Leather Bookplates

It has always been my desire to showcase the bookplates of other collectors so I was delighted to receive color Xerox copies of leather bookplates from a fellow bookplate nut who wanted to remain anonymous.
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Leather bookplates were used by many of the wealthiest American bibliophiles in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. They are without question elegant but as a practical matter the oils in the leather tend to damage the pages they touch. Removal of leather bookplates when required can be done by inserting the tip of an X-acto blade under a corner and gently prying the plate upward. Most glue did not bond well and the plates usually can be removed intact.