Bookplate Odds and Ends 12/13/2015

Collectors everywhere hope some day to find a hidden treasure overlooked by everyone else.
It is part of our DNA. That is why TV  shows like American Pickers and The Antiques Road Show have such a large following.
Rebecca Rego Barry has written a book about collectors who grabbed a brass ring. My copy is in the mail and I thought the book  might interest some of you.

In her new book Rare Books Uncovered: True Stories of Fantastic Finds in Unlikely Places

  Rebecca Rego Barry recounts 52 extraordinary discoveries from the world of book collecting, including a stash of vintage comic books worth $3.5 million, long forgotten in a Virginia basement

THE MAN WHO MADE MILLIONS FROM OLD COMICS IN A CLOSET

HOW A LIFE-CHANGING COLLECTION 

ALMOST ENDED UP IN A BIN

http://lithub.com/the-man-who-made-millions-from-old-comics-in-a-closet/

Rebecca Rego Barry

Rebecca Rego Barry is the editor of Fine Books and Collections magazine. She has also written about books and history for various publications, including The Guardian, JSTOR Daily, Preservation, The Millions, and Victoria. A member of the Ticknor Society, a book collectors’ club based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, her personal collecting specialties are 19th- and early 20th-century illustrated medical books, and Henry David Thoreau. She lives with her family in New York’s Catskill Mountains.

Here is a  review of the book by fellow collector Jerry Morris

.http://www.moibibliomaniac.com/2015/12/rare-books-uncovered-true-stories-of.html

Let There Be Light

In 1879 when the electric light bulb was invented.Mr. William Connell  an early user of this cutting edge technology was proud to incorporate  a light bulb in his bookplate

The Clarence Edward bookplate shown below was designed in  1918 when light bulbs were no longer cutting edge technology. Mr. .Rose was an Electrical Engineer.

The Electrical Standardizing and Training Institute bookplate was designed by

 T Erat Harrison (REF. Ex Libris Journal Volume # 2 page 4)

If you have any interesting electric bulb bookplates and want them added to this posting send JPEG images to                           Bookplatemaven@hotmail.com

A New Bookplate Exchange Site

http://www.collectorism.com/

I received a n Email announcing the start of a new exlibris exchange site and contacted David Kovats ,one of the site developers  for  some background information.

 Here is his response.

Dear Lew,

Thank you again for taking the time to help us improve Collectorism as well as offering to write about it in your blog. This is a fantastic opportunity for us.

 I have attached 8 images that were selected to show how diverse is the bookplate collection of Ferenc Galambos which we acquired a few years ago.

Our journey on becoming seriously involved in the exlibris trade began when we had the chance to buy this collection. Over 70,000 bookplates and the whole library that comes with it. It took us days if not weeks to even understand the volume and the quality we are dealing with. We did have some experience with bookplates; I used to see examples while on valuations with Sotheby's and Karoly has been an antiquarian from the start so it wasn't all new. However this collection took us to a whole new level. In a couple of months we knew that we want to have this as a full time occupation. We opened stores on different online marketplaces, joined societies in different countries, attended meetings, auctions and congresses. We kept selling works and buying/exchanging new ones at the same time.

 We were surprised to see there is no real online platform for people to exchange their bookplates (or actually any other collectible). We wanted to create a place where everyone is welcome, where collectors can meet others without having the trouble of traveling to fairs or conferences. A place where people can showcase their collection and the passion behind it. And most importantly a visual, easy-to-use and fun system to exchange items with anyone from anywhere in the world.

The site opened last week and we already have lots of bookplates online. There are people who only want to showcase their collection or interest and that is great. It's also a fantastic way to make new contacts and there is no need to create your own website for a fortune anymore. There are also no restrictions on exchanging, so it's not just bookplates for bookplates, you can trade bookplates for a stamp collection, coins for posters or vintage toys for modern lego.

I know by experience that there are many collectors out there not able to spend $10/$50/$100 weekly to buy new works but they would love to have the chance to get access to thousands of items that are all up for exchange!

I truly believe this is a great way for exlibris lovers (and other collectors) to keep in touch, browse and find new things on a regular basis.

I hope what I put together for you is not too much, please do let me know if you have any questions
or need further information!

Thank you very much again.

With very best wishes,

David

http://www.collectorism.com/