Australian Personal Bookplates: A Review by Richard H. Schimmelpfeng ( Part I)

Australian Personal Bookplates: A Review

By

Richard H. Schimmelpfeng

Mr. Peake’s work is a very welcome addition to bookplate literature in general and for Australia in particular. Primarily an alphabetical register of Australian personal bookplates, including ex libris for expatriate Australians and people who resided in Australia for a period of time, it does not include plates made by Australian artists for people living overseas (though it is very difficult to determine from the plate whether the individual resided in Australia for a period of time). The text gives background on bookplate activity in Australia, brief biographical information on major Australian bookplate artists, and institutional collections.

Australian Personal Bookplates: A Review by Richard H. Schimmelpfeng (Part II)

Entries in the register contain owner’s name, platename (owner’s name transcribed), subject description, artist’s name, technique, reference (where plate can be seen, either institution or a published source), date of execution, size of plate, and number in the checklist. There is a total of 5,736 plates listed, with an addendum bringing the total to 5,746. A two page bibliography shortlists literature sources primarily published in Australia. Reference is made to Mark J. Ferson’s bibliography published in 1988 which contains more extensive information. The index is by artists, keyed to the individual entries.

The work is published in two editions: a regular one of 350 copies and the De Luxe of 55 copies which contains 28 tipped-in original plates. The volume is well designed, very legible, and printed on excellent paper. This is an important new reference work and a most valuable addition to any serious bookplate collector’s library.

For further details, please contact the ASBC&D: exlibrisusa@hotmail.com