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Bookmarks in library & museum collections: britain

27/7/2019

I have recently been having fun searching online for bookmarks held by museums, libraries, archives and historical societies. It is so great to see that there are some bookmarks being collected and preserved by our wonderful public institutions.

Typically, these bookmarks are donated by people (sometimes famous) as part of their larger donation or bequest of books, documents and other items.

Here are a few examples of these bookmarks that I have found so far in some British institutions. Click on the institution name to view the bookmark in its original location and to read more about it.

Cardboard bookmark; obverse: portrait of Queen Victoria; reverse: musical stave and the National Anthem

British Museum
London, UK

Bookmark of woven silk. Made by Coventry.

Victoria & Albert Museum
London, UK

Jacquard woven bookmark in black, white and red silk showing a portrait of Italian political figure Giuseppe Garibaldi. Made by 'T. Stevens. Coventry' (on reverse)

Victoria & Albert Museum
London, UK

Bookmark, silk embroidery on canvas backed with silk, made by the ballerina Marie Taglioni (1804-1884)

Victoria & Albert Museum
London, UK

Bookmark / Charm (against cholera) made of bamboo, cotton. Burma, C19th. Inscribed in pencil with the initials of the 10 incarnations of the historical Buddha [presumably the ten great Jataka stories]. It was found hanging to the post of a house in Henein village, Paungbyin township, upper Burma as a charm against cholera after a cholera epidemic. - from the Register The shape is reminisent of a traditional book mark (for wrapped manuscripts).

British Museum
London, UK

Printed bookmark produced by Abu Dhabi Culture & Heritage [ADACH] and representing a restored old building in Abu Dhabi.

British Museum
London, UK

Bookmark, Harrow on the Hill, Metropolitan Railway, 1909

London Transport Museum
UK

Timetable booklet for Central Bus, Tram and Trolleybus Services, 1936, with paper bookmark advertising Prudential Insurance.

London Transport Museum
UK

Bookmark; published by the Underground Group, with hare in a field on obverse and underground season ticket rates on reverse, August 1912

London Transport Museum
UK

Souvenir bookmark from the late 1940's (circa 1948), given away free to passengers on an Aer Lingus flight.

GEORG JENSEN DENMARK STAINLESS STEEL. Stainless steel book mark cum paper-knife, forged, contained in the original silver-coloured card packaging with an image of the object silhouetted in black on the front, and inside, fitted into a slot depicting the pages of a book. The box labelled: Bogmaerke/Papirkniv. Bookmark/Paperknife . Buchzeichen/Papiermesser.

National Library of Ireland
Dublin

British Museum
London, UK

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bookmarks in library & museum collections : australia

20/7/2019

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I have recently been having fun searching online for bookmarks held by museums, libraries, archives and historical societies. It is so great to see that there are some bookmarks being collected and preserved by our wonderful public institutions.

Typically, these bookmarks are donated by people (sometimes famous) as part of their larger donation or bequest of books, documents and other items.

Here are a few examples of these bookmarks that I have found so far in some Australian institutions. Click on the institution name to view the bookmark in its original location and to read more about it.

W.J. Harrison's bookmark commemorating Sydney Harbour Bridge, 14 Mar 1931.

Mitchell Library,
State Library of New South Wales.
Sydney, Australia

Leather bookmark with abstract design handpainted with acrylic paint. Signed by artist 'By MEREDITH. c. 1990s

National Museum of Australia.
Canberra

Silver gum leaf bookmark with kangaroo, c. 1920

National Museum of Australia.
Canberra

Silver bookmark with kangaroo finial, 1910

National Museum of Australia.
Canberra

Flags of Freedom cardboard bookmark, c. 1914-1918 (WW1).

Native rose bookmark ; 1953, May Gibbs

University of Wollongong Archives.
NSW, Australia

State Library of NSW.
Sydney, Australia

Bookmark of purple silk taffeta ribbon with hand worked floral motif and text 'For The One I Love' worked in needlepoint on fine canvas. Used by Mrs John Hibbard, nee Maria Haines [1835-1929].

Port Macquarie Museum. NSW, Australia

Human hair cross stitch bookmark. c. mid 1800s. The words on the bookmark "Forget me not" are made with human hair.

Phillip Island and District Historical Society Inc.
Cowes, Victoria, Australia

Bookmark commemorating the maiden voyage of RMS "Orion", 1935.

National Library of Australia. Canberra

Maroon leather bookmark, Phar Lap, Australian champion racehorse [1929-1932], c. 1980

Museums Victoria
Australia

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ebay bookmark gems!

10/7/2019

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For a few years, I have had an alert set up on eBay so that I know when vintage or antique bookmarks are posted for sale. I also keep an eye out for other bookmarks.

Yesterday, I received an alert for these stunning bookmarks. They are a series of 48 bookmarks called "Affichistes de Siecle" (Posters of the Century), representing the 1900s, and were issued (date unknown) by the Centre de L'Affiche (Poster Museum) in Toulouse, France. Each bookmark features an advertising poster, it's artists name and signature and the date the poster was released.

Fabulous! I love them all. Such a great set of bookmarks. The sale price on eBay of AU$192 however, is a little bit out of my available budget at the moment, but at least I can collect the bookmarks digitally for free and share them here for other bookmark collectors to enjoy and perhaps even purchase! Enjoy!

PS: Unfortunately, the eBay seller photographed the bookmarks in plastic sleeves so the images are not as clear and crisp as they would otherwise be. Not to worry, we can still enjoy them as they are.

Click on each image to enlarge.