SOURCE:  National Library of Australia

​I have always adored the Leonard French stained glass windows in the foyer and cafe of the National Library of Australia (NLA) in Canberra.  They are absolutely beautiful and I have enjoyed looking at them many times while sipping a coffee or having a meal there.

I was thrilled in 2015 to see that the NLA included a snippet of the windows on their bookmark to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the Friends of the NLA.  It is a large, high quality, and striking bookmark and I consider it one of the treasures in my collection.

​I am featuring this bookmark today, because when I opened the newspaper this morning, I read that Leonard French had died on 10 January 2017 (see clipping below).  This post is in honour of Leonard and his beautiful art.  Vale Leonard French!  Your magnificent art lives on!

SOURCE:  Purchased from eBay

​A beautiful vintage bookmark published by Feltoe & Smith Ltd, one of the makers of lime juice cordial in Victorian London.

Feltoe's Lime Juice Cordial.  As recommended by the Lancet, the British Medical Journal and the Bishop of London, (Dr. Temple). [Bishop of London 1885-1896].

​The bookmark shows an actor from the Commedia dell Árte on stage, hoisting a glass of lime juice cordial.  The reverse of the bookmark is a lengthy eulogy about the "unrivalled" product, its properties and benefits.

​It is good to know that this lime juice had "no musty flavour so common in manufactured Lime Juice".  Wonder what their competitors, eg., the more famous Rose's Lime Juice, thought about that assertion!


   

SOURCE:  Purchased on eBay

​This is a really interesting vintage bookmark from the Victorian era of London.  It advertises not one, but several products:  Sunlight Soap, Luby Bros., Oculist Opticians, Beethams Glycerine & Cucumber, Birkbeck Bank and Joseph Gillott's Steel Pens.

The bookmark header shows Tower Bridge, a London icon.

​What is most interesting however, is the "Sunlight Dial" used in the Sunlight Soap portion of the advertising bookmark.  What fun!  You can cut the dial where indicated by the dotted line and thus create a sundial to tell the time.... ​I am not doing this as I want to keep the bookmark pristine, but I am tempted!

SOURCE:  Purchased from eBay
​A fabulous black and white bookmark published in 1888 by John Gosnell & Co.  The company (which still exists) traces its roots back to 1677. In 1760 the company decided to fully devote itself to cosmetics, soap and perfume manufacture. Particularly during the reign of Queen Victoria the company expanded globally with its Cherry Blossom, Famora and Society ranges becoming major household names.

​​Love it! Definitely a favourite in my collection. None nicer indeed!