Open Collections

Johnston, Graham

This bookplate's design features, in black ink, an escutcheon, argent (silver), charged on the fess with three cinque foils within an indented bordure. Above the escutcheon is a tilting helmet, charged with a straight wreath and a dexter hand couped at the wrist, which holds a laurel wreath aloft. Decorative vegetative mantling surrounds the escutcheon within the bounds of a rectangular frame. The bookplate designer's initials and the date of creation are hidden among the mantling. Behind the laurel wreath, waves a banner containing the bookplate originator's Latin motto and below the coat of arms is a separate compartment containing the originator's name. A smaller version of this bookplate may also be viewed at BP MUR SL P H475a.

Plants; Heraldry

Prints

image/jpeg

John Charles Alison Heriot (1861-c.1928), son of John Charles Heriot, Jr. (1819-1891) and Maria Ann Cass, was born 3 December 1861 in Georgeville, Québec. After obtaining his degree at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY, Heriot practiced architecture in New York and later in Montreal. Upon his return to Canada in 1893, he established an architecture firm with Alexander Francis Dunlop, and later with Donald Norman MacVicar. The firm of MacVicar and Heriot was responsible for the design of many Montreal buildings, including the Caron Building, Guy-Drummond School, Academie Strathcona and the Temple Baptist Church. Heriot was a member of the 1st Prince of Wales Fusiliers and served as militia captain. He had a strong interest in family history and heraldry. He was the Secretary of the Heraldic Committee of the Antiquarian and Numismatic Society of Montreal, and a member of the Art Association of Montreal and the Arts Club of Montreal. The John Charles Alison Heriot fonds is located at the McCord Museum of Canadian History in Montreal, and reportedly contains correspondence with government officials, A.G. Doughty, Joseph Pope and others, regarding heraldry and the proposed Canadian coat of arms. Heriot's interest in heraldry and genealogy is exhibited by his selection of bookplate designer. Graham Johnston, the creator of Heriot's bookplate was well-renowned as Herald Painter to the Lyon Court of Scotland and for his work illustrating, 'A Complete Guide to Heraldry,' by Arthur Charles Fox-Davies.
References:
1) A Guide to Archival Resources at McGill University. vol. 2 of 3 'Private Papers held at McGill University: [Collection] VII: Culture, Literature and the Arts' Montreal, Québec: McGill University Archives, 1985, 3, 249. Retrieved June 18, 2009, from: http://www.archives.mcgill.ca/resources/guide/vol2_3/gen08.htm#HERIOT,%20JOHN%20CHARLESArchives%20ALISON
2) Todd, Herbert George. Armory and lineages of Canada, comprising the lineage of prominent and pioneer Canadians with descriptions and illustrations of their coat of armor, orders of knighthood, or other official insignia. New York: Todd, 1915. Accessed on October 14, 2009 at http://www.archive.org/stream/armorylineagesof00todduoft/armorylineagesof00todduoft_djvu.txt
3) The John Bland Canadian Architecture Collection (CAC), McGill University. 'MacVicar and Heriot, CAC Accession No:21.01.' Accessed on October 13, 2009 at http://cac.mcgill.ca/home/archive.php?ID=21.01
4) 'Some Trappings of Aristocracy: Mr. Fox-Davies Writes and Interesting Book on 'Heraldry - Ludicrous Armorial Pretensions of Americans.' The New York Times. 28 August 1909. Accessed on October 13, 2009 at http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=1&res=950DE5D71539E733A2575BC2A96E9C946897D6CF
5) University of Montreal. 'Collections of Digital Objects.' Accessed on October 13, 2009 at http://calypso.bib.umontreal.ca/cdm4/results.php?CISOOP1=exact&CISOFIELD1=CISOSEARCHALL&CISOROOT=/_diame&CISOBOX1=Heriot%2C+John-Charles-Allison
6) Images Montreal. 'John Charles Allison Heriot et Donald Norman MacVicar, Architect.' Accessed on October 13, 2009 at http://www.imtl.org/montreal/architecte_montreal.php?architect=John_Charles_Allison_Heriot_et_Donald_Norman_MacVicar
7) 'The Times/1931/Obituary/James Balfour Paul.' Accessed on October 14, 2009 at http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Times/1931/Obituary/James_Balfour_Paul

RBSC Bookplates

2010

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

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