Ex Libris: bookplates from our collections
This exhibition was displayed in the Philip Bacon Heritage Gallery, level 4, State Library of Queensland, between 1 October 07 – 28 January 08.
The following is an excerpt from this exhibition.
PIXIE O'HARRIS 1903-1991
Joel Corrigan His Book c.1984
Colour process print, Australian Library of Art,
State Library of Queensland, Acc. 7233.
(c) Halycon Evans, used with permission
When books were rare and precious, the bookplate evolved as a decorative and descriptive way of showing to whom a book belonged. Bookplates were usually pasted into the front of books.
The Germans, who invented the printing press in the fifteenth century, were the first people in the Western world to use printed bookplates. The use of bookplates spread slowly to France, England and then to colonial Australia.
In the 20th century, bookplates evolved to a pictorial style, which reflected the interests or public persona of the owner. Two significant Australian bookplate artists:
- Adrian Feint (1894-1971)
- George David Perrottet (1890-1971)
Other information
- Bookplate printing techniques
- Bookplate clubs and societies
- Publications about early bookplates
- BookCrossing: This global movement encourages people to read books, release them ‘into the wild’ and then follow their journey and the lives they touch via a website.
- The brochure about bookplates from the exhibition [new window pdf 443.9kb]
Acknowledgements
- Curator: Alison Wishart, SLQ
- Art Librarian: Helen Cole, SLQ
- Latin translations: Dr Bronwen Neil, Australian Catholic University
More information
- Phone: +61 7 3840 7768
- Email: publicprograms@slq.qld.gov.au
Last reviewed and updated June 2, 2009, 3:11 pm