Thursday, January 14, 2010

Antioch Bookplate Company VII




The (undated) enclosure in an Antioch bookplate box promised that “If, for any reason, you are disappointed with the bookplates you order we shall consider it a favor to have them returned regardless of whose fault it may have been, for few things are more annoying than a displeasing or defective bookplate.” Whether this policy is still in effect is not known.

Antioch designs represent the selected work of many artists through its eighty-plus years, and have covered a wide range of subjects and styles. While the designs illustrated here are representative, other recognized bookplate artists (in addition to those already cited) provided designs including Valenti Angelo, Franklin Bittner, Bank B. Gordon, Dan Burne Jones, and Thijs Mauve.

Antioch bookplates do have a ‘universal’ appeal, although many designs became dated because of changes in modern opinions about styling. Many of their designs have been used for decades – are still popular, as their recent designation as ‘old favorites’ states. Certainly Dorothy Chandor’s cat deserves this accolade as does the bookplate featuring Sir Galahad in addition to the Spitzweg adaptation.

1 comment:

  1. Hello.. lovely collection and pictures of bookplates from what used to be the Antioch Bookplate Company. I followed Ernest Morgan as a sales rep in North Carolina for awhile in 1981 and eventually came to Yellow Springs to work in the home office, retiring from there in 2000 and starting my own on-line business selling personalized bookplates, mostly Antioch designs. The company was sold last year, bookplates and all. You can still find them around but the company Ernest founded is long gone. A wonderful story - Ernest was a unique and wonderful person! Dale Anne Blanchard (FriendlySpirit.com)

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