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Description:
British Royal Armorial English Enameled Metal Plate, Super Libros, Bookplate. Metal plate embossed with the Royal British arms within an oval, enameled in royal blue within the rectangular background, the frame cracked on one side, the plate a bit bent and distorted, 6 1/4 x 4 1/8 in.
The plate is accompanied by two notes. The first, handwritten and anonymous, indicates that this plate was originally affixed to the front cover of a Bible given by Archbishop Laud to Charles I in 1633, and that it was held by the Wetworth family for more than 200 years, "afterwards passing into the hands of George IV," and noting that the plate was exhibited at the Imperial Institute in 1894. The other is a typed note attributed to Brian North Lee FSA, (1936-2007),teacher, Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London since 1978, and expert on bookplates, or ex-libris (his preferred term). In it, Lee notes that he found the plate himself at "an antiques emporium" in Kensington in 1978, with the other note, and adds, "there seems no reason to doubt the veracity of what was claimed. Everything about it is right. The form of the arms is as we would expect, and whilst one could wish for less evidence of the ravages of time, their presence attests to the piece's antiquity."
Estimate $2,000-3,000
Items may have wear and tear, imperfections, or the effects of aging. Any condition statement given, as a courtesy to a client, is only an opinion and should not be treated as a statement of fact. Skinner shall have no responsibility for any error or omission.
Keywords
George IV, FellowJohn Dorfman
Director, Books & Manuscripts
508-970-3293
Fine Books & Manuscripts
The Fine Books & Manuscripts department delivers scholarship, expertise, and attention to detail in appraisals, evaluations, and auctions of rare books and historically important material ranging from medieval manuscripts to presidential documents.