History of a Book: Bookplates of the XIX-XX century can be seen at the Azov Museum-Reserve

In the Azov Museum-Reserve (the Rostov region) visitors for the first time are presented a collection of vintage bookplates at the exhibition "Bookplates and book marks of the XIX-XX centuries from the collections of the Azov Museum-Reserve". The exposition is rich with labels of major Russian libraries and bookstores of the end of XIX - early XX century.

"Usually bookplates depict name and surname of the owner and drawing, succinctly and figuratively speaking about the profession, interests or part of its owner's library. Home of the bookplate is Germany, where it appeared soon after the invention of printing. In Russia, bookplates appeared under Peter the Great. Until the XIX century, most of the private libraries belonged to the privileged classes, and bookplate depicted the coat of arms of the owner. Monogram bookplates were also very popular. In the XIX century the owners of libraries have become scientists, writers, artists, enlightened bourgeoisie", - said the museum worker Irina Afanasyeva.

The exhibition features bookplates of such famous collectors as Count Sergey Sheremetev - Russian public figure, historian, collector, Count Sergei Stroganov - statesman, archaeologist, philanthropist, Nikolai Likhachev - Russian historian and specialist in the field of source, diplomacy and sphragistics and many others.