zl H UC-NRLF 99G H7 ■ AG ■ B 3 T^i ifl-p LIBRARY OF THE University of California. GIFT OF UBRABT Class J SCHOOU - of Wxlliiiiw Jf otDler ??op5on Cfjarlfs; JDcxter SUen UNIVERSi^^ ^ AI THF Mf;N OF THt BfRKKLKY OAK M C M X UBBABlj ^L\]c ll»ooU plates of ?GLIilliam Jfolulrr il^opson ^\v Cljiiilfs Drxtfi SUcii ILLIAM Fowler Hopson of New Haven, Con- necticut, who is not by the count of years, and still less by his own feelings and in the estimation of his friends, an old man, may yet fairly be called an old-time engraver, as he was among the first to take up the book-plate art in the early years of its recent renaissance, being ready then with some years of experience as a proficient engraver on wood, to appreciate what his art could do for the advancement of the book-plate. Some engravers and many designers of book-plates, whose hurried and numerous efforts, as well as booklets about them and their works, find their way quickly and with great frequency to the auction room, remind one of the novelists whose "best sellers" speedily run their course of popularity with a certain public, and then are found in rows on the stands of the second-hand book men as "remainders" to be picked up at fifteen cents apiece by those who discern any inherent value. Mr. Hopson has not worked with feverish rapidity, nor with an eye on the public recognition of his work, but with care and devotion has given his attention to producing designs which carry the message of personality, and to execution best adapted to the work in hand. Engraving on wood, line engraving on copper, etching and aquatint have been used readily and with good judgment, in securing the desired effect. In the seventeen years Mr. Hopson has been engraving book-plates, one of which was spent abroad in complete rest from this line of endeavor, he has made one hundred book-plates. It is safe to say that the owners and users of these book-plates by Mr. Hopson, are as satisfied a body of bookish people, as permanently pleased with the engraver's interpreta- [>] tion of their personal wishes and ideas, and as contin- uously delighted with their plates as constantly seen in their books, as any one hundred book-plate users any- where : and this is the best test of work well done. His work stands another test, secondary but not unimportant, that of the discerning collector who gathers many book-plates and finds it necessary both for convenience and in changing standards of what is desirable, to weed out the negligible and preserve only the truly good. In these moments the plates of Mr. Hopson remain. Many plates which seemed interesting when acquired, come in a few months to raise the query in the collectors' mind, "What did I see in that plate that made me want to keep it ?" The book-plates by Mr. Hopson give more instead of less pleasure as the years pass. In looking over the collection of his plates, one realizes soon that a sense of monotony rather fre- quently felt in the work of many other engravers, does not lay its depressing hand upon his enthusiasm in going completely through the list of Mr. Hopson's work. On the surface this might seem to be due to the pictorial character of the larger number of his plates. Who does not like to look at pictures? Reflection shows that while the pictorial fact, giving its wealth of possibilities of change is an important factor in the sustained interest of his work, other features contribute largely to it, as the absence of the frivolous, the sense of enduring quality each one possesses, the evidence of thought and earnest work, whether in depicting his own designs, or in re- producing those of others, brought to him by clients. Mr. Hopson has worked as faithfully to give full value to the designs of others, as he has to give permanence to his own. Again, there is an inward sense of honor which the observer appreciates as the successful pro- jection of the personality of the engraver into his work, so that each plate lives, tells its story, and loses nothing in repeated examination. Mr. Hopson is happy too, in creating an artistic feeling, in giving form and color to his work. Color, not perhaps considered by many as possible in the engraved book-plate, is in truth a very present and distinguishing mark of his work. Harmony of form and color to scheme and design is noticeable. [2] The books in Mr. Hopson's plates are very real, due undoubtedly to his fondness for books, his under- standing of them. His interiors are not photographically precise and hard, though often profuse in detail anil omitting nothing that adds to the sense of "livableness," to the feeling that the owner delights in these actual surroundings, that his hand has held these very volumes, his eye looked forth from this window upon this stretch of lake or meadow. The genuine spirit of the historical is present in his plates that depict scenes, events or objects of historical importance, and in portraiture Mr. Hopson excels many of his contemporaries, pre- serving in his portrait plates not only forms and features well remembered but expression and lifelikeness. Give him full rein to design a book-plate, and it is likely Mr. Hopson will do one of two things: either he will give you a bit of nature, like enough in the Bewick completeness and charm, or he will show the subtle drollery that makes him companionable and makes some of his plates a particular joy. A fondness for the out of doors, a sense of the humorous, a love of books and the fire-side, an absorption in his work, tempered with sufficient periods of play and rest, a loyalty to friends and an unfailing sense of the artistic, can be read in all his plates by those who look with understanding eye and mind. With a century of book-plates completed, together with other innumerable engravings on wood and copper for books in limited editions or privately published, designs given to friends to commemorate personal events, and the intimate unlisted work that attaches to the live engraver's studio, we look forward with ex- pectation of further delightful work from the graver and the etching needle of Mr. Hopson. Charles Dexter Allen. (S .f^- TV "l Utst of i"Hr. J^opson's IL^ooU plates 1892 1 W. F. Hopson, New Haven, Conn. Pictorial. Etched. Never used. 1893 2 Free Public Library of New Haven. Architectural. Seal. Engraved on wood. 3 George Dudley Seymour, His Book. Seal. Engraved on wood. 4 Ex Libris, W. F. Hopson, New Haven. Pictorial. Etched. 1894 6 Ex libris, George Dudley Seymour. Pictorial. Etched. 6 Ex libris Imaginaire et Suppose Adam de 4981 B.C. Pictorial. Soft ground etching. 7 Ex Libris Society .Monogram of the Society). Intaglio half-tone plate. Kever used. 1895 8 Ex libris. May Peabody, Oakend. Literary. Etched. 9 Ex libris, E. G. Stoddard. Library Interior. Etched. 10 Ex libris, Josephine E. S. Porter. Pictorial. Costume. Etched. 11 Ex libris, Margaret Van Zandt. Library Interior. Engraved on copper. 12 Ex libris, Frederic J. Libbie, Boston. Library Interior. Engraved on copper: aquatint. 13 Ex libris, Gustave R. Sattig. Literary Photcv-engraved on zinc from pen drawing. 14 John Howard Payne. An "exlibrit imaginaire" published by an autograph dealer of New York. Etched: aquatint. 1896 15 The Blackstone Public Library. Branford, Conn. Pictorial. Engraved on wood. 16 Ex libris, Frederick Graham A Annie E. Aylward. Book Pile. Based on design by W. E. Home Engraved on wood. 17 Ex libris, Stewart Means. Pictorial. Etched: aquatint. 18 Ex libris, Maria M. Sterling. Book Pile Engraved on wood. (61 19 W. F. Hopson. Pictorial. Etched: aquatint. 1897 20 Ex libris, Augustus J. Phillips. Library Interior. Etched: aquatint. 21 C. S. Mersick, Armorial. Engraved on copper. 22 Ex libris, Adrian Hoffman Joline. Allegorical. Engraved on copper. 23 Ex libris, John S. Wood. Book Pile. Engraved on wood. 1898 24 Ex libris, Frederick Wells Williams. Architectural. Chinese. Engraved on wood. 25 Ex libris, Alexander Wolfgang Mack. Pictorial. Etched: aquatint. 26 Rachel Norton, Her Book. Pictorial. Engraved on wood from drawing by Bertram Grosvenor Goodhue. 27 Ex libris, J. J. H. Pictorial. Engraved on copper. 1899 28 Ex libris, Joseph R. Ensign. Interior. Musical. Etched: aquatint. 29 Ex libris, Joannis M. Berdan. Pictorial. Etched, from design bv R. M. Crosby. 1900 30 Library of the New Haven »...olony Historical Society. Pictorial. Engraved on wood. 31 Charles Dexter Allen, His Book. Portrait. Literary. Engraved on wood. 32 Ex libris, N. J. D. Pictorial. Classic. Engraved on copper. 33 Ex libris, William Lyon Phelps. Library Interior. Etched: aquatint. 1901 34 Charles H. Ferry. Pictorial. Etched: aquatint: some engraving. 35 George William Beatty, His Book, Book Pile. Engraved on copper. 36 Ex libris, Htnry Whelan, Jr. Pictorial. Etched. 37 State Library, Hartford, Connecticut. Pictorial. Etched: some engraving. [6] 38 Yale University Library. Book Pile. Engraved on wood. 39 Ex libris, C. M. W. Armorial. Engraved on copper. 40 Ex libris, Robert M. Chamberlain, In Memoriam. Book Pile. Engraved on copper. 1902 41 Ex libris, Louis N. Wilson. Pictorial. Etched, from drawing by F. B. R.; aquatint and engraving. 42 Ex libris, Frederick Graham Aylward. Book Pile. Engraved on wood. lAn alteration of No. 16). 43 Ada M. Hopson, Her Book. Pictorial. Literary. Etched: aquatint. 44 Middlesex County Historical Society, Connecticut. Seal. Engraved on wood. 45 Frank Addison Corbin, His Book. Pictorial. Literary. Engraved on copper: some etching. 4G Ex libris, Melissa A. Carter. Pictorial. Engraved on copper. 47 Ex libris, Joseph Gulrey Woodward. Pictorial. Historical. Etched. 48 Ex libris, Frederick W. Skiff of West Haven. Literary. Engraved on wood. 49 Caroline M. Smith. Pictorial. Musical. Engraved on copper, from design by Joline B. Smith. 50 Ex libris, Anna L. Curtis. Pictorial. Literary. Engraved on copper: some etching. 51 Alice Morgan Crocker, Her Book. Book Pile Engraved on copper. 52 Gitt oi Charles J. Hoadley and George E. Hoadley. Pictorial. Historical. Etched and engraved on copper. f^3 Colin M. Ingersoll, Jr. Architectural. Etched. 1903 61 Arthur W. and Emma L. T. Cole. Pictorial. Literary. Etched, with engraving. 66 Eli Whitney, His Book. Pictorial, i.iterary. Engraved on copper. 66 Ex libris, J. Herbert Johnston. Pictorial. Engraved on copper, reproducing a Bewick fishing picture. 67 George Burton Adams, His Book. Pictorial. Historical. Etched. 68 Nathan S. Bronson, His Book. Book Pile. Engraved on copper. [■!] 59 Manila Meniurial, Ohio Alcove. Pictorial. Patriotic. KngravcJ on cupprr, from driign by Mn. MaiT E. Rath-Mrrrill. 60 William A. Beardsley, His Book. Pictorial. I.itrrary. Engraved on copper. 61 Byers Memorial Hall, Sheffield Scientific School. Literary. Etched: tome engraving. 62 Norris G. Osborn, His Book. Pictorial. Etched: tome engraving. 1904 63 Ex libris, William Brewster. Mount Carmel. Pictorial. Engraved on copper, from design by Joline B. Smith. 64 Ex libris, Stephen Whitney. Pictorial. Engraved on copper. 66 Kenneth Dodge Wood, His Book. Pictorial. Etched. 66 Emma Catherine Renold, Her Book. Pictorial. Engraved on copper. 67 Ex libris, Sara Everett Hayden. Portrait. Library Interior. Engraved on copper. 68 Margaret Mather Merriman. Pictorial. Literary. Engraved on copper. 69 Ex libris, William C. Atwater. Library Interior. Engraved on copper. 70 Ex libris, Caroline Rutz-Rees. Pictorial. Etched. 71 Edna Holbrook Barger. Pictorial, reproducing a bust by Palmer. Engraved on copper. 72 Ex libris, Herbert and Mary Y. S. Heathfield. Pictorial, reproducing a figure from Library of CongrcM mural decoration* by J. W. Alexander. Engraved on copper. 1905 Mr. Hopson was abroad this year. He engraved no book-plates. 1906 73 Carnegy Johnson. Urn. Armorial. Engraved on copper 74 Helen Parsons, Her Book. Pictortal. Etched. 75 Ex libris, Morgan Bulkeley Brainard. Pictorial. Etched: some engraving. 76 Lydia Brewster Hubbard. Pictorial. Colonial Interior. Engraved on copper 1907 77 Brush MineraloRical Library, Sheffield Scientific School. Minrralosical. Engraved on copper. 78 Ex libris, Eben Jackson. Literary. Process plate (rom Mr. Hopson's design. 79 Christine Wilson, Her Book. Pictorial. Literary Engraved on copper, from pen drawiig by Mrs Albertiiie Randall Wbeelan. 80 New Haven Public Library, Philo Sherman Ben- nett Book Fund. Portrait. Pictorial Engraved on copper. 81 Ex libris, Alice V. Payne. Library Interior. Engraved on copper. 82 Ex libris, Frederick Wallis Davis, Brooklyn, N. Y. Patriotic. Pictonal. EngraTed on copper. 83 Wilhelmina B. Cole. Literary Old Chippendale frame. Engraved on copper. 84 Ex libris, John T. Manson. Pictoral. Etched. 86 Ex libris, Louis Henry Bristol. Pictonal. Engraved on copper. 86 One of the books of John C. and Lucy E. Ives. Portraits. Library Interior. Etched. 1908 87 Ex libris. Max Mailhouse, M. D. Pictorial. Engraved on copper: some etching. 88 Ex libris, Maribel Schumaker. Library Interior. Engraved on copper, from design by Mrs. Mary E Rath-MerriTl. 89 Kx libris, Alverd E. Winchell, M. D. Pictorial. Etched: some engraving. 90 Frank Anderson and Louise Finney Merrick, Their Book. Pictorial Interior and landscape. Engraved on copper. 91 Connecticut State Library. Hartford. The col- lection of Charles T. Wells. Portrait. Engraved on copper. 1909 92 The Watkinson Library. Hartford. The Collection of Charles T. Wells. Portrait Electrotype of Ho »l with new lettering on upper ribbon [II 1 93 Curtis Memorial Library, Town of Meriden, Con- necticut. Pictorial. Engraved on copper, reproducing view of city from photograph. 94 Edward S. Marsh, His Book. Pictorial. Literary. Engraved on copper. 95 Elizabeth Clarke Hull Chapter, D. A. R. Ansonia, Conn. Pictorial. Naval. Engraved on copper. P6 Kappa Alpha Theta. May Sexton Agnew Mem- orial Book Fund. Literary. Engraved on copper. (University of Kansas). 97 Ex libris, Jane HoUister Hale. Pictorial. Engraved on copper from water colour design by Mrs. AJbertine Randall Wheelan. 98 Ex libris, John S. Wood. Pictorisd. Etched. 99 White Collection. Established by bequest of Aaron White. (Law Library, Hartford, Conn.) Portrait. Half-tone with some graver work. 100 W. F. Hopson. Pictorial. Engraved on copper. 1910 101 Wadsworth Atheneum, Hartford, Conn. Pictorial. Architectural. 102 Ex libris, Marburg. Pictorial. Library interior. [12] AN INITIAL FINE OF 25 CENTS WILU BE ASSESSED FOR FAILURE TO RETURN THIS BOOK ON THE DATE DUE. THE PENALTY WILL INCREASE TO SO CENTS ON THE FOURTH DAY AND TO $1.00 ON THE SEVENTH DAY OVERDUE. OCT 2 1 1948 »HNTONtt.L JAN 3 t mi w. C. BERKSLEY LD 21-100m-12,'43 (8796s) l