HAPPY WORLD BOOKMARK DAY 2025!

In celebration of World Bookmark Day (WOBODA), 25 February, I decided to do some online research into examples of commercial Australian bookmarks currently available and share some of them with you.  It has been a long time since I looked into this and it has been wonderful to do so as I found so many beautiful Australian bookmarks available! Today I share a selection of Australiana bookmarks created by two wonderful artists, Marini Ferlazzo and Brooke Lucy Gill.

First of all, these delightful bookmarks featuring Australian animanls by Marini Ferlazzo...

The next bookmarks are the creations of Brooke Lucy Gill of Foxytrot. They feature Australian native flora, animals and birds.

I purchased these beautiful La libreria di DEMETRA bookmarks from a bookmark collector on eBay. Unfortunately, she did not have the full sets of both series.  Perhaps one day I will find them all and complete my collection.  Meanwhile, I love having these ones!

La libreria di DEMETRA, now called Libreria Galleria Demetra, is a bookshop in Milan, Italy.

The first series of bookmarks from 1997 include lovely watercolour paintings accompanied by spirutual quotes. A monthly calendar is on the back of each bookmark.

Translations...

1.  What you think is yours
Never let discouragement enter your heart; on your path despair is the greatest obstacle to your spiritual progress. What a man thinks, he becomes.—Ramakrishna

3. My barn having burned down, I can now see the moon. —Tradition Zen. (Actually this is a haiku by Mizuta Masahide, a 17th century Japanese Zen poet and samurai.

​7. Smile
The sun is new every day. — Eraclito

​8. There is no evil
because even what
man considers evil, is good. — Sussja

Just because we don't know the deeper connections, something appears bad to us.
— Chajim Bloch

​11. Humility
Be as free from vanity
as a dead leaf
that a great wind carries away. — Ramakrishna​

The second series from 1998 include beautiful watercolour paintings of flowers. ​A monthly calendar is on the back of each bookmark.

Translations of flower names...

1. BUCANEVE = Snowdrop
4. NARCISO = Narcissus
6. CALLA = Calla Lily
8. CICLAMINO = Cyclamen
10. ORCHIDEA = Orchid
​11. ASFODELO = Asphodel

As my regular website and blog readers know, my favourite bookmark collecting category is bookmarks from bookshops (bookstores) from Australia and around the world. And within that category, I especially love bookmarks from independent and specialist bookshops, such as this one!

Marijana Dworski Books, originally near the famous book town of Hay-on-Wye (see map on back of bookmark), is now an online bookshop. 

"Marijana was born in Clyro, close to the Welsh book town of Hay-on-Wye, to English and Polish/Croatian parents. After studying Slavonic languages and culture in London and Zagreb and spending some ten years teaching English in Italy, Singapore and Vienna, she returned to her home area in 1989. With her love of books, language and cultural diversity, she was a natural choice to run the language department in Richard Booth’s huge secondhand bookshop in Hay. 
Two years later, in 1991 the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia disintegrated. Being well aware of the rarity in the book-trade of her expertise in, and knowledge of, lesser-spoken languages, Eastern Europe and in particular the Balkans, she took the plunge into independence, setting up Marijana Dworski Books specifically for people who shared her enthusiasm for those subjects.

The business has now become the leading source for books on minority and lesser-spoken languages as well as books on Southeastern Europe, Russia and Central Asia. 

After 20 years in Hay, and faced with the decline in footfall in real shops, and in recognition of the global nature of her clientele, she reorganized her business as an exclusively on-line enterprise. No longer tied to a shop and shop hours, although primarily an on-line business, visitors are welcome to Harp House, Broad Street, Presteigne, LD8 2AD by prior appointment.
The change has allowed her to pursue yet another interest, in book-cover design.With her friend, Clare Keil, she is developing the books4looks business, which sees books as works of art in their own right, to be displayed as well as read. See www.books4looks.co.uk

Marijana and her family now live in the small Welsh border town of Presteigne with frequent visits throughout the year to the Dworski family home in Rijeka, Croatia."

Morlachs (Serbo-Croatian: Morlaci, Морлаци; Italian: Morlacchi; Romanian: Morlaci) is an exonym used for a rural Christian community in Herzegovina, Lika and the Dalmatian Hinterland. The term was initially used for a bilingual Vlach pastoralist community in the mountains of Croatia from the second half of the 14th until the early 16th century. Then, when the community straddled the Venetian–Ottoman border until the 17th century, it referred only to the Slavic-speaking people of the Dalmatian Hinterland, Orthodox and Catholic, on both the Venetian and Turkish side.[1] The exonym ceased to be used in an ethnic sense by the end of the 18th century, and came to be viewed as derogatory, but has been renewed as a social or cultural anthropological subject. As the nation-building of the 19th century proceeded, the Vlach/Morlach population residing with the Croats and Serbs of the Dalmatian Hinterland espoused either a Croat or Serb ethnic identity, but preserved some common sociocultural outlines.  (More 👉🏼 HERE)

Back in December 2021, I posted about Bluestockings Bookstore in New York and the bookmark and other things they posted to me.  You can read that post 👉🏼 HERE.

They kindly remembered me and early last year (2024) sent me their updated bookmark, a postcard, and two of their library cat stickers.  Thanks Bstox Crew!  I love having these in my collection.

A wonderful vintage bookmark I found inside an old book in a charity book sale! I guess the book never made it to another patient to enjoy!

I did some research and I belive this bookmark to be British, date unknown. Some further info...

The first Red Cross War Library started in August 1914, aiming to supply books and papers to the Navy and Army. Donations of books came from the public and from publishers. They went to all of the hospital units treating the sick and wounded.

In peacetime, known as the Hospital Library Service, it continued to supply books to hospitals and sanatoria at home, as well as to military hospitals overseas – in 1935 over half a million items were sent out.

During the Second World War the Red Cross and St John Hospital Library Service provided books, magazines and illustrated papers for Service patients in hospitals and convalescent homes at home and overseas. Almost all of these were gifts from the public.

The scheme was re-organised as a department of the Joint Committee of the Order of St John and British Red Cross in 1945 and continued its work within the National Health Service and with the armed forces.

In 1970, approximately 1300 hospitals were being supplied and over 3 million books were issued. There were 4,000 volunteers working in hospitals and at the 46 county depots around the country.

​Rising costs and changing priorities meant that in 1996 full responsibility for the service was transferred from the Joint Committee to St John Ambulance.

What a great concept the Street Library is, also known as Neighbourhood Library and Little Library. This bookmark, which I picked up for free in an Op Shop promotes the Street Library movement here in Australia.

I have long been fascinated by Street Libraries, so much so I have a Pinterest page on them!  Many of them are so cute in design and they serve such a great prupose!

This bookmark came to me as part of an international exchange from Brazil, showing that the Bridgerton books by Julia Quinn (and the Netflix series) are popular all over the world.

Set between 1813 and 1827, the Bridgerton Series is a collection of eight novels, each featuring one of the eight children of the late Viscount Bridgerton: Anthony, Benedict, Colin, Daphne, Eloise, Francesca, Gregory, and Hyacinth. 

In Brazil, the publishing house Arqueiro publishes the Bridgerton books.  Arqueiro translates into English as 'archer', hence the logo you can see on the front of the bookmark.

I recently purchased these four delightful bookmarks from Edgar's Mission, one of my favourite places and an organisation I support annually.

Edgar's also sent me flyer, a postcard, and a sticker with the bookmarks...

You can see another Edgar's Mission bookmark in my earlier post in this blog: 
​https://markmyplace.weebly.com/blog/edgars-mission

In addition to being a bookmark collector I am also a SoulCollage® practitioner and facilitator.

On World Bookmark Day, 25 March 2024, I brought these two 'hobbies' together when I made a SoulCollage® card about myself as a Bookmark Collector. I created the card digitally in Canva.
​

I Am a bookmark collector.
I Am One Who is an avid reader who also collects books and bookmarks.
Collecting bookmarks is an enjoyable and a somewhat addictive activity!
I have learned so much, about so many things, from going down numerous research rabbit holes to find out about the bookmarks in my collection.
I have also met so many wonderful bookmark collectors from all around the world and felt part of an interesting, supportive, and understanding community.  We all get it!
Long live the bookmark!

First of all... HAPPY WORLD BOOKMARK DAY (WOBODA) 2024!

WOBODA is celebrated every year on 25 February. See link at the end of this post to find out more about WOBODA.

​To celebrate WOBODA, I wanted to make sure I added a blog post today.

I have chosen to feature a bookmark gifted to me by my sister Carol.  It is one of several bookmarks she brought me back from her travels in Europe in 2023.  Thanks Sis!

My sister got this gorgeous bookmark when she visited Chateau et Jardins des Milandes, once also the home of Josephine Baker. She also brought me back a 10 page foldout brochure about the Chateau and its ongoing homage to its former redident, Josephine.

The bookmark nd brichure our now treasures in my collection.

For more information:

Chateau et Jardins des Milandes https://www.milandes.com/en/
Josephine Baker https://www.milandes.com/en/josephine-baker/
WOBODA https://www.ifobookmarks.org/woboda.html

I received these lovely bookmarks among my gifts on Christmas Day here in Australia.  Thanks Sarah! I love the gum leaves, the gum blossons, and the bugs!

I was thrilled to win this bookmark in an eBay auction recently. And honestly, I am amazed I got it for AUD$6.95!  So cheap! It's worth so much more.

​The bookmark is in incredible condition for its age, almost 'as new', and it promotes two of Australia's iconic magazines, both part of Australia's publishing heritage.  Also, the graphics are gorgeous!
​

It is difficult to date the bookmark other than it is definitely between 1924 and 1961 (the years The Australian Women's Mirror was published. Another clue is that the bookmark shows the magazine cost 3d (former currency before Australia converted to decimal currency in January 1966). I did some research and found out that the magazine cost 3d in the 1930s and most of the 1940s, so we can assume the bookmark was issued somewhere in that period. After that the magazine rose in price to 4d and later 6d.

​The Bulletin was an Australian weekly magazine first published in Sydney on 31 January 1880. The publication's focus was politics and business, with some literary content, and editions were often accompanied by cartoons and other illustrations. The views promoted by the magazine varied across different editors and owners, with the publication consequently considered either on the left or right of the political spectrum at various stages in its history. The Bulletin was highly influential in Australian culture and politics until after the First World War, and was then noted for its nationalist, pro-labour, and pro-republic writing.

​It was revived as a modern new magazine in the 1960s, and after merging with the Australian edition of Newsweek in 1984 was retitled The Bulletin with Newsweek. It was Australia's longest running magazine publication until the final issue was published in January 2008

The Australian Woman's Mirror was an Australian weekly women's magazine published by The Bulletin magazine in Sydney, between 1924 and 1961.  The magazine's contents included the standard recipes, knitting patterns, along with articles about fashion, holiday destinations and household tips. On the literary front it included, on a regular basis, short stories, poems, and serialised novels by such authors as Ethel Turner, Zora Cross, Mabel Forrest, Roderic Quinn, Myra Morris and Kathleen Dalziel, amongst many others. It published a novel by South Australian architect George Soward (1857–1941), entitled The Mirthful Mutineer.
​
The Australian Woman's Mirror was the first Australian publication to feature the American comic strip The Phantopm (beginning 1 December 1936). The Mirror's publication of the Phantom strip resulted in the character becoming popular in Australia. For many years, rival magazine The Australian Women's Weekly ran Mandrake the Magician contemporaneously. Both strips were the work of cartoonist Lee Falk.

Found this delightful bookmark lying abandoned on a floor!

​I just love the various ways bookmarks end up in my collection and how they send me down the research rabbit hole!

​I am a member of the Semitones Community Choir based in Kyogle, NSW, Australia. Recently at our weekly rehearsal I saw this bookmark lying on the floor, picked it up, and asked our Musical Director and the early arrivals if it was their's.  Everyone said "no" or "I don't think so". All agreed I could keep the bookmark, especially when I told them I am a bookmark collector.  Yay!

​I love Da Capo's logo and the whole design of their bookmark and the wonderful quote on it by the composer Jean Sibelius. So great to have this bookmark in my collection.  Thank you to whoever previously owned it and dropped it!

Da Capo Music is Australia’s only dedicated second-hand music bookshop.  It is located in Glebe, a suburb of Sydney.  They stock second-hand sheet music and scores of every type, as well as books on all music related subjects, including many out-of-print and unusual items as well as standard repertoire. "Being second-hand, our stock is constantly changing."

Da Capo Music shares space with Sappho Books, Cafe & Bar.  Must get to this place one day!

I received this lovely magnetic bookmark in a donation to my collection.  I had not previously heard of the Museum of Bags and Purses, so as per usual, this set me off on an online research journey.  Always enjoyable and educational!

The 👉🏼Museum of Bags and Purses, (Dutch: Tassenmuseum Hendrikje), establsihed in 1996, was a museum devoted to the history of bags, purses, and their related accessories. Located in Amsterdam's historic central canal belt, the museum's collection included over 5,000 items dating back to the sixteenth-century. One of only three museums across the globe specialising in this field, it housed the world's largest collection of bags and purses.  The Museum of Bags and Purses was the first cultural institution in the Netherlands to announce its permanent closure in April 2020 as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. In April, director Manon Schaap announced this closure would be permanent, as the museum was facing insurmountable financial pressure.  Sad!  At least I have their bookmark!

 I do love having bookmarks featuring my favourite books and authors.  This is one of them!

I first read the novel Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse about 20 years ago and have read it at least twice since then.  It remains one of my very favourite books.

Siddhartha, first published in 1922, deals with the spiritual journey of self-discovery of a man named Siddhartha during the time of the Gautama Buddha.  The book, Hesse's ninth novel, was written in German. It was published in the United States in 1951 and became influential during the 1960s. 

I received this beautifully illustrated bookmark in an exchange with an Indian bookmark collector a couple of years ago.  It promotes the Indian publication of Siddhartha by the Manjul Publishing House.  The bookmark, a segment of the book cover, was designed by Chaaya Prabhat and depicts Siddhartha's relationship with a river.

Back in April I posted about an exchange of bookstore bookmarks with Alice Lowe.  In that post I mentioned that Alice, "a freelance writer, avid reader and Virginia Woolfophile in San Diego, California", was writing an essay on bookmarks. Alice's essay, Marking Time and Place, has now been published in the South 85 Journal and you can read it 👉🏼 HERE.  It's a wonderful story about Alice's love of bookstores and collecting giveaway bookmarks from them.

Bookmarks sure are used in many ways!  Here is a great example, a bookmark promoting the use of London Hospital Surgical Catgut.

This bookmark came into my collection via a bulk lot of bookmarks I purchased on eBay.