Bibliographies - Exlibris

Richard Braungart – German Ex Libris

Richard Braungart, Deutsche Ex Libris und andere Kleingraphik der Gegenwart ... 1922 – A standard work on book-plates with lots of illustrations

Gustav A. Seyler – History of Book-Plates

Gustav A. Seyler’s „Illustriertes Handbuch der Ex-Libris-Kunde“ was published in Berlin (J.A. Stargardt) in 1895 and is still an important work about the history, the graphic techniques, ornaments, artists and owners of book-plates, mainly in Germany. With a list of literature and societies: “Ex-Libris Vereine”, “Ex-Libris-Journale” etc.

Book-Plate Collection Baron von Berlepsch

O. von Heinemann, The Ex-Libris Collection of the Ducal Library at Wolfenbüttel (1895) describes the famous collection of book-plates of Baron von Berlepsch that is kept in the Ducal Library of Wolfenbüttel.

Gerhard Gnade – Book-Plates in Norway

« Norwegian book plates are almost as rare as the proverbial ‘hen’s teeth’ ... The author, in an effort to use any material which might be at hand, looked over and had others examine nearly fifteen thousand plates. In that number there were only half a dozen Norwegian ex libris ...” (Gnade). Gerhard Gnades book about « Norwegian Ex Libris » (1917) gives information about the artists and the owners.

Egerton Castle’s famous handbook on English Book-Plates

Egerton Castle, English Book-Plates. Ancient and Modern, 2nd edition, London and New York 1893: “A helpful general and stylistic survey, also detailing later 19th century bookplate makers” (Brian North Lee).

Augustus Wollaston Frank’s monumental collection of Book-Plates

The “Catalogue of British and American Book-Plates (Ex Libris), Collected by the late Sir Augustus Wollaston Franks” was published in London in 1906. It contains 7354 items!

Arthur Vicars, Book-Plates 1893

The monumental work categorizes the book-plates according to their motives, names artists and references and shows, of course, lot of images.

Fincham/Brown, Bibliography of Book-Plates

Henry W. Fincham and James R. Brown, A Bibliography of Book-Plates (Ex-Libris), published 1892: useful, but inaccurate in detail.

Herbert Gregson’s Book-Plate Designs

« Ex Libris. A Collection of Book-Plate Designs by Herbert Gregson”, published in Boston 1907, shows many of his best and well-known book-plates. “Nearly everyone who can wield a brush or pretend to any talent in drawing, in these days tries his luck at a book-plate, which brings into existtence a great many plates that were better left unmade. Good designs are produced in this as in the other lines of the profession, but too often they are imitations in style of treatment suggested in fine things done long before ... The plates shown (in this book) are of such general excellence that extend comment would seem to be unnecessary, but attention might well be called to the armorial designs which evidence a good feeling, and strict regard, for the principles of heraldry; for designs of an odd, unusual character the plate of The Troutsdale Press stands pre-eminent ...” (p. 16 f.)

Warren’s Guide to the Study of Book-Plates

John B. Leicester Warren, “A Guide to the Study of Book-plates (Ex-Libris)”, Manchester 1900: “The pioneer work on the subject, it includes Continental ex-libris and their makers” (Brian North Lee).

Walter Hamilton on Dated Book-Plates

Walter Hamilton, “Dated Book-Plates. A Treatise on their Origin and Development” (1895) deals with German, French, English, American book-plates, arbitrary dates, doubtful plates, engravers and styles mainly of 18th century book-plates.

Walter Hamilton on French Book-Plates

Walter Hamilton, “French Book-Plates. A Handbook for Ex-Libris Collectors” (1897) is based on the works by Poulet-Malassis, Henri Bouchot and Octave Uzanne. “An attempt has been made in the following pages to supply the collector with as much general information on the subject of French Ex-Libris (or, as we more usually style them, Book-plates) as is accessible.” (p. V)