An illustrated volume showcasing some of the most important bookplates produced in America from the collection of the Grolier Club.

A bookplate may be viewed as a metaphorical portrait of a book collector or collection, using the designer’s personal graphic style. It also tells a story about the relationship between the artist and the patron. Illustrious collectors like Eleanor Roosevelt, Philip Hofer, and Paul Mellon come to life through the bookplates designed by the artistic eyes of Dorothy Sturgis Harding, Eric Gill, and Rudolph Koch. Grolier Club Bookplates, Past & Present is a veritable who’s-who of both book collectors and graphic artists who created their personalized ex-libris over the past 130 years, down to the present day. This carefully researched and amply annotated book not only provides a feast for a bibliophile’s eyes but also explores the meaning behind the symbolism in the plates and the legacy of their artists.