54 [Proc. B. N. F. C, 



when a paper was read by Robert Day, Esq., of Cork, F.S.A., 

 M.R.I.A., &c, upon " Marks of Ownership in Books." The 

 lecturer stated that his subject might be equally well described 

 as on " Book Plates." He found many people hardly knew of 

 the existence of book plates, or what they were, although of 

 extreme interest to collectors. The books in early times were 

 of great value, and were often secured against theft or other 

 loss by chains or similar safeguards. Afterwards their owners 

 inserted plates upon the inside of the covers as a proof of 

 ownership, frequently inscribing their names upon the shield 

 of their coat of arms, with appropriate mottoes. The lecturer 

 traced a succession, in the main chronological, from the 

 heraldic book plates of the Elizabethan age (though they were 

 earlier in use on the Continent), and described several different 

 types of plates. There were the allegorical of the Jacobean 

 age, or end of the seventeenth century, of which an example 

 was given of Minerva instructing a class of students in a library. 

 These were merged with the Chippendale plates, in which the 

 ornament was of the type designed by the Brothers Chippen- 

 dale, about the middle of the eighteenth century, and many of 

 the designs were copied exactly for their book of designs for 

 furniture. A beautiful example of these was shown, in the 

 same manner as many others were, by enlarged lantern 

 transparencies from photographs. Towards the end of the 

 century this type gave way to the landscape type, of which the 

 Bewicks produced many fine specimens ; several examples of 

 these were shown with the lantern. Mr. Day mentioned a 

 number of book-plates in his possession, interesting as having 

 belonged to famous men. Amongst these were plates of Lord 

 Nelson, Charles Dickens, and one of Napoleon Bonaparte, 

 affixed during his exile at St. Helena. Another interesting 

 class of book-plates are those containing cautionary hints to 

 book borrowers and book pilferers. The lecturer quoted some 

 very amusing instances of these. He then referred to the 

 principal engravers of book-plates in Ireland, including Thomp- 

 son, of Belfast, and related several anecdotes of some of them. 

 In conclusion, he said he had touched but the fringe of the 



