Open Collections

This bookplate is rendered in a circular motif, with three escutcheons pivoting the centre. The first crest is gules (red), charged with three ducal coronet, positioned two over one, with a roundlet or (gold) at centre. The second crest has a chevronelly of eleven or and azure (blue). The third crest is gules, charged with three inverted wildcat heads on fleur-de-lis, two over one. The entire assemblage is contained within a circular pattern, with Latin name in the border. The original artist of the crest is J.W. Leigh, indicated by "Inv." at the base of the design.

image/jpeg

Bookplate most likely hails from the Hereford Cathedral Library. The Hereford Cathedral Library was established in the beginning of the 12th century, and remains today a theological and reference lending library. It is home of the famous Chained Library, inspired by Thomas Bodley's Duke Humphrey's Library at Oxford. According to G.E. Aylmer and John Eric Tiller's "Hereford Cathedral" (2000), in 1892 the notion to build a new library building was proposed, and was realized under the 1894-1919 dean term of James Wentworth Leigh ; Presumably, this is the same "J.W.Leigh" who designed the heraldic crest on this bookplate. Before his appointment as dean, Leigh was vicar of Leamington.
References:
1) Williams, Joan. "The Library." Hereford Cathedral: A History. By G.E. Aylmer and John Eric Tiller. Continuum International Publishing Group, 200. 511ff
2) Hereford Cathedral. Accessed 7 Oct 2008 from http://www.herefordcathedral.org
3) "Library and Archives." Hereford Cathedral. Accessed 7 Oct 2008 from http://www.herefordcathedral.org/library_history.asp
4) "Hereford Cathedral." Wikipedia. Accessed 7 Oct 2008 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hereford_Cathedral

2008

Images provided for research and reference use only. Permission to publish, copy, or otherwise use these images must be obtained from Rare Books and Special Collections: http://rbsc.library.ubc.ca

CONTENTdm