Guide to the Stuart B. Schimmel Collection of Letters and Proofs Relating to Personal Bookplate

Title: 
Stuart B. Schimmel Collection of Letters and Proofs Relating to Personal Bookplate 

OCLC No.:
855542891

Dates: 
1960-ca. 1970

Extent: 
ca. 35 items

Access Restrictions: 
Collection is open for research use. Copyright restrictions may apply; please contact repository for requests for copying and for authorization to publish, quote, or reproduce the materials.

Preferred Citation: 
[Description and date of item], [Box/folder number], Stuart B. Schimmel collection of letters and proofs relating to personal bookplate, 1960-ca. 1970, The Grolier Club of New York.

About the Finding Aid: 
This finding aid was prepared by Meghan R. Constantinou in Microsoft Word at the Grolier Club, August 2013.

Provenance:
Gift of Caroline Schimmel, wife of Stuart Schimmel, February 5, 2013.

Access Points:
Names:
Schimmel, Caroline F. (donor)
Schimmel, Stuart B.—Correspondence
Stone, Reynolds—Correspondence

Subjects:
Book collectors—United States—20^th century—Correspondence
Bookplates—Collectors and collecting
Wood-engravers—Great Britain—20^th century—Correspondence

Genres:
Letters—20^th century (rbgenr)
Bookplates—20^th century (rbgenr)
Wood engravings (prints)—20^th century (aat)

Biographical/Historical Note:
Stuart Schimmel (1924-2013), according to his biographer, John Dreyfus, began his library by subscribing to the Limited Editions Club in 1950. From there his collecting interests grew in many diverse directions, and to encompass examples of the finest private press books and associated manuscripts and ephemera, a library which he sold at a landmark auction at Christie's as The Stuart B. Schimmel Collection of the Book Arts on 17 May, 1991. Reynolds Stone (1909-1979) was a celebrated English typographer, engraver, and letter-cutter. "Stylistically, he was a descendant of the engraver Thomas Bewick (1753-1828) and, in lettering, of the Renaissance caligraphic masters. He was appointed CBE in 1953 and a royal designer for industry in 1956, and in 1964 was elected a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts" (David Wolfers for DNB)--Kate Hunter, from appraisal of Schimmel collection.

Scope and Content Note:
A collection of letters and proofs relating to the wood-engraved bookplate designed by Reynolds Stone (1909-1979) for book collector Stuart B. Schimmel (1924-2013) in 1961. Includes proofs in a variety of sizes, colors, and papers; some signed and dated by the artist. Letters are primarily addressed to Schimmel from Stone, and remark on the bookplate's appearance, printing method, and printing costs. Collection also includes a photograph of Stuart Schimmel in his library (1970s?) and a copy of an article from an unidentified journal entitled "Reynolds Stone," by Ruari McLean, with a photographic reproduction of Schimmel's bookplate. Also includes letter from Caroline Schimmel to Eric Holzenberg, dated 5 Feb. 2013, explaining that Stuart Schimmel did not like Stone's proposed bookplate as much as he had hoped and disliked the red color.

Arrangement Note:
Original order maintained.