AUSTRALIAN BOOKPLATE SOCIETY Collectors, Bibliophiles, Artists and Others Dedicated to Promoting Bookplates Newsletter No
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THE NEW AUSTRALIAN BOOKPLATE SOCIETY collectors, bibliophiles, artists and others dedicated to promoting bookplates Newsletter No. 51, December 2018 Editor/President The 37th FISAE Congress in Prague, 2018 Dr Mark Ferson 4 Sofala Ave By Andrew Peake, Adelaide Riverview NSW 2066 0401 141 890 The International Ex Libris Congress was held A very full social program had also been [email protected] in Prague, Czech Republic, between 28 August organised: a tram tour of the city, a tour of the Secretary and 1 September, at the Pyramida Hotel, Prague Castle and Strahov Monastery, smaller Bronwyn Vost walking distance from the Prague Castle. By tours to parts of Prague, a trip to Karlstein [email protected] the end of April there were 215 registrants, Castle and a post-congress tour to Marienbad. Designer but the final number grew to 544 participants, In addition to the tourist-type opportunities, Mary Keep one of the largest congresses ever. However, there were a number of exhibitions organised [email protected] my wife and I were the only participants from off-site, the main one being the exhibition Australia, and there was one attendee from of competition entries for which a book was New Zealand and two from Argentina for the published. The others were a retrospective of the southern hemisphere. As to be expected, the ex libris of Vladimir Schanek (1951-2018) at bulk of the participants were from Europe, Marienbad, and the ‘History of Czech ex libris although a significant number came from until 1945’ at the National Memorial, where China, Hong Kong and Turkey. A significant there was also a demonstration of lithographic number attending were practising artists with printing of a bookplate. over 150 ex libris artists exhibiting their art If anything, there was too much organised, work and accepting commissions. and the organisation to attend these functions CONTENTS The 37th FISAE Congress in Prague, 2018 1 The Society’s Eleventh Annual General Meeting 2 The bookplate of Keith Hindwood, 3 July 1904 to 14 February 1971 3 A not so rough Diamond 4 Paper Contemporary presents: Lithographed bookplate by Vlastimil Sobota for the Czech Association of Collectors The secrets of bookplates 5 and Friends of Exlibris, 2018 Notes and happenings 6 www.bookplatesociety.org.au ISSN 1833-766X ISSN Editorial 6 was rather chaotic. In theory you were have a new website created and a whip- countries their export would be banned; required to pre-book and often pre-pay, around was made for the funds to do so. It also potentially if copies were sold the but nobody collected the tickets, and this was also decided that all ex libris societies artist could expect a trailing copyright culminated at the Dinner, held at the would notify the Executive-Secretary by the commission - Ed.] Staropramen Brewery, where too many end of December each year of office-bearers The next Congress will be held at turned up for the seating available. On the and their program for the following year, Churchill College, Cambridge, England, positive side the Pyramida Hotel was a large to enable timely publication on the FISAE over 12-16 August 2020. However, modern hotel, with good facilities with a website. New FISAE office bearers were the Bookplate Society has to secure the large exhibition hall. The Exhibition Hall elected for the forthcoming two years, with Congress venue and accommodation with is the ‘heart and soul’ of a congress, where Anthony Pincott of the (British) Bookplate a substantial down-payment due by the end all the action takes place. You can browse at Society elected President. of 2018. It is therefore imperative that if the tables, review the different techniques Probably the most important decision to you have an inkling of attending you pre- and styles of individual artists, negotiate be made was the adoption of ‘Guidelines for register at: http://www.bookplatesociety. a personalised bookplate for yourself, Commissioning and Exchanging Ex-Libris’. org/2020registration.htm exchange bookplates with other collectors This document has been debated over Failure to do so could well mean that and simply chat with other attendees. This a number of congresses but was finally the Congress is cancelled! The deposit is congress was an excellent opportunity to adopted at this meeting. However, it is quite small and it is at a venue where the primary commission a bookplate. Attending artists controversial, and debate upon it is likely to language is English! However, I would point were at the peak of their art form, excelling continue. This is because of the definition out that I have now been to five congresses in etching, engraving and wood cuts. I of a bookplate, and, at all, English has been one of the two haven’t seen this quality in these mediums primary languages spoken and in print. If in Australia for a long time, but it is still An ex-libris is a ‘mark’ or ‘sign’ of you are interested in bookplates, want to available in eastern Europe. A bookplate ownership intended or used to indicate meet like-minded aficionados, and have any can be commissioned in these art forms for the affiliation of a book or manuscript thought of having a bookplate created this 250-500 Euros for an edition of 50. to a particular person(s) or institution. will be the place to be in 2020. The Congress is also the opportunity It is by definition not a work of art for FISAE delegates to meet and make (and therefore the droit de suite does decisions. A number of important decisions not apply to an ex-libris), but rather The Society’s Eleventh Annual were made: the 2020 Congress will be held is intended to perform the utilitarian General Meeting in Cambridge, England, and the 2022 purpose of designating to whom a Congress in San Francisco, California. A particular book belongs. Whether an On 18 July 2018, at the rooms of Sydney decision on subsequent congresses was ex-libris design has artistic merit or Rare Book Auctions, the Society held deferred till next congress. Bulgaria put in is undertaken by a famous designer what must be deemed a successful Annual a last minute bid for the Congress to be is another matter, but this does not General Meeting with attendance of 15 held in Varna on the Black Sea, but they change the functional purpose of the members and friends, and lots of ‘buzz’ failed to do the initial planning to make a ex-libris. generated particularly by the two excellent viable bid. A decision was made to have a [If I recall correctly from previous talks after the conclusion of business. new FISAE website, as the previous website discussions of this topic, one reason for had been dormant for several years. The this definition is that if bookplates were President’s Report for 2017 Executive-Secretary was given carriage to to be identified as art works, in some After the excitement of 2016 when we celebrated the Society’s tenth anniversary with a successful Design Award, published an index to Newsletter numbers 21-40 and sundry other activities, 2017 was a quiet year for the Society in comparison. Paid membership of the Society remained stable at 67, of which 56 covered the hard copy Newsletter and 11 the digital membership. We gained 7 by awarding gratis membership to the winners and runners up in the Design Award (and I The author with Czech artist, Heda Klobasova, in the Exhibition Hall, have to tell you, although ‘officially’ it is 37th FISAE Congress, Prague news for the next AGM, that several of 2 them have stayed on as paying members As has occurred in previous years, there on the occasion of the AGM. This was in 2018). was extensive discussion about what to followed by Bronwyn Vost’s entrancing talk In terms of the Society’s finances, an do to promote the Society and awareness on how Eirene Mort’s estate came to donate excess of receipts over expenditure led to a of bookplates, and on this occasion many to the Society the nationally significant set surplus of approximately $810, resulting in concrete actions were recommended, of album’s housing her almost 1000-strong a bank balance as at 31 December 2017 of summarised below: bookplate collection as well as a group of $2880. I would like to take this opportunity eight zinc line blocks for printing of her 1. Nick to convene a Subcommittee to to thank a number of members who explore options to promote the Society, plates (See Newsletter 50, pp. 4-5). made generous donations to the Society, including use of social media; The meeting was closed by the President’s increasing our largely subscription based thanking the speakers, members and friends 2. Mary and Mark to develop flyers based in income by a further 20%. the magpie themed card; for attending, and Paul Feain for again Our four issues of the Newsletter were graciously providing a wonderful, and well received and in addition to thanking 3. Brigitta agreed to distribute the flyers at suitably atmospheric, venue for the AGM. the National Art School, East Sydney; Mary Keep once again for her devotion to its beautiful design, I would like to express 4. Akky to pass contact details of a paper my gratitude to contributors Christine Bell, conservator to Bronwyn; Ronald Cardwell, Marie Larsen, Edith May, 5. Bronwyn and Mark to determine Neil Morse, Monica Oppen (who went arrangements for archival quality storage above and beyond by hand printing sheets of Mort collection donated to the Society; of bookplates to insert) Michael Taffe, 6.