25 Feb 2020

Book Club: this book belongs to...

From Lately, 10:45 pm on 25 February 2020

It's time for Lately Book Club where we go exploring in the world of literature and invite you to come along.

A new exhibition has just opened in the special collections Library at the University of Otago showcasing bookplates, book labels and manuscript inscriptions. The exhibition is titled This Book Belongs to... and looks deeply at the history of how people make their mark on books and manuscripts.

Otago University Special Collections Librarian Donald Kerr is in for book club to explain why the provenance of books can be utterly fascinating.

Charles Brasch’s personal bookplate reflects the aim to fly high, with any attempt better than none at all. Charles Brasch, 1909-1973

Frances Mary Richardson Currer (1785–1861) has been called ‘England’s earliest female bibliophile’ (De Ricci). Books from her collection with the Wilson-Currer bookplates are now found all over the world.

Pat Lawlor was a Wellington based writer who had numerous bookplates created for him. This is but one.

The bookplate, a portrait of Bruce Godward in his youth, was by his friend Rita Angus. John Guthrie, The Little Country. London: Thomas Nelson and Sons, 1935.

The Book of Common Prayer, and Administration of the Sacraments. Cambridge: Printed by John Baskerville, 1760. De Beer Eb 1760 C