We all know someone who would rather spend a weekend browsing an arts fair than dancing at a rave, whose home library is forever growing, and whose perfect Sunday afternoon involves getting lost in a book by the river.
With Christmas in July just around the corner, it’s the perfect time for cozy gatherings and gift exchanges. For the bibliophiles in your life, receiving another book may no longer feel like a novelty. But there’s one literary gift they may have not discovered yet: bookplates.
Bookplates: A 500-Year-Old Literary Tradition
Bookplates, also called ex libris (Latin for “from the library of”), are decorative labels placed inside a book to identify its owner. Their history dates back to the emergence of the printing press in the 15th century in Germany. One of the most famous is a hand-coloured woodcut belonging to Carthusian monk Hilprand Brandenburg, which depicted an angel holding a shield and a plea for borrowed books to be returned.
Wealthy nobles and scholars soon caught up on the trend. They commissioned artists to design highly detailed illustrations that showcased the owner’s status and coats of arms. As books became accessible to the public from the 1500s to the 1700s, aristocrats used armorial bookplates as portable extensions of their heritage, displaying their heraldic shields, crests, and family mottoes.
The late 19th century marks the golden age of bookplates. With the rise of the middle class, bookplates became pictorial, capturing the interests and personalities of the book owners. Multiple artistic styles emerged from romanticised landscape scenes, to the organic, flowing lines of Art Nouveau, to the bold, modernised geometric shapes of Art déco. This gradually turned bookplates into a historic art form.
Today, custom bookplates continue to be designed by calligraphers and artists worldwide. Other adaptations of bookplates include book embossers, book stamps and adhesive bookplates.
Why gift a bookplate?
Here are 3 reasons why you should consider adding bookplates to your gift ideas:
1. Creating lasting memories
More than just a beautiful mark inside a book, bookplates are a symbol of thoughtfulness, nostalgia and legacy. Unlike a bouquet of flowers or a box of chocolates, a bookplate lasts for years. It not only reminds the book owner of the person gifting it, but also your shared stories and memories. Years later, the recipient may forget who gave them a scented candle, but they’ll still see your bookplate each time they open their favourite novel.
2. Celebrating identity and milestones
Bookplates can commemorate important moments: a graduation, a wedding, a new baby, or the beginning of a lifelong reading journey. Perfect for teachers, librarians, journal enthusiasts and avid readers.
3. A Small Artwork for Every Book
From vintage-inspired illustrations to elegant calligraphy, there is a wide range of bookplate styles that you can choose from. Bookplates are like a miniature piece of art, carrying the charm of old-world craftmanship.
Where to find bookplates in Australia
Sydney-based stationery brand Fleur & Fable specialises in whimsical, storybook-inspired bookplates that blend fairytale illustrations with traditional printing techniques. Founded by illustrator Jessica Le, the brand also offers book embossers, book stickers and rubber stamps and hosts sold-out calligraphy workshops.
Those interested in commissioning a truly bespoke design can also explore the artist directory of the New Australian Bookplate Society, which connects readers with Australian bookplate artists working across printmaking, illustration, and traditional engraving.
With the current revival of analogue hobbies, bookplates are a unique gift that feels both artistic and deeply personal. They transform an ordinary book into a keepsake that endures for years to come.
Source:
American National Gallery of Arts
Aysin S., Pexels
Words by: Nina Nguyen
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