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Fellow of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland President of the Belfast Art Society, 1891-92 Member of Council of the Ex Libris Society
_Reprinted from the Journal of the Ex Libris Society with additional illustrations._
_LONDON_: A. & C. BLACK, SOHO SQUARE 1894
TO ARTHUR VICARS, F.S.A., ULSTER KING OF ARMS
A VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE EX LIBRIS SOCIETY AND AN EMINENT COLLECTOR
I RESPECTFULLY DEDICATE THIS LITTLE BOOK.
In acceding to the author’s request that I would add a few words of introduction to these reprinted articles, I do so with pleasure, although entering a mild protest thereon, inasmuch as the writer has handled his subject so well that it leaves very little to say, except in commendation of the work to the favourable consideration of those for whom it was written.
Mr. Vinycomb has in these articles aimed to give his readers a practical dissertation upon the modes of execution, rather than upon the history and classification of styles in the production of book-plates; and in this he has certainly departed from the beaten track, and has furnished a very concise and clear account of the various processes by which our book-plates are produced and reproduced, and the numerous and ingenious methods of manipulation resorted to in their manufacture.
Some people may take exception to the word manufacture, used in this connection, as being inappropriate to a description of what may be defined as one of the modern arts. But the terms, though by no means synonymous, are at any rate akin; for doubtless the majority of book-plates are artistically designed, but for their reproduction and final manipulation the aid of science must be resorted to.