Grolier Club, Maria Gerard Messenger Women's Bookplate Collection

The Maria Gerard Messenger Women’s Bookplate Collection is a group of 2095 women's bookplates and book labels assembled by Maria Gerard Messenger (1849-1937) of Great Neck, Long Island. The collection represents women book owners from the sixteenth century to the 1930s, and includes women from North America, England, France, Germany, the Low Countries, and Spain, among other locations. It includes both well-known collectors and those with little or no documentation in the historical record. The collection was donated by Messenger to the Great Neck Public Library in April 1933, which donated it in turn to the National Museum of Women in the Arts in May 1986. The NMWA kindly donated it to the Grolier Club in March 2016.

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D. Folkes Bookplate
Heraldic bookplate, inscribed: "[D.] Folkes". The owner's first initial is overwritten in manuscript.
D. Stratton Bookplate
Heraldic bookplate, inscribed: "D. Stratton".
D.D. Bookplate
Pictorial bookplate, inscribed: "Ex Libris \ Books united frineds that the seas divide \ D.D. N.L. \ 1899".
D.E. Riviere Bookplate
Pictorial bookplate, inscribed: "DER \ 1892". Depicts a woman strolling, reading a book, within an ornate oval frame with mantling and flowers. A heraldic device can be seen at the top, and the artist's monogram is visible in the bottom-left corner.
D.S. Webster Bookplate
Heraldic bookplate, inscribed: "D.S.W."
DA Bookplate
Monogram bookplate, inscribed: "DA".
DSH Bookplate
Heraldic monogram, inscribed: "DSH".
Daisy Field Bookplate
Pictorial bookplate, inscribed: "Ex Libris \ Daisy Field". Depicts the sun rising over a field, with a rooster standing upon two books in the foreground. In the field, birds can be seen standing around an egg. Printed in sepia ink. The artist's monogram and the year is visible in the bottom-right corner.
Dame Rachel, Baroness De Lespencer Austen Bookplate
Heraldic bookplate for "Dame Rachel Austen \ Baroness De Lespencer."
Dana Wolbrandt Bookplate
Pictorial bookplate, inscribed: "Dieses buch gehört Dora Wolbrandt". Depicts a castle door with a symmetrical design of flowers and two stars above it. The artist's initials and the year are visible at the bottom. Printed in red ink on red paper.
Dasha Meyer Bookplate
Pictorial bookplate, inscribed: "Ex Libris \ Palma sub pondere crescit \ Dascha Meyer". Depicts a banner within flowers and leaves.
Daughters of the American Revolution Bookplate
Heraldic presentation bookplate, inscribed: "The Library of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution \ 1776 - 1890 \ Presented by [blank] \ Date [blank] \ No. [blank]". Printed in blue ink.
Daughters of the American Revolution Donegal Chapter Bookplate
Pictorial bookplate, inscribed: "Daughters of the American Revolution \ 1776 \ 1890 \ Donegal Chapter of Lancaster Country Pa". Depicts a woman sitting at a loom, looking out the window toward a barn and trees. The artist's name is visible in the bottom-right corner.
De Doña Mariana de Vallgornera Bookplate
Heraldic bookplate, inscribed: "De Doña Marian de Vallgornera ÿ Cardona \ 1656".
Deborah Birkbeck Bookplate
Book label, inscribed: "Deborah Birkbeck, Settle."
Deinologian Society Bookplate
Book label, inscribed: "Property of the Deinologian Society. \ No. [137] \ To be returned in [3] weeks." Printed on blue paper.
Delly Biedermann-Kaus Bookplate
Pictorial bookplate, inscribed: "Ex Libris \ Delly Biedermann-Kaus". Depicts a small church nestled among trees and hills, with sunflowers in the foreground. Printed on blue paper.
Delly Biedermann-Kaus Bookplate
Pictorial bookplate, inscribed: "Ex Libris \ Delly Biedermann-Kaus". Depicts a small church nestled among trees and hills, with sunflowers in the foreground.
Denzinger Bookplate
Pictorial bookplate, incribed: "Denzinger". Depicts what appears to be a lamp of some sort, with flames at both ends. The artist's name is visible in the bottom-right corner. Printed with red ink.
Deutsch Bookplate
Pictorial bookplate, inscribed: "Devtsch". Depicts two lanterns with flames hanging from a stand, with a dancing cherub at the top. Printed with red ink.
Dexter Bookplate
Pictorial bookplate, inscribed: " "Sapientiam Veram Petimus \ Ex Libris \ Frances Louise and Charles Dexter Allen". Depicts a female figure of classical antiquity, wearing a laurel wreath. She is sitting on a stone bench, surrounded by open books and holding a large scroll with her right hand. Her left arm rests on a large folio, upon which the owners' names are written. Behind the woman, on the back of the bench, the latin motto is written. The lithographer and year is visible in the lower-left corner: "H.C. Brown 80 Fifth Av. N.Y., 1892". The artist's initials, "T.B.R.," are visible in the lower-right corner.
Dora Deetjen Bookplate
Pictorial bookplate, inscribed: "Alles tröstende ist kunst. \ Dies buch gehort Dora Deetjen." Depicts a windmill, with sailboats and a sunrise in the background. Enclosed within a circular frame, and flanked by flowers. The artist's name is visible at the bottom of the central image. Printed on blue paper.
Dora Deetjen Bookplate
Pictorial bookplate, inscribed: "Alles tröstende ist kunst. \ Dies buch gehort Dora Deetjen." Depicts a windmill, with sailboats and a sunrise in the background. Enclosed within a circular frame, and flanked by flowers. The artist's name is visible at the bottom of the central image.
Dora H. Grosvenor Bookplate
Heraldic bookplate, inscribed: "From \ Dora H. Grosvenor."
Dora Nyst Bookplate
Pictorial bookplate, inscribed: "Ex Libris \ Dora Nyst". Depicts a nude woman, sitting beside an open book in a forest. The artist's initials are visible in the bottom-right corner.
Dora and [Solomon?] Schaltter Bookplate
Pictorial bookplate, inscribed: "DS Schlatter". Depicts a view from between two trees, showing the sun rising over mountains.
Dorothea Hollins Bookplate
Pictorial bookplate, inscribed: "It is an ever fixed mark that looks on tempests and is never shaken \ Light Love Life \ Dorothea Hollins". Depicts a large boat on churning waves, with cherubs in the top-left corner and a shining star in the top-right. Printed in sepia ink.
Dorothy Furman Bookplate
Pictorial bookplate, inscribed: "Ex Libris \ Dorothy Furman". Depicts a woman standing outside of a house on a windy day, leaning against a small tree and reading a book. A heraldic device is visible in the upper-left. The artist's name and the year is visible in the bottom-left corner.
Dorothy Furman Bookplate
Pictorial bookplate, inscribed: "Ex Libris \ Dorothy Furman \ 1907". Depicts a garden with a bench beneath a large tree. The artist's name is visible at the bottom.
Dorothy Furman Bookplate
Bookplate, inscribed: "Dorothy Furman \ O for a Booke and a shadie nooke…"
Dorothy Hellan Bookplate
Heraldic bookplate, inscribed: "Dorothy Hellan".
Dorothy Hurd Bookplate
Pictorial bookplate, inscribed: "Ex Libris \ Dorothy Hurd". Depicts text within an ornate frame, with an open book surrounded by flowers. Artist's name and year at bottom.
Dorothy Locker-Lampson Bookplate
Bookplate, inscribed: "Fear God and fear nought \ Dorothy Locker-Lampson". Text enclosed within a floral border. Printed in red or brown ink.
Dorothy Robinson Bookplate
Pictorial bookplate, inscribed: "Dorothy Robinson." Depicts a young woman sitting in a horse-drawn carriage. She has an armful of books and is wearing a large, fancy hat. Children line the street behind her, apparently singing.
Dorothy Sturgis Bookplate
Pictorial bookplate, inscribed: " "Dorothy Sturgis \ Her Book." Depicts a young girl sitting beneath a tree, reading a book. She is accompanied by a squirrel, crow, and mouse.
Dorothy, Elsie and Paul Wormser Bookplate
Pictorial bookplate, inscribed: "Do Noble Things \ Not Dream Them \ All day long \ One of the books of Dorothy, Paul and Elsie Wormser." Depicts trees and grassland beside water, with clouds in the distance. The artist's initials are visible in the bottom-right corner of the central image. Printed on yellow paper.
Dorothy, Elsie and Paul Wormser Bookplate
Pictorial bookplate, inscribed: "Do Noble Things \ Not Dream Them \ All day long \ One of the books of Dorothy, Paul and Elsie Wormser." Depicts trees and grassland beside water, with clouds in the distance. The artist's initials are visible in the bottom-right corner of the central image.
Dr. Schwartze Bookplate
Pictorial bookplate, inscribed: "Ex Libris \ Frau Dr. Schwarze." Depicts flowers blooming from a vase, with a bird perched upon the branches. Beside the vase is a stringed instrument, parchment, and several books. The engraver's name is visible in the lower-left corner. Printed in green ink.
Droste zu Vischering von Gräfin Nesselrode-Reicheinstein Bookplate
Heraldic bookplate, inscribed: "Bibliothekzeicken von Gräfin Droste zu Vischering von Nesselrode-Reichenstein". The artist and engraver's names are visible in the bottom-left and right corners, respectively. Printed in blue ink.
Drusilla Bonneau and Jacon Bonneau Bookplate
Heraldic bookplate, inscribed: "Jacob and Drusilla Bonneau".
Duchess Percy Bookplate
Heraldic monogram, inscribed: "[E.P.?] \ 1864."
Duchess of St. Albands Bookplate
Book label, inscribed: "Dutchess of St. Albans".
Duke Bookplate
Bookplate, inscribed: "Su: Duke \ 1780". Depicts text enclosed by leaves.
Dutchess Northumberland Bookplate
Heraldic bookplate, inscribed: "Dutchess of Northumberland. \ Northumberland Hou_e." Mounted alongside a similar bookplate.
E. & T Lloyd Bookplate
Heraldic bookplate, inscribed: "Esto vigilans \ T. & E. Lloyd."
E. Bookplate
Heraldic bookplate, inscribed: "E." The artist's initials and the year are visible in the lower-right.
E. Butler Bookplate
Pictorial bookplate, inscribed: "It is the novlest act of hvman rea_son, \ To free it_self from _lavi_h prepo__e__ion \ Butler's Poems, 1674 \ Ex Libris \ E. Butler". Depicts an angel leading a man, his legs tangled by thorns, toward a ray of light. The artist's name and the year is visible at the bottom.
E. Effingham Bookplate
Heraldic bookplate, inscribed: "E. Effingham".
E. Gulston Bookplate
Heraldic bookplate, inscribed: "E. Gulston." Mounted alongside a similar bookplate.
E. Jemima Mitchell Bookplate
Heraldic bookplate, inscribed: "E. Jemima Mitchell."

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