By Wm. Edgar Fisher
The dog is given a prominent place in the plate of Miss Lula Thomas Wear. He dominates even the books, and it may be that the owner prefers her dachshund to her library, although it is evident that her books have some place in her esteem.
The design on the plate of Stanley Shepard suggests a derivation from an old print. The caravel rides upon the waves according to the conception of the old-time engravers. The anchor, the sword fish of the deep sea, and the sea-stars all suggest the ocean voyager who has deep down in his heart a love of books.
By Wm. Edgar Fisher
In contrast with the plate of Mr. Shepard’s appears that bearing the name of Silvanus Macy, Jr. The love of hunting stands out right boldly here, and in the fox hunt does Mr. Macy undoubtedly revel. He could not have such a book-plate otherwise, and live with it every day, let it be in all his books and have it stand for him as it does, unless it was fairly representative of the man’s personality. That is what makes a book-plate so eminently interesting, aside from the art work put upon it. Books appeal to all sorts and conditions of men, as the work of Mr. Fisher’s here grouped clearly indicates.
The plate from the books of Miss Edna B. Stockhouse is a trifle shadowy in motif notwithstanding which there can be no doubt the owner loves books. The face in the book-plate reads. There is also a love of the beautiful in ceramics indicated as an incident in the plate. No wonder the head wears an aureole.
The “Bi Lauda” plate is that of a secret society at Wellsville, N. Y., and we, therefore, forgive if we cannot forget its poverty of bookish design.
By Wm. Edgar Fisher