In my internet research, I discovered this poster in the collection of the Victoria & Albert Museum (V&A) in London...

An interesting aside to this, is my distant cousin Dr. Hugh Percival (Percy) Wilkins (1896-1960), who was born and educated in Carmarthen, Wales.  I discovered him some years ago in my family history research and found his life story very interesting.

Dr. H.P. Wilkins was an engineer and astronomer, particularly a selenographer; selenography is the study of the surface and physical features of the moon.  He is famous for producing the Moon Map.  In 1951 he published a 300" diameter map of the Moon, considered by some as the culmination of the art of selenography prior to the space age.  He also published a number of books intended to popularize astronomy, including two works in collaboration with Sir Patrick Moore. The most notable was his work, The Moon, which included his map.  The map was a tool for using at the telescope. Observers would use the sheet showing the area they wanted to focus on, and use the map as a reference guide. The amateur astronomical journal The Strolling Astronomer insisted that “all students of the Moon should have it”. It is also known that The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in the United States bought a copy for use during the Apollo Program.

The crater 'Wilkins' on the Moon is named after him.

This interesting bookmark donated to my collection set me off on a mission to find out more!

The Geoffrey Kaye Museum of Anaesthetic History, part of the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists, located in Melbourne, Australia, showcases over 170 years of advances in anaesthesia and pain medicine, and is one of the largest and most diverse collections in the world.

Dr Geoffrey Kaye established a museum from his private collection of anaesthetic apparatus in 1946.  The current collection has evolved from that and focuses on the development of anaesthesia practice from its beginning, in 1846, through to contemporary practice. A number of related medical specialties are also represented in the collection, such as pain medicine and hyperbaric medicine. The collection focuses on the equipment, apparatus and instruments designed for advancement in practice, as well as the lives and contributions of the many individuals who have grown the specialty.

This battered and well used bookmark came into my collection via a donation of many bookmarks.  It is a great example of how bookmarks are often used by people for reasons other than only being a bookmark!

As you can see, the previous owner of this bookmark jotted down some philosophical thoughts and a question, or perhaps quotes, related to the book he or she was reading at the time:

Everything is generated from a flowing stream of change that keeps things fresh.  They really are in process of becoming.

Sickness is a diminished adaptation.

​Is desire faith?

A delightful set of 30 Japanese bookmarks in a box, depicting geishas, scenery of Japan, koi fish, birds, and cats.  I purchased these from eBay.

Click on 'Play' to view all 30 bookmarks.

A lovely series of ten children's bookmarks depicting Puggles and other fabulous forest friends. Click on each image to enlarge and read about each Forest Friend.

​And who says adults can't love these bookmarks as well!  I do! Grateful for the donation of these charming and whimsical bookmarks to my collection.  

​Since 1987 The Lost Forest toy shops in Australia, delighted young and old across the globe with their enchanting range of lovable puggles and other soft toys and in-store experiences such as birthday parties.  Filled with talking trees, whimsical sounds, enchanting smells, engaging Storytellers, and toy versions of over 100 different magical and mythical creatures including PUGGLES, the first Lost Forest store in Melbourne was planted by well-known Australian musician and toymaker, Anthony Barber.  Thanks to his collaboration with friend and famed Australian musician Billy Thorpe, and the McDonnell family, an impressive total of 18 Lost Forest stores were “grown” in Australia, New Zealand, and the USA.  Based on the curious legend of Barber’s adventurous Grandfather (retold in the best-selling book ‘The Lost Forests’) their fantastical stores soon became the stuff of legends. People would travel around the world just to come and visit them.

Sadly, the recession of the 90’s forced the owners to close the Lost Forest stores.  Puggles and all other Lost Forest products remain available from their online store.

"​The Lost Forest values Peace, Understanding, Gentleness, Generosity, Love, and Energy … just like every PUGGLE does!"

I sussed out from a closer look that it was a bookmark included in a book as a useful guide to the characters in the story.  As you were reading the book you had a continuous easy reference to its characters, as long as you used the bookmark that is! But what book is it? I could see it was Russian but which Russian book?

So, off down the online research rabbit hole I went!

First of all I keyed in 'book' and the place names in my search box without any luck.  Then I keyed in the first listed character 'Tatyana Petrovna Vlasenkova', and bingo.  Lots of Russian language sites and some English.  I found out the book is 'Open Book'.  I had seen the words 'Open Book' on the bookmark but did not at all twig that this was the name of the book!  I thought that this was just a cute instruction to open the book!

Open Book was written by Veniamin Aleksandrovich Kaverin : "​In 1949, Kaverin published the first installment of his trilogy Otkrytaya Kniga ("Open Book"), the last installment of which appeared in 1954. It is the story, spanning 35 years, of a woman microbiologist ('Tatyana Petrovna Vlasenkova') who proposes a bold new theory. The theory is opposed by the entrenched obscurantists, but the biologist presses on, at great personal expense. During the time he was working on this novel, Kaverin had to fight off critics who complained that he focused too much on love and who pressured him to part with his "not fully valuable" heroes and start occupying himself with ones absolutely positive in all respects."

Open Book is considered to be one of the great classics of Soviet literature and has been translated into English by Brian Pearce, among others. The story was turned into a feature film in 1973 and later it was turned into a nine-part television mini-series.

I ended up learning a lot from researching this 'boring' yet useful bookmark!  One of the reasons I love collecting bookmarks.