Part 3 (1/2)

He therefore recommends the second plan, namely, the division by countries first, and next, the arrangement in strict chronological order. There are, however, many difficulties in the way of this seemingly ideal plan. One may, it is true, soon learn to distinguish, with a fair amount of accuracy, between French, German, Italian, and British book-plates; but with other nations the distinctions are less marked, and Spanish, Dutch, Swiss, or Belgian plates can be easily confounded with those of their immediate neighbours.

Again, in dealing with plates which have neither name, artist's signature, nor date, the chronological subdivisions can only be decided by a constant comparison of the styles in use at various periods, and by well-known artists and engravers.

This practice gives the collector a great insight into the progress of art, and the development of taste, yet it demands both time and patience to carry it out. Finally, it is true, the collector will have formed a continuous series of heraldic devices ill.u.s.trating family history more completely than can be arrived at in any other manner. It is only by this constant study and comparison that the student of French ex-libris can hope to acquire a knowledge of their details, so as to be able to arrange his collection with a due attention to time, place, and families.

The third system advocated, namely, the arrangement according to the styles of the designs on the plates, may be interesting from an artistic point of view, but is certainly not very methodical.

A collector might divide his French plates under the following heads:

1. _Heraldic._ Subdivided thus: Before 1639. From 1639 to 1789. From 1789 to 1804. From 1804 to the restoration of the Monarchy. Modern plates. Plates having printed dates to be kept apart from those not dated.

2. _Pictorial._ Subdivided thus: Woodcuts. Copper plates. Etchings.

Lithographs. And, again, as library interiors, portraits, war trophies, ladies' plates, landscapes, punning plates, etc.

3. _Artists._ A collection of signed plates carefully arranged under the names of their artists would, no doubt, be of great interest for comparison and study, but rather more for the lover of engraving _pur et simple_ than for the lover of ex-libris, or for the student of heraldry and family history.

The great difficulty of any system of cla.s.sification by the design is, that some plates might very properly be placed under three or four categories, so that, unless the collection be carefully indexed, the trouble is great in seeking hurriedly for any particular plate. The labour involved in writing an exhaustive index can only be appreciated by those who have once made one, and many who start zealously to work at the outset, let the new additions fall in arrear, and the whole scheme is then abandoned as being too troublesome.

In conclusion, I can only repeat that the choice of the system of arrangement depends more upon the tastes of the collector himself than upon any other consideration; but that, on the whole, the balance of advantages appears to incline in favour of the alphabetical cla.s.sification under surnames, keeping each family as distinct as the information, heraldic and other, on the plates will allow.

Plates of royalty and n.o.bility should be kept apart from the commoners, and arranged, _first_, in order of rank, _second_, alphabetically by name. The method most generally in use at present for preserving the plates, when arranged, appears to be what is known as the ex-libris case. If this arrangement be adopted, then each plate must be separately mounted on a card of the correct size. These cases and cards can be purchased ready for use from Mr. W. H. Batho, of 7, Gresham Street, London, and the advantages of this arrangement are that any plate or plates can be withdrawn without injury, and additions can at any time be made, whilst the backs of the cards may be utilized for MS. information about either the plate or its former owner, and newspaper cuttings can be affixed. If the plates are to be inserted in alb.u.ms, the following regulations should be carefully observed:

Arrange the plates on one side only of each leaf in the alb.u.m, allowing ample room for additions in each division of the alphabet. On no account fasten the plate down firmly on the paper, fix it only at one or two corners with a hinge made of gummed paper, or of the outside strip which surrounds sheets of postage stamps.

This method allows of the easy removal of any plate without damage, either to the plate or the alb.u.m, as often as may be desired. The convenience of this will be readily appreciated by veteran collectors, who know how often one wants to exchange one plate for another, and how many good examples have been damaged in the attempt to remove them when once they have been firmly fixed down with gum or ”stickphast” paste.

Alb.u.ms are more convenient for large plates than the cases. They are also better adapted for showing off several varieties of a plate on one page, whilst, for collections in large numbers, they are certainly rather cheaper.

[Ill.u.s.tration: BOOK-PLATE OF THE BIBLIOPHILE JACOB (PAUL LACROIX).]

[Ill.u.s.tration]

CHAPTER III.

A FEW NOTES ON FRENCH HERALDRY.

Although the nomenclature and fundamental rules of heraldry in France are somewhat similar to those in use in Great Britain, yet in many important details the two systems differ materially.

To show, first of all, the close family resemblance in nomenclature, an amusing copy of verses may be given from an old work (carefully preserving the quaint orthography of the original), of which the t.i.tle was: ”La Sience de la n.o.blesse ou la Nouvelle Metode du Blason,” par le P. C. F. Menestrier. A Paris, chez Etiene Michallet, premier Imprimeur du Roi, rue S. Jaque, a l'Image S. Paul, MDCXCI.

ABReGe

DU BLASON EN VERS.

”Le Blason compose de diferens emaux, N'a que 4 couleurs, 2 panes, 2 metaux.

Et les marques d'honeur qui suivent la naissance, Distinguent la n.o.blesse, & font sa recompense.

Or, argent, sable, azur, gueules, sinople, vair, Hermine, au naturel & la couleur de chair, Chef, pal, bande, sautoir, face, barre, bordure, Chevron, pairle, orle, & croix de diverse figure.

Et plusieurs autres corps nous peignent la valeur, Sans metal sur metal, ni couleur sur couleur.

Suports, cimier, bourlet, cri de guerre, devise, Colliers, manteaux, honeurs, & marques de l'Eglise, Sont de l'art du Blason les pompeux ornemens, Dont les corps sont tires de tous les Elemens, Les astres, les rochers, fruits, fleurs, arbres & plantes, Et tous les animaux de formes differentes, Servent a distinguer, les fiefs & les maisons, Et des Communautes composent les Blasons.

De leurs termes precis enoncez les figures, Selon qu'elles auront de diverses postures.