Bookmarks of Wood

by

Lauren Roberts

Wood is not often used in bookmarks because the thickness needed to ensure its durability is at odds with the thinness required of bookmarks. But I have some antique ones made a time when hardcover books used much thicker paper so wood and metal bookmarks would not have produced the damage they would today, though they still would have left their marks on the pages. For that reason, though I enjoy these four wooden bookmarks, I don’t use them. Rather they sit out on display as examples of the lovely art that defines antique bookmarks.

First up is a lovely bookmark carved from a single piece of wood and decorated with a marquetry inlaid panel depicting an artist’s palette and easel with foliage. It’s unusual to have a bookmark of marquetry, and the exceptional beauty of this one makes it special.

For those who don’t know about it—and I count myself among them prior to writing this column—marquetry is, according to the American Marquetry Society and the Marquetry Society the art of creating decorative designs and pictures on wood by utilizing the grain, figure and color of thin veneers and other materials. Its origins are unknown, but believed to be based in ancient Egypt where inlays can be seen in the palace of King Mausolus (circa 353 BC) as well as on burial caskets.

Marquetry began showing up in northern Italy around the fourteenth century as cathedral decoration, and over the next few centuries marquetry schools were established in France, Germany and Holland where the exquisite handwork began to be applied to furniture destined for royal households.

The natural wood veneers used in marquetry today come from thousands of species of trees around the world. Depending on the type of cut used on the tree to produce the veneer and the color of the wood itself, the veneer may vary greatly in both grain and color. Which ones the marquetarian (marquetry artist) chooses depends on the pattern chosen. The design is then cut out, the pieces glued together and the completed design then mounted onto a based and sanded flat before a finish is applied.

Many of the marquetry items are larger—boxes, pictures, etc.—so this bookmark seems unique. It certainly is beautiful, and one of the favorites in my collection.

Though I cannot say what the shape of this bookmark (above) is meant to be, its purpose is clear. It is an advertising item for Murthly Castle near Dunkeld (Dùn Chailleann or Fort of the Caledonii), Scotland. A small town of less than 1,200 people, Dunkeld is nevertheless known for its look, one of the most complete 18th- century country towns in the country. Murthly Castle is actually just a few miles outside of Dunkeld in Perthshire, and is today “a working estate,” that is, it is occupied by a family (the same one since 1615!) and not open to the public, but its magnificent gardens are available for weddings and other events. With its 15th-century origins, a private chapel that dates from the 17th century, a two-mile private drive from gate to building, and some of the oldest trees in the country, the Murthly Castle must be incredible. It is now on my list of places to visit, but until I do this bookmark will do very nicely.

Betws-y-Coed is a small, lovely town in northwest Wales, the principal village of Snowdonia National Park. The River Conwy meets three of its tributaries there, and nearby are Swallow Falls, dense woodlands and magnificent mountains. Since Victorian times, it has been a popular visitor destination. B&Bs abound as do many bridges including Pont-y-Pair (“the bridge of the cauldron”), which was built in 1468. This bridge, depicted and named “Bettws y coed . pont.y.pair” on the bookmark (above), is buffeted by foaming water after heavy rains, thus its appropriate name.

According to Croeso Betws: Discover Welsh Wales, the Celts (known as Britons) first arrived in the area from Central Europe around 600 BC, developing an agricultural society. Two invasions by the Romans in AD 43 and AD 78 had, other than improved agricultural techniques and the introduction of Christianity, little impact on the Celt society, but later invasions by the pagan Ango-Saxons and Picts of Scotland added to the Arthurian Legends of the area. In the nineteenth century, the local economy expanded to include slate quarrying and woolen mills, but these eventually died off. And today the primary economic mainstays are agriculture and tourism—with reason. It is a gorgeous area, and it too has been added to my  To Visit list.

The fourth bookmark has no name, no history, no indication of where it was made (other than a guess by the shoes) or by whom. I believe it was probably a homemade piece, designed by an individual for her or his own pleasure. The delicate painting, which appears to be of flowery vines, has faded with time, perhaps even marred with a stain or two. But its beauty is unquestionable, and I love the two wooden clogs that give at least a hint to its origin.

What both amazes and thrills me about these four bookmarks is the care given to the artistry of each. Alas, they go unused as bookmarks; I love my books too much to risk damage to the pages and spines by a too-thick bookmark. But I do have one that I have used—this “aromatic red cedar” one which is a souvenir from Yosemite National Park. It is literally as thin as any paper one and feels nearly as fragile. Yet there’s a strength to it that you can feel when you run your fingertips along its edges. Bend it enough and it would break, but you run no risk of tearing it. Like any tree it can withstand challenges without changing its nature. Unfortunately there is no longer any cedar scent. But the loveliness remains to grace the pages of my books.

These four are not the only wooden bookmarks you can find. In fact, you can find wooden bookmarks thin enough to use without damaging your books. The following sites offer some lovely ones of their own—and they are reasonably priced: Miter Craft, Wood bookmarks, Frank Lloyd Wright, Earth Wood Artisans, and Multicolored Wood Bookmarks .

Bookmark specifications: Marquetry bookmark
Dimensions: 5” x 1 3/4”
Material: Wood
Manufacturer: Unknown
Date: Early twentieth century?
Acquired: eBay

Bookmark specifications: Murthly Castle
Dimensions: 3 3/4” x 12”
Material: Wood
Manufacturer: Unknown
Date: Early to mid-twentieth century?
Acquired: eBay

Bookmark specifications: Bettws y coed . pont.y.pair
Dimensions: 1” x 5” (at its widest points)
Material: Wood
Manufacturer: Unknown
Date: Late nineteenth century?
Acquired: eBay

Bookmark specifications: Bookmark with wooden shoes
Dimensions: 4” x 1”
Material: Wood
Manufacturer: Unknown
Date: Mid-twentieth century?
Acquired: eBay

Almost since her childhood days of Mother Goose, Lauren has been giving her opinion on books to anyone who will listen. That “talent” eventually took her out of magazine writing and into book reviewing in 2000 for an online review site where she cut her teeth (as well as a few authors). Stints as book editor for her local newspaper and contributing editor to Booklist and Bookmarks magazines has reinforced her belief that she has interesting things to say about books. Lauren shares her home with several significant others including three cats, nearly 1,000 bookmarks and approximately 1,200 books that, whether previously read or not, constitute her to-be-read stack. She is a member of the National Books Critics Circle (NBCC) as well as a longtime book design judge for Publishers Marketing Association’s Benjamin Franklin Awards. Contact Lauren.