“John Warren, BA, LLB.” The name and, to some extent, the arms will remind incidentally bookplate collectors of the first historian of English bookplates. The motto is “tenebo.” The arms are chequy or and azure; on a canton gules a lion rampant argent. Crest on a chapeau gules, turned-up ermine, a wyvern argent, wings expanded, chequy or and azure.
“Thomas James Tatham,” an ex libris about fifty years old. Thomas James Tatham lived in Bedford Place, Russell Square, and bore for
his own arms, argent, a chevron gules between three swans’ necks couped sable. Crest, on a trumpet or, a swan with wings displayed sable. The motto: “perseverance.”
A bookplate very interesting from the identity of its owner is that of “Henry Crabb Robinson,” the warm friend of Lamb, Coleridge, Wordsworth, Southey, and a host of other interesting characters. He died at his house, 30, Russell Square, on February 5th, 1867, at the good age of ninety-one years.
A sensible armorial plate is that inscribed at foot as “Right Honᵇˡᵉ. Sir Robert Peel Bart,” and across the top “Drayton Manor.” The arms, as granted to Robert Peel of Manchester, father of the first baronet, were: Argent three sheaves of as many arrows proper, banded gules; on a chief azure a bee volant or. Crest a demi-lion rampant argent, gorged with a collar azure, charged with three bezants, holding between the paws a shuttle or. Motto: “Industria.”
“Robᵗ D Mayne,” a facsimile signature, is under a modern plate, where, of course, both arms and motto have something to say about hands. The arms are: Ermine, on a bend sable, three dexter hands couped argent. The motto runs: “manus justa decus.”
Of martial mottoes, “militavi non sine gloria” is a good specimen. It is on the bookplate, about forty years old, which has under it the engraved signature of “J Knight.” The crest is a spur between two wings.