I've said it before, and I'll say it again: "I don't consider myself a dealer or collector of ex-libris bookplates". This is swift becoming something of a disingenuous statement. In fact, I recently sold a collection of early 19th and late 18th century armorial bookplates and did very well, I have a small collection myself of items which relate to some of the figures I'm interested in from the 1890s and early 20th century and today I find myself scanning and cataloguing a catalogue of thirty ex-libris featuring male nudes and/or homoerotic elements.
I've pulled out four to share here and I think the one at the top is possibly my favourite. It's by Peter Lazarov, signed and editioned in 100 copies and takes its inspiration from Wagner's Ring Cycle in which Siegfried is warned by a little bird not to trust Mime, who is plotting to poison him. To my mind, the clarity and fluidity of the line make this a stand-out piece in the collection.
The next below is a somewhat Blakeian vision by Leo Primavesi (b.1871). He was an artist, lithographer and theatre designer, a friend of Pabst. Not a great deal is known of him but some examples of his larger works are to be found here and there on the Internet.
The third and forth images here are by Ekkehard Reuter and Jacques Rasdolsky respectively: the Reuter appears to be a plate created for the artist's own use.
If this kind of thing does interest you then the collection will be up for sale in my next Short List, out soon. You have to be on my mailing list to receive details of the Short List Catalogues when they come out so please do drop me a line to let me know if you are not already receiving notifications. There is an email link in the right hand column of this blog.
