The E-Sylum:  Volume 5, Number 45, November 10, 2002, Article 13

BOOK INSCRIPTIONS:  GOOD OR BAD?

  Subscriber Nick Graver is the newest member of one of
  my local clubs, the Western Pennsylvania Numismatic
  Society.  He and his wife were in town for our annual
  Social Meeting on Tuesday.   He sent the following note
  the next day:

  "I enjoyed E-Sylum, which was waiting for me upon return
  to Rochester.  It makes me wonder where all my numismatic
  books went after Frank Katen sold them.   I should have
  had my name in each, just to give some collector an idea
  where they originated.  Of course, that would mark them,
  and we were "drilled" in school to not deface books.

  There is a topic for a future issue: "Books in "Mint" condition,
  versus books having bookplates, autographs, inscriptions,
  date received, and all the various entries that make them
  interesting, but no longer "Mint" condition."

  [This is an interesting topic.  I've never put a bookplate in
  any of my books, yet I do appreciate it when books come
  to me with a bookplate or inscription noting where they've
  been.   When I've added books from notable collectors
  (such as when I purchased the libraries of James O. Sloss
  and Donald Miller) I made up slips of paper with the
  previous owner's name and date of acquisition, and slipped
  them into each book.  I guess I'm of the same school as
  Nick - I can't bear to place a mark on any of my books.
  But a label of some sort, if it's small and unobtrusive,
  would be a good way to indicate ownership.  One exception
  would be ephemera - when I see a one-page pamphlet
  with someone's stamp or label on it I see red - what
  buffoon would deface the item's only page with such
  nonsense?  What do our readers think?  -Editor]

  Wayne Homren, Editor

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