Newsletters

The Society issues a quarterly, full-colour Newsletter, with cover dates of March, June, September and December. The intention of the Newsletter is to publish a mixture of original material concerning contemporary bookplate artists, information on bookplate-related events such as auctions, sales and exhibitions, and items of historical interest. Each year we also feature a report from our trans-Tasman cousins at the Auckland Ex Libris Society. Each issue contains full-colour illustrations of bookplate designs. Members receive hard copies of the Newsletter, sometimes containing a tipped-in, original bookplate.

An Index to the first 20 issues of the Newsletter was compiled in early 2011 and published as a Supplement to the Newsletter. The Index to issues 21-40 was published as a second Supplement in September 2016. Supplement no. 3 was composed of the Index to issues 41-60 and published in July 2021. Complimentary copies of each Index are sent to financial members; paper copies are available from the Editor for $10 each including Australia postage, or the set of three for $20.

We have begun a series of supplements on the previously unknown or little-known bookplates of Australian artists and designers. The first of these was The bookplates of Graham Cox, issued in 2021 as supplement no. 4. Supplement no. 5, The bookplates of Ola Cohn was published in March 2023 (further details below of the two Supplements). Copies of the supplements can be ordered from the Society at newaustralianbookplatesocietyATgmail.com

Our Directory of members 2023 was published in early 2024 and copies sent to members.

Newsletters (except for the most recent issues) are available as (low resolution) pdf files through the links below. Click on the active bolded and underlined Newsletter number below (eg Newsletter no. 28) to open the link.

Many back issues (in hard copy form) are out of stock, and we are offering all issues of the Newsletter in high-resolution, full-colour pdf files for $25 the set. Please contact the Editor if you would like to order a set.

If you have any ideas or contributions for the Newsletter, please do not hesitate to contact the Editor, Dr Mark Ferson at newaustrallianbookplatesocietyATgmail.com Contributions need neither be long nor academic; anything which may be of interest to bookplate lovers, including Letters to the Editor, Book or Exhibition Reviews, or any short note, will be cheerfully and gratefully received.

Newsletter no. 75, December 2024, features resminiscences of Pixie O'Harris by grandson Hugh Tranter, a review of two bookplate exhibitions held on Sydney's north-side, with which the Society was involved, also a number of reports: the 40th FISAE international bookplate congress in Mallorca; the Society's successful stall at the Sydney Rare Book Fair; our Sydney Christmas party, held at the National Art School surrounded by art and bookplates.

Newsletter no. 74, September 2024, highlights a further institutional collection, at the James Cook University Library in Townsville (Queensland), reveals detective work in explaining the heraldry on bookplate for Ralph and Margaret Elliott, provides a brief essay on the early development of the linocut and bookplates, and unfortunately farewells another of our members, Allan Brown.

Newsletter no. 73, June 2024, continues the occasional series on institutional collections with a description of the bookplate collection held by Toowoomba Regional Gallery (Queensland), provides a summary of the Society's 17th Annual General Meeting together with the President's report for 2023, profiles our new Publications Designer, Dr Caren Florance, and bids a sad farewell to stalwart of the Australian book world, member Nicholas Ingleton.

Newsletter no. 72, March 2024, provides a taste of the centenary celebration which was held in Melbourne in early December, an account of NZ-born W P Barrett whose signature appeared on bookplates commissioned through London firm Bumpus Ltd, and accounts of bookplates for Vladimir Peniakoff (of Popski's Private Army fame) and R M Farquharson of Canberra, together with the Australian bookplate bibliography for 2023.

Newsletter no. 71, December 2023

Newsletter no. 70, September 2023, is a special bumper issue titled 'The Lane Mullins family and the world of bookplates' and marks the Centenary of bookplate collecting in Australia 1923-2023.

Newsletter no. 69, June 2023

Supplement no. 5, The bookplates of Ola Cohn, in A5 format of 32pp illustrated with 9 bookplates and 5 photographs, was posted to all members as a gift from the Society to celebrate the Centenary. Copies are still available and may be ordered from the Editor at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. at a cost of $32 including Australian/NZ postage.

Newsletter no . 68, March 2023

Newsletter no. 67, December 2022

Newsletter no. 66, September 2022

Newsletter no. 65, June 2022

Newsletter no. 64, March 2022

Newsletter no. 63, December 2021

Newsletter no. 62, September 2021

Supplement no. 4, The bookplates of Graham Cox, in A5 format of 20pp with 10 illustrations, was posted to all members as a gift from the Society. Copies are still available and may be ordered from the Editor at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. at a cost of $20 including Australian/NZ postage.

Supplement no. 3, Index to issues 41-60, was sent out to members in July together with Newsletter no. 61. Copies are obtainable from the Editor for a small fee.

Newsletter no. 61, June 2021

Newsletter no. 60, March 2020

Newsletter no. 59, December 2020

Newsletter no. 58, September 2020

Newsletter no. 57, June 2020

Newsletter no. 56, March 2020

Newsletter no. 55, December 2019

Newsletter no. 54, September 2019

Newsletter no. 53, June 2019

Newsletter no. 52, March 2019

Newsletter no. 51, December 2018

Newsletter no. 50, September 2018

Newsletter no. 49, June 2018

Newsletter no. 48, March 2018

Newsletter no. 47, December 2017

Newsletter no. 46, September 2017

Newsletter no. 45, June 2017

Newsletter no. 44, March 2017

Newsletter no. 43, December 2016

Newsletter Supplement 2, the Index to Newsletters 21-40

Newsletter no. 42, September 2016

Newsletter no. 41, June 2016

Newsletter no. 40, March 2016

Newsletter no. 39, December 2015

Newsletter no. 38, September 2015

Newsletter no. 37, June 2015

Newsletter no. 36, March 2015

Newsletter no. 35, December 2014

Newsletter no. 34, September 2014

Newsletter no. 33, June 2014

Newsletter no. 32, March 2014

Newsletter no. 31, December 2013

Newsletter no. 30, September 2013

Newsletter no. 29, July 2013

Newsletter no. 28, March 2013

Newsletter no. 27, December 2012

Newsletter no. 26, September 2012

Newsletter no. 25, June 2012

Newsletter no. 24, March 2012

Newsletter no. 23, December 2011

Newsletter no. 22, September 2011

Newsletter Supplement, an index to the first 20 issues of the Newsletter plus a short illustrated article on 'Thematic bookplate collecting', was posted to members with Newsletter no. 21.

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