​As mentioned on other blog posts, I have a particular interest in bookmarks from bookshops / bookstores and especially those that specialise in feminist or women’s books and other activities.  I recently emailed several of the latter asking if they would like to donate their shop / store bookmark to my collection.  In return, I offered to feature these bookmarks on my website and blog and on my bookmarks Pinterest page. 

I am delighted and very grateful to have received this bookmark in the post from BLUESTOCKINGS cooperative, "New York's only queer, trans AND sex worker run bookstore!"

Check out their great 👉 website 

From their website: "Bluestockings Cooperative is a worker-owned community space and bookstore guided by the principles of abolition feminism, solidarity, and transformative justice practices. We channel our community knowledge and values to inform how we move this work together. In order to live our values of equity, we use a consensus-based decision making structure in our day to day operations. In practice that means we use a horizontally-shared decision making model, have transparent financial practices with one another, and establish our own living wages and/or sweat equity compensation."

Raquel, one of the worker-owners of Bluestockings also sent me a delightful letter and a bookmark "of another indie bookstore in the neighborhood we recently collaborated with", Sweet Pickle Books.

As mentioned on other blog posts, I have a particular interest in bookmarks from bookshops / bookstores and especially those that specialise in feminist or women’s books and other activities.  I recently emailed several of the latter asking if they would like to donate their shop / store bookmark to my collection.  In return, I offered to feature these bookmarks on my website and blog and on my bookmarks Pinterest page. 

I am delighted and very grateful to have received this bookmark in the post from The Feminist Bookshop in Brighton, England.  Thank you so much!

If ever I get to England again, I definitely want to visit this bookshop! ​I also want to visit Brighton in general, as I have recently discovered, through my ongoing family history research, that I have numerous ancestors from Brighton and no doubt many cousins still living there. 

Among the hundreds of vintage bookmarks I recently purchased from an eBay seller, were these two.  They have nothing to do with each other as such but they do have a connection through the sea and ships.  Gotta love that!

​PS:  Most of the bookmarks in the collection I purchased are c. 1970s-1980s, and some are earlier.

These two bookmarks are lovely graphical design and subject - reading while walking the dog and reading while dancing / romancing.

The bookmarks are c. 1980s.  The top red square is a flap which opens to put over your book page to keep your place.  The text underneath (all non-capitalised text) is:

The library, ltd. has: 
books for nature-lovers,
books for children,
books for couples in love,
​books for sports buffs,
books for artists,
books for all sorts of people.

7538 forsyth blvd.
clayton, missouri 63105
​(314) 721-0378

The Library, Ltd. Bookstore opened in 1970.  It was the largest independently-owned book store in St. Louis before its sale in 1997 to Borders.  The store was huge: 2 floors full of large, open rooms of books. Each room contained places to sit and read everything from obscure title to best seller. The children's section had a castle you could walk through with funhouse mirrors on the inside. To get into it you crossed a bridge over a moat of goldfish.

My favourite category of bookmarks are those from bookstores, especially ones from women's or feminist bookstores. I recently purchased two bulk lots of bookmarks from an eBay seller and these were three of the vintage gems among them.  I so love having these feminist bookstore bookmarks in my collection!

Amazon Bookstore, Minneapolis

I did some online research and found out about the interesting herstory of  the 'Amazon Bookstore', including this great video, this Wikipedia article, and this newspaper article.

Sister Moon Feminist Bookstore & Art Gallery, Milwaukee

This bookstore and art gallery opened in 1976 and closed in 1983, due to financial issues.  

Sister Moon Feminist Bookstore & Art Gallery in 1977 had one store, at 1625 E. Irving, later advertising (approx. 1978) listed a second location at 2128 E. Locust in Milwaukee. At that time, their ad indicated that, "Besides 2,000 book titles, we carry: pottery, weavings, glassblowing, leather, stained glass, batiking, record albums, t-shirts, posters, prints, and photography".

This bookmark (front & back) is c. 1980.​

FEMINIST BOOKSTORE MOVEMENT:  Here is an interesting VIDEO on the Feminist Bookstore Movement, an interview with the author of the book of the same name.

May 1 is World Labyrinth Day.  

World Labyrinth Day (WLD) is an annual event sponsored by The Labyrinth Society (TLS).  Every year on the first Saturday in May thousands of people around the world participate in this moving meditation for world peace.

The intention of WLD is to bring people from all over the planet together in celebration of labyrinths as a symbol, tool, passion, or practice. WLD is an opportunity to inform and educate the public, host walks, build permanent and temporary labyrinths, make labyrinth art, or explore the archetype in other ways. At the suggestion of Lynda Tourloukis, participants are encouraged to “Walk as One at 1” in the afternoon to create a wave of peaceful energy around our planet as it turns in space.

As an avid walker of labyrinths, I intend to walk a local labyrinth in the nearby regional town of Kyogle in NSW, Australia; a labyrinth I have previously enjoyed walking.

Here on Mark My Place! I am celebrating World Labyrinth Day by sharing a bookmark featuring one of the world's most famous labyrinths, the one in Chartres Cathedral, France.  Thought to be a representation of the spiritual quest of the pilgrim traveling to the holy land, the labyrinth at Chartres, constructed in the early 1200s, is a little over 42 feet in diameter, and is thought to have once been graced by an image of the Minotaur at its centre (a motif common in mazes and labyrinths around the world).

Over the years, through donations and exchanges, I have ended up with several bookmarks featuring a die-cut map of Australia on the top of them.  These are tourist souvenir bookmarks published by NUCOLORVUE and are in their 'Bookmarks of Australia' series.

'Advance Australia Fair' is Australia's national anthem.  The Royal Anthem, 'God Save The Queen', was Australia's national anthem before 'Advance Australia Fair' was proclaimed by referendum as the new Anthem on 19th April 1984.  It was written by Peter Dobbs McCormick (1834-1916).

'Waltzing Matilda' is a famous Australian folk song written by the poet AB Banjo Paterson and music by Christina Macpherson.  

'Australia Land of Contrast' shows Uluru (ayers Rock), Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House, The Twelve Apostles of Port Campbell Victoria, Palm Cove Queensland, and a red Kangaroo.

'Wildlife Australia' shows Rainbow Lorikeets, Koala, Emu, Wallaby, Wombat, and Little Penguins.

Donation - Robyn Williams (Claire Williams Collection)

Sometimes, many times actually, a bookmark comes along and you just feel and say Wow!  because for various reasons it is a real stand-out from the crowd! For me, this is one of them - a striking design, die-cut, and representing a very interesting and historical place.

​The Sainte-Chapelle (Holy Chapel) is a royal chapel in the Gothic style, within the medieval Palais de la Cité, the residence of the Kings of France until the 14th century, on the Île de la Cité in the River Seine in Paris, France.
 
Construction began sometime after 1238 and the chapel was consecrated on 26 April 1248. The Sainte-Chapelle is considered among the highest achievements of the Rayonnant period of Gothic architecture. It was commissioned by King Louis IX of France to house his collection of Passion relics, including Christ's Crown of Thorns – one of the most important relics in medieval Christendom, later hosted in the nearby Notre-Dame Cathedral until the 2019 fire, which it survived. 
 
Along with the Conciergerie, the Sainte-Chapelle is one of the earliest surviving buildings of the Capetian royal palace on the Île de la Cité. Although damaged during the French Revolution and restored in the 19th century, it has one of the most extensive 13th-century stained glass collections anywhere in the world.

Donation - Asim Maner Award

A very striking bookmark!

In Greek mythology, Medusa ("guardian, protectress") also called Gorgo, was one of the three Gorgons, generally described as winged human females with living venomous snakes in place of hair. Those who gazed into her eyes would turn to stone. Most sources describe her as the daughter of Phorcys and Ceto, although the author Hyginus makes her the daughter of Gorgon and Ceto. 

Medusa was beheaded by the Greek hero Perseus, who thereafter used her head, which retained its ability to turn onlookers to stone, as a weapon until he gave it to the goddess Athena to place on her shield. In classical antiquity the image of the head of Medusa appeared in the evil-averting device known as the Gorgoneion.

According to Hesiod and Aeschylus, she lived and died on an island named Sarpedon, somewhere near Cisthene. The 2nd-century BC novelist Dionysios Skytobrachion puts her somewhere in Libya, where Herodotus had said the Berbers originated her myth, as part of their religion. She remained a priestess to Athena after her death and was risen with fresh hair.

Medusa has always been a heroine of mine, especially when later in my life I discovered an alternative story or explanation of her.  After making a SoulCollage® card about her, I received this wisdom:
 
I am Medusa the Serpent-Goddess.
I am guardian and protectress.
I am sovereign female wisdom.
But beware! If you are my enemy, if you are evil, if you want to harm me
I am one who has the destructive power to turn you into stone. 
I am not monster, I am Righteous Rage!  I am Righteous Feminine Rage!
 
I give you righteous rage, righteous feminine rage.  I give you wisdom and strength and power.  I give you a sense of justice.
 
I want you to hear and respond to my call to arms!  I want you to claim your feminine power. I want you to be a strong woman.  I want you to speak out where and when you see the patriarchy at work.  I want you to hiss!!!

Purchased on eBay

Bookmarks come into my collection in various ways - via donations, exchanges / swaps, gifts, finds, and through my purchases from stores or online.  

I have an email alert set-up on eBay so that when antiquarian or vintage bookmarks are put up for sale I am alerted to them.  These four bookmarks recently came up and I purchased them.  They tick a lot of boxes for me:  they are in a favourite category - bookmarks that promote books, reading and literacy; they are a great design; and they are in 'as new' condition which is marvellous considering their age.  Another nice bonus is they are from my home country of Australia.

Each year since 1945 the Children's Book Council of Australia (CBCA) has brought children and books together across Australia through CBCA Book Week. During this time schools and public libraries spend one glorious week celebrating books and Australian children's authors and illustrators. Classroom teachers, teacher librarians and public librarians create colourful displays, develop activities, run competitions and tell stories relating to a theme to highlight the importance of reading. You will often see parades with students dressed as their favourite book character.

Donation - Asim Maner Award.

These four beautiful, glossy, gold-edged bookmarks were issued by Turnowsky's Art (date unknown).  Based in Tel Aviv, Israel, the House of Turnowsky, is a global brand well -known for its luxury paper products, unique designs and original gifts, including bookmarks.  I have about 50 Turnowsky bookmarks in my collection.

1. Spring by Sandro Botticelli (detail)
2. The Birth of Venus by Sandro Botticelli (detail)
3. Spring by Sandro Botticelli (detail)
​4. Woman with Parasol by Claude Monet (detail)

This beautiful bookmark from France was issued by Chevalier Conservation, a company who conserve and restore ancient, oriental and European tapestries and textiles.  They showcase some of their projects in their Galerie Chevalier.

This particular bookmark features a section of a tapestry that shows a woman playing the tambourine.  I am drawn to it because I have always felt drawn to images of women playing tambourines and frame drums.  One of my all time favourite books, which features such images and more, is When the Drummers Were Women: A Spiritual History of Rhythm by Layne Redmond.  For millennia, the sacred drummers of pre-Christian Mediterranean and western Asia were women. In this inspiring book, Layne Redmond, herself a renowned drummer, tells their history.

Tambourine - History

Tambourines originated in the Near East. They came into being when bells and other rattles of various kinds were attached to the shell of a frame drum. Initially though, frame drums without bells were also commonly referred to as tambourines. The instrument was already known to the ancient Egyptians and Assyrians: in Egypt it was used in religious ceremonies by female temple dancers. Women were the principal players of tambourines in other early civilizations, too. Apart from being used to accompany dances, tambourines were also played in processions, at festivities and at funerals.

Although the size of the instrument and the shape of the jingles have undergone numerous changes over the centuries the structure has always remained the same; the tambourines used by the Greeks and Romans looked very much the same as the modern instrument.

The instrument of angels and traveling entertainers

In the Middle Ages the tambourine was already common all over Europe. In medieval Britain it was known first as the tymbre, and until the 18th century as the tabret or timbrel. In France, Spain (where it is called the pendereta) and in southern Italy its importance as a folk instrument has never diminished. But the tambourine as a part of folk entertainment is not confined to Europe; it is also found in many other cultures, for instance in China, India, Peru, Greenland, the Caucasus and central Asia.

The medieval tambourine consisted of a rectangular or round flat wood frame with a single head; the underside was open. Four or more pairs of jingles were let into the shell at regular intervals. These jingles were somewhat larger and thicker than today’s. In addition to or instead of the jingles small bells or other objects that produced a rattling noise were fixed to the frame. The tambourine was struck either with the flat of the hand or with the fingers in the same way as its ancient predecessor. Medieval paintings and carvings, as well as religious manuscripts, often portray the instrument being played by angels. On the other hand, the tambourine was also a favorite instrument of itinerant entertainers and minstrels.

Donation - Asim Maner Award

I have always wanted to walk the Camino de Santiago (Northern Spain route) but have not yet managed to do so.  I have read many books by people who have walked it (and other routes) and I loved the movie The Way starring Martin Sheen, which I have now watched several times on video after having first seen it at the cinema.

So, I was delighted to receive this bookmark which shows a pilgrim on the Camino de Santiago in Palencia, a region and city in northern Spain on the northern pilgrimage route.  The back of the bookmark lists towns and cities in Palencia which are on the pilgrimage route.

Donation - Asim Maner Award

I have long loved the surrealist art of Salvador Dali, so I was thrilled to receive these three bookmarks issued by the Salvador Dali Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida, USA.

Donation - Asim Maner Award

These Dover Bookmarks are colourful and striking.  Each bookmark comes from and promotes one of the Dover Publications titles.  The Rudolph Valentino paper doll bookmark is rather chic... or is that sheik 🤣😂.

There is no information on the bookmarks to indicate their publication dates.