American Book-Plates

Armorial. Ribbon and Wreath. Motto, Honor virtutis praemium. A large plate; attributed to Vallance. Jurist, of Trenton, N.J. A brave officer in the Revolution.

105. Bridgen. Charles Bridgen. Plain armorial. Motto, Probitate et industria.

This plate is not signed, but it is very probably the work of Maverick.

106. Brimage. William Brimage.

Plain armorial. Impaling Gilbert. Arms closely surrounded by a garter on which the name appears. Motto below, Deus dux certus. Of Virginia.

107. Brisbane. William Brisbane.

Armorial. Ribbon and Wreath. Motto, Dabit otia Deus.

108. Brooks. Benjamin S. Brooks.

Armorial. Ribbon and Wreath. Motto, Sustinere. Signed, A. D. (Amos Doolittle).

109. Brown. David Paul Brown.

Plain armorial. Motto, Patria cara, carior libertas. Signed, C. P. H. St. Lawyer, of Philadelphia.

110. Brown. The Property of Jacob Brown.

Pictorial. The interior of a library is depicted, within an oval frame which is ornamented above with a ribbon and a spray of holly; the name is given on the fluttering ends of the ribbon. The central portion of the library is occupied by a couch, covered with striped cloth, on which a youth, dressed in the height of the fashion, reclines; a book is laid upon the convenient corner of the table, and he is reading from this; behind him the shelves of books are seen partly covered by a curtain; through the window are seen the nodding pines; the carpet is adorned with thirteen stars. The following lines are given below the frame: —

Weigh well each thought, each sentence freely scan,
In Reason’s balance try the works of man;
Be bias’d not by those who praise or blame,
Nor, Servile, Yield opinion to a Name.

Signed, Engrd. by P. R. Maverick 65 Liberty Street. As the name Jacob Brown is not engraved, but is printed by hand, it is quite likely that this plate was for promiscuous use; either to be filled up with the name of any who ordered it, or to be pasted in the books sold by some bookseller.

111. Brown. John Carter Brown. Crest only. Motto, Gaudeo.

112. Brown. Thomas Brown.

Armorial. Arms, … on a chevron, between three leopards’ heads cabossed, or as many escallops… Crest, an eagle’s head erased or. Motto, En espérance je vie. Signed by Hurd.

113. Browne. Peter A. Browne.

Literary. A plain table, with the scull and crossbones carved in two places upon it, supports several large volumes, on the side of one of which is the name of the owner. On the side of the table the motto is cut, Fiat Justitia. A wreath of laurel rests upon the books, and the all-seeing eye looks upon the scene from above. Signed, Engraved by James Akin. A prominent lawyer in Philadelphia, and the author of “Browne’s Reports.”

114. Brownson. Oliver Brownson’s Property.

An engraved label with the name curved over a peacock which is perched on a scroll.

115. Bruen. M. Bruen.

Plain armorial. Motto, Fides scutum. Matthias Bruen was a clergyman in New York City; ordained in London, 1819.

116. Bruff. The Property of J. G. Bruff, Portsmouth, Va. 183-. Pictorial. On this, a weeping elm supports a large shield on which the inscription is given; so large is the shield that only a little of the tree shows around the edge of the shield. A woodcut.

117. Buchanan. W. B. Buchanan.

Armorial. Motto, Clarior hinc honos.

118. Bull. Martin Bull.

Armorial. A plain armorial plate with the mantling extending down the side of the shield. Motto, Virtus basis vitae. This is the plate of one of the engravers of the old Farmington book-plate, Deacon Bull. See “Ex Libris Journal,” Vol. III, page 187.

119. Burke. James Henry Burke Esqr.

Armorial. Ribbon and Wreath. Motto, Sola salus servire Deo. Of Virginia.

120. Burnet. John Burnet. Attorney at Law New York.

Armorial. Jacobean frame; mantling. Motto, Virescit vulnere virtus. This plate is earlier than the succeeding one by Dawkins.

121. Burnet. John Burnet Esqr New York.

Armorial. Chippendale. The usual pastoral scene which Dawkins used is found here; the shepherdess, and the cupids making music on the flute, and bringing books for leisure moments. Motto, Virescit vulnere virtus. Signed, H. Dawkins Sculp. 1754. Illustrated in “Curio,” page 13.

122. Byam. Francisci Byam, ex Insula Antigua.

Armorial. Jacobean. Motto, Claris dextera factis. Rich mantling continued around the whole shield; the background shell-lined. Printed in brown ink.

123. Byrd. William Byrd of Westover in Virginia Esqr.

Armorial. Jacobean. A very interesting specimen of its class. The profuse mantling thrown high in the air, the shell-lined background, and the curtain upheld at the ends (on which the name and address are given) are prominent characteristics as pointed out by Warren. A rich abundance of fruit overflows from two cornucopiæ, and the motto-ribbon is twined in and out through the scrolls at the base. Motto, Nulla pallescere culpa. Colonel Byrd was a very distinguished Virginian: was born to an ample fortune, liberally educated, and became the patron of science and literature in his native state. President of the Council of the colony; author of the “Westover Manuscripts,” and of other essays. Born, 1674; died, 1744. Illustrated in “Curio,” page 14.

124. Cabell. Doct.r Geo. Cabell Richmond Virga.

Allegorical. In the centre of the design a flaming heart rests upon the shank of an anchor. A thin patch of ground, which grows a few trees, and looks like an island, upholds these emblems of hope. The motto is just above, —Spes mea in Deo. Above this again the all-seeing eye, wreathed in clouds, appears. The whole is enclosed in a design of Ribbon and Wreath arrangement. Evidently the work of Brooks, who engraved the plate of Dr. I. Dove of the same city.

125. Cabell. Samuel Jordan Cabell, of Soldier’s Joy.

Pictorial. The name is printed from type upon a large oval medallion; this is supported by the half-draped figure of Liberty holding the pole with the cap upon it, and an officer in the uniform of the Continental Army. The arms of the United States are above the medallion. The pictorial parts of this are cut in wood.

126. Cabot. William Cabot.

Armorial. Wild Chippendale. No motto. Of Massachusetts.

127. Cadena. M. V. C. (Mariano de la Cadena.)

Plain armorial. An ordinary square shield supported by a very peculiar frame. Motto, Fidem servat vinculaque sulvit. A Professor of Spanish in Columbia College.

128. Cadena. Don Mariano Valazquez de la Cadena. Plain armorial. No motto. Of New York City.