Isaie

1798 · réf. 68486 — N.p. likely Boston. ca. 1798. Bookplate of Isaiah Thomas Engraved by Paul Revere A fine example of the second bookplate engraved by Paul Revere for his friend and fellow patriot the printer-publisher Isaiah Thomas. This example is mounted on the verso of the general titlepage of part I of Mathew Carey's periodical the American Museum for the year 1792. The titlepage bears the institutional stamp of the American Antiquarian Society AAS founded in 1812 by Isaiah Thomas whose initial gift of some 2600 titles served as the cornerstone of the society's library and Thomas continued to donate books to AAS until his death in 1831. "Isaiah Thomas 1749–1831 was a good friend of Revere's as well as a longtime business partner and Masonic brother. Like Revere Thomas was of the mechanic class and a member of the Sons of Liberty. He received no formal education but again like Revere he succeeded in his trade through his own initiative eventually becoming one of the wealthiest men in the early republic. Thomas hired Revere to design an armorial bookplate which he used frequently to identify his bound books and newspapers as his property. Thomas became an obsessive amasser of books and his collection forms the heart of the library he founded in 1812—the American Antiquarian Society" - Hewes & Wolverton. The bookplate is in the Jacobean style and features a symmetrical cartouche surrounded by scrolls and swags. At center is a shaded cross featuring five crescent moons. Atop the cartouche is the bust of a collared greyhound and below a ribbon scroll that reads "Nec Elatus Nec Dejectus." At bottom the name "Isaiah Thomas" appears in script. According to Brigham the present bookplate though unsigned "was probably engraved by Revere" as it "is distinctly in Revere's style" and features "in the upper left corner the abbreviation 'No' with a superior 'o' directly above two parallel lines" which he notes is "a characteristic of Revere's bookplates and also of his colonial paper currency." This was apparently the second bookplate designed by Paul Revere for Isaiah Thomas. The first which had been Chippendale in style was practically identical to the one engraved by Revere for Gardiner Chandler save for the name and coat of arms and for this reason it seems was rejected by Thomas who commissioned Revere to make a new one. According to Brigham that first bookplate is known to survive in only one copy at the American Antiquarian Society. In all Brigham lists only eleven bookplates in his bibliography of Revere's engravings: four which were signed by Revere another four "which were unquestionably his work" two "which were probably his work" as here and one which was "probably by his father Apollos Rivoire." A particularly fine example of this bookplate showcasing the engraver's craftsmanship produced by Paul Revere for his friend fellow patriot printer and the founder of the American Antiquarian Society Isaiah Thomas. Light tanning to bookplate and title leaf. Title leaf lightly foxed a few pinholes and a one-inch closed tear to outer margin of title leaf not affecting bookplate. Institutional stamp of the American Antiquarian Society to titlepage. Overall about very good. BRIGHAM PAUL REVERE'S ENGRAVINGS pp.158-166 and plate 53. SHADWELL AMERICAN PRINTMAKING 47a. ALLEN AMERICAN BOOK-PLATES 853 incorrectly attributed to Thomas Johnson. Lauren B. Hewes & Nan Wolverton eds. Beyond Midnight: Paul Revere Worcester: American Antiquarian Society 2019 p.90 checklist no. 78. unknown books