This unique homage to bookplate art illuminates over 320 of the craft's finest examples. A breathtaking variety of black-and-white designs embrace a multitude of styles: woodcuts, engravings, lithographs, typography, and more.

In 14th century France, Aida is accused of being a witch when the Black Death wipes through her village. Abandoned by her family, she is surrounded by death and disease, but when a woman who may actually be a witch tells her how to cure the plague, it may mean uncovering a dark magic.

Endlessly diverse and appealing, bookplates are small decorative labels pasted inside a book's cover to express personal ownership. This volume explores the various sources of "ex libris" inspiration, including designs by C.R. Ashbee, Eric Gill, and Rudyard Kipling.

Bookplates were made to denote ownership and hopefully steer the volume back to the rightful shelf if borrowed. They often contained highly stylized writing, drawings, coat of arms, badges or other images of interest to the owner. Theearliest known form of a bookplate originates from roughly 1390 BCE, in Egypt. They became popular throughout Europe during the Middle Ages, and since have appeared throughout the world, being especially popular in larger personal libraries and book lending societies. William Goodrich Bowdoin (1860-1947) wrote passionately and a great deal on the art of books, including book plates. His works include American Bookbinders, published in 1902. He published frequently under his initials, W. G. Bowdoin. In this particular work, Bowdoin has collected a fascinating variety of bookplates from around the world to showcase different styles. This edition is dedicated to Larissa Watkins, librarian and bibliographer extraordinary, friend to countless authors.