall see that it was not confined to the men alone, but that the women of literary accomplishments also used plates.
2 American Book-plates.
By far the greater part of the plates are cut on copper, but there are some woodcuts as will be seen in an examination of the list ; also, there are some which look as if cut in silver, which was
<s " Virginia.
an easier metal to work, or perhaps in type-metal. One example is known in which brass was used, and this old plate is now in the possession of the writer. The steel engravings are of rather recent date; and while there are a number of these, the
Introductory. 3
new plates are mostly on copper. The simple labels are printed from type.
The larger part of our early plates are armorial in character ; and while heraldry forms so promi- nent and important a feature, it is left practically untouched in the present volume. The number interested in the science is small, the authorities on coats-of-arms and on blazoning differ, and the present writer had not the time to make the
/. rixmair print*
thorough investigation necessary to a satisfactory treatment of this interesting branch. Upon con- sultation with other collectors, and with their advice, it was decided to leave this subject for a future volume should any call for it arise.
A decided difference is noticed between the book-plates of the Northern and the Southern Colonies. In the South, to which came men of wealth and leisure with cultivated tastes, we would expect to find the little superfluities and niceties of daily life sooner in vogue and more
4 American Book-plates.
generally used. Bringing books and musical in- struments with them, retaining their connection with the far-away home by correspondence and visits, sending their sons to the great Universities to be educated, and to the Law Schools for a fin- ishing course, and ordering their clothes, books, furniture, and all of the luxuries of life from England, they would naturally be the first to use the book-plate. Very few of the Southern plates were engraved by American engravers. They were nearly all done in London, when some member of the family was over, or by order from the Colony; for this reason the Southern plates are better in heraldry, design, and execution than those of New England and New York. They were the product of men experienced in such work ; they were all armorial and in the prevail- ing English mode.
The earliest comers to New England had a prejudice against coats-of-arms and trinkets of such-like character, which their descendants, however, soon forgot. Pride of ancestry and love of the display of aristocratic claims developed when the hard circumstances of the former years had worn off, and we find the prominent families of the North using book-plates, and having their arms upon their coaches. In one important feat- ure, however, these Northern plates differ from the Southern, — they are mostly the work of our native engravers, very few being done in England.
The work of these native artisans, who were mostly self-taught in this art of engraving on copper, is confessedly inferior to that of the Lon-
Introductory. 5
don experts found upon the Southern plates, both in drawing and execution, but their work is of more value to the collector from this very fact of their being American work. They furnish examples of native skill, both in engraving and in copper-plate printing.
The ornamentation of buttons, spoons, table- ware, and other articles of silver was already
practised when the demand for the book-plate arose, so that there were skilful men ready to turn their attention to this new branch of their art.
The War of the Revolution naturally affected the native production of book-plates, but a few years after its close, when Boston, New York, and Philadelphia were active in publishing books, the engraver found work more plenty, and very many who were employed upon the plates for the illustration of books also produced book-plates.
6 American Book-plates.
Nathaniel Hurd was the principal engraver of book-plates in the North before the war, though Thomas Johnson, who was born before him and who also died before he did, made some plates, while Turner and Paul Revere were also working at this period.
Henry Dawkins, in Philadelphia, came over from England, and so did the elder Maverick, who made so many plates for the New Yorkers.
JffiarfZ.
W/UVt/..
4<P-
The literary plates are smaller in number than we could wish, and they do not show a wide range of ideas either. Very probably some of the designs were borrowed from English plates, and were produced over again for different customers, or were freely copied by other engravers who liked, or who found customers who liked, the design of others. The plate used by George Goodwin is one of four of this same design. The shelf of books is also seen in the plate of G. C. M. Roberts, M.D., Thomas Robbins, and the
Virtus et scieniia ad ufilitatem. airlgmit
Introductory. 7
Elijah F. Reed, which is a direct reproduction of the Robbins. Piles of books, but not the regula- tion " Book-pile," are seen in the Brown and Lewis plates, while the only real library interiors are the Tayloe plate, the Moral Library and the Village Library (Farmington, Conn.). John Allan, the old-book lover of New York, used a plate with an open book against an anchor, and the plate of
Edmund Penn shows a love for books in the dainty volumes disposed about the frame.
The patriotism of our book-lovers is shown in very many designs, which use the American flag or the eagle. The thirteen stars also, the motto of the United States, and various private mottoes of a very patriotic nature, are frequently used.
It is noticeable that as compared with the Southern plates there are but few of the North- ern examples which give the address or residence of the owner ; that is, speaking of the armorial
8
American Book-plates.
plates, the printed name labels give these partic- ulars quite often.
The fared Ingersoll plate gives New Haven as the residence of the owner, while Rhode Island follows the name on the plate of Samuel Elam.
of New1 Haven Connecticut.
Other Northern plates which are so engraved are the Colonel Eustace of New York, Comptroller Elliston also of New York, Lenox of Philadel- phia, Atlee of Lancaster, John Franklin, Boston, New England, and Robert Hale of Beverly. Of the Southern plates, Wormeley, Waller, Tuber- ville, Tazewell, Skelton, Randolph, and Ludwell
Introductory. 9
give Virginia as their residence ; Drayton names South Carolina, the Dr. Cabell plate names Rich- mond, and the John Walters Gibbs names Charles- ton, S.C. The plates used in the West Indies also show the residence quite often. There, too, as well as in the Southern colonies, the profession or position of the owner, as well as the London
■/'/•/irnsf/rtfi fey.}? *
law school in which he was educated, are often given. Thus we have William Blanc, Middle Temple, Dominica; Chas. Pinfold, LL.D., Governor of Barbadoes ; Peyton Randolph of the Middle Temple, London; Francis Page of the Inner Temple Esqr.; William Assheton of Grays Inn. In the Northern examples we find John Gardiner of the Inner Temple, and Jonathan Belcher, E Societate Medij Templi.
io American Book-plates.
We note also in running through the List that the occupations most often noted on the book- plates are those of the medical and the legal pro- fession. Barristers, lawyers, and attorneys are often so named, and the initials M.D., or the full word Doctor, are seen.
The abbreviations of other degrees are found also, and the plates of clergymen are not uncom- mon.
Introductory.
ii
ine
Several plates remain unnoticed in the follow- ig pages, which are probably American, but which, for lack of positive information, it is thought best not to include. Among these is an early Dutch plate which, if it could be accurately traced to its original owner, might prove to be one of the earliest plates used in America.
It seems that a word is needed in defence of the perfectly legitimate and gentle pursuit of col- lecting book-plates. A great deal of sarcasm
and indignation have found their way into the columns of periodical literature, particularly in England, the especial purpose of which is to trouble the humble collector, and to discredit him in the eyes of the world. He is pointed out as a destroyer of valuable books, as an animal so greedy in the pursuit of his insignificant prey as to ruin elegant bindings that he may secure worthless bits of paper, and as actually so devoid of good sense as to remove such of these as are interesting — for it is reluctantly admitted that
12 American Book-plates.
some interest does attach to the plates used by cer- tain men of fame in historical annals — from their rightful place within the covers of the very books read and handled by these illustrious owners.
Let it be remembered that but a small part of the many books published have a permanent value, and that a book once eagerly sought may outlive its usefulness, and come to have a com- mercial value of so much a pound as old paper, instead of so much a copy in different styles of
binding. Surely, no one can quarrel with the collector who removes the book-plate, found with- in it, from such a worn-out specimen, even if the removal necessitates the ruin of the cover. But to remove a book-plate does not necessarily mean to ruin the cover; it requires some skill and con- siderable_ patience to remove a valuable plate without injury to either itself or the cover upon which it was pasted, but it is done daily. Surely no one can find fault with this — a skilful opera- tion resulting satisfactorily to the plate-collector and to the book-owner.
Introductory.
*3
Again, no intelligent book-plate collector will separate the plate of a famous man from the book which has been its home for years, and which was once handled and read by its famous owner. Even a worthless book will thus be saved by the collector, which was fit but for the fire or the ash-heap, and which would have gone
S&3
Kfi© de ijOkuttd
thither, plate and all, save for his discriminating eye, while a valuable book no one would think of despoiling. Would an intelligent collector, hav- ing a book from the library of George Washington, with his plate upon the cover and his autograph in its accustomed place, think of soaking off the plate and cutting out the signature ? Not at all ; no matter how worthless the book might chance
14 American Book-plates.
to be, the fact that it was Washington's is suffi- cient to insure it from any harm, while the pres- ence of the autograph and the book-plate but adds to the value as establishing beyond perad- venture the original ownership.
The book-plate collector is naturally a book- lover. He must not be accused or suspected of crimes against his own kith and kin. He is a harmless and useful specimen of the genus col- lector, who with assiduity, perseverance, and in- telligence seeks to preserve these memorials of past days, which in the rage for indiscriminate collecting were overlooked, and are but now begin-, ning to receive the attention they are worthy of.
It is, however, to be admitted that at first glance, the general reader who has not developed a special liking for the things of the past in history, art, or biography, may see no especial interest in book-plates. But let him examine a collection of good plates with their intelligent owner, who can point out to him the facts worthy of note ; let him once understand that celebrated artists like Albrecht Durer, Jost Amman, William Hogarth, William Marshall, George Vertue, Bewick, Bartolozzi, and even Raphael Morghen were willing to devote time and taste to the de- signing or engraving of the book-plate ; let him handle some of their work, and reflect upon the effort the master considered so small a design worthy of; let him see the plates of some of the noted names in history, art, letters, medicine, the Sciences, and the professions ; let him take in his hands the plates of William Penn, the friend of
Introductory.
15
the Indian and benefactor of his race, of Lau- rence Sterne, of David Garrick, of Horace Wal- pole, of Samuel Rogers, of Charles Dickens, or of George Washington, of John Adams, and Charles Carroll, signers of the Declaration; let him see a plate engraved by Paul Revere whose
>7?ld .
services in the Revolution he has known of from his schooldays; — let him see these and scores more of similar interest, and he cannot fail to respond to the enthusiasm of their owner. But indeed it is a pursuit, the delights of which are discernible to those only who bring to it the capacity for such pleasures.
NAME-LABELS AND MOTTOES.
F all forms of book-plates the simplest possible is the printed name of the owner, unaccom- panied by either motto, device, or ornamentation of any kind. Such a plate had Philip Hone, one of the founders of the Mercantile Library, and in the early twenties a mayor of the city of New York. His plate is merely a bit of paper with his name in bold script printed upon it from an engraved copper-plate.
This style of plate is not chronologically the earliest, but is taken as our starting-point be- cause of its unrelieved simplicity ; this fulfils the mission of the book-plate, — it proclaims the ownership of the book in which it is seen; not in delicate language, to be sure, not with any invi- tation to dip into the volume in hand, not with any evidence of the owner's taste in reading, but with a directness not to be misunderstood.
The essential part of the book-plate is the name of the owner; and while this is sufficient of itself, it is found profitable and pleasant to accom- pany it with an apt quotation from a favorite author, with a caution against the improper hand-
16
3Kmes( Prftjj Jfomraw,
Name-labels and Mottoes.
17
ling of books, with a warning of the sad result of declining Wisdom's guidance, or with an invi- tation to enjoy the beauties of literature and to share the benefits of careful reading. In addition to these mere typographical adjuncts an oppor- tunity is offered for the display of those more decorative garnishments which have led to the development of the handsomer styles of plates.
Ntf'«^
Alexander Stedmaiis: Thomas Thaxters, 1791: William W. Potter s Book : Aaron Woolwortlis, Ex Dono Rev. S. Buell, D.D. These plates use the possessive case, are embellished with borders of ornamental type, and supply some further information by showing the date of their being used, or by naming the giver of the volumes. Other styles of expressing book-ownership are afforded by the following: Nicolas Pike His
i8
American Book-plates.
Book 1768: Hannah Adams, Medfield 179-: The Property of John Clap, Roxbury 1791 : Davidis Dickinson Liber, A.D. 1796: Lieut. E. Trench- ard, U. S. Navy: Simeon Baldwin, Owner: Ex Libris L. G. Thomas : Library T. W. Curtis, No. : Belonging to the Library of Thomas Forrest Bet- ton, Germantown Pa. : The Property of John Weld native of Ponifret, Conn. Resident of Pom-
Numerus •€/<**! Pretium^^^^.
E LIBRIS
THOM^ HOLT.
fret, Bo't of Mr. fames Steele of Hartford, Janu- ary 12, 1796: W. Lewis, Ejus Liber: Johann Christ op h Kunze, Prediger in Philadelphia: Em- manuel Jones e Coll; Gul; et Ma : 1756.
These old type-set labels with their quaint borders of ornamental type, — scrolls, flourishes, stars, vines, and even grammatical signs, — are usually found to be printed on good white hand- made paper, which was seldom trimmed with care;
Name-labels and Mottoes.
l9
occasionally a tinted paper is found, — yellow more often than any other, but sometimes a blue or green ; these served the less pretentious of our ancestors in lieu of the coats-of-arms and family mottoes of those of higher lineage, and are found in quantities throughout the New England and Middle States : even farther south they are not uncommon, but are not so numerous.
In making up these ornamental borders the type was usually set in the form of a parallelo- gram, occasionally in a square, oval, circle, or diamond, and seldom in fanciful shapes. The most ambitious plate of this kind which has come under my observation is that which once graced the books of Mary McGinley; this is a rather large plate, and the type is set in the form of an urn, within the lines of which are given the motto and the owner's name.
A step in advance of these wholly typographi- cal examples are those which employ a woodcut
20
American Book-plates.
border to surround the name, and instances can be given of such a border enclosing the name printed from type ; festoons of flowers or of cord, and draperies of cloth, were also used as a simple setting for the owner's name. In this connection mention may be made of the work of T. Sparrow, an obscure engraver of Maryland ; no heraldic or pictorial examples of his workmanship have been identified, and he probably confined himself
to the simple woodcut designs of which but a small number are known. Always using a bor- der of floriated scrolls, he never omitted an origi- nal contrivance which is the characteristic mark of his work, — a group of thirteen stars surrounded often by a wreath. This is always found in a prominent place, and is an indication of his patri- otism as well as that of the owner of the plate.
It must not be supposed that the heraldic book-plate was an outgrowth or development of
Name-labels and Mottoes. 21
the name-label : not at all ; they were contempo- raneous and were both used in England long before they were here.
Coming now to the subject of mottoes, we find a wide field to travel over, many languages to read, many quotations to recognize, with hints and warnings, and even threatenings, by the score, from jealous book-lovers. Mottoes readily fall into two classes : those which are chosen by the owner for some personal reason, and those which are family mottoes, and which are used without thought because they are a family inheritance, or with a commendable pride in such legacies from an honorable ancestry. Latin is the language most often used probably, though English is a strong rival, while German, French, Greek, and even Hebrew and Welsh are also found upon our book-plates. Sentiments opposing the habit of book-borrowing are of frequent occurrence, and in some instances are of such severity as to leave no doubt of their effectiveness. For brevity and pointedness the following example can hardly be exceeded : —
This book was bought and paid for by
D. C. Colesworthy. Borrowing neighbors are recommeiided to supply themselves in the same manner. Price seventy-five cents.
On the book-plate of D. W. Jayne the follow- ing verse from the Bible is used : —
Go ye rather to them that sell and buy for yourselves. Matt. Chap. xxv. ver. 9.
22
American Book-plates.
Verses from Holy Writ are quite frequently used on plates, and the style of expression found in the Psalms and Proverbs is borrowed as add- ing an authoritative emphasis to the words of caution and advice, —
The wicked borrow, and returneth not: do thou not like unto them.
Return what thou borroweth with the most sacred punctu- ality, and withhold it not.
On the plate of a book-lover in Charles- ton, S.C., —
And ye shall keep me until the fourteenth day. And it shall be when thou hast made an end of reading this book. Send me away unto my master. Ex. xii. 6 : Jer. li. 63 : Gen. xxiv. 54.
Name-labels and Mottoes.
23
Every one has suffered from book-borrowers, even from school-day times, when the rude doggerel, —
Steal not this book for fear of shame, For here you see the owner s name,
or its variant,
Steal not this book for fear of strife, For its owner carries a huge jack-knife,
was printed in coarse letters across the cover of the books most likely to go astray. How irritat- ing it is to find the very volume one needs at the moment, missing from its accustomed place on the shelf; if anything is lacking to complete the
24 American Book-plates.
torment of the discovery, let it be impossible to find out who has taken the desired volume, or to get any clew as to when it went or where !
Private Library of J. N. Candee Cole, This book is not loaned. Matt. xxv. 9.
Read not books alone : but men, and be careful to read thyself. The property of John Lambert, South Reading.
To Borrowers of Books. You remember, my friend, I freely comply 'd With the favour you asked me, and fully relied On a favour from you, which, t ho' promised, I find, As it hasn't been granted, is out of your -mind, To return in due time what I've wanted to see, The Book, which 'tis long since you borrow' d of me. Another I now with reluctance implore, ' Tis only to ask that you borrow no more.
Stolen from J. W. Houx,
Book-keeping taught in three words, Never lend them.
The would-be borrower who finds these senti- ments in the book he was about to ask for will scarcely be encouraged to do so, and for direct- ness they are exceeded by only one example, in which the owner's name is followed by the simple declaration, He does not lend books. The motto on the plate of the late George Ticknor — Suum cuique, To every man his own — was also calcu- lated to discourage the borrower.
Name-labels and Mottoes.
25
But some people do lend books, and have them returned too, — in good second-hand condition. And so it comes about that the proper use of books is made the subject of another class of mottoes.
My Friend ! Should you this book peruse,
Please to protect it from abuse :
Nor soil, nor stain, nor mark its page,
Nor give it premature old age :
And, ivhen it has effected all,
Please to return it ere I call.
The following verse is common property and is found on several plates : —
If thou art borrowed by a friend,
Right welcome shall he be To read, to study, not to lend,
And to return to me.
Not that imparted learning doth
Diminish learning' s store, But books, I find, if often lent,
Return to me no more.
26 American Book-plates.
Read slowly, Pause frequently, Think seriously,
Return duly with the comers of the leaves not turned down. ,
Neither blemish this book, nor the leaves double down, Nor lend it to each idle friend in the town : Return it when read, — or if lost please supply Another, as good to the mind a7id the eye. With right and with reason you need but be friends And each book in my study your pleasure attends.
If through respect or love I lend This book unto my worthy friend, He must not soil, abuse, nor tear, But read with diligence and ca7'e ; And when its contents you have learned, Remember, it must be Returned.
On the plate of Samuel W. Francis appear the following lines : —
Any one may borrow, But a gentleman returns.
The property
of Thomas C. Cowan.
Borrower,
read, mark, and Avoid
the former part
of Psalm xxxvii. 21.
If you borrow, freely use it, Take great care and don't abuse it : Read, but neither lose nor lend it, Then unto the owner send it.
Name-labels and Mottoes.
27
Never open a book farther than to bring both sides of the cover on to the same plane. Never lend a borrowed book, but return it as soon as you are through with it, so that the oivner may not be deprived of its use. You may think this a strange request, but I find that although many of my friends are poor arithmeticians, they are nearly all of them good book-keepers.
In strong contrast to all the preceding are those mottoes of generous souls who find no pleasure in withholding their treasures, but who wish to have it understood that they are for the use of all ; not very many are bold enough to thus advertise their willingness to lend, but a few do so, and generally by the use of the Latin, Sibi et amicis, or et amicorum.
Sentiments in praise of books and reading are not uncommon, and quotations from classic
28 American Book-plates.
writers both in prose and poetry do good service on book-plates. Pope's well-known lines —
A little learning is a dangerous tiling, Drink deep or taste not the Pierian Spring ; Where shallow draughts intoxicate the brain, But drinking largely sobers us again.
are found on an old American plate. On a recent New York plate, —
Far more seemly were it for thee to have thy Study full of Books than thy purse full of money. Lilly.
On a Maine plate, —
Who learns and learns but does not ivhat he learns, Is one who plows and plows but never soivs.
Weigh well each thought, each sentence freely scan, In Reason's balance try the works of man. Be bias ' d not by those who praise or blame, Nor, Servile, Yield opinion to a name.
On a recent Boston plate, —
Uti bon livre est un bon ami.
On a recent Western plate, —
A jolly goode booke, Whereon to looke, Is better to me than golde.
On a recent Washington plate, —
A trusty villain, sir, that very oft when I am dull ivith care and melancholy lightens my humour.
29
30 American Book-plates.
The mottoes on the plates of those who have achieved distinction have a peculiar interest, es- pecially when chosen by the owners themselves. The plate of Henry W. Longfellow bears the following line : —
Non clamor sed amor,
which is from an unknown author and is found in the following verse : —
Non vox sed votum, Non chordas sed cor, Non clamor sed amor, Sonat in aiire Dei.
Not voice but vow,
Not harp-string, but heart-string,
Not loudness but love,
Sound in the ear of God.
The motto of George Washington, — Exitus acta probat, is not given in the accepted lists as the family motto of his ancestors, but it may have been such. The meaning of it has brought out criticism recently because of its Jesuitical sound, — " The end shows the deed." But this may also be taken as a patriotic utterance in view of the part of the illustrious owner of this plate in the Revolution.
On the plate of William Penn we see a motto most fitting for the character he sustained, Dum clavum rectum teneam — " While I hold to glory, let me hold to right." In the plate the third word is omitted, as the engraver found the motto too long for the space reserved, and through some
•Zox
r
li(M\CA
31
32 American Book-plates.
blunder the r in clarum is changed to a v, which makes no sense at all.
On the plate of George Bancroft, the late his- torian, a chubby cherub bears a panel on which is the motto, Sursum corda. Another plate was also used by Mr. Bancroft which was in all respects like the above, except that the motto was changed to EIS <J>AOS.
The plate of the late Mr. George W. Childs has the following motto whose appropriate- ness is evident at once, — The pen is mightier than the sword. Above this a second motto of equal appropriateness is given, — Nihil sine labore.
On the plate of Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes, Per ampliora ad altiora is given upon a ribbon under a beautiful drawing of the "chambered nautilus."
WliHAM PRE SCOTT
Instances of mottoes which are cleverly made to carry some meaning, or some word, which will be seen at a glance to be taken from the name of the owner, are found often.
On the plate of Harold Clarence Ernst this motto is given, Ernst 1st das leben.
Name-labels and Mottoes.
33
On the plate of George Curry, D.D., — Sic curre capias.
On the plate of Edward Spencer Dix, — Quod dixi id feci.
In concluding this list of mottoes two from the Welsh can be instanced, one on the plate of a New York collector of Welshiana, which is Cared Doeth Yr Encilic, meaning, " The learned love the
34 American Book-plates.
things of the past." The other is on a Washing- ton plate, and reads thus, A fynno Dwy y Fydd, meaning, " What God wills, will be."
In the list of languages used on book-plates, we must now include the Volapuk, for we have the first instance of its use already in a New York plate; the motto reading, Menad bal pukbal, and meaning, " One humanity, one language."
Yj/O^en^'
\^e/d(
ARMORIAL BOOK-PLATES.
OOK-PLATES admit of many kinds of extraneous ornamen- tation, and wholly apart from the special function of record- ing the ownership of books, they serve as expressions of artistic taste ; they lend them- selves readily to many forms of design, and have passed through several changes or " styles " in the three hundred years of their existence; they can be dignified or flippant, serious or punning, of artistic beauty or positive deformity; they can express the owner's choice of reading and can preserve lines from his favorite authors ; can convey warn- ing or invitation, and can, in short, be made a very personal affair.
The first book-plates were heraldic. In those early and, in some senses, good old days, before the schoolmaster was abroad in the land, when learning was the possession of the aristocrats and the churchmen only, and consequently when handwriting was not in use among the people, families were distinguished by emblems which were known of all. These heraldic devices were painted on their shields, carved upon their walls,
35
36
American Book-plates.
engraved upon their breast-plates, woven upon their banners and their tapestries, displayed upon their own persons, upon those of their depend- ents, and even upon their animals and the furni- ture and books of their homes ; even the purely
'aw'ie$t-yo/i&f^ -)
&taury-aQwr,
mVirgajiar
0
ornamental and ephemeral luxuries came to be adorned with the family coat-of-arms.
The armorial bearings, stamped upon the back or sides of a book, or printed upon paper and pasted within the cover, were sufficient, without a name, to identify the family to which it be- longed. Libraries descended from father to son,
Armorial Book-plates. 37
and were kept intact for generations ; and the family arms and motto were the most appropriate label possible.
Warren, one of the first to study book-plates and to give to others the benefit of his researches, has divided the armorial plates into general classes, and has given them suitable names, which are accepted the world over. A considerable number of subdivisions has been made ; and while they may be serviceable where book-plates are plenti- ful, they are but an incumbrance to the collector of the early plates of America, for our examples are few in number, and are quite sufficiently dis- tinguished — for the purpose of the present work, at least — by the following styles : Early Eng- lish, Jacobean, Chippendale, Ribbon, and Wreath. Distinctive, easily remembered characteristics pertain to each of these, and fairly accurate dates of their adoption and continuance can be given.
Adopting then the nomenclature of Warren, and following his lead, we come now to consider the meaning of the different styles and the diver- sity of their designs.
The very earliest class is the Early English, in which the shield of arms is present with all its accessories. In these plates the mantling is very profuse, and in large full-rounded curves surrounds three, and often all four, sides of the shield. This is the only ornamentation, nothing incidental being added as yet ; the name of the owner is usually or often accompanied by a title and address, and quite frequently also by the date.
38 American Book-plates.
We have but few examples of this style; perhaps the most satisfactory as an example of the class will be the plate of Joseph Dudley, dated 1754. (This plate was really engraved much
earlier than this. Hurd erased the original name, and cut the present one with the date in its place.) In this the mantling, running out beyond the edges of the shield, curls both upward and downward, and completely envelops three sides ;
Armorial Book-plates. 39
the design takes on a strong resemblance to oak leaves, and a single leaf of this is engraved upon the helmet: the background, or space enclosed within the scroll-work, is filled in with perpen- dicular lines which might be taken for the tincture gules; in the name-bracket, the oak-leaf pattern is again made use of, forming a neat finish to the ends.
^>{?ujrluj \yforiemcanu<s .
In the plate of The Honourable Wm. Car- michael, Esqr., the mantling is not so completely transformed into the oak-leaf design, although the latter is here apparent. The plate oijer. Dummer, Anglus Americanus is peculiar in that the space enclosed by the scroll-work is lined with the solid brick wall of the later Jacobean style ; in this the
40
American Book-plates.
mantling is less striking than in the Dudley, but it surrounds the shield well, and curves upward about the crest. In the Minot plate, which is very peculiar and rather difficult to classify, the
Osfancifr
mantling is very unworthy of the name ; it does not proceed from the helmet, nor indeed from any- where in particular, but in wild and very eccentric fashion, envelops the crest and most of the shield ; the field of the shield is tinctured azure, and it is
Armorial Book-plates. 41
enclosed within a border or moulding which nearly surrounds it, but leaves a portion at the base un- protected ; a further peculiarity of this moulding is that it is an integral part of the helmet, for it curves over at the top of the shield and actually proceeds from the helmet.
A very fine example of this style is the Francis Page plate.
The next style is the Jacobean, commonly spoken of as existing from about 1700 to about 1745; the styles overlap naturally, and no hard- and-fast period can be established within which only one particular style of plate was used. Exam- ples of the Jacobean plate are found in England which would date later than 1745, and the style which succeeded this was used somewhat before the year which begins its accepted period : the dates of the periods, then, are approximate. The names by which the different styles are known have all a good reason for their acceptance, although each one was suggested by differing circumstances.
The style of book-plate in vogue at the time of the last James is designated as Jacobean ; and, while it continued in use long after the death of the deposed monarch who gave it its name, any change in its designation would be misleading. The principal features of this style are its heavy, carved appearance, the evenly balanced propor- tions, and the exact coincidence of the two sides of the design. The shield, always of regular out- line, is usually placed upon an ornamental frame whose background, or lining, is either filled in
42 American Book-plates.
with a fish-scale pattern, diapered into the lozenge form or built up solidly with a wall of brick. This lining shows at both sides of the shield, below, and, less often, above it ; its sides are convoluted ; they run out in foldings and scrolls resembling the carving on wood, and are often worked into
FrederirPiullpseEs h
elaborate patterns : sometimes, too, the design is surrounded by a carved moulding which makes a heavy frame of rectangular form and massive appearance. This style of plate, well-handled, is exceedingly handsome, and is capable of more repose and dignity than any other. Very forbid- ding indeed, and over-solemn, are some examples, but in the main the purely Jacobean plates are
Armorial Book-plates. 43
very pleasing. Among the accessories usually- found are a scallop-shell with the concave side turned towards the observer, and placed either below the shield to support it, or above it to set it off: this shell is always looked for in the Jaco- bean plates, and indeed a shelly motive is apparent throughout very many examples. The helmet and mantling are conspicuous, especially the latter, as it is often enlarged and emphasized by being drawn into the general scheme of decoration ; very full, reaching far down the sides of the shield-frame, and indeed often curiously woven into the convolutions of the frame itself, it at times loses its significance : grotesque faces some- times peer from the ornamentation, and heads of satyrs and demons are frequently used to rest the base of the shield upon. In some instances the name is placed upon a bracket similar to the upper part of the plate in decoration, or, again, it may be seen upon a small curtain or lambrequin caught up at the ends with string. Very often, too, no setting is provided for the name, and it is simply engraved beneath the design. Eagles, lions, ter- mini, cherubs, and sometimes cornucopiae of fruit or flowers, angels blowing upon trumpets, and stiff stalks of flowers are introduced into the orna- mentation. But these do not succeed in enlivening the style of the plate materially, for it is essen- tially heavy, conservative, and formal in design and spirit. No graceful airiness rests upon it, and it provokes no joyous sentiment, but rather rouses respect and enforces stateliness. The general ap- pearance of the Jacobean plate is as if carved
44 American Book-plates.
from wood. We do not expect old carving to be anything but solid and immobile, and these char- acteristics are present in this style of book-plate. Indeed, Warren, in his chapter on the Jacobean style, says that no antiquary can fail to note the strong similarity of treatment and design between the wood-carving preserved in the churches of the time of Charles the Second and the mouldings on the monuments of the same period, and the book-plates of the style we have considered. Our finest example of the Jacobean book-plate is found in the work of Thomas Johnston, who made the plate of William P. Smith, A.M. This is a typical example of the later Jacobean style, and is worthy of particular study. The Elizabethan shield is set against a frame which is very elabo- rately carved and ornamented ; the lining is cov- ered with the fish-scale pattern, and this extends also to the arms and convolutions upon the sides. At the base of the shield the scallop-shell is in position as prescribed, and is surrounded by a little frame of its own ; the mantling is very slight indeed, breaking out from the wreath and also from the lower part of the helmet, in short and simple spirals. The motto is found on a ribbon which is gracefully strung upon the scrolls at the bottom of the design.
In the Spooner plate, by Hurd, the shield, also of Elizabethan pattern, is set against a diapered background; beneath the shield, within a little frame, the head of a sphinx is seen ; term-figures are placed in the scroll-work at either side, and from their hands depend bouquets of flowers ;
45
46 American Book-plates.
the crest is overarched with a bit of old scallop- shell, and the motto is given on a plain ribbon which, wholly unsupported, maintains a curved position under the whole design. In the Andrew
6aNDREW-TYT£rI)
Tyler plate, also by Hurd, a grotesque face sup- ports the shield, the lining is elaborately diapered, and a festoon of cloth depends from the lower scrolls of the frame. In the small-sized plate of John Allen, the lining is embellished with the simple lattice-work, in two patterns.
Armorial Book-plates.
47
Closely succeeding the Jacobean, and indeed coming into use before the latter was wholly dis- carded, the Chippendale style of book-plate may
be regarded as in a way an evolution from the Jacobean. If the parent was dignified and con- servative, the offspring was dainty and progressive ; the Jacobean style maintained its dignity and
48
American Book-plates.
decorous nicety to the end, but the Chippendale, which started in with a taking air of modest and light gracefulness, in strong and pleasing contrast to the solidity of its predecessor, rapidly assumed a most elaborate and ornate manner, and finally
sank into a wild, riotous, and well-nigh sensuous profusion of decorative expression, which being too heavy for it to sustain, bore it down to its end. The character of the Chippendale plate, while at- tractive and beautiful in its pure form, had essential elements of weakness, which, hardly able to resist development, were certain to cause its downfall.
Armoriat Book-plates. 49
As is natural to suppose, the name was bestowed upon this style because of its assimilation of the ornate and flowery spirit which the famous T. Chippendale at this period introduced into wood- carving and upholstery. As compared with its immediate predecessor, the differences in this style of plate are seen to be principally the
^N^lesCooipeEZ^ZJColKegisNovEbar.in
j^ericaJi^es^tCollKegb^deQxonSocius-spi
liberating of the decorative features from the stiff- ness which thralled them in the Jacobean. Not now resembling ponderous carvings in oak and mahogany, but rising free and unrestrained, the rose branches and sprigs seem to be copied from Nature herself; not arranged with careful nicety and labored uniformity as formerly, but springing from any convenient niche, they add grace and delicacy to the whole design. The helmet is seldom
5°
American Book-plates.
seen in this style of plate, the mantling is con- sequently absent, and the bracket supporting the shield of arms undergoes a transformation ; the convolutions and scrolls on the sides become finer,
^QMm^rmi?^^rO
freer, and less imposing; the shield is never found of any set rectangular pattern, but often is pear- shaped, shell-like in form, or indeed not unlike the oyster or the human ear in general outline ; the scallop shell which formerly served as a base for the shield to rest on, is now broken into dainty
Armorial Book-plates.
51
fragments with the pectinated edges disposed about the shield itself; the name-frame is no longer a cloth curtain, but is a scroll with indented edges and curling outlines.
^^^HiDjiSKEms^itT. tt (Sculp. -/~6>~^
In its highest development the Chippendale plate is a beautiful piece of work ; the richness of its curves, its plentitude of graceful scrolls, its profusion of roses in garlands or on the stem, and the elaborate detail noticeable in all its parts,
52 American Book-plates.
combine to make a plate of delightful airiness and dainty nicety ; but in the hands of weak designers, as pointed out by Warren, its possibilities of over- ornamentation were seized upon, and we find the most unexpected and incongruous assortment of figures from life, architectural fragments, alle- gorical subjects and other features not to be included in any particular class, occupying con- venient places about the escutcheon ; we find sleek shepherds clad in the fashionable clothes of the day, — knee-breeches, ruffled shirt with Byron collar, large felt hats, and buckled shoes ; we see would-be shepherdesses in big hooped-skirts, very low-necked bodices and slight waists, wearing frizzly hair and Gainsborough hats, and carrying dainty crooks ; scantily draped figures recline under the trees, while attendant cupids make music or hasten up with books. Turning from these pastoral scenes, we come across plates which have a most frightful dragon with scaly body, forked tail, and fiery, bulging eyes, who spits fire as he crouches among the roses ; in others we find cornices, columns, arches, and urns; fountains, hand-glasses, ships, nautical instruments, lambs, dogs, — in short, it is useless to name the great number of irrelevant articles which were made use of. The plate was made to carry any amount of heterogeneous ornamentation which the designer fancied ; it seems in some cases as if the details were employed with rightful reference to the tastes or pursuits of the owner, but in the greater number the fancy was allowed free play.
Hurd's work furnishes us with the best examples
— — -t- South Carolina
Armorial Book-plates.
53
of the pure Chippendale style; the Chandler plate, the Wentworth, and the Dumeresque are good examples ; Dawkins gives us the later and debased Chippendale with all its profusion of
extrinsic ornamentation. The Samuel Vaughan plate is a very fine example of good Chippen- daleism, and may be taken as a standard by which to recognize the features of this style. The Robt. Dinwiddle plate is a fine example of this style,
54
American Book-plates.
though the heraldry may be questioned: this, according to Hardy, is of Scotch make.
In the Ribbon and Wreath style, which came into vogue in England about 1770, and in the
United States not much before 1790, we note a return to simplicity. The later Chippendale plates, with their over-burdened frames, now yield to this quiet style, which is unassuming and very pleasing. In this the shield is usually heart-
roHN-wiMjAMS JLSGcr
Qy/yAn/ ^-yru^M^nJ)
Armorial Book-plates.
55
shaped, is not set against a background, and has absolutely no carved work about it; the shield is often unsupported, but is sometimes hung by ribbons or festoons from wall-pins above ; the decoration, as the name suggests, consists princi-
pally of ribbons, and wreathing in various forms. At the present day we use in our wall-paper, upholstery, and wood-carving on furniture and mantels, and even on outside cornices, a certain form of garland or festoon tied with ribbon which we call " Colonial " ; in a general way this re-
56 American Book-plates.
sembles the decoration features of the Ribbon and Wreath book-plate. From wall-pins with fancy oval or round heads, festoons of flowers depend above the shield; branches of holly and palm, often tied with a ribbon whose fluttering ends bear a motto or the name, are crossed beneath the shield, and their graceful sprays extend up either side. Some of the festoons are rich with blossoms, others, more slender, are of leaves only, while a few are made of cloth ; the full garlands are usually hung from above the shield, while the thinner style is draped in any place and manner accept- able to the designer, and with more or less of gracefulness, as his skill permitted. This style of plate calls for nothing more than its legitimate features to render it effective and satisfactory, and in general the plates are in the pure style ; but in some of the New York plates, there are books, writing materials, and bits of landscape introduced under the shield.
The Thomas Johnston plate by Maverick is a fine example of this style. Maverick was the most prolific worker in the Ribbon and Wreath, while Callender and Rollinson also used it very largely. The Prosper Wetmore plate by Maverick, the John Sullivan by Callender, and the Horatio Shepherd Moat by Rollinson, are all excellent examples.
PICTORIAL AND ALLEGORICAL BOOK- PLATES, AND PLATES OF COLLEGES, LIBRARIES, AND SOCIETIES.
ESIGNS which are wholly pic- torial or which are meant to convey meaning by their sym- bolism are not very numerous with us. This style of design is no better suited to the plates of public libraries, schools, and societies, than to those of individuals, but nearly all of our early examples of this style are found to belong to the former class.
One of the early personal plates of this kind is that of James Parker, who was a collector of curios, medals, and books. He was a conductor on the old Western Railroad, and ran the first train between Worcester and Springfield. This plate is fully described in the List.
Of an entirely different style is the plate en- graved by Harris for Henry Andrews. This is pictorial, introducing classical features, but hardly rising to the height of allegory. The plate of Bloomfield Mcllvaine is also pictorial, and prob- ably allegorical, as the figure seems to represent History. In the Samuel Parker plate we have
57
58
Pictorial ana A ' llegorical Plates. 59
allegory with a label to identify it ; for the bank on which the muse of History reclines is labelled Clio. A very peculiar pictorial plate is that of Edward Pennington, which seems to represent an overflowing reservoir.
rue 151 s
The plates of McMurtrie, Kip, Mann, Russell, Swett and Hooper are good examples of the class. Examples could be given at greater length, but as all are carefully described in the List, the reader is referred to it.
The most interesting of the old society and
60
vt,.'C™>»>Si""i
61
62 American Book-plates.
library plates are the three of the New York Society Library, the two of the libraries in Farm- ington, Conn., and that of the Society for Propa- gatiitg the Gospel in Foreign Parts.
In the plates of the Society Library allegory is rampant. Minerva appears in all of them, and in the two by Maverick is the principal figure. In both of these she appears to an American Indian, whose attitude shows his deep apprecia- tion of the benefits of education as offered by the resplendent goddess. In one case she is repre- sented as having just arrived from Olympus, and is still encircled by clouds ; in the other, she seems quite at home in the alcove of the library, and has taken a suitable volume from the shelf for the use of the savage. In the plate by Gal- laudet for this library the allegory is extended, and other prominent inhabitants of the abode of the celestials are present. The arts and sciences which the books of the library treat of are rep- resented by implements and symbols easily recognized.
The plate of the Monthly Library in Farm- ington also uses allegory. The designer and engraver of this plate was Martin Bull, an old deacon in the village, who was quite an inter- esting man. He was a goldsmith, a maker of silver buttons, and spoons ; a manufacturer of salt- petre when needed by the army, a conductor of church music, town treasurer for eight years, clerk of probate for thirty-nine years, a strong patriot, and a writer of long and appallingly solemn letters to the youth of the village when
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64 American Book-plates.
at college. The library was founded in 1795, — about as soon as our soldier-citizens could settle down into reading stay-at-homes, — and was con- ducted upon the plan of monthly exchanges. On the first Sabbath of the month all members would assemble in the evening and pass in their books and receive others, the choice being auctioned off. Two dollars and a half a month was thus realized, and the meeting was the event of the month to the sturdy inhabitants of the quiet town, to say nothing of the younger folk, to whom it must have afforded coveted opportunities for pleasant meetings, and quiet walks along the lanes. On the first day of the new century, January, 1801, the library changed its name to that which appears upon the book-plate, and on which the good deacon exhibited a specimen of his highest art. Previously to this date it had gone under the name of " The Library in the First Society in Farmington," and its first book-plate, probably engraved by the good deacon, had the simple name with no pictorial accessories.
Contemporaneously with this, another library called the Village Library, was in operation, and continued until 1826, when it was merged with a third. This library also had a book-plate, but it was undoubtedly beyond the powers of the en- graver of its forerunners. In this we see the interior of a room, in which a young lady patron of the library is storing her mind with those choice axioms which, if put in practice, far exceed the attractiveness of mere personal beauty; so says the couplet beneath the picture.
Pictorial and Allegorical Plates. 65
TILLAGE MBEAKE
Eeatdut i'h ram their fpvity **/t* "uty rvUi Chamu strict thti seibse, iut nurd n'ins At soul.
The plate of the Society for Propagating the Gospel in Foreign Parts is also pictorial, and represents a ship of the Society, with its missionary, approaching the shore of savage America: this plate is dated 1 704, and is very curious and inter- esting. The society grew from the efforts of one Rev. Thomas Bray, who established thirty- nine parochial libraries in the American Colonies for the purpose of propagating the doctrines
66
American Book-plates.
of the Church. In 1698, King's Chapel, Boston, received some two hundred books from this society, which were described as " an arsenal of
sound theological, ecclesiastical, and political doctrines for the Ministers of His Majesty's Chapel." For the prevention of loss or embezzle- ment, and that they might be known wherever
Pictorial and Allegorical Plates. 67
found, " in every book, on the inside cover shall be these words, 'Sub auspiciis Wilhelmi III,' and also _ the Library to which they belong, thus ' E Bibliotheca Bostoniana.' " This must have been in addition to the plate we are considering, as no words descriptive of particular ownership are • given : possibly this plate was used in all the books belonging to the society, and the supple- mentary one was for use in each individual library.
College plates are as a general thing very plain, but the plates used by the societies supported by the students and the alumni, are often very elaborate. The early societies in Harvard and in Yale had curious and very interesting examples of the allegorical and symbolic plate.
The Hasty Pudding Society and the Porcellian Club of Harvard College, the Linonian Society and the Brothers in Unity of Yale College, are examples. In Dartmouth College, the Social Friends Society, and in the smaller colleges numerous other fraternities and societies, used plates of simpler style.
The books of the Library of Harvard College were marked with plates by Hurd and Bowen, as noted in the list ; on these plates, the gifts of various benefactors are recorded, with the class to which they belonged, conditions regarding the gift of the books, or a statement of the fund from whose income the money for the books is derived.
The plate of the Library of Congress is an engraved label having the name and spaces for
68
£IK"0HIAH JLIBK.AJR.T "STALK COIiJLEOE
69
70 American Book-plates.
entries surrounded by a border of oak leaves and acorns : the design is very neat, and is old in appearance.
A very beautiful plate is used by some Orphan Asylum, which does not give its full name upon its plate. In this a beautiful picture of the Christ blessing the little ones is given; the line "For-
asmuch as ye did it unto one of the least of these, ye did it unto Me," is given under the vignette.
In the plate of the Library of the New York State Agricultural Society, which was incorpo- rated in 1832, Ceres is seen in the field; behind her the sheaves of wheat extend in rows; one arm clasps a cornucopia, and with the hand of the other she extends a wreath.
In a great many instances the plates of libra-
Pictorial and Allegorical Plates. 71
ries had no pictorial features, or indeed anything at all ornamental, being but the printed rules gov- erning the users of the books. Two examples of this kind of plate are given below.
This VOLUME
belongs to
P 'RICHARD'S
Circulating Library,
Containing nearly Two Thousand Volumes,
In Market Street, Baltimore,
where
LADIES OR GENTLEMEN
may become
READERS
By subscribing for one Month, three Months or by
Agreement for a single Book. Said Prichard has also a
very great Variety of NEW and OLD BOOKS for Sale.
He, likewise,
Gives Ready Money for New and Old Books.
Union Circulating Library, 201 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia.
Subscribers to pay in advance, six dollars for a year: three dollars and fifty cents for six months : two dollars for three months : one dollar for one month : each sub- scriber to have three Duodecimo volumes, or one Octavo and one Duodecimo at a time. A subscriber detaining an Octavo longer than four weeks or a Duodecimo longer than two weeks to pay as a non-subscriber. For each Octavo one eighth of a dollar per week until the end of the fourth week when the rate was doubled. For a Duo- decimo one sixteenth of a dollar per week until the end of the second week.
Constant attendance at the Library from Sunrise till 8 o'clock in the evening.
72
American Book-plates.
In mentioning a few examples of the plates recently made for societies and libraries, no attempt is made to furnish a complete list, nor even tc mention all the attractive plates, but to speak of a few which seem of especial interest.
A pleasing architectural plate is used in Colum- bia College Library to mark the books of the Avery Architectural Library. This was designed by Russell Sturgis, and is in the form of a memo- rial window or mortuary mural tablet. The central panel bears the inscription, and the date MDCCCXC is given below.
Pictorial and Allegorical Plates. 73
The plate of the Arnold Arboretum, designed by George Wharton Edwards, is very attractive ; the just-rising sun shines upon a white pine which stands within an elliptical frame; the names of the Institution and of the University appear upon ribbons which float from the pine. The plate is dated 1892, and is signed, G. W. E.
The same artist designed the first book-plate of the Grolier Club of New York City. In this, Atlas is seen supporting the arms of the club within a circular frame which bears the name, and the date of the founding of the club, 1884; rich foliations with a pounced background sur- round this central design. The plate is signed G.W.E.
The Public Library of the old whaling town of New London has a plate which is wholly nau- tical in construction ; the name is given on a wheel which is held by a seaman, while the cap- tain stands by in pea-jacket and rough-weather helmet, giving orders ; the sail, which rises behind them, affords space for the number of the book; below the deck on which the mariners stand, are seen harpoons and spears of various sizes and kinds; two dolphins are disporting in the waves. This plate is signed by the name of the artist in full. It is by Mr. Edwards.
The Sutro Library of San Francisco uses a plate which gives a large and interesting picture of the natural resources of the locality, and the enterprises carried on in its vicinity ; the motto, Labor omnia vincit, appears on the ribbon which floats in the air.
74
Pictorial and Allegorical Plates. 75
The Watkinson Library of Hartford uses one of the very few portrait plates in the country ; just why this style of plate should not be common is not easy to understand. They are used in Boston and Worcester, as mentioned below, but these instances are all that occur in public libra- ries. In this plate the portrait of David Watkin- son, the founder of the library, is enclosed within an oval frame which bears the name and the date of incorporation, 1858. The plate is signed by the American Bank Note Company, New York, and is an excellent piece of steel engraving.
Almost all of the historical societies use plates in which the arms of the state or city in which they are located, are used. The Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and Maine Historical Societies have plates of this kind. In the last-named plate an inescutcheon bears four important dates in the history of the state of Maine.
1605, First voyage along the Coast by Waymouth. 1649, Election of Godfrey as Governor. 1678, Usurpation of Maine by Massachusetts. 1820, Separation from Massachusetts.
The Rowfant Club of Cleveland uses a small plate representing the corner of a library; the open window admits the fading light of the sun, which is sinking into the sea ; the lattice swings idly, and the pile of books on the table proclaim a busy day.
A very striking plate is used by the University Club of Washington. A wall of rough-faced stone is pierced by a small quatrefoil window in which
76
Pictorial and Allegorical Plates. 77
a book is laid; the date 1891 is stamped upon the side of the book. Below this, Ionic columns support the wall; between them, in a smooth
space, is carved the name and city of the club. The plate is signed Hy. Sandham.
In the Boston Public Library a large number of different plates is used for the volumes coming from different legacies or funds, and in very many
78
American Book-plates.
cases these plates give a portrait of the donor. Thus we find these portraits on the plate used in the books from the Ticknor Fund, the Phillips Fund, and the Franklin Club Fund. The books remaining from the library of Thomas Prince are also marked with a plate which gives his portrait and a picture of the old meeting-house, in which he preached, and in which the books were stored at one time.
Portraits also appear upon the book-plates of the American Antiquariaii Society, which gives that of Ginery Twichell ; and the Massachusetts Historical Society, which has a plate giving a portrait of James Savage.
The public libraries of to-day do not usually use elaborate plates in their book-covers; simple labels, with perhaps a city or corporation seal, are the common kind.
BOOK-PLATES OF SPECIAL INTEREST.
EVERAL reasons can be given for the fact that collectors re- gard some book-plates as of more value than others. With book-plates, as in other lines of collecting, rarity is a de- sirable feature, and is a prom- inent element in deciding values.
All of our early American plates can fairly be called scarce when compared with the foreign examples of the same period, for they outnumber ours, fifty to one ; but many among ours are rarer than others. The John Franklin, brother of Benjamin, signed by Turner, is an exceeding rare plate ; the Thomas Dering, signed by Hurd, is very rare. The plates of Stephen Cleveland, Samuel Chase, Francis Kinloch, Edward Augus- tus Holyoke, John Vassal, Lewis De Blois, Lenthal, Apthorp, the Johit Pintard, by Anderson, and many others are not seen in many collections. The plate of George Washington is the most valuable probably of our plates ; and while we know the location of a good many of his books that have the plate within the covers, they are in no way
79
8o American Book-plates.
obtainable : this plate is not very common, but more copies of it are owned than of some others. The libraries of our early days, while of respec- table size, were not so large as to require the
■<$*&■
printing of thousands of book-plates; fire and mob violence have destroyed many books of those old collections and their plates with them. Har- vard, Yale, William and Mary, and Princeton
Book-plates of Special Interest. 81
have all suffered the loss of books by fire, while many smaller private libraries have been thus devastated. Mr. John Pintard used to say that he had seen the British soldiers carrying away books from the library of Columbia College to
barter for grog, and a similar fate from similar hands overtook many of the books stored in the belfry-chamber of the Old South Church, Boston, while later in our history, worse depredations were committed in the Southern cities by soldiers, who took the liberty which war accords to con- testants, to despoil many a building, both public
82 American Book-plates.
and private, ruining books, records, paintings, and other property of antiquarian and historical value. So that the early American plates, at the first not so very numerous, have been reduced at times by wholesale measures.
A second item of interest to the collector is the signature of the engraver of the plate. Signed plates have a value over those which are not signed. The identification of a plate, or the determination of its age, may be considerably strengthened if the engraver's name appears upon the copper. Then, too, the name of a famous engraver lends much additional interest to a plate. A book-plate signed by Paul Revere arrests the attention of any observer at once, and establishes a value to the same. Likewise a plate signed by Hurd, Doolittle, Dawkins, Anderson, Maverick, Callender, or Turner is worth much more to the collector than one of equal age but of unknown workmanship.
Dated plates also rank among the more valua- ble examples. A glance at the chronological list will show how small a number of these we can boast : many of those appearing in the list, too, are simply printed name-labels, which do not rank as high as the more pretentious specimens. Our very earliest dated example is the label of the Rev. John Williams, 1679, the first minister in Deerfield, Mass., and who with his wife and chil- dren was carried into captivity by the Indians in 1704. Coming next are the plates of Francis Page, 1 703, and William Penn, 1 703, but they are both of English make. The plate of Thomas
Q^/ataA Qs/iamaj
83
84
American Book-plates.
Prince, who was for forty years the pastor of the Old South Society in Boston, is a simple label dated 1 704. The plate of Thomas Dering, signed by Hurd, and dated 1749, is the first American plate by an American engraver that is both
signed and dated. The John Burnet, by Daw- kins, dated 1754, is next in order; then comes the Greene plate, by Hurd, 1757, the Albany Society Library, 1759, concerning which very little is known, and every few years an example until we come to the opening of the century.
Book-plates of Special Interest. 85
Naturally the artistic quality of a book-plate influences its value ; the more elaborate designs are preferred to the plain armorials or the printed labels. Pictorial plates, introducing bits of land- scape, interiors of libraries, or allegorical subjects, are sought for, as are plates which are accepted as particularly good types of the different styles. In addition to these technical reasons for valuing one plate more highly than another may be given others which will appear more reasonable perhaps to the general reader. All articles belonging to the noted men of the past have a certain antiqua- rian value greater than attaches to the kindred belongings of their contemporaries of lesser or no fame. So with book-plates.
A glance at the list will show a goodly number of names which we* remember with pride and interest ; the names of patriots, orators, lawyers, statesmen, officers of the army, officers of the state and nation, members of Congress, signers of the Declaration, governors, old-time merchants, authors, divines, physicians, and not a few of that plucky number who stood by the King in trying times — the American Loyalists. Quakers, too, as well as royal office-holders, and titled Americans are among those whose book- plates have come down to us.
Of our early Presidents, the plates of George Washington, John Adams, John Quincy Adams, and John Tyler are known to us. All of these except the last, which is a plain printed label, are armorial.
Members of the Boston Tea Party, of the
86
American Book-plates.
Constitutional Convention, and of the early Assemblies are among those whose plates we know.
Of royal officers we have: Craven, one of the Lords Proprietors of South Carolina ; Elliston, Collector of His Majesty's Customs at New York;
m<?.
Sir William Keith, Governor of Pennsylvania; John Tabor Kempe, Attorney-General under the Crown at New York; and William Penn, Pro- prietor and Governor of the colony which bore his name.
Owners of large estates, employers of numbers of slaves, merchants whose vessels carried on a
Book-plates of Special Interest. 87
trade with remote and prosperous shores, and who established names that have endured, used book- plates which are still known to us. Among these are the plates from the following families, well- known in New England : Ames, Bowdoin, Cabot, Chandler, Chauncey, Coffin, Lodge, Lowell,
Minot, Quincy, Sears, Winthrop, Barrell, Greene, Perkins, Swan, Vassall, and Vaughan.
Of those well-known in and about New York may be mentioned, Clinton, Colden, Constable, Cutting, De Peyster, Duer, Ellery, Goelet, Hoff- man, Ogden, Paulding, Phillipse, Pintard, Van Cortlandt, and Van Rensselaer. To these should be added the Livingstons, which family had the largest number of book-plates of any we know.
88
American Book-plates.
In Philadelphia were the Logans, Morgans, Powels, Banckers, and Hamiltons; while further South, the Lees, Lightfoots, Tayloes, Wormeleys, Pages, Cabels, Tubervilles, Armisteads, Byrds, Blands, Boilings, Dinwiddies, Fitzhughs, Hubards,
Magills, and Randolphs used plates and were families of prominence and distinction.
Among the prominent Loyalists are Chalmers, Cooper, Hallowell, Hamilton, Livius, Lloyd, Oliver, and Robinson. Of titled Americans the following used book-plates: Fairfax, Gardiner, Murray of Dunmore, and the Pepperrell families.
Book-plates of Special Interest. 89
Of the early authors we can mention Alsop, Antill, Bozman, Byrd, Dana, Key, Stith, and Abercrombie ; of physicians, Assheton, Bond, Beatty, Holyoke, Middleton, and Jeffries; of the statesmen, Bayard, Carmichael, Dana, Duane, Gal-
latin, Jay, Lewis, Marshall, Norris, and Randolph.
Among the early clergymen can be named Apthorp, Boucher, Williams, J arvis, and Provoost.
Allen and Thomas, early printers ; Aitkin, who made the first American edition of the Holy Bible ; and Bartram, the great botanist, used plates, which are described in the list.
90 American Book-plates.
Bloomfield, Brearly, Banister, Chester, Eustace, Hale, Mercer, Schuyler, Sullivan, and Varick are among the soldiers of the Revolutionary army; and of the orators we have Otis and Randolph.
Coming now to the signers of the Declaration, we find that we know thus far the plates of eleven of them : John Adams, Charles Carroll, Samuel Chase, Thomas Hayward, William Hooper, Francis Hopkinson, Benjamin Rush, Richard Stockton, George Taylor, Oliver Wolcott, and George Wythe.
Surely the book-plates of all these men whose mention stirs patriotic feeling, are of exceeding interest, and worthy to rank with any in point of value and appreciation.
No book-plate, however, is of greater interest to the American collector than that of George Washington, not alone by reason of the promi- nence of that eminent man, but because of the scarcity of the plate, the high price it brings, and the interesting fact that it is the only American plate which has been deemed worthy of counter- feiting.
A genuine contemporary print of this plate is readily recognized by the connoisseur. The plate has no striking features, but is a regular design in the pure Chippendale style. The arms are displayed upon a shield of the usual shell-like form, and the sprays and rose branches of this style are used in the ornamentation of the sides of the escutcheon. The motto, Exitus acta probat, is given upon its ribbon at the base of the shield, and the name is engraved in script on
Book-plates of Special Interest. 91
the bracket at the bottom of the design. In general appearance the plate is like scores of Chippendale plates of the period.
The interesting question of the probable en- graver of the plate has arisen, and in a most
readable article from the pen of Mr. R. C. Lich- tenstein, in the " Curio," on the Library of Washington, the following opinion is advanced : " It was his [Washington's] habit as a general rule to write his name on the right-hand corner of the title-page and place inside his book-plate. It has been a matter of uncertainty as to whether that
92 American Book-plates.
book-plate was engraved in England or in this country. Washington, like other Virginia gentle- men before the Revolution, was in the habit of ordering goods every year from London ; but we have searched the various orders to his agents in London, and examined as far as practicable the items of his household expenses, without finding any such item. The strongest argument that can be said in its favor proving it to be American work is the poor heraldry displayed in its coat-of- arms, general make-up, and drawing. It will be noticed that the engraver has placed a wreath under the crown (an absolute heresy), and this, with the faulty drawing of the raven, makes the whole plate a very slovenly piece of work. No engraver with any knowledge of the fundamental laws of heraldry would be guilty of drawing such a coat-of-arms as this. The arms of Washington engraved on his seal and ring, undoubtedly cut in England, are correctly done. It seems more than probable, if the plate had been done in England that the engraver would not have been guilty of making such blunders. We have seen a great many English plates, but have never noticed one bearing these peculiarities. From its general ap- pearance we should say that the plate was made in America somewhere between the years 1777 and 1 781."
Collectors are divided in their opinions upon this question, and although not ready to hazard a guess at the engraver, the present writer believes the plate was engraved in England, and would place the date nearly a decade earlier. As the
Book-plates of Special Interest. 93
friend of the Fairfax family, Washington might have had the plate made upon the occasion of their ordering work of the same kind from Eng- land, or, indeed, it might have been a gift to him from them, or from some admiring friend. As he was a methodical man, the fact that no entry of an expense for such an article is found in his records may lend color to the presenta- tion theory. As to the errors in heraldry, there is a plate of one Richard Washington, which has all the peculiarities of this plate, and this is signed by Bickham, who was an English engraver of some note. He was a trifle early perhaps to have been the engraver of the George Washington plate, but he may have made the plate which served as a copy for it. But whether the plate was of domestic or foreign make, we know that the copper was in this country, and that impres- sions were made from it not so very many years ago. The late Mr. Mauran of Newport knew the man who owned this, and it seems that hav- ing printed what he deemed a sufficient number of re-strikes from it, this man, fearing lest others would in time get it and make more prints, cut the copper into pieces and going out on a bridge over the Schuylkill River, threw them in ! There they may be looked for by any who choose.
The counterfeit of this plate appeared in an auction sale of books, in the city of Washington, about the year 1863. The late Dr. W. F. Poole with Dr. J. M. Toner was present at the sale. The plate was placed in these books for the pur- pose of getting a higher price for them than could
94 American Book-plates.
otherwise have been obtained. These gentlemen detected the fraudulent plate, and denounced it as such in the auction-room, and the books brought only their actual value as books. Copies of this plate turn up now and then, and the unsuspect-
ing are still deceived by it. It is readily detected if one is forewarned. The work is manifestly inferior to the good plate, the alignment of the name is poor, the quality and appearance of the paper belie its professed age, and the printing is of decidedly different appearance, being bold and strong in the genuine, and weak and thin in the
Book-plates of Special Interest. 95
forgery. A further difference is noted in the crest, which is tinctured gules in the forgery and sable in the genuine. These plates are sometimes claimed to be genuine and to be an early and unsatisfactory piece of work, which Washington rejected, and which was replaced with the other and accepted plate. This idea is plausible per- haps to some, but to any who had information from Dr. Poole it is an impossible theory. An- other source of confusion is in the reproductions of the plate which have been made from time to time to illustrate works on the life of Washington, some of these being quite faithful duplicates of the genuine plate with its trifling flaws ; but the paper and the printing are usually conclusive proof of the age of the print. It is safe to say that there is but one genuine Washington plate. It is true that the re-strikes of the original copper are about, but these, too, are readily distinguish- able by the printing and paper.
The plate of Bushrod Washington, nephew of George, is also of much interest, and the manifest similarity of its design to some of the plates by Dawkins has led to the suggestion that he made this plate. But to the mind of the writer, Daw- kins was not a man of originality, and was a regular copyist when it came to book-plates ; the similarity of the plate of James Samuels to this plate is rather to his mind a further evidence of the clever adoption of a reasonably good design by Dawkins, than of his having been chosen by Judge Washington to engrave his book-plate. The design of this plate is more spirited than any
96
American Book-plates.
of the authenticated work of Dawkins; indeed, it surpasses the plate of the General in that respect. The arms are the same in these two Washing- ton plates. In his " Barons of the Potomac and the
i^Ou/4^?t/
r^zJ/u^iatwi
Rappahannock " (published by the Grolier Club, 1892), Mr. Moncure Daniel Conway has referred to the older form of the arms as used by earlier members of the family. The earliest shields held " Gules on a barre argent 3 Cinquefoiles of ye first? The second step was made by changing to the
Book-plates of Special Interest. 97
following, " Gules on a f esse sable 3 mullets." The last and present form is, "Argent, two bars gules: in chief three mullets of the second? These last, it is claimed, suggested our national flag.
The plate of Elizabeth Graeme of Philadelphia should be noted here, as it is the only example of
an heraldic plate used by a lady of colonial times. It is fully described in the list.
Leaving now these older plates of special inter- est to be discovered in the Lists, we turn to a few modern plates which are worthy of particular attention.
The plate of Daniel Webster is a plain armorial
98 American Book-plates.
with the motto, Vera pro gratis, on the ribbon below the shield.
The etched plate of the late James Eddy Mau- ran, the early collector of American and other book-plates, was an armorial of very handsome appearance. The shield is surrounded with the style of decoration used on the Chippendale exam- ples, oak leaves being used in lieu of mantling.
An earlier plate in two sizes shows some differ- ences in the design.
The plate of the late George W. Childs seems wholly in keeping with the career of its distin- guished owner. The sword, broken into pieces by the quill, is depicted within an oval garter which bears the motto, Nihil sine labore. The words from Lytton's Richelieu, The pen is mightier than the sword, are also given just within the frame.
Coming now to mention a few plates of our well-known men of letters, we naturally accept the plate of Oliver Wendell Holmes 'as worthy of the chiefest place. In this the motto, Per ampliora ad altiora, is given on a ribbon beneath a beautiful representation of the " Chambered Nautilus," the
Ship of pearl, which, poets feign,
Sails the unshadowed main, —
The venturous bark that flings On the sweet summer wind its purple wings In gulfs enchanted, where the Siren sings,
And coral reefs lie bare,
Where the cold sea-maids rise to sun their streaming hair.
" If you will look into Roget's ' Bridgewater Treatise,'" said the Autocrat one morning, "you
V/?
rrer^mi
Book-plates of Special Interest. 99
will find a figure of one of these shells and a sec- tion of it. The last will show you the series of enlarging compartments successively dwelt in by the animal that inhabits the shell, which is built in a widening spiral. Can you find no lesson in this ?
" ' Build thee more stately mansions, O my soul,
As the swift seasons roll !
Leave thy low-vaulted past ! Let each new temple nobler than the last, Shut thee from heaven with a dome more vast,
Till thou at length art free,
Leaving thine outgrown shell by life's unresting sea.'"
A plain armorial plate with the motto, Vitam impendere vero, and the name in fac-simile of his autograph, was used by/. G Holland.
The plate of Brander Matthews, designed by Edwin A. Abbey, represents the discovery of a mask of the old Greek comedy, by an American
IOO
American Book-plates.
Indian. With feathers stuck in his scanty hair, and his tomahawk laid on the ground beside him, he appears to deliberate upon the possible use of the enormous face which grins at him from his knee. On a circular frame surrounding this picture the following words from Moliere are given, Que pensez vous de cette comedie. The appropriateness of the design is apparent for one who is a col- lector of the literature of the French drama, and
the author of several books relating to the stage both in America and France.
In the plate of Edmund Clarence Stedman, the author of " The Poets of America," we see Pan piping in the sylvan glades; the shepherd and the nymph are charmed by the music, and the god is apparently at the height of his effort. The frame surrounding the design bears the words, Le Cceur au Metier, which were suggested by the address of Matthew Arnold to the Authors' Club in 1883. This plate is made in three sizes.
Book-plates of Special Interest. 101
The plate of Thomas Bailey Aldrich presents within a square frame a picture of a black bird resting upon a comic mask; the heavy panelled frame bears the owner's name and the words, His Mark. In his essay on American Book-plates, Mr. Laurence Hutton questions whether this black bird is representative of the Daw, and sym- bolic of Margery of that name.
In the plate of Eugene Field we have a beauti- ful example of the plain armorial, unaccompanied by motto or ornamentation of any kind.
Of similar character is the plate of Richard Grant White. This is armorial, but the motto, The right and sleep, is given, and the shield is decorated in a conventional manner, with mantling and scrolls.
A pleasing library interior is used by Arlo Bates. This represents an Oriental interior; a youth in scull-cap and flowing hair is reading a large book ; a lily stem rises from a vase of striped Tyrian glass at his side ; rows of books are seen at his back; and out of the arched window the distant fields are seen, with the palm and cypress trees on the hillside. This plate is produced in a new manner, being a gelatine print or half-tone direct from the pencil sketch. It preserves a very soft and pleasant effect ; indeed, one feels sure it will smirch if rubbed.
Laurence Hutton in his plate places a full- length statue of Thackeray within a canopy, which seems to-be a niche within a bookcase. Volumes flank both sides, and the amiable face of the drastic writer looks directly at the beholder.
102
American Book-plates.
The name of the owner is given on a ribbon at the bottom of the design.
The books of the lamented actors, Edwin Booth and Lawrence Barrett, were marked with book- plates, the former using a plain armorial with no name engraved upon it, and the latter showing the mask of Tragedy upon an open volume, with the motto, Esto quod esse videris.
The reading monk, with the nimbus and star over his head, is seen in the plate of Edward Eggleston. The sentiment, Fliefrd the presse and dwell with sothfastnesse, is given in old English letters.
Book-plates of Special Interest. 103
Mr. Rossiter Johnson uses a very plain but effective label bearing the initials R. J. printed within a plain ruled border : all in red ink.
The patriotic motto of General Winfield Scott is the family motto of the Scots of Whitislaid, Scotland, and well did the character of the man who used the book-plate depicted below coincide with its meaning.
It would be interesting to extend this list of plates used by men well known throughout the length and breadth of our land, but, unfortu- nately, many whose names will occur to the reader do not use a book-plate.
EARLY AMERICAN BOOK-PLATE ENGRAVERS.
ATHANIEL HURD, who was born in Boston, Feb. 13, 1730, and who died in 1777, was the best of our early en- gravers of book-plates. Very little is now known of him, the principal source of informa- tion being an article in the third volume of " The New England Magazine," published in Boston in 1832 by J. T. and E. Buckingham. The only known portrait of Hurd, which is copied from an origi- nal painting of him by Copley, and which in 1832 was owned by a descendant of Hurd in Medford, Mass., also accompanies this article, and shows him as a young man with smooth face, very pleas- ing and intelligent features, and wearing a cap, white neck-cloth, and clothes of a pattern which give him a decidedly clerical appearance.
The only book-plate work mentioned in this article is the large plate for Harvard College. It is said that the prints done in red ink were for use in the highly valuable books which the stu- dents were not allowed to take from the library. Several brilliant caricatures, a portrait of the Rev.
104
Early American Engravers. 105
Dr. Sewell of the Old South Church, done in 1764, and a few other examples of his art are mentioned. He is (probably inaccurately) claimed to be the first person who undertook to engrave on copper in the United States. He was a man of natural talent and real genius, was self-instructed in his art, and was regarded as the foremost seal- cutter and die-engraver of his time, in this country. The following advertisement from the Boston "Gazette" of April 28, 1760, is of some inter- est:—
" Nathaniel Hurd Informs his Customers he has remov'd his shop from Maccarty's Corner on the Exchange to the Back Part of the opposite Brick Building, where Mr. Ezekiel Price kept his Office, where he continues to do all Sorts of Gold- smiths Work. Likewise engraves in Gold, Silver, Copper, Brass, and Steel, in the neatest Manner, and at reasonable Rate."
Hurd worked principally in the Chippendale style ; he made some plates in the Jacobean and a few in the Ribbon and Wreath styles, but he died before the latter was much in use, and the former was really going out when he took up the making of plates. Judging from the appearance of his work, his first attempts were in the Chip- pendale style, and the few Jacobeans he made were done after he had attained considerable efficiency.
One of his earliest specimens was undoubtedly the plate of Edward Augustus Holyoke, the famous doctor of Boston, who lived to be one hundred years old, and who was but a year or two the senior of Hurd. In this plate he used a design which he evidently believed he could im- prove upon, and in which he felt there were good
106 American Book-plates.
features, for we find a number of future plates of very similar design but much better execution. In the Holyoke plate the work is very crude, the lines are stiff, the drawing is poor, and the letter- ing of the motto and name are not good. An ugly scroll is placed under the name, and the fes- toon of cloth which is draped at the bottom of the frame and around the motto ribbon is especially poor ; the shell at the base of the escutcheon which figures so often in future plates is here used, and the queer little flow of water from it would not be recognized as such were this the only specimen in which it occurs ; the arrange- ment of the rose sprays, the form of the shield, and the employment of the shelly edge show a thorough study of the elements of this style. Very likely this design was copied in great part from some foreign example which had come into his possession.
In the Thomas Dering plate, which is the ear- liest plate dated and signed by an American en- graver, this same design is improved upon ; it is more compact in appearance, a little freer in exe- cution, and the drawing is improved. The name is still not very well engraved, and top-heavy flourishes weigh down the capitals.
In the Theodore Atkinson plate the same de- sign is still further improved upon ; the flow of water from the scallop shell is here caught in a little bowl, a little additional flowery ornamenta- tion is added, and the heraldic drawing is better. The name is again embellished with graceless flourishes.
Early American Engravers. 107
The design seems to reach perfection in the Wentwortk plate ; every feature is markedly bet- ter, the water still flows out of the scallop shell, the same shaped shield is used and the motto is placed upon a graceful ribbon with ends which
run off into fancy foliations. The name is neat in appearance, but still there are too many scrolls. In the plate of Robert Hale of Beverly, the old festoon of cloth noticed in the Holyoke plate is seen again, and no motto is given. The name is fairly well engraved.
108 American Book-plates.
Later developments of this style are seen in the plates of Henry Marchant, Danforth, Nathaniel Tracy, and John Mars ton; in these some of the
7*
features of the former are wanting, but they are evi- dently a legitimate progeny in the matter of style. Another, and without doubt the highest type of the Chippendale plate which Hurd made, is seen in the John Chandler, Jr., the Dana, the
Early American Engravers. 109
Philip Dumeresque, the Vassall, and the Wilson plates. In these the shield becomes larger, the whole scheme of decoration shows more fine de- tail work, and the effect is lighter, more graceful, and seems at once the work of a master. The
names are engraved in large bold type, with a characteristic dash after the last period.
In the Jacobean style, the earliest of Hurd's work is undoubtedly the Lewis De Blois. This is crude in workmanship, not very good in drawing, but excellent in design, and faithful to the char-
no American Book-plates.
acteristics of the style; the shield is placed against a frame which is lined with the regulation fish- scale pattern; the sides are richly foliated, the
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mantling is profuse and very well drawn, and the name is placed upon a fringed curtain which is tied up at the ends with ribbon.
The handsomest Jacobean plates by Hurd are the Robert Jenkins, the Spooner, and the Andrew
Early American Engravers. 1 1 1
Tyler. In the former the lining is diapered, the scroll work at the side of the arms is very fine, and at the bottom, under the shield, a small vig- nette of a ship under full sail is very pretty. At the top of the scrolls on either side two turbanded female heads peer at each other across the crest.
In the Tyler plate the frame is very similar to the Jenkins, the lining is diapered, and the scroll at the side are the same. The little vignette at the bottom, however, is displaced by a sour face with gray hair. The two faces are replaced by urns filled with flowers, and the old cloth festoon is draped below the whole design. The Spooner plate bears no resemblance to the others, and is a more graceful design. The lining is latticed, the Sphinx head under the shield is enclosed within a frame of its own, and at either side are term figures from whose hands depend bouquets of flowers ; the crest is overarched with a bit of "the old scallop shell, and the motto is on a ribbon, which, wholly unsupported, maintains a curved position under the frame.
The Jacobean plates of Benjamin Greene and Peter R. Livingston are almost identical in design ; the small frame which encloses the shield is lined with the fish-scale pattern, the mantling is handsome and profuse, and the motto ribbon is stretched in rather stiff manner below the frame.
Only two examples of the Ribbon and Wreath style are known as Hurd's work, the John C. Wil- liams and the Jonathan Jackson. These are both signed, and are very similar in design. Garlands
112
American Book-plates.
of roses depending from rings above follow closely the outline of the heart-shaped shield, and the ribbon for the motto is placed beneath, and is ornamented with fancy ends.
In the " detur " plate for Harvard College Hurd conformed to the English manner and adopted
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the seal-shaped design. The arms are displayed upon a heart-shaped shield which is enclosed within a circle which bears the name and motto, and this again is enclosed by a wreath of holly branches.
Hurd's work is the most interesting found in our early days, and a study of it shows him to
Early American Engravers. 113
have been progressive as well as painstaking. The Ribbon and Wreath style did not come into general use in England until about 1770, yet Hurd, who died in 1777, had used it. The col- onies could not be expected to adopt the new styles of the old country immediately, and the condition of things from 1770 on to the time of Hurd's death was not such as to encourage the introduction of " fads " or to allow much time for the development of the fine arts.
A word must be said about the heraldry on Hurd's book-plates. This science, heraldry, was not held in such general esteem among the New Englanders as it was further south, and while many of the governors and men of high standing in the Northern colonies brought armorial seals with them, a great many who used them did so without strict heraldic authority, and when it became the fashion to use coats-of-arms in various ways, the herald painters of those days, who had but slight knowledge of heraldry and who were possessed of a copy of Guillim or some other writer on the subject, would find therein the arms of some family bearing the name of their prospec- tive customer, and without further research would proceed to produce the coat as described. Not always were these arms so ordered correctly borne ; indeed, there is much uncertainty about the arms used after about 1730 when our native engravers and painters took up the work of pro- ducing arms upon orders. Such seals as were brought by the colonists from England, and such as were used by their descendants are undoubtedly
ii4
American Book-plates.
correct, but the questionable arms are those which, as mentioned above, were looked up in this coun- try only, by means of such heraldic works as were at hand. The presence of the arms then
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on some book-plates cannot be relied upon as sufficient and indisputable proof of their owners' right to them.
A list of the book-plates signed by Hurd is appended.
Early American Engravers. 1 1 5
JV?
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J
A LIST OF BOOK-PLATES SIGNED BY NATHANIEL HURD.
Theodore Atkinson Chippendale.
Thomas Brown
John Chandler, Jr Chippendale.
Rufus Chandler
Francis Dana Chippendale.
Danforth Chippendale.
Lewis De Blois Jacobean.
n6 American Book-plates.
Thomas Dering Chippendale.
Philip Dumeresque Chippendale.
Isaac Foster Jacobean.
Benjamin Greene Jacobean.
Thomas Greene, Jr Jacobean.
William Greenleaf ...
Robert Hale, Esq., of Beverly .... Chippendale.
Harvard College Seal.
Harvard College Pictorial.
William Hooper Chippendale.
Jonathan Jackson Ribbon and Wreath.
Robert Jenkins Jacobean.
Peter R. Livingston Jacobean.
John Lowell Chippendale.
Henry Marchant Chippendale.
John Marston Chippendale.
Samuel Osborne Chippendale.
Henry Pace ...
Joshua Spooner Jacobean.
Nathaniel Tracy Chippendale.
Andrew Tyler Jacobean.
Wentworth Chippendale.
John C. Williams Ribbon and Wreath.
A LIST OF PLATES ATTRIBUTED TO HURD, ALTHOUGH NOT SIGNED.
Thomas Child Chippendale.
Henry Courtenay Chippendale.
Edwd. Augs. Holyoke .... Chippendale.
By the name of Hurd .... Plain Armorial.
Loring Chippendale.
Lucretia E. Newton .... Ribbon and Wreath.
(Same copper as the John C. Williams.)
Andrew Oliver Chippendale.
Samuel Page Label : Chippendale frame.
Phillips Academy Chippendale.
Ezekiel Price Chippendale.
John Simpson Chippendale.
JohnVassall Chippendale.
David Wilson Chippendale. ) „
James Wilson Chippendale. } Une C0PPer-
Early American Engravers. 117
Of James Akin, who signs the Coffin and Browne plates, nothing is learned. The Hector Coffin book-plate is also signed by Francis Kearney, which would seem to indicate that Akin was associated with him. The Browne is a Philadelphia plate, and Akin may have been employed by the firm of Tanner, Vallance, Kearney and Company, which was in successful operation in Philadelphia for some years.
S. Allardice was apprenticed to Robert Scott, who had been a pupil of Robert Strange, and who, coming to America, was made die-sinker to the Mint. He had previously made the archi- tectural plates for Dobson's Encyclopaedia.
Only one example of the book-plate work of Allardice is now at hand, and that is simply an engraved label for the Library Company of Balti- more. Ornamented with flourishes, and some fancy work, it is yet of no merit as a book-plate or an example of art.
Alexander Anderson, who was the first American wood-engraver, was born in the city of New York, April 21, 1775, and lived to the advanced age of ninety-five years, dying, in 1870, in Jersey City, N.J., on the 17th of February.
At the age of twelve, with the spring of a pocket-knife, sharpened for the purpose, he tried
118
Early American Engravers. 119
to engrave on copper pennies rolled thin. In this way he made his first plate, which was a head of Paul Jones ; and his first impression from it was made in red oil paint by a rude kind of a press of his own contrivance. With tools made by a blacksmith, he went on to cut little ships and houses on type metal for the newspapers. Being in some way led to take an interest in certain medical works, he copied many of the plates, and his father, feeling that this was a true sign of his fitness for the profession of medicine, and not discerning the talent for engraving, placed him with Dr. Joseph Young, as a student of medicine.
This step was taken with great reluctance by the youth ; but he found time for both the cares of his new study, and for the pleasures of his old pastime. Various successes encouraged him, and in 1793 he cut a tobacco-stamp on wood, which appears to have been his first use of that material. Soon after this, he obtained a copy of Bewick's " Quadrupeds," and with the cuts found therein he was delighted. They had a strong influence upon his later work, and he has been well called the " American Bewick," for his small wood-cuts closely resemble those of the English master in design, and his prominence in this country was equal to Bewick's in England.
A life of Dr. Anderson has lately (1893) been issued in New York ; but, to the disappointment of book-plate collectors, not a word is said of his making book-plates.
Of the seven plates by Anderson known at pres- ent, four are on wood, and three are on copper.
120
American Book-plates.
Only one of those on wood is signed. The Lot Tripp and Josh. Russell plates are simple labels, and the Typographical Society of New
^^^^^^^
JOHN PINTAKB, JLL. B.
York and the John Pintard, LL.D., which is signed, are pictorial. In the former, the emblems and implements of the printing trade are promi- nent, and in the Pintard, which is a fine example
Early American Engravers. 121
of Anderson's best work on wood, the shield of arms is shown with a landscape for background. The plates on copper are the Anderson, which
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is a Chippendale, the Apprentices Library, and the Columbia College, which are allegorical.
All the above will be found described in the List.
122 American Book-plates.
There is a plate of the Apprentices Library Company of Philadelphia which strongly resem- bles the wood-cut work of Anderson, but as it is not signed it is not safely attributed to him. In the plate of A. Griggs of Philadelphia, an even more marked resemblance to his little designs on wood is seen, but this, too, is not signed.
Annin and Smith. This firm consisted of W. B. Annin and George C. Smith, and they were established in Boston from 1820 to 1837. Annin died in 1839, in Boston, and Smith, who lived to quite an advanced age, died in 1878. They engraved a number of plates for the " Token," and for other annuals so popular sixty years ago.
The plates of Richard Taylor Auchmuty, A. L. Peirson, William H. Prescott, J^ohn Lowell, Jr., and an armorial plate for the Boylston Medical Library are signed by them, and will be found described in the List.
Abel Bowen, whose name appears on one of the plates of Harvard College, was the first wood- engraver in Boston. He was born in New York state in 1790, and he took up engraving before he was of age. In 18 12 he was a printer in Boston, probably attracted thither by his uncle, who was the proprietor of the Columbian Mu-
Early American Engravers. 123
seum. Nathaniel Dearborn claims to be the first engraver on wood in Boston, but the honor is usually accorded to Bowen. He issued, in 1816, the "Naval Monument," and in 181 7 was associated with Dearborn in engraving for Shaw's " History of Boston." In 1834 Bowen, with others, founded " The Boston Bewick Company," which was an association of engravers. In the following year they issued a map of Boston, and undertook the publishing of the " American Mag- azine." They were burned out in this same year. Bowen died in 1850.
John Boyd, who engraved the plate of Samuel Chase, which is taken to be the plate of the signer of the Declaration, was a Philadelphia engraver. This is the only specimen of his work on book-plates which we have, and it is a very pretty Chippendale design, delicately engraved.
In Dunlap, a J. Boyd is simply mentioned, who was engraving in Philadelphia in 181 2. This, if the engraver of the Chase plate, would make him rather young at the time of doing it, and it is very good work, and not the experiment of a novice. Whether this is the same engraver, I do not know.
Joseph Callender was born in Boston, May 6, 1 75 1. Very little is known about him, but he is reported to have acquired the plates of Peter
124 American Book-plates.
Pelham, who was presumably the first to engrave on copper in America, and to have destroyed them. Callender made most of the dies for the second Massachusetts Mint, at a cost of £i \s. each. This was considered an exorbitant price by the superintendent, who made a contract with a Newburyport artisan, Jacob Perkins. Callender received £\& \2s. for making thirty-nine dies, and repairing three others, while Perkins received but £$ 1 8s. lod. for his work. Callender died in Boston, Nov. io, 182 1, and was buried in the Granary Burying Ground.
The only Chippendale plate by Callender is a copy of the Atkinson plate by Hurd, and is for a member of the same family. As compared with its model, this plate shows very little dif- ference, it is so close a copy, but the motto ribbon which is added is more graceful than those of Hurd usually were, the heraldic drawing is quite as good, and the lettering of the name is better. Callender, of course, would not have begun to engrave much before Hurd's death ; indeed, the preponderance of the Ribbon and Wreath style in his designs goes to show that his work dated towards the close of the century.
His plates in this style are very light and graceful, with no overloading ; and a faithful use of the usual features of the style is apparent.
In the Russell plate he was again a copyist, using for his model the Joseph Barrell plate. The plates for the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and for the Massachusetts Medical Society are practically alike ; the curtain, and the
{pa£tett?et </f~
125
126 American Book-plates.
ribbon and festooning are very similar, while the view within the oval frame is, of course, adapted to the use of the books of the respective societies. Callender would seem by these signs to have been a lazy engraver, or to have considered his designs so perfect as to call for no further effort.
A LIST OF BOOK-PLATES SIGNED BY CALLENDER.
Andrews Pictorial.
William King Atkinson Chippendale.
Jonathan Baldwin ...
Luke Baldwin ...
Boylston Medical Library Plain armorial.
John Callender Pictorial.
Thomas Gary Ribbon and Wreath.
William Erving Ribbon and Wreath.
John Francis Plain armorial.
Hasty Pudding Library Pictorial.
Massachusetts Medical Society . . . Allegorical.
Thomas Russell Allegorical.
Daniel Sargent, Jr Ribbon and Wreath.
John Sullivan Ribbon and Wreath.
James Swan Plain armorial.
Dudley Atkins Tyng Ribbon and Wreath.
Solomon Vose Ribbon and Wreath.
A LIST OF PLATES ATTRIBUTED TO CALLENDER, ALTHOUGH NOT SIGNED.
American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Allegorical.
William Emerson ......... Ribbon and Wreath.
Gray Ribbon and Wreath.
Dr. John Jeffries Plain armorial.
Porcellain Library Allegorical.
Early American Engravers. 127
Cephas G. Childs, who engraved the plate of Henry D. Gilpin, was born in Pennsylvania, in 1793. In the years 1827 to 1830, he published a set of views of the city of Philadelphia and its vicinity (Baker).
ffiasnBsr HDo®nmPESTo
Henry Dawkins was an engraver of but few original ideas, if we may judge him rightly by his book-plate work. In this he was very largely a copyist. Working altogether in the Chippendale style, his designs for the most part are varia- tions of one general plan, which seems to have been borrowed from an English-made plate. In
128 American Book-plates.
his plates we see " Chippendalism run wild." Here are introduced the love-sick swains who play upon the flute ; the dandy shepherds in stiff clothes of the most fashionable cut, flowing curls, and large felt hats; the flirting young damsels in very low-cut bodices, who play at being shep- herdesses for the sake of following the above- mentioned gentle keeper of sheep. Here are the music-loving Cupids, the scantily clad females who are attended by the Cupids, and who are far from home among the trees of the wood. In the James Duane plate we find a fountain is fixed to the side of the frame, and is spouting water from the mouth of a man's head.
But the plates of Samuel Jones, Samuel Stringer, and Peter W. Yates are proof that Dawkins could confine himself to the legitimate features of good Chippendale plates. In these no outside objects are introduced, and the design is good.
We do not know much about Dawkins. Dun- lap says he was probably from England, and that he was first noticed in New York. Originally he was an ornamenter of buttons and other small bits of metal, but in America he worked at any- thing that offered, " suiting himself to the poverty of the arts at the time." Dunlap dates him about 1774, evidently on the strength of the word of Dr. Anderson, who remembered to have seen "shop-bills and coats-of-arms for books," done by him previous to 1775. However, in 1 761, he engraved music for a book of Psalm Tunes pub- lished in that year in Philadelphia. His earliest dated book-plate is that of John Burnet (1754).
Early American Engravers. 129
He was skilful enough to make counterfeit Con- tinental currency, but not to avoid arrest ; and in 1776 we find him suffering for this misdeed. Some time later, he forwarded the following unique petition to the Committee of Safety: —
" May it please Your Honours, — The subscriber humbly relying on the known goodness and humanity of this honourable house, begs leave to lay his complaint before them, which is briefly as follows. That your petitioner was about six months past taken upon Long Island for a trespass which this house is thoroughly acquainted as by Israel Youngs he was led away to perform an action of which he has sincerely repented and your petitioner was torn away from an only son who was left among strangers without any support, or protection during the in- clemency of the approaching winter, as his unhappy father hath since the first day he was taken had but one shirt and one pair of stockings to shift himself, and hath been affected during his imprisonment at White Plains with that worst of enemies hun- ger, and a nauseous stench of a small room where some twenty persons were confined together which hath introduced a sickness on your distressed subscriber which with the fatigue of travelling hath reduced your unhappy petitioner to a state of despondency — he therefore being weary of such a miserable life as his misconduct has thrown him into begs for a termination by death to be inflicted upon him in what manner the honourable House may see fit. The kind compliance of this honourable House will ever lay an obligation on your distressed humble servent
Henry Dawkins."
We do not know in what manner the honor- able house received this extraordinary petition ; but, as book-plates are in existence in his later style, probably it was not granted. Dawkins used three distinct varieties of the Chippendale style. The plates of Benjamin Kissam, the Lud- low and Roome plates, the Whitehead Hicks and the James Duane are examples of the debased
130 American Book-plates.
Chippendale. He had also a style which is illus- trated by the Hopkinson, Samuels, and Tomlinson plates, which is closely allied to the style of the Bushrod Washington. The same hissing dragon,
HJ)/WKIN8,
the same tilt to the whole design, and the simi- larity in detail and execution have led to the question of his being the engraver of the latter plate. It is not a question easy to decide, and collectors are divided over the question. This
Early American Engravers. 131
style of plate came originally from England, we can be sure ; and as Dawkins is seen to be a copyist, it is quite as likely that he copied from the Bushrod Washington plate, as that he de- signed it. He always used a squarer copper than the Washington plate is engraved upon ; but this has evidences of having been cut down after engraving. The present writer does not think the plate can be safely attributed to Dawkins. The Child and Jones plates exemplify the third style.
The debased Chippendale plates which Daw- kins made were apparently copied from an English example he had seen.
A LIST OF BOOK-PLATES SIGNED BY DAWKINS.
Gerard Bancker Chippendale.
John Burnet, 1754 Chippendale.
Francis Child Chippendale.
James Duane Chippendale.
Francis Hopkinson, ) n, ■ , ,
t .. u tr 1 • r one copper Chippendale.
Joseph Hopkinson, j rr rr
Whitehead Hicks Chippendale.
Archibald Hunter ...
Samuel Jones Chippendale.
Benjamin Kissam Chippendale.
John Cooke Ludlow Chippendale.
Gab. Willm. Ludlow Chippendale.
Jacob Roome Chippendale.
John L. C. Roome Chippendale.
James Samuels Chippendale.
Samuel Stringer Chippendale.
William Sword Chippendale.
John Tomlinson Chippendale.
Unidentified Chippendale.
Josias Short Vavasour Chippendale.
W Whitebread Chippendale.
Peter W. Yates Chippendale.
132 American Book-plates.
The plates of Cornelius Low and Lambert Moore, although not signed, are attributed to Dawkins.
* * *
Nathaniel Dearborn was born in 1 786, and was the son of Benjamin Dearborn, a man of attainments in science. Nathaniel was one of the first wood-engravers in Boston, and was associated with Abel Bowen for a time.
The only armorial book-plate signed by Dear- born is the Charles Beck, which is a peculiar design, following no particular style, but making a pretty plate.
A second plate signed by Dearborn is the simple engraved verse for Isaac Child.
Amos Doolittle, who was born in 1754, was one of the first engravers of historical scenes in America. In Barber's " History and Antiquities of New Haven," published in 1831, is an adver- tisement of " four different views of the Battle of Lexington, Concord, etc. on the 19 April 1775." A list of the plates follows, and it is remarked that they were " neatly engraved on copper from original paintings taken on the spot." In a note which follows, it is further remarked that the pictures were first drawn by Mr. Earl, who was a portrait painter, and who with Mr. Doolittle was a member of the Governor's Guard which went to Cambridge and the scene of action under the command of Arnold.
Early American Engravers. 133
As a maker of book-plates, Doolittle was fond of the allegorical style. He made two plates for the Societies of Yale College, and one for the village library of Wethersfield. The latter is an ornamental label only, but the former are quite elaborate examples of the allegorical. The plates
*CU/}1%
of Benjamin S. Brooks, in the Ribbon and Wreath style, and Charles H. Wetmore, which is a copy of one of Maverick's favorite designs, complete the number of his signed examples. The Guil- ford Library and George Goodwin plates, which have some features in common with the Wethers- field Library, are confidently attributed to him.
134 American Book-plates.
Benjamin S. Brooks Ribbon and Wreath.
Brothers in Unity Allegorical.
Linonian Library Allegorical.
Social Library, Wethersfield .... Literary.
Charles H. Wetmore Ribbon and Wreath.
Gideon Fairman, whose signature is on one of the plates of Henry McMurtrie and one of the Linonian Society of Yale College, was born in Connecticut in 1774. He showed an early fond- ness for engraving, and made rude attempts which showed undoubted talent. In 18 10, having made himself a master of his art, he went into partnership with Murray, Draper, and others, in Philadelphia. He made considerable money, and went over to England with Jacob Perkins, where, with Charles Heath for a third partner, they were successful but for a short time, the extravagance of Murray proving their ruin.
John Mason Furnass was the nephew of Hurd, to whom the latter left his engraving tools by will, as the young man showed so much ability in the art practised by his widely known uncle.
He was also a painter of portraits, and he had a studio in Boston, which was also used by Trumbull.
The only plate signed by this engraver, which the present writer has seen, is the Eli Forbes. This plate shows but few traces of the influ- ence of Hurd. It is a Chippendale design, but
Early American Engravers. 135
is not in either of the characteristic modes of Hurd. It is an ambitious plate, and was meant to be very fine, evidently. It is full of flourishes,
(^Wor^i
\Zsti&arngfj6
and the little spiral flourish at the lower right- hand side is wholly out of place ; the robin picking rose leaves at the side is an innovation. The scrolls under the name are somewhat in the
136 American Book-plates.
manner of Hurd. The heraldic drawing is poor, and the bunch of arrows between the shield and the crest must be in allusion to the occupation of the owner, who was a missionary to the Indians.
There is said to be a plate by Furnass owned in Boston, by the name of Foster, but no definite knowledge of it has been obtained.
E. Gallaudet, who signed the plate for the New York Society Library and the plate of John
Early American Engravers. 137
Chambers, was one Elisha Gallaudet, who prac- tised his art in New York City towards the end of the last century.
Edward Gallaudet, a relative of the above, was superior to him as an engraver, and the Gallaudet plate mentioned in the List is by him. He was of the present century.
Abraham Godwin was born in New Jersey in 1763. He was intended for the profession of the law, and was placed in the office of his brother, at Fishkill, in New York state. Both men joined the army, however ; and when Abraham returned to his home, it was to take up the art of engraving, towards which he had had an inclination from boyhood, when he made his first attempts on the silver plate of his friends, with a graver made by a blacksmith.
The only example of his book-plate work is a plate fully described under the heading, " Uni- dentified," in the List. Most unfortunately, the only example known has the family name torn out. The first name is John. The plate is rather rudely engraved, but is quite ambitious, showing the interior of a large room, which might be either a school-room or a library.
S. Harris, who engraved the pictorial plates of Henry Andrews and the anonymous Williams, was a New England engraver, who was in Boston about 1798.
138 American Book-plates.
Charles P. Harrison, who signed the plain armorial book-plates of William Betts and David Paul Brown, was a son of William Harrison, an English engraver, who came to New York in 1794, and was for a time an instructor of Peter Maverick the second.
Samuel Hill was a copper-plate engraver in Boston, about 1 790, and his work consisted mostly of portraits and book work.
The following are examples of his work : —
Willm. P. & L. Blake's Circulating Li- brary at the Boston Book Store . . . Ornamented label.
Charles Pierpont Ribbon and Wreath.
William Winthrop Ribbon and Wreath.
Also the plate of Saml. Hill, which is of a literary flavor, is probably the engraver's own plate.
S. S. Jocelyn, of New Haven, who made a very handsome plate for the Brothers in Unity of Yale College, became an engraver of vignettes for bank-notes.
Thomas Johnson was born in Boston in 1708. He was buried in King's Chapel Burying-ground, May 8, 1767. He engraved Psalm Tune plates
Early American Engravers. 139
for the Tate and Brady edition of 1760, and did some commendable work as a herald painter. In the inventory of his estate, fifteen copper plates are appraised at \os.
Only one specimen of his book-plate work is authenticated, and that is the Joseph Tyler, which is signed in full, — Johnson.
Thomas Johnston signs the very beautiful Jacobean plate of William P. Smith, A.M., and the rougher Chippendale of Samuel Willis. Whether this is the same engraver as the above is uncertain : the difference in the spelling of the name would not disprove the claim, as in those days such differences were frequent. The Willis plate bears strong resemblance to the work and designs of Hurd. If this is the same engraver as the above, these two plates are likely to be the earliest signed plates by an American, as Johnson was born some twenty years before Hurd. The Willis plate is quite inferior to the Smith, which latter is a striking example of the Jacobean style.
Francis Kearney, who signs the plate of Henry McMurtrie and Hector Coffin, was born in 1 780. He was a pupil of Peter R. Maverick, who re- ceived two hundred and fifty dollars for instruct- ing him for three years. The advantage was all with Maverick. Soon after the opening of
140 American Book-plates.
the century, he was engaged with Anderson, the younger Maverick, Boyd, and others, in engraving plates for a quarto Bible published by Mr. Collins, of New York.
In 1 8 10 he removed to Philadelphia, as that city was far ahead of New York in the publishing of books, etc. He was in that city for over twenty years. His greatest work is the engraving of Leonardo da Vinci's picture of the " Last Supper."
* * *
Peter Rushton Maverick was born in Eng- land, April 11, 1755, and came to America about 1774. He was originally a silversmith, and came of a family whose members were for several generations well known as engravers, and who made the art their occupation. He was an ener- getic worker, getting most of his practical knowl- edge by his own endeavors. He was the teacher of William Dunlap and of Francis Kearney, as well as of his own son, who ultimately became a more proficient engraver than his father, and, who after instructing A. B. Durand for five years, took him into partnership.
Peter R. Maverick died in New York, about 1807, and his son Peter whose partnership with Durand resulted disastrously, died in 1831.
As a designer and engraver of book-plates, Maverick was the most prolific of all the early engravers. It is presumed that all the plates signed either P. R. Maverick, or simply Maverick, were by the same hand, as a large collection of
I4I
142 American Book-plates.
proofs from his plates which furnishes examples of both ways of signing is now in the possession of the New York Historical Society, and the librarian informs me that all of the plates in that collection were done in 1789 by the elder Mav- erick. This collection consists of sixty-five plates, of which thirty-eight different ones are signed by Maverick. There are also others which are un- doubtedly his work, although not signed, and there are examples by Dawkins, Hutt, and Child. Quite a number of the plates are duplicated, too. This very interesting collection of proofs, kept by Maverick himself, and sewed together roughly, was in the library of his friend, John Allan. By far the greater part of Maverick's plates are of the Ribbon and Wreath style, but he made a few Jaco- beans, a few Chippendales, and one or two pic- torial and allegorical designs. He used the same features over and over in his plates, and seems to have been a rapid worker. The plates in the fol- lowing list marked * are by the younger Maverick.
A LIST OF BOOK-PLATES SIGNED BY MAVERICK.
Anonymous Plain armorial.
Anonymous (Jacob Brown) .... Pictorial.
Flamen Ball Ribbon and Wreath.
Abraham Bancker Pictorial.
Absalom Blackley Ribbon and Wreath.
Philip Brasher Ribbon and Wreath.
*Epaphroditus Champion, Jr. ... Plain armorial.
De Witt Clinton Ribbon and Wreath.
William Cock Ribbon and Wreath.
James S. Cutting Ribbon and Wreath.
William Cutting Ribbon and Wreath.
Early American Engravers. 143
John Cuyler Ribbon and Wreath.
Frederick De Peyster Plain armorial.
Barnard Elliott Plain armorial.
Erasmus Hall Library Allegorical.
Ebenezer Foot Ribbon and Wreath.
j2^%'««^^^^/^^^«<c^^^
Andrew J. Fraunces Plain armorial.
James Gibs ....
James Giles Military.
*Elias Hicks' Plain armorial.
Philip L. Hoffmann Ribbon and Wreath.
Horanian Society Library Allegorical.
William J. Hunter Ribbon and Wreath.
144 American Book-plates.
John I. Johnson Pictorial.
John Johnston Ribbon and Wreath.
Thomas Johnston Ribbon and Wreath.
Benjamin S. Judah Ribbon and Wreath.
John Keese Ribbon and Wreath.
John Keese Ornamental label.
Rufus King Ribbon and Wreath.
Isaac L. Kip Ribbon and Wreath.
Edward Livingston Landscape.
Maturin Livingston Ribbon and Wreath.
William Smith Livingston Ribbon and Wreath.
Hugh McLean Ribbon and Wreath.
Peter Masterton Ribbon and Wreath.
Maxwell Ribbon and Wreath.
*Nathaniel F. Moore Ribbon and Wreath.
New York Society Library Allegorical.
New York Society Library Allegorical.
* Lewis Morris Ogden Ribbon and Wreath.
Francis Panton, Jr Landscape.
W. Paulding ....
William L. Pierce Ribbon and Wreath.
John Pintard Ribbon and Wreath.
William Popham Ribbon and Wreath.
Halcott B. Pride Ribbon and Wreath.
Samuel Provoost Ribbon and Wreath.
William Seton Ribbon and Wreath.
John Sitgreaves Ribbon and Wreath.
James Scott Smith Ribbon and Wreath.
Thomas Smith, Jr Ribbon and Wreath.
Thomas J. Smith ....
William Smith Ribbon and Wreath.
William Taylor Ribbon and Wreath.
*James Thompson Plain armorial.
Thomas Tillotson Ribbon and Wreath.
P. I. Van Berkel Plain armorial.
K. K. Van Rensselaer Ribbon and Wreath.
Prosper Wetmore Ribbon and Wreath.
Polydore B. Wisner ....... Ribbon and Wreath.
Early American Engravers. 145
A LIST OF PLATES ATTRIBUTED TO MAVERICK, ALTHOUGH NOT SIGNED.
James Agnew, Esq Chippendale.
Boudinet Ribbon and Wreath.
Charles Bridgen Plain armorial.
Willm. Duer Ribbon and Wreath.
John Goelet Jacobean.
Herbert Chippendale.
Morgan Lewis, Esq Ribbon and Wreath.
Rob't R. Livingston, Esq., of Cleremont, Ribbon and Wreath.
Walter Livingston Chippendale.
Jonathan Meredith, Jr Ribbon and Wreath.
Joseph Murray Chippendale.
William Pasley Ribbon and Wreath.
Saml. Provoost. Coll. Pet. Cant. . . . Chippendale.
William Stephens Jacobean.
John C. Ten Broeck Ribbon and Wreath.
Stephen Van Rensselaer Plain armorial.
Oliver Pelton, who engraved a plate for the Brothers in Uitity, at Yale College, was born in Portland, Conn., in 1799, and learned his trade with Abner Read, a bank-note engraver, of Hart- ford. He was an assiduous worker, and was taken into partnership after two years' work, with Mr. Read and one Samuel Stiles. Samuel G. Goodrich (Peter Parley) soon induced him to go to Boston with him, to engage in the engraving of plates for his works. This enterprise was suc- cessful, and in 1863 Pelton formed a partnership with William D. Terry, which was the foundation of the New England Bank-Note Company of Boston. The plate mentioned is the only exam- ple of his work on book-plates.
146
American Book-plates^
R. Rawdon, who signs the plate of William L. Stone, which is a very handsome steel-plate design, was born in Tolland, Conn., and was associated with his brother in Albany. The brother subsequently moved to New York.
Paul Revere, the Revolutionary patriot whose " midnight ride " is known the world over, was born in Boston, January 1, 1735, and died there on the 10th of May, 18 18, after a life of great usefulness, leaving a name never to be forgotten.
Early American Engravers. 147
He came of a Huguenot family, who spelled the name Rivoire originally.
He was self-instructed in the art of engraving on copper, although brought up by his father to the business of a goldsmith. He went on the
"e/ltamjffe^GreJ
Crown Point expedition, 1756, and after his return, married, and settled down to the business he had already learned. He was naturally fond of mechanics, and made himself master of its general principles. One of his earliest attempts
148
American Book-plates.
on copper was the portrait of his friend, Dr. Mayhew. He also engraved several caricatures which were popular, and some historical pictures which are valuable now to the collector.
gfillll' 3 ^iQmmM
2y<&u/
e^e
Not many book-plates have come down to us by this celebrated patriot, and the following list comprises all that are signed.
Gardiner Chandler Chippendale.
David Greene Chippendale.
Epes Sargent Chippendale.
William Wetmore ........ Ribbon and Wreath.
Early American Engravers. 149
Revere's plates do not have the compact ap- pearance of Hurd's, and are not so well designed or so well engraved as the latter's. Presumably this branch of work was not very profitable to him, or very much cultivated.
The accompanying design was undoubtedly a book-plate, and beyond question is the work of Revere. It is a very rare plate.
William Rollinson was born in England, in the year 1760. He was in youth brought up to the trade of ornamenting buttons ; and, upon coming to New York, made the gilt buttons which decorated the coat worn by Washington at his inauguration as President. He did this without remuneration, so thoroughly sympathiz- ing with the country of his adoption as to feel the honor of this service for Washington a full compensation. He was, through the friendship of Messrs. Elias Hicks and John C. Ludlow, rec- ommended to the publishers of Brown's Family Bible, for which he made several plates. Previous to this, he found work in the shops of different silversmiths, and had taught himself the art of engraving on copper. At the beginning of the century, Archibald Robertson painted a portrait of Alexander Hamilton, which Rollinson boldly undertook to make a large engraving from. He did not understand all the processes of engraving, and invented such as he was compelled to use, as he went on. The duel in which Hamilton
150 American Book-plates.
lost his life occurred before the portrait was fully engraved. Indeed, it had been undertaken more as an experiment than with the idea of sale ; but the friends of the dead statesman urged him to complete it, which he did, and the print found a good sale. Later, Rollinson invented a machine for ruling waved lines, which was of vast im- portance in the manufacture of bank-notes.
As an engraver of book-plates, he adopted the Ribbon and Wreath style naturally, as it was the style in vogue when he took up the work. He made one or two plain armorials, and for the New York College of Pharmacy one of more ambitious design. His plates, all neat in design, are clear, skilful engraving. His work and that of Callender, in the same style, resemble each other.
The following plates are signed by Rollin- son: —
Richard Harrison ........ Plain armorial.
Elias Hicks Ribbon and Wreath.
George Ludlow Ribbon and Wreath.
W. T. McCoun Plain armorial.
Horatio Shepheard Moat Ribbon and Wreath.
New York College of Pharmacy . . . Ornamented label.
James Adam Smith Plain armorial.
Thomas N. Stanforth Ribbon and Wreath.
Teachers' Union, St. George's Church . Engraved label.
John W. Watkins, A.M Ribbon and Wreath.
Charles Wilkes Plain armorial.
Azarias Williams Ribbon and Wreath.
J. Smithers, an Englishman, originally a gun- engraver employed in the Tower of London, came to Philadelphia in the year 1773.
Early American Engravers. 151
He had a good name as a man and as an en- graver, and made the blocks for the Continental money. A large plan of the city of Philadelphia on three plates, which was his work, was subse- quently purchased, when copper was scarce, for thirty dollars, and cut up into smaller pieces. Among his pupils was Trenchard, of whose work we have a few examples.
The following plates are signed by Smithers: —
John Day Plain armorial.
Fenwick Chippendale.
Henry Hale Graham Plain armorial.
John Magill Chippendale.
Henry McMurtrie Pictorial.
He sometimes signed with the final s, and sometimes without it. His book-plates are not especially brilliant in any way, but are good, and in the pure style. His finest attempt is the land- scape plate for Dr. McMurtrie of Philadelphia.
T. Sparrow was an obscure engraver on wood, who worked at his trade in Annapolis from 1 765 to about 1780, and who did considerable work for " Ann Catherine Green & Son, Printers," of that town, on title-pages, tail-pieces, etc. He engraved on copper the title-page for the " Deputy Commissary's Guide of Maryland," published by the above firm in 1774, and which is a creditable piece of work. All the book-plates known at
152 American Book-plates.
present are on wood, and they are but two in number: the Richard Sprigg and the Gabriel Duvall both of whom were men of prominence in the colonial times, in Maryland.
William D. Terry, who was mentioned as the founder, with Pelton, of the Bank-Note Company, in Boston, engraved a plate for the Redwood Library, of Newport. This is a large representa- tion of the library, and is a fine piece of work.
James Thackara was a partner of John Val- lance, in the engraving business, and they were together for a good many years. Thackara was inferior to his partner as an engraver, according to Dunlap, and was for a long time the keeper of the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts.
We know but one example of his book-plate work, and that is the Lenthall plate, which is a large and very interesting example of the Ribbon and Wreath style. It is an excellent piece of engraving, full of style, and graceful in design.
James Trenchard was born in Cumberland County, New Jersey, about 1746. He was a pupil of Smithers, and engraved in Philadelphia,
'53
154 American Book-plates.
about 1785. Among his pupils were Thackara, Vallance, and his nephew, Edward Trenchard, who became an officer in the United States Navy, and served in the War of 181 2.
Trenchard was one of the owners of the
"Columbian Magazine," published in Philadel- phia from 1786 to 1792, and he engraved many plates for its pages.
One signed book-plate of his is known, — the Bloomfield. This is a Chippendale plate of no
Early American Engravers. 155
striking features. The Luther Martin plate is so similar to this as to leave hardly any doubt that it too was by Trenchard.
James Turner is another of the early Ameri- can artists of whom very little is known now.
He was at one time in Boston, but later removed to Philadelphia. He did some portrait and some music work. Of his book-plate work we have but three signed specimens. By far the most interesting and valuable of these is the extremely
156
American Book-plates.
rare plate of John Franklin of Boston in New England. This is very fully described in the List of Early American Book-plates. The other
plates are the Sir John St. Clair, and the plate tor Isaac Norris, of the family of the Quaker Chief Justice of Pennsylvania.
Early American Engravers. 157
The plate of James Hall, although not signed, is also attributed to him.
John Vallance, whose name is connected with that of Thackara, engraved with him many plates
for Dobson's Encyclopaedia. He made heads of Franklin and Howard, which were pronounced successful, and he had a high reputation as an engraver.
One authenticated example of his book-plate
158 American Book-plates.
work is known, the Joseph Wiseman, in the Rib- bon and Wreath style; and the David Brearly, although not signed, is attributed to him.
Of the other engravers whose names appear on but one or two plates, no information has been obtained. There were probably many who had but a local fame, and who made but a few plates. Their names are remembered now in a way not expected at the time of signing them, undoubtedly.
In a recent article on Count Rumford, in the " New England Magazine," it is said that, when a youth, he designed book-plates. No authentic examples of his work are known, and no informa- tion can be obtained concerning any.
Jacob Hurd, the father of Nathaniel, was a goldsmith of Boston, and his name is on pieces of plate in the First and Second churches in Boston, and the First Church, and Christ Church, in Dorchester. He very probably made book- plates, though no signed work is known. He died in 1758. He appears in the list of sub- scribers to " Prince's Chronological History of New England," as taking six copies.
Early American Engravers. 159
In the " Boston Evening Post," for March 4, 1745, the following advertisement appears: —
" Francis Garden, Engraver from London, engraves in the newest Manner and at the cheapest Rates, Coats-of-Arms, Crests or Cyphers on Gold, Silver, Pewter or Copper. To be heard of at Mr. Caverley's, Distiller, at the South End of Boston. N.B. He will wait on any Person in Town or Country, to do their Work at their own House, if desired : also copper-plate printing perform'd by him."
No signed example of this gentleman's work has thus far come to our knowledge. It is fair to presume, however, that he engraved book- plates.
0U1 CONTOiTl'S WKX.
A LIST OF EARLY AMERICAN BOOK-PLATES.
The following List of Early American Book-plates makes no claim to completeness : indeed it is earnestly hoped and be- lieved that time will prove it to be quite incomplete : old plates new to collectors are continually coming to light, and there is every reason to expect their number to increase. We are per- suaded that certain of the worthies of colonial times used book- plates, although no copies are now known, and that some future investigator will unearth these much-desired treasures.
Some plates will be found included which do not have a satisfactory description : this is due to their not being seen by the compiler of the List : correspondents at a distance cannot always send full details, and without them it is better to attempt little in the way of description. The aim has been to be accu- rate and as full as possible. There are hundreds of simple name-labels which have no place here, but all armorial examples which could be discovered are mentioned.
The plates are given in alphabetical order, and are numbered for convenience in reference. As far as possible, the first line of the description of each plate gives the exact wording of the original, with its spelling and abbreviations : the mottoes also, as well as the manner of signature, are given exactly as they appear on the original plate : wherever throughout this List italics are used, they denote the exact language employed upon the plate.
i. Anonymous.
Armorial. A very beautiful plate with French arms : a crown above and military trophies behind the shield : French banners, cannon, quivers of arrows, anchor, horns, swords, drum, tomahawks, bugle, lances, etc. Signed, Maingot delt. Maverick, Set. 1 60
Early American Book-plates. 161
wp*? c£-i*
2. Abercrombie. James Abercrombie.
Armorial. Ribbon and Wreath. Two mottoes, Vive ut vivas, and Mens in arduis aequa. Of Philadelphia, and mentioned in Boswell's " Life of Dr. Johnson."
3. Adams. John Adams.
Armorial. The Boylston arms. The shield sur- rounded by a garter on which the motto is given, — Libertatem amicitiam retenebis etfidem. The whole design surrounded by thirteen stars. Second Presi- dent of the United States.
4. Adams. John Qicincy Adams.
Simply the name rudely engraved and surrounded by a narrow line. Probably the first of the J. Q. A. book-plates. Sixth President of the United States.
1 62 American Book-plates.
5. Adams. John Quincy Adams.
Armorial. Boylston arms. Ribbon and Wreath. Motto-ribbon empty.
6. Adams. John Quincy Adams.
Armorial. The Boylston arms ; the shield enclosed within a garter, on which the motto appears, — Fidem — Liber tatem — Amicitiam.
7. Adams. John Quincy Adams.
Armorial. The shield is quartered, and bears in the first quarter a curious specimen of home-made heraldry. The ancestors of the President bore no arms, and in their place appears a stag standing at gaze before a pine tree, while below in the water a fish, probably a cod, is swimming ; the whole design surrounded with thirteen stars. This was his own invention. The other quarters bear the Smith, Quincy, and Boylston arms. The whole shield is surrounded by a garter bearing the motto Fidetn, Libertatem, Amicitiam retinebis. From "Tacitus."
8. Agar. Property, Lydia Agar. 1806.
Pictorial. An eagle bears a broad ribbon, on which the word property is given ; an oval frame encloses what resembles a row of eggs.
9. Agnew. James Agneiv, Esq.
Armorial. Chippendale. Motto, Consilio non impetu. Attributed to Maverick.
10. Aitkin. Robert Aitkin.
Simple name label : the printer of the " Aitkin Bible." Philadelphia, 1782. The first American edition.
11. Albany. Albany Society Library. 1759.
A peculiar plate something in the shape of the fig- ure 8, with intertwining foliations above and at the sides. The upper part of the frame is the larger, and contains a spirited illustration of an Indian in ambush aiming an arrow at a leaping fox. On the frame surrounding this is the motto, May concord prevail and the undertakeing prosper. In the lower and smaller part is depicted a prim
Early American Book-plates. 163
man, bewigged and ruffled, with an open book in his hand ; presumably a patron of the Library. Very little can be learned concerning this early Library. It was probably interrupted by the Revo- lution. Some of its books are in the New York State Library.
12. Allan. John Allan.
Pictorial. An open book, across the pages of which is printed the name of the owner. Behind all an anchor. This is the plate of the old book collector of New York City.
13. Allen. John Allen.
Armorial. Jacobean. Motto, Law &> Right. This is believed to be the plate used by John Allen, an early bookseller of Boston. He published the " News-Letter." From the general design and the crude engraving, it must be taken for early Amer- ican work: circa 1720. Illustrated in "Curio," page 15.
14. Allison. Joseph J. Allison.
Armorial. Chippendale. Hour-glass, books, globe, palette, and brushes, grouped above the escut- cheon. Motto, Hinc labor et virtus. Of Phila- delphia.
15. Alsop. Richard Alsop.
Armorial. Belongs to no particular style, although the ornamentation is of Chippendale tendency. Beneath the shield, at either side, stands a cupid holding out a bunch of arrows : the drawing of these figures is not above criticism : they seem to to have one arm each, and but one wing also. A Connecticut poet. Born, 1761; died, 18 15. One of the famous " Hartford Wits."
16. Ambler. Armorial. Of Virginia.
17. American. American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
MDCCLXX.
A very handsome plate, having a large curtain looped back by ribbons and cords, whereon to record the name of the giver of books to the
164 American Book-plates.
library, and above this an oval vignette represent- ing Minerva with shield and spear in hand, and helmet on her head, standing upon the seashore (of Massachusetts), watching a three-master which sails far away under a glaring sun and a heavy cloud : through a corn-field and then through the woods lies the path to the distant village whose roofs can be seen : on the sand about the goddess lie scattered the scientific and agricultural implements, the uses of which it was the function of the Academy to teach. The Academy was instituted in 1779. Very good engraving but not so good drawing. The work is attributed to Callender.
18. Anderson. Alexr. Anderson.
Armorial. Chippendale. Motto, Vigila. Signed, A. Anderson, Sculp. The original plate had only the last name engraved ; the first name was added afterwards and evidently by a different hand. This plate is sometimes found with the name of his brother, John, written in before the family name, indicating perhaps that the plate was designed for the general use of the family. This is the plate of Dr. Anderson, the first engraver in wood in America.
19. Andover. histitutio Theologica Andover. Fundata
MDCCCVJI.
A severely plain pediment, raised upon Doric columns, bearing on the architrave the name. A blaze of glory above has in the centre the words, IT) .-P. Similar rays shine over the open Bible at the foot, on which is written, Ps. cxix, 169, and Joh. xvii, 17. On the base are the words, AKOriiNI SOY XPI2TOY.
20. Andrew. John Andrew.
Pictorial. The implements of the engraver lie scattered upon the bench : the name is given in fac-simile of the autograph.
3i. Andrews. Armorial. Of Virginia.
22. Andrews. Andrews. (First name obliterated.)
Pictorial. The scene is out of doors and the sun rises in full strength behind a long oval frame on
Early Ame7'ican Book-plates. 165
which the name is engraved. A little patch of
earth, two well-grown trees, and scant herbage
complete the accessories. Signed, Callender Sc.
23. Andrews. Eliza Andrews.
Pictorial. Exactly the same as the succeeding, with the exception of the change in the name and the omission of the engraver's signature.
24. Andrews. Henry Andrews.
Pictorial : representing Minerva, crowned, with spear and shield : the owl sits upon a convenient pedestal. The name of the owner is put upon the edge of the shield which the goddess rests upon the ground. Signed, S. Harris. Sc.
25. Antill. Edwad. Antill. Esqr., A.M.
Armorial. Chippendale. Motto, Probitas laudator et alget. A New Jersey author. Illustrated in "Art Amateur," April, 1894.
26. Apthorp. Apthorp.
Armorial. Chippendale. Motto-ribbon empty.
27. Apthorp. East Apthorp, A.M. Cambridge MDCCLXI.
Armorial. Late Jacobean. Motto, Nemo nisi Christus. Eminent Episcopal divine, born in Boston, 1733; educated at Cambridge, and died, 1816.
28. Apthorp. Jno. Apthorp.
Armorial. Chippendale. Motto, Fan quae sentiat. The same plate as the one mentioned above as having the motto-ribbon empty. In this example the name Jno. is written, and so is the motto.
29. Apthorp. Thomas Apthorp.
Armorial. Chippendale. Motto, Juste rem para. Flowers, and a huge bee in the decoration. Printed in blue ink. Born, 1741. Died in England.
30. Archdeacon. S. Archdeacon.
Armorial. Chippendale. Motto, Esse quam videri. Signed, W. S. A pretty design, with the caduceus of Mercury introduced in the ornamentation.
31. Archer. William Archer.
Armorial. Of Chesterfield County, Virginia.
1 66 American Book-plates.
32. Archer. William Archer, Powhatan.
A plain label with the name within a type border.
33. Armistead. William Armistead.
Armorial. Of Virginia. Of Revolutionary fame.
34. Ashwell. Charles Ashwell of Grenada.
Plain armorial.
35. Assheton. Ralph Assheton, M.D., Philadelphia.
Armorial. Chippendale. Motto, In Domino con- fido. Son of the Councillor ; studied medicine in Edinburgh.
36. Assheton. Willm. Assheton Esqr. of Barbadoes.
Armorial. Chippendale. Very ornate. No motto. Began the practice of law in Penna., and was after- wards described as " of the Parish of St. Michael's in Barbadoes, gentleman." He was Provost- Marshal of Barbadoes.
37. Assheton. William Assheton Esq. of Graf s Inn, Judge
of the Court of Admiralty of Penn. IJ18. Arms, crest, and quarterings.
38. Atkinson. Theodore Atkinson.
Armorial. Chippendale. No motto. Signed, N. Hurd. Sep. This is the same design that was used in the Wentworth plate, but is much better in execution. The peculiar flow of water from the shell beneath the escutcheon is caught in a bowl : the only instance. Secretary of the colony of New Hampshire, 174 1 ; Chief Justice, 1754 ; Major- General of militia, 1 769 ; delegate to Congress at Albany, 1754.
39. Atkinson. William King Atkinson.
Armorial. Chippendale : a copy of the preceding design. Motto, Nil facimus non sponte Dei. Signed, Callender Sc. A noted lawyer of Ports- mouth, N.H. (1764-1820). Changed his name from King to Atkinson out of respect to Judge Atkinson.
40. Atlee. Willm. Augs. Atlee Esqr. of lancaster PENN-
SYLVANIA.
Armorial. Chippendale. Motto-ribbon empty;
Early American Book-plates. 167
bears some marks of being unfinished. Judge of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1777-1791.
41. Atwood. Hariy Atwood.
Armorial. Chippendale. Very ornate ; architec- tural and landscape effects used. No motto.
42. Auchmuty. Richard Tylden Auchmuty.
Plain armorial. Motto, Dum spiro spero. Signed, ASS'S.
43. Backhouse. W. Backhouse, M.A.
Armorial. Chippendale. Motto, Pax et amor.
44. Backus. Elijah Backus.
Armorial. Jacobean. No motto ; name on motto- ribbon. Very crude workmanship.
45. Baldwin. D. Baldwin, Owner.
An engraved label, the words being within an oval wreath.
46. Baldwin. Jonathan Baldwin.
Armorial. Signed by Callender.
47. Baldwin. Luke Baldwin.
Armorial. Signed by Callender.
48. Ball. Flamen Ball.
Armorial. Ribbon and Wreath. Motto, Semper caveto. Signed, P. R. Maverick. Set.
49. Ballord. Wm. Ballord's.
Armorial. Plain. No motto.
50. Baltimore. The Library Company of Baltimore.
Simply the name engraved within an oval frame. Signed, £. Allardice Phi.
51. Bancker. Abraham Bancker.
Pictorial. An eagle bears aloft an oval frame which contains the large figure 4 always seen on the book- plates of this family. A ribbon flying from the beak of the eagle bears the motto, Sublimiora petamus ; beneath, a three-masted vessel, with homing pennant streaming, passes half-submerged trees and a chain of mountain peaks. Signed, Maverick Sculp7.
1 68 American Book-plates.
52. Bancker. Charles N. Bancker.
Armorial In style, but showing no actual arms. The shield is occupied by a large figure 4, which is an old "merchant mark." Chippendale. Puffy cupids are seated on either side of the frame with accessories which indicate the pursuit of science. Motto, Dieu defend le droit. Signed, Jones Sc. Of Philadelphia.
53. Bancker. Charles N. Bancker.
A Chippendale frame enclosing the figure 4, and showing the same motto as the above. Helmet, wreath and crest, the eagle's wings erect, ppr. Not signed.
54. Bancker. Evert Bancker, Junr.
A smaller and older plate than the others of this name, and showing the same figure 4, with rather wild mantling, and crest.
55. Bancker. Gerard Bancker.
Chippendale. A cupid holding a globe converses with a companion, perhaps about commerce and ocean currents ; behind them a pyramid rises, and two other cupids are consulting a plan. The figure 4 is again prominent in this plate. Signed, Daivkins Sculpsit.
56. Bancroft. George Bancroft.
Pictorial. A chubby cherub approaches, with a panel in his hands on which the words EIS $AOS are given. Another plate, identical in all other details, gives the motto, Sursum corda. Historian of the United States.
57. Banister. John Banister.
Plain armorial. (Arms of Banester of Easington, County York, according to Burke). No motto. Of Virginia. Revolutionary soldier. Died, 1787.
58. Barrell. Joseph Barrell.
An allegorical plate full of detail. In the centre is the shield with the arms, while above the crest sits Hope with her anchor. As indicative of Industry, a very trim female figure is presented, surrounded by
Early American Book-plates. 169
signs of prosperity, such as the beehive, palette and brush, and square and dividers. In contrast to this a bare-footed, raggedly clad woman with a dead fish in her lap, snails on her shoulders, broken tools around her, and with every appearance of misery and squalor, is shown at the left. The contrast between Thrift and Indolence is continued in a second series of pictures below the shield. In these it is the begging tramp and the erect, well-clothed gentleman who depict the moral. Dilapidated shanties and well-built houses are also in contrast. Mottoes, Not always so — Indure but hope. A rich Boston merchant. A pioneer in the Northwest coast trade.
59. Barroix. William. Barroll. Chestertown. 7795.
An engraved name label, with the all-seeing eye above the oval frame which encloses the name. The palm and holly are crossed beneath.
60. Barton. William Barton.
Armorial. Perhaps the plate of the capturer of Genl. Prescott (1777) in Narragansett Bay.
61. Bartram. John Bartram.
Armorial. Chippendale. Motto, Foy en Dieu. A second motto, J'avance. Celebrated botanist of Pennsylvania.
62. Bathurst. Armorial. Of Virginia. See Burke's " Extinct
Baronetage."
63. Bay. William Bay. M.D.
Armorial. Ribbon and Wreath, Motto, Quo fata vocant. The heraldic drawing is poor and the charges are reversed. Born, Albany, 1773. Died, 1865.
64. Bayard. James A. Bayard.
The name well engraved within an oval wreath. The Delaware statesman, leader of the Federal party, and one of the negotiators of the Treaty of Ghent. Born, 1767; died, 1815.
65. Bayard. Saml. Bayard.
Armorial. Chippendale. No motto. This is a very interesting specimen of the debased Chip-
170 American Book-plates.
pendale. As decorative features the following are used : a large globe, quadrant, compass, sun-dial, beer-stein, and a little landscape. The branches of the frame are made to support these objects named. Jurist. Published books on law.
66. Bayley. Armorial. Of the Eastern Shore, Va.
67. Beatty. /. Beatty. M.D.
Armorial. Pictorial. The shield rests against the bole of an oak, and while the arms on it (Arg. a beehive surrounded by bees) are not given in Burke, the crest appears in Fairbairn, with some changes. A globe, open book, scroll, caduceus, and cornucopia of fruit complete the accessories. Not a common type among American plates. John Beatty was born in Pennsylvania, 1749, and died in New Jersey in 1826. Rose to the rank of Colonel in the Revolutionary War, and was delegate to Con- gress, 1 783-1 785. Member of Federal Convention, and member of Congress. Illustrated in " Curio," page 114.
68. Beck. Charles Beck.
Armorial. Ribbon and Wreath. Signed, N. D. Sc. (Nathaniel Dearborn). Of Cambridge, Mass. Scholar and author.
69. Bedlow. William Bedlow.
Armorial. Monogram B L at foot of arms. Jacobean. Motto, My hope on high. Of Bedlow's Island, New York.
70. Beete. Joseph Beete. Demerary.
Plain armorial. Motto, Fortuna perit, honestas manet.
71. Belcher. (Anonymous.)
Armorial. Jacobean. Motto, Loyal jusqu'a la Mort This is the plate of the Colonial Governor of Massachusetts and New Hampshire, 1 730-1741 (Jonathan Belcher). The arms are the same as borne on the plate of his son Jonathan, except that this plate shows a label for difference. There is also a shortening of the motto in the other plate.
Early American Book-plates. 171
72. Belcher. Jonathan Belcher E Societate Medij Templi. Armorial. Jacobean. Very similar to the last. Motto, Loyal au mort. Son of the preceding ; born in Boston, 1710. Graduate of Harvard, student at the Middle Temple, one of the first settlers of Halifax, N.S. Died there, 1776. Illus- trated in "Curio," page 113.
SJL VJk2TNJLl[ .
73. Belcher. William Belcher, Owner.
Literary. A shelf of books enclosed within an oval which bears the mottoes, With welcome use — but use with care. The wicked borrow, — but never return. Of New London, Conn., circa 1790.
74. Belcher. William Belcher. Savannah.
Armorial. Pictorial. A very beautiful engraving. The shield rests upon the ground and is supported by the oak tree which spreads over it ; willows and pines complete the little group of trees, and beyond a stretch of water is seen. The motto, Loyal au mort, is on the ribbon which flutters along the ground beside the shield.
172 American Book-plates.
75. Bel-Chier. J. Bel-Chier.
Armorial. Jacobean. Motto, Loyal j'wsq' a la mort. Printed in red ink.
76. Beresford. Richard Beresford, Charleston. 1772.
Armorial.
77. Betts. William Belts.
Armorial. Plain. Motto, Malo mor'i quant foe- dari. Signed, C. P. Harrison Del. Set.
78. Beverley. Harry Beverley.
Armorial. Chippendale. No motto.
79. Beverly. Robert Beverly.
Armorial. Of Virginia. Historian.
80. Beverly. William Beverly.
Armorial. Signed, J. Kirk.
81. Blackley. Absalom Blackley.
Armorial. Ribbon and wreath. Motto, Utere mundo. Signed, Maverick Sep. The name sup- ported by two quills.
82. Blake. Willm. P. &• L. Blake's Circulating Library at
the Boston Book Store.
An engraved label enclosed in an ornamental oval
frame. Signed, S. Hill. Sc.
83. Blanc. William Blanc. Middle Temple. Dominica.
Crest only. Motto on a garter enclosing the crest, Frangas non flectan.
84. Blatchford. Thomas W. Blatchford.
Plain armorial. Motto, Providentia sumus. Signed, Wm. D. Smith sc.
85. Bleecker. Bleecker.
Plain armorial. A festoon of cloth behind the shield.
86. Blenman. Jonathan Blenman Attoray, Genl. & Judge of
ye Admty. in Barbadoes.
A small plate, without motto, rather poorly en- graved. A little ornamentation of Jacobean manner appears at either side, and the mantling is rather profuse, but well above the shield.
Early American Book-plates. 173
87. Bloomfield. Bloomfield.
Armorial. Chippendale. Rudely drawn books used in the frame. Motto, Pro aris et focis. Signed, J. Trenchard. Major Joseph Bloomfield was a soldier in the Revolution, Governor of New Jersey, Brigadier-General in War of 1812, member of Congress, 18 17-21. Illustrated in the "Art Amateur," April, 1894.
88. Bolling. Robt. Boiling Esq'r.
Armorial. Chippendale. Figures are used as supporters which would appear to symbolize the freedom of the Garden of Eden, and the learning of classic Greece. Motto-ribbon empty ; no crest. Of Chellowe, Va. Illustrated in " Curio," page 15.
174 American Book-plates.
89. Bonaparte. Jerome Napoleon Bonaparte.
A plain label, with an ornamental type border. Nephew of Napoleon the Great. Born in England, 1805 1 died in Baltimore, Md., 1870.
90. Bond. T. Bond, Surgeon.
Armorial. Chippendale. Signed, W. H. Native of Maryland ; 171 2-1 784. A distinguished physi- cian and surgeon of Philadelphia.
91. Booth. Benjn. Booth.
Crest only. Autograph in a wreath under the crest. Of New York, until the Revolution broke out.
92. Booth. George Booth.
Literary. A lighted candle and books in con- fusion are placed upon a table. The name is carved upon the edge of the table. On one of the book-covers appears the Booth crest. An etched plate.
93. Boston. Shakspeare Circulating Library, Charles Cal-
lender, No. 25 School Street, Boston. A very curious old woodcut, with a large oval medallion of the famous writer for whom the library was named placed in the centre against a rough rock background ; the masks of Comedy and Tragedy lie at the foot, and the hilts of foils can be made out ; a garland of roses falls at the right hand, and the rays of the sun come over the top. This is a rough engraving, very black and indistinct.
94. Boston. Social Law Library. Boston.
The name appears on a curtain looped up and held by cord and tassel ; above this a small oval encloses a view of four waterspouts, each from behind a rock ; above this the circular frame encloses a hand bearing a lighted torch ; on the frame is the motto, Vestra cicra alitur, and the date 1804; a pile of books above for crest, with S.L.L. on the cover of one.
Early American Book-plates. 175
95. Boucher. Jonathan Boucher.
Armorial. Chippendale. Motto, Non vi sed voluntate. A Loyalist clergyman in Virginia, whose estates were confiscated, after which he returned to England whence he had come in 1754. Published a tract on the causes and consequences of the Revolution, and compiled a glossary of Provincial and Archaeological Words, which was purchased of his family in 1831, for the proprietors of Webster's Dictionary.
96. Boudinot. Boudinot.
Armorial. Ribbon and Wreath. Motto, Soli Deo gloria et honor. Elias Boudinot, born in 1 740, in Philadelphia, of Huguenot extraction. Sided strongly with the colonies in the Revolution, and was President of Congress in 1 782. A signer of the Treaty of Peace. Died, 182 1. This plate is not signed, but it is the work of Maverick. Illustrated in "Curio," page in.
97. Bowdoin. Honble. James Bowdoin. Esqr.
Plain armorial. Motto, Ut aquila versus coelum. The same plate as the Bowdoin College, whose benefactor he was.
98. Bowdoin. Bowdoin College.
Plain armorial. The arms of the Hon. James Bowdoin are given with his motto, Ut aquila versus coelum. The sun in splendor shines above the crest, and the name of the college is engraved over it. This college was chartered in 1794, and then presented with eleven hundred pounds and one thousand acres of land, by Hon. James Bowdoin, son of the governor of the colony. By his will a further gift was made to the college.
99. Boylston. Boylston Medical Library.
Plain armorial. The arms of the Boylston family are given without ornamentation or motto. Signed, Annin & Smith. Ward Nicholas Boylston, a patron of medical science, gave to the medical school of Harvard College a valuable collection of anatomical and medical books and engravings, in the year 1 800.
176 American Book-plates.
100. Boylston. Property of the Boy Is ton Medical Library
Cambridge.
Armorial. The arms of the Boylston family are
given. Signed, Callender Sc.
101. Bozman. John Leeds Bozman. Esqr of the Middle
Temple.
Armorial. Ribbon and Wreath. Motto, Sine virtnte vani sunt honores. Lawyer, poet, and historian; born in Maryland in 175 7, died in 1823. University of Penn., 1783. Completed his studies in London. His chief work is the "History of Maryland to the Restoration in 1660." An "His- torical and Philosophical Sketch of the Prime Causes of the Revolutionary War " was suppressed ; in this Washington was praised and Franklin depreciated. This same copper has been used more recently with the following words added : on either side of the crest, "John Leeds Kerr of Talbot Co. Md. 15th Jan. 1780, 21st Feb. 1844;" at the bottom, under the name of Bozman, "The Maryland His- torian, 25th Aug. 1757, 20th April, 1823."
102. Brasher. Philip Brasher.
Armorial. Ribbon and Wreath. Motto, Beata Domus, Custodita Sic Cuja Deo Domino Est. The shield, with its motto-ribbon and flowery ornamentation, seems to be held up by the winged female who grasps the portcullis of the crest. Below the shield a patch of ground is strewn with books and writing material. A dwarfed weeping willow bends mournfully at the left. Signed on an unrolled sheet of paper, Maverick Sep. Was a prisoner in a sugar-house in New York during the Revolutionary War, which suggested the crest ; he had no right to the arms.
103. Brazer. John Brazer.
Plain armorial. Shaded mantling. Motto, Try. Of Salem, Mass.
104. Brearly. David Brearly.
Armorial. Ribbon and Wreath. Motto, Honor virtutis praemium. A large plate; attributed to
Early American Book-plates. 177
Vallance. Jurist, of Trenton, N.J. A brave officer in the Revolution.
105. Bridgen. Charles Bridgen.
Plain armorial. Motto, Probitate et industria. This plate is not signed, but it is very probably the work of Maverick.
106. Brimage. William Brimage.
Plain armorial. Impaling Gilbert. Arms closely surrounded by a garter on which the name appears. Motto below, Deus dux certus. Of Virginia.
107. Brisbane. William Brisbane.
Armorial. Ribbon and Wreath. Motto, Dabit otia Deus.
108. Brooks. Benjamin S. Brooks.
Armorial. Ribbon and Wreath. Motto, Sustinere. Signed, A. D. (Amos Doolittle).
109. Brown. David Paul Brown.
Plain armorial. Motto, Patria cara, carior libertas. Signed, C. P. H. St. Lawyer, of Philadelphia.
no Brown. The Property of Jacob Brown.
Pictorial. The interior of a library is depicted, within an oval frame which is ornamented above with a ribbon and a spray of holly ; the name is given on the fluttering ends of the ribbon. The central portion of the library is occupied by a couch, covered with striped cloth, on which a youth, dressed in the height of the fashion, reclines ; a book is laid upon the convenient corner of the table, and he is reading from this ; behind him the shelves of books are seen partly covered by a curtain ; through the window are seen the nodding pines ; the carpet is adorned with thirteen stars. The following lines are given below the frame : —
Weigh well each thought, each sentence freely scan, In Reason's balance try the works of man; Be biased not by those who praise or blame, Nor, Servile, Yield opinion to a Na?ne.
178 American Book-plates.
Signed, Engrd. by P. R. Maverick 63 Liberty Street. As the name Jacob Brown is not engraved, but is printed by hand, it is quite likely that this plate was for promiscuous use ; either to be filled up with the name of any who ordered it, or to be pasted in the books sold by some bookseller.
in. Brown. John Carter Brown.
Crest only. Motto, Gaudeo.
112. Brown. Thomas Brown.
Armorial. Arms, on a chevron, between
three leopards' heads cabossed, or as many
escallops Crest, an eagle's head erased
or. Motto, En esperanceje vie. Signed by Hurd.
113. Browne. Peter A. Browne.
Literary. A plain table, with the scull and cross- bones carved in two places upon it, supports several large volumes, on the side of one of which is the name of the owner. On the side of the table the motto is cut, Fiat Jus titia. A wreath of laurel rests upon the books, and the all-seeing eye looks upon the scene from above. Signed, Engraved by James Akin. A prominent lawyer in Philadelphia, and the author of "Browne's Reports."
114. Brownson. Oliver Broiunson's Property.
An engraved label with the name curved over a peacock which is perched on a scroll.
115. Bruen. M. Bruen.
Plain armorial. Motto, Fides scutum. Matthias Bruen was a clergyman in New York City ; ordained in London, 181 9.
116. Bruff. The Property of J. G. Bruff, Portsmouth, Va.
183-. .
Pictorial. On this, a weeping elm supports a large shield on which the inscription is given ; so large is the shield that only a little of the tree shows around the edge of the shield. A woodcut.
117. Buchanan. W. B. Buchanan.
Armorial. Motto, Clarior hinc honos.
Early American Book-plates. 179
118. Bull. Martin Bull.
Armorial. A plain armorial plate with the mantling extending down the side of the shield. Motto, Virtus basis iritae. This is the plate of one of the engravers of the old Farmington book-plate, Deacon Bull. See "Ex Libris Journal," Vol. Ill, page 187.
119. Burke. James Henry Burke Esqr.
Armorial. Ribbon and Wreath. Motto, Sola salus servire Deo. Of Virginia.
120. Burnet. John Burnet. Attorney at Law New York.
Armorial. Jacobean frame ; mantling. Motto, Virescit vulnere virtus. This plate is earlier than the succeeding one by Dawkins.
121. Burnet. John Bitrnet Esqr New York.
Armorial. Chippendale. The usual pastoral scene which Dawkins used is found here ; the shepherdess, and the cupids making music on the flute, and bringing books for leisure moments. Motto, Virescit vulnere virtus. Signed, H. Dawkins Sculp. 1754. Blustrated in "Curio," page 13.
122. Byam. Francisci Byam, ex Insula Antigua.
Armorial. Jacobean. Motto, Claris dextera factis. Rich mantling continued around the whole shield ; the background shell-lined. Printed in brown ink.
123. Byrd. William Byrd of Westover in Virginia Esqr.
Armorial. Jacobean. A very interesting specimen of its class. The profuse mantling thrown high in the air, the shell-lined background, and the curtain upheld at the ends (on which the name and address are given) are prominent characteristics as pointed out by Warren. A rich abundance of fruit over- flows from two cornucopiae, and the motto-ribbon is twined in and out through the scrolls at the base. Motto, Nulla pallescere culpa. Colonel Byrd was a very distinguished Virginian : was born to an ample fortune, liberally educated, and became the patron of science and literature in his native state. President of the Council of the colony;
180 American Book-plates.
author of the " Westover Manuscripts," and of other essays. Born, 1674; died, 1744. Illustrated in "Curio," page 14.
124. Cabell. Doctr Geo. Cabell Richmond Virga.
Allegorical. In the centre of the design a flaming heart rests upon the shank of an anchor. A thin patch of ground, which grows a few trees, and looks like an island, upholds these emblems of hope. The motto is just above, — Spes mea in Deo. Above this again the all-seeing eye, wreathed in clouds, appears. The whole is enclosed in a design of Ribbon and Wreath arrangement. Evidently the work of Brooks, who engraved the plate of Dr. I. Dove of the same city.
125. Cabell. Samuel Jordan Cabell, of Soldier's Joy.
Pictorial. The name is printed from type upon a large oval medallion ; this is supported by the half- draped figure of Liberty holding the pole with the cap upon it, and an officer in the uniform of the Continental Army. The arms of the United States are above the medallion. The pictorial parts of this are cut in wood.
126. Cabot. William Cabot.
Armorial. Wild Chippendale. No motto. Of Massachusetts.
127. Cadena. M. V. C. (Mariano de la Cadena.)
Plain armorial. An ordinary square shield sup- ported by a very peculiar frame. Motto, Fidem servat vinculaque sulvit. A Professor of Spanish in Columbia College.
128. Cadena. Don Mariano Valazquez de la Cadena.
Plain armorial. No motto. Of New York City.
129. Cadena. Mariano Valazquez de la Cadena.
Small, plain armorial. Of New York City.
130. Caillaud. John Caillaud. Esqr.
Armorial. Ribbon and Wreath. The frame en- closing the arm is oval in form and quite peculiar in construction ; an eagle with a chaplet in his beak appears as a crest.
Early American Book-plates. 181
131. Callaway. Thomas Callaway.
Plain armorial. Motto, Aliis quod ab aim.
132. Callender. John Callender.
Armorial. Pictorial. The shield rests against a rock, mossgrown and over-topped by shrubs. Signed, Callender Sc. Of Massachusetts.
133. Calvert. Thos. Calvert.
Armorial. Chippendale. Motto-ribbon empty.
134. Campbell. Donald Campbell. Jamaica.
Armorial. The shield affixed to the mast of a lymphad. (The crest of this family of Campbells.) Motto, Fit via vi.
135. Carmichaell. The Honourable Wm Carmichaell Esqr.
Armorial. Early English. The very full mantling nearly surrounds the shield. Motto, Toujours prest. Diplomatist. Born in Maryland. Delegate to Congress, 1 778-1 780. Foreign minister. Illustrated in "Curio," page 16.
1 82 , American Book-plates.
136. Carroll. Charles Carroll.
Armorial. Chippendale. No motto. The last surviving signer of the Declaration. Died, 1832. This was the Charles Carroll who added " of Carrollton " after his signature to the Declaration, that no mistake might ever be made in recognizing him. Illustrated in "Book Lovers' Almanac," 1894. Duprat and Co., New York.
137. Carroll. Charles Carroll Barrister at Law.
Armorial. Jacobean. No motto. The same arms as the Charles Carroll.
138. Carroll. Charles Carroll of ye Inner Templer Esqr,
Second Son of Daniell Carroll of Litterlouna Esqr. in the Kings County in the Kingdom of Ireland. Armorial. Early English. Elaborate mantling all about the shield. Motto-ribbon empty. Grand- father of Charles Carroll of Carrollton, the signer. Emigrated to Maryland about 1686.
139. Carroll. Ephm. Carroll.
Armorial. Ribbon and Wreath. Motto, In fide et in bello fortes.
140. Cary. Alpheus Cary. Jr.
Plain armorial. The shield surrounded by an oval frame of sun's rays. Signed, A. Cary del. H. Morse Sc. Of Massachusetts.
141. Cary. Miles Cary.
Armorial. Chippendale. Motto, Sine Deo careo. Of Virginia.
142. Cary. Thomas Cary.
Armorial. Ribbon and Wreath. Motto, In medio tutissimus ibis. Signed, Callender Sep. Of Massa- chusetts.
143. Cay. Gabriel Cay.
Crest only. Name enclosed in Jacobean frame. No motto. Of Virginia.
144. Chalmers. Geo. Chalmers.
Armorial. Motto, Spero. A resident of Maryland ; a stiff Loyalist ; author of " Chalmers' Annals."
Early American Book-plates. 183
145. Chambers. Benjamin Chambers 's Book.
Armorial. False heraldry. Plain armorial plate with supporters, surrounded by a circular wreath. Motto, Spire. Founder of Chambersburg, Penn.
146. Chambers. John Chambers Esqr.
Armorial. Arms not in Burke. Az. a chevron or. bet. three cockle shells of the last. Chippendale. Motto, Vincit Veritas. Signed, E. Gallaudet Sculp. Chief Justice of New York, 1754.
147. Chandler. Gardiner Chandler.
Armorial. Chippendale. Motto-ribbon empty. Signed, P. Revere Sculp. Of Massachusetts.
148. Chandler. John Chandler Junr Esqr.
Armorial. Chippendale. A very handsome design in the best of Hurd's styles. Has the characteristic flow of water from the large shell at the bottom. No motto. Signed, N. Hurd Sculp. Of Massa- chusetts.
149. Chandler. Rufus Chandler.
Armorial. Attributed to Hurd.
150. Chase. SI. Chase.
Armorial. Chippendale. Motto, Ne cede malis. Signed, Boyd Sc. A signer of the Declaration from Maryland.
151. Chauncey. Chauncey.
Plain armorial. Motto, Gloria.
152. Chauncey. Charles Chauncey.
Plain armorial. Motto-ribbon empty.
153. Chauncey. Charles Chauncey M.D.
Plain armorial. Motto, Sublimis per ardua tendo. Two fierce lions couch upon the ends of the motto- ribbon, and the mantling envelopes the shield. The initials C. C, in cipher, are given between the two names.
154. Chauncey. J. St. Clair Chauncey.
Plain armorial. Motto, Gloria. An officer of the United States Navy.
155. Chawney. Armorial. Of Pennsylvania.
184 American Book-plates.
156. Chester. John Chester.
Plain armorial. On a ribbon tied above, By the name of Chester. No motto. Of Wethersfield, Conn. Colonel in the Continental Army ; commander of the " elite corps " ; was in the battle of Bunker Hill.
157. Child. Francis Child.
Armorial. Chippendale. Motto, Pro lege et rege. Signed, H. Dawkins. Sculpt. Very fine work.
158. Child. The Property of Isaac Child.
Under the name is the verse beginning — If thou art borrowed by a friend, Right welcome shall he be, etc. Signed, Sold by N. Dearborn & Son. Undoubtedly engraved by Dearborn.
159. Child. Isaac Child, Boston.
Literary. Four shelves of books. Probably by Dearborn.
160. Child. Thomas Child.
Armorial. Chippendale. Motto, Pari aude. Not signed, but evidently the work of Nathaniel Hurd. First Postmaster of Portland, Me.
161. Child. William Henry Child.
Armorial in form, but displaying no arms on the shield. Crest, two doves with olive branches in their mouths. The initials W. H. C, in cipher, occupy the shield. Ribbon and Wreath. No motto. Very similar in design to the plate of George Grote, the historian. Illustrated in "Art Amateur," April, 1894.
162. Clark. D. Lawrence Clark.
Armorial. Ribbon and Wreath. Motto, Semper idem. Undoubtedly the arms are not genuine : the argent field of the shield is charged with a branch of holly, and the crest is the American eagle, with a star above its head.
163. Clark. John Clark. M.D.
Plain armorial. Motto, Semper idem. The arms are undoubtedly assumed ; az. an oak branch ppr. Crest, an American eagle, with a star (mullet) above,
Early American Book-plates. 185
164. Clarke. Alfred Clarke.
Crest only. Motto, Soyez ferme. Of Coopers- town, N.Y.
165. Clarke. George Clarke.
Crest only. Motto, Soyez ferme. Signed, J. F. Morin. Sc. N.Y.
166. Clarke. Peter Clarke.
Armorial. Chippendale. Motto, Coronat virtus cultores suos. Printed in blue ink.
167. Clarkson. David Clarkson Gent.
Armorial. Jacobean. No motto. Of New York. Illustrated in " Curio," page 66.
1 68. Clarkson. M. Clarkson.
Armorial, plain. No motto. Matthew Clarkson was for twenty-one years the President of the Bank of New York.
169. Cleborne. C. I. Cleborne. M.D.
Armorial. The shield canted to one side, sur- mounted by the helmet ; it and the mantling is enclosed within a circular ribbon, on which the motto, Clibor ne sceame, is given. A second rib- bon over the design bears the motto, Virtute in- vidiam vincas. Signed, Jarrett London.
170. Cleveland. Stephen Cleveland.
Pictorial. A very unusual plate : a full-rigged Brit- ish man-of-war, with ten guns peering from the loop-holes, is hastening from the observer ; the English ensign flies from the stern. A very spirited piece of work. It is said that his commission as Captain in our Navy just after the Declaration was the first one issued. Born in Connecticut, 1740, died in Massachusetts, 1801.
171. Clinton. De Witt Clinton.
Armorial. Ribbon and Wreath. Motto, Patria cara carior libertas. Signed, P. R. Maverick, sculpt. Governor of New York, 181 7-1822, and 1824-1827. Illustrated in "Art Amateur," Feb- ruary, 1894.
1 86 American Book-plates.
172. Cock. Williatn Cock.
Armorial. Ribbon and Wreath. Motto, Quod fieri non vis alteri ne fueris. Signed, Maverick Sculpt. The tinctures in. the crest — which looks like a leghorn — are indicated by the words, gules and or. engraved outside, and connected with the parts thus tinctured by dotted lines, — a new method. Of New York. Illustrated in " Art Ama- teur," March, 1894.
173. Coffin. Coffin arms: name erased. Armorial. Rib-
bon and Wreath. Motto, Post tenebras speramus lumen de lumine. Signed, J. Akin Sculp. The name N. W. Coffin is written upon the copy at hand. The arms are of the family of Sir Isaac Coffin, who was born in Boston, 1759.
174. Coffin. Hector Coffin.
Armorial. Ribbon and Wreath. Motto, Exstant recte /actus praemia. Signed, J. Akin del. F. Kearny Sc. Of Boston.
175. Coffin. John Coffin. 1771.
Armorial. A frame of Jacobean tendencies. Motto-ribbon empty. Of Massachusetts.
176. Colden. Cadwallader D. Colden.
Plain armorial. Motto, Fais Men crains rien. Mayor of New York City in 1818. Friend and coadjutor of De Witt Clinton.
177. Columbia College. Columbia College Library New York.
Allegorical. The scene is out-of-doors ; a throne placed on rising ground is occupied by the God- dess of Learning ; the Shekinah blazes above and the rising sun peeps over the horizon. Three little nude beginners in learning stand before the God- dess, in whose hand an open book is extended bearing the motto, Aoyia Zwvtp.. From her mouth a scroll issues bearing in Hebrew the motto, "WilK Let there be light. Beneath this scene is the refer- ence I Pet. LI 1. 2 &c. The name of the library appears upon the circular frame which encloses the whole scene ; the motto, Ln lumine tuo videbimus lumen, follows the inner line of the circle. Above,
Early American Book-plates. 187
an urn is overfilled with the blossoms of knowledge, while the background of the whole is a brick wall. Signed, Anderson sculp.
178. Connecticut Theological Institute. Theol. Institute
of Con. j8jj. Presented by
Pictorial. The representation is of a pulpit with winding stairs on either side, and a very tall solemn- looking sounding-board behind it, partially hid by a curtain. The front panel of the pulpit has the following, KHPY220MEN XPISTON 'E2TA- YPOMENON.
179. Connecticut Theological Institute. Society of Inquiry.
Theological Institicte of Connecticut. Three book shelves disclosed by a drawn curtain.
180. Connolly. Charles M. Connolly.
Armorial. Motto, En Dieu est tout. Signed, J. G. Bolen, 104 B'way.
181. Constable. William Constable.
Plain armorial. Motto, Post tot Naufragia portus. Of the early New York family that owned large estates near Utica, N.Y. This plate is circa 1783 and was engraved in New York. It is interesting as a specimen of twisted heraldry ; the correct arms are " Quarterly, gu. and vaire, over all a bend or." (Flamburgh. Co. York, descended from Robert De Lacy, second son of John De Lacy, Baron of Halton, and Constable of Chester). See Burke. In this plate the arms are " Quarterly vaire and gu. over all a bend sinister or.," which are mani- festly incorrect. It was not probably the purpose of the engraver to make this alteration, but not under- standing heraldic drawing he drew the arms correctly on the copper, which reversed them in the print.
182. Cooley. Abial A. Coolers Property.
An elaborate plate of its kind, which is unusual ; it is regular die-sinker's work, and is printed in red ink. The word Property is on a ribbon which is arched over a peacock and a dove ; scrolls abound in convenient places. The only copy seen is in a Boston imprint, 1742.
1 88 American Book-plates.
183. Cooper. Myles Cooper LL.D. Coll. Regis Nov. Ebor.
in America. Praefes, et Coll. Reginae de Oxon. Socius &°c.
Armorial. Chippendale. No motto. Second Presi- dent of King's College (now Columbia) . His Loy- alist inclinations resulted in a hasty flight from the college ; he escaped to England, where he was an honored preacher. Illustrated in " Art Amateur," April, 1894.
184. Courtenay. Henry Courtenay.
Armorial. Chippendale. No motto. Very simi- lar in style to the Philip Dumaresque. Not signed, but undoubtedly by Hurd. Of Massachusetts.
185. Cox. Chris. C. Cox. A.M. M.D.
A name-label with the skull and crossed bones above the name. The motto, Lectorem delectando paritque monendo, is given below.
186. Cox. Chris. C. Cox. A.M. M.D. LL.D.
Armorial. Crest only. Motto, Fortiter etfideliter.
187. Cranch. Richd. Cranch. Braintree.
An engraved label. The name is within an oval frame, formed of oak and laurel leaves. This plate was engraved by William Bond of Falmouth (now Portland), in 1 786. Richard Cranch was a brother- in-law of John Adams, and lived in Quincy, and also in the adjoining town of Braintree.
188. Craven. Craven.
Armorial. Motto, Verus in actione consistit. This is the plate of Lord William Craven, one of the Lords Proprietors of South Carolina.
189. Crookshank. Judge Crookshank.
Armorial. Chippendale. Motto, Lege et ratione.
190. Cunningham. James Cunningham, Junior.
Armorial. Jacobean. No motto. Printed in blue ink.
191. Cunyngham. Robert Cunyngham, of Cayou in ye Lsland
of St. Christopher in America, Esqr.
An old armorial plate ; no further information at
hand.
Early American Book-plates. 189
192. Curwen. (Anonymous.)
Armorial, Jacobean. No motto. A crude piece of work. Of Salem, Mass.
193. Cushing. Jacob Cushing, His Book. 1746.
A plain printed label with border of ornamental type.
194. Cushman. Cushman.
Plain armorial. Motto, Habeo pro jus fasque. Signed, Pulini Inc. The famous actress, Charlotte Cushman.
195. Custis. Geo. Washg. Park Custis.
Armorial. Chippendale. No motto. The last of Washington's family — builderof" Arlington." Son of the following.
196. Custis. John Park Custis.
Armorial. Presumably assumed arms ; arg. an eagle displayed ppr. Crest, an eagle's head erased ppr. Chippendale. No motto. Son of Mrs. Washington by her first husband, Daniel Parke Custis. The engraver omitted the e from the middle name.
197. Cutting. James S. Cutting.
Armorial. Ribbon and Wreath. Motto, Postero ne credo. Signed, Maverick Set. Of New York.
198. Cutting. William Cutting.
Armorial. Ribbon and Wreath. Motto, Carpe diem : postero ne crede. Signed, P. R. Maverick Set. Of New York.
199. Cuyler. John Cuyler.
Armorial. Ribbon and Wreath. Motto-ribbon empty. Signed, Maverick Sculpt. Of New York.
200. -Dana. Edmund Trowbridge Dana.
The same copper as the following plate, with slight alterations. In the upper left-hand corner the date A.D. Js6g is given. Presumably the date of the grant of arms. Son of R. H. Dana. Translator and editor of works on International Law.
201. Dana. Francis Dana.
Armorial. Chippendale. Motto, Cavendotutus. Signed, N. H. Sep. A handsome plate in Hurd's best style. Statesman and jurist. Born, Charles- town, Mass., 1743 ; died in Cambridge, 181 1.
19° American Book-plates.
202. Dana. Richard Henry Dana.
The same old copper again retouched. The date 156Q is in new type, and the name is changed to the present user. Poet and essayist.
203. Danforth. Danforth.
Armorial. Chippendale. Motto, Ubi plura offendar macuHs nitent non ego paucis. Signed, N. H. Sep. At the upper left-hand corner, outside the design, the sun shines in full strength. Presumably the plate of Dr. Samuel Danforth of Boston. Born, 1740; died, 1827.
204. Dartmouth College. Library of Dartmouth College.
Presented by Isaiah Thomas Esq A.D. 181Q in his Donation of 4.J0 Volumes.
These words printed from type within a border of ornamental type disposed in an oval.
205. Dartmouth College. Social Friends Library.
A plain shield with thistles for decoration bears the number of the volume. Motto, Sol sapientiae nunquam occidet. The full sun above the shield.
206. Davenport. Armorial. Of Virginia.
207. Davidson. Henry Davidson.
Armorial. Ribbon and Wreath. Motto, Sapienter si sincere. A very neat plate. The wreath has not the proper twisted effect, but appears more like a row of eggs than an heraldic wreath.
208. Davis. Davis.
Plain armorial. Motto, Auspice Christo.
209. Day. John Day.
Plain armorial. Signed, /. Smithers. Sculp. Of Philadelphia.
210. Day. M. W. Day.
Pictorial. A collection of literary property is grouped in an open space where the rising sun shines strongly ; the name is given upon a ribbon which floats above ; from it depends a lamp ; to the right, a book-case; to the left, a bust of Franklin, a large globe, books, ink-pot and quills ;
Early American Book-plates. 191
in front, an unrolled parchment which purports to be a list of books. The following motto : — 'Tis education forms the common mind, Just as the twig is bent, the tree's inclined. Signed, W. Chapin del <5r» Sc.
211. Deane. John Deane.
Armorial. Ribbon and Wreath. No motto. Name on motto-ribbon.
212. De Blois. Lew's. De Blois.
Armorial. Jacobean. No motto. Signed, Na- thaniel Hurd Sculp. The mantling is well conceived but rudely engraved ; the shell-lined background is here, and the curtain upheld at the corners, on which the name is given. The whole appearance of the plate shows it to be quite early, and among the first attempts of Hurd.
213. De Blois. N.J. De Blois.
Armorial. Jacobean, with handsome mantling. Motto, Je me fie en Dieu. " These arms are assumed by some members of the family of this name living in Newport, R.I. The first of the name in America was born in Fort George, N.Y., some time before the Revolution ; his descendants in New York and Newport carried on a great hard- ware business with their parents in England, but when the troubles occurred they became Tories and left the country. Some of the wax seals on their old letters bear the impression of a Moor's head, which may have been correct. Others had either the conceit or ignorance to assume the armorial bearings of the famous and noble family of Chatillon of France, which historical race became extinct in 1762. As, during the 14th century some members of the Chatillons were Comtes de Blois, this title, extinct in 1364, over 500 years ago, is most unwarrantably used as if it were the family name, and the Chatillon arms adopted in a most extraordinary way, reversing the ordinary way of acquiring arms ; so audacious and arrogant is the assumption and so sublime the impudence it en-
192 American Book-plates.
titles the fact to a high place in the Curiosities of Heraldry." (These notes are found accompanying the copy of the plate in the collection of the late Mr. James Eddy Mauran.) This plate is apparently copied from the one by Hurd, and as that is much earlier, it may be that the assumption of the arms was due to him instead of to the later users, who simply copied what appeared to be the legitimate plate and arms of an ancestor.
214. Dedham. Library of the " Young Men's and Young
Ladies' Societies for the Study of the Sacred Scriptures." Dedham, {Ms). The above inscription is printed from type within an oval frame which is cut on wood ; elongated cornucopise extend their blossoms above and around the central panel ; above in a small frame a lute and some music books.
215. Denny. William Denny.
Armorial. Motto, Ei mea messis erit. Governor of the Province of Pennsylvania.
216. De Peyster. Frederick De Peyster.
Armorial. A plain, heart-shaped shield supported by two eagles on palm branches, which are crossed under the shield and extend upwards on either side. No motto. Signed, P. R. Maverick Set. Of New York. Illustrated in "Art Amateur," February, 1894.
217. Derby. Martha Derby.
The name printed within a border of flowers and sprays. A group of musical instruments above.
218. Dering. IVicoll H. Dering.
Armorial. No motto. The Thomas Dering plate by Hurd, with the name altered.
219. Dering. Thomas Dering.
Armorial. Chippendale. No motto. Signed, N. Hurd Sculp 174Q. This is the earliest plate by an American engraver which is both signed and dated. But one copy is known at this writing. Illustrated in "Curio," page 14.
Early American Book-plates. 193
220. Dering. Thomas Dering.
Crest only, enclosed within a circular ring. The half-date 17 . is given. Resembles the work of Hurd somewhat.
221. De Witt. Richard Varick De Witt.
A small pictorial plate, representing Minerva stand- ing helmeted and with spear and shield in hand. On some copies