Bookplates

About Antique Bookplates

Bookplates, also known by the term ex-libris, evolved over centuries from simple inscriptions to printed woodcuts to an artistic medium that has attracted world-class artists and illustrators. Bookplate mania in America and England peaked from 1890 to about 1920.

Bookplates are highly collectible (although there's some debate about removing them from vintage books), and many collectors focus on specialized topics or themes. These can range from era (e.g. 18th or 19th centuries) to subjects portrayed (e.g. professions, activities, animals, nature), to associations with famous people, places and institutions (e.g. coats of arms, signed plates), and designs or artistic merit.


Interviews & Articles

An Interview with Rare Book Collector and Appraiser Ken Sanders New!

I don’t remember a time when I didn’t read books. In grade school, I devoured library books. I also loved… [more]

An Interview With American Cookbook Expert and Rare Book Curator Peter Berg

Special collections is where we keep non-circulating rare materials which have to be used in the reading room… [more]

An Interview With Children’s Book Curator Rita Smith

I started working as the curator of the Baldwin Library of Historical Children's Literature in 1994, but I’… [more]

Guest Column: Bookplate (Exlibris) Collecting Basics

Bookplate mania in America and England peaked from 1890 to about 1920. That's when the really great collectio… [more]

An Interview With Silver Bookmark Collector Howie Schecter

I’m a packrat, so in 1995, I was itching to collect something. I went around to local flea markets here bec… [more]

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Best of the Web (“Hall of Fame”)

Bookplate Junkie

Bookplate Junkie

Lewis Jaffe's homage to the bookplate. Lots of scrolling, but worth it for the great scans, plus commentary on a wi… [read review or visit site]

Gallery of Book Trade Labels

Gallery of Book Trade Labels

Greg Kindall's collection of over 2100 colorful and historic book labels, pasted into books by publishers, printers… [read review or visit site]

Google Book Search

Google Book Search

Want to do one quick search and pull up the mother lode of vintage books? Try Google Book Search, a database filled… [read review or visit site]

Baldwin Library of Childrens Literature

Baldwin Library of Childrens Literature

If you’re interested in collectible childrens books, check out this special digital collection from the Universit… [read review or visit site]

Feeding America

Feeding America

This archive of 76 influential American cookbooks from the late 1700s to early 1900s, assembled by the Michigan St… [read review or visit site]

Vintage Kids' Books My Kid Loves

Vintage Kids' Books My Kid Loves

This great blog, by an anonymous mom in Texas, is an ongoing bibliography of hundreds of vintage childrens books, c… [read review or visit site]

Vintage Cookbooks Photo Pool

Vintage Cookbooks Photo Pool

This Flickr photo pool features over 2,000 photos and scans of vintage cookbooks and old recipes from the 1940s to … [read review or visit site]

Rare Karate Book Collection

Rare Karate Book Collection

This visually interesting and highly specialized collection from the Hawaii Karate Museum focuses on rare and histo… [read review or visit site]

Czech Book Covers

Czech Book Covers

This Smithsonian microsite showcases Czech avant-garde book cover designs from the 1920s and 30s, complete with hig… [read review or visit site]

Bookscans.com

Bookscans.com

Bruce Black's gallery of paperback book covers from the 1940s and 50s. With help from numerous contributors, he's a… [read review or visit site]


Got a site to suggest? Let us know.




Clubs & Associations: Books


Other Great Reference Sites: Books

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Top eBay Auctions  Help | Get weekly Bookplates email

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Exlibris Bookplate By Katarina Vavrova/slov$25.25 Ends Tuesday 3 bids 5 watchers
Antique Bookplate Ex Libris Exlibris Erotic Nude W. P.$24.99 Ends Thursday 1 bid 3 watchers
Anne Rice, Author, Hand Signed Illustr. Lrg. Bookplate$18.00 Ends in 13 hours 1 bid 3 watchers
Exlibris Bookplate Gropp /erotic/erotisch/nude/06$14.99 Ends Sunday 1 bid 3 watchers
Exlibris Bookplate By Miroslav Knap/slov$12.90 Ends Tuesday 1 bid 4 watchers
Ex Libris Bookplate Landscape& Woman By I. Zetti$12.62 Ends Tuesday 2 bids 2 watchers
Denmark Bookplate Ex Libris Erotic / Owl$12.50 Ends in 16 hours 6 bids 4 watchers
David Morrell, Novelist, Large Hand Signed Bookplate$12.00 Ends in 19 hours 1 bid 1 watcher
Poul Anderson, Sf Author, Hand Signed Bookplate $12.00 Ends in 12 hours 1 bid 1 watcher
Dee Brown, Author/historian, Hand Signed Bookplate $10.00 Ends in 15 hours 1 bid 1 watcher
Ex Libris Bookplate Tuscany Landscape By I. Zetti$9.90 Ends Tuesday 1 bid 3 watchers
Exlibris Bookplate By Leo Bednarik/slov$9.50 Ends Tuesday 2 bids 2 watchers
Egypt Motif, Russian Ex Libris Bookplate$8.99 Ends in 1 hour 2 bids 2 watchers
Exlibris Bookplate Rasdolsky Erotic/erotisch/nude06$8.02 Ends Sunday 3 bids 1 watcher
No Exlibris Bookplate By Frank Ivo Damme/bell$6.90 Ends Wednesday 1 bid 1 watcher
Denmark Bookplate Butterfly Ex Libris Erotic$6.01 Ends in 16 hours 2 bids 2 watchers
Signed Clive Cussler Bookplate$4.99 Ends Monday 1 bid
Exlibris Bookplate By ?$4.24 Ends Thursday 3 bids
Denmark Bookplate Ex Libris / Flag$4.00 Ends in 16 hours 1 bid 1 watcher
Denmark Bookplate Ex Libris / Black Cat$4.00 Ends in 16 hours 1 bid 5 watchers
Exlibris Bookplate By J. V. Bonga ?$2.90 Ends Thursday 2 bids 1 watcher
Exlibris Bookplate By R. Broten ?$2.90 Ends Thursday 2 bids 1 watcher

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