NS
Vol 6 No 2 (New Year 2000-2001)
The bookplates of
George Taylor Friend[1]
by
P C Beddingham[2]
THE
number of bookplates produced in
This artist-engraver is now 82 years of age and during his long working life - he started engraving at the age of 14 – he has produced over 400 [known] bookplates. Not all are entirely by his own hand; indeed perhaps two-thirds have been engraved by his assistants. But at some stage in their production they have all been through his hands and can rightly be attributed to him.
The greatest of all English bookplate engravers was C W
Sherborn, RE (1831-1912). He was responsible for well over 300 plates, and yet
even in this great number there is not the variety that is to be found in
Friend’s work for his range covers every conceivable style, from two letter
monograms to full armorials. A number of his plates have been engraved to other
artists’ designs, and in some cases they are simply copies of old plates.
Naturally enough his best work is that which he has handled from start to
finish. Many of the plates in this category have been exhibited at the
Naturally he is not as active at 82 as he was, say, twenty years ago, but even now he still designs and engraves a bookplate when asked to do so. The bulk of the work done in his shop is carried out by his two assistants who, between bookplates, are busy decorating trophies, cutlery, church brasses, church plate and the like. In addition to this work both of them teach at the Central School of Arts and Crafts, in London, which is the leading school of engraving in this country. It was here that Friend started attending evening-classes at the age of 15. Later he became an evening-class teacher there himself, and ultimately he attained the position of Head of the Engraving Department, from which he retired in 1958.
In 1952 he was awarded the Order of the British Empire for his services to engraving, a distinction which is rarely bestowed for achievements in this branch of the arts. For his services to the world of the bookplate he ranks among the great artists. Few have devoted the time, skill and industry to maintaining the very high standard of English heraldic bookplates that distinguishes the career of G T Friend.
Selecting the plates to illustrate this article was quite a problem because some of Friend’s earlier works are not now obtainable. However, drawing from my own collection, and from Mr Friend’s files, I have assembled a fairly representative selection. Unfortunately, the true quality of the fine engraving will not be apparent in the reproductions but even a cursory glance will reveal bookplates of the very highest standard.
Graham
Watson
A pictorial-armorial plate depicting the arms of Emmanuel College, Cambridge, against a background of hills and lakes known and loved by the owner who was a member of the College. The rather splendid heraldic lion is a tribute to the designer who was 78 when he engraved this plate. It is signed and dated 1959.
Robert
Ludwig Mond
Sir Robert Ludwig Mond, of Cavendish Square, London. Kt 1932; LLD, DSc, MA Born 1867; married, firstly, 1898, Helena Edith (d 1905) daughter of Julius Levis of Hampstead, London, by whom he had two daughters; secondly, 1922, Marie Louis Guggenheim (d 1949) daughter of Guillaume Jean le Manach of Brittany. The arms are Mond quartering Lowenthal. This is a fine example of the modern armorial style where the arms are surrounded by mantling and set within a frame. This style is much favoured by owners and artists but is successful only when expertly handled as in this plate.
Ursulae Mariae Adelae
Devereux[3]
A beautiful plate with the arms portrayed on a lozenge-shaped shield, for a lady, which has been attractively designed to harmonise with the scroll work and rope patterns in the background. At first glance this plate might be attributed to George W. Eve, another well-known bookplate artist, but closer inspection soon reveals the distinctive style of Friend. The plate is signed and dated 1920.
Richard Charles Acton, of Acton Scott Hall, Shropshire, JP (1927). Born 20th September 1882. Assumed the surname of Acton in lieu of Fullerton-Smith 7 September 1941. Married 20 September 1923, Joyce Stackhouse, only daughter of the late Augustus Wood Acton, DL, JP, of Acton Hall. A beautifully designed and engraved shield set within a frame of irregular shape which encompasses personalia of the owner. This plate is a very good example of the armorial-pictorial style where the arms of the owner are depicted in company with pictorial subjects. It is signed and dated 1953.
General
His Highness Al-Haj Nawab Sir Sadig Mohammud Khan v Abbasi Bahadur, Ameer of
Bahawalpur, NQA. (
Bibliotheca Interioris
Templi
The
bookplate of the Library of the Honourable Society of the
Sir Francis Wheler Hood,
Viscount Hood of Whiteley, Warwick
The 4th Viscount, born 1838. Married 1865 Edith, daughter of Arthur W Ward of Calverley, Tunbridge Wells. Died 1907. A handsome full armorial bookplate with a semi-pictorial treatment of the supporters. The fine engraving of the two figures makes this a very attractive example of bookplate art. It is signed G.T F. The discrepancy in the dates of the plate and the death of Sir Francis is a mystery as yet unsolved by the present writer.
John Francis Power
A simple ordinary armorial plate beautifully engraved and printed in sepia. It is not signed or dated but bears the distinctive style of G T Friend.
