I'm reminded, by way of a post from my friend Mark Valentine (https://wormwoodiana.blogspot.com/2026/06/the-centenary-of-connoisseur-and-other.html), that Walter de la Mare's collection of stories, The Connoisseur and Other Stories, was published a century ago this year. It contains some truly singular ghost stories that are masterpieces of the form: the title story, Mr. Kempe and All Hallows to name but three of them.

I'm also reminded when getting it from the shelf that my copy contains on its front pastedown a lovely bookplate of one Dorothy Nash, about whom I've not been able to find out very much. The age of the plate would seem to be contemporaneous with this 1926 volume. Its motto - “adscriptus glæbe” - means something like tied, or attached, to the soil or the earth. The depiction of an oak sapling sprouting from the acorn might even be a playful nod to the æ ligature also known as an “ash”.

One other book listing online has the same plate which it describes as “Interesting Bookplate of Dorothy Nash (actress.)” IMDB tells me that Ms. Nash is “known for Johnny Ring and the Captain's Sword (1921) and The Stain in the Blood (1916)” but since both of these appear to be US-made films, I think it's unlikely to be our Dorothy…

And finally, right at the bottom of that front pastedown is also a tiny bookseller's label, with gold type on a black background, which reads:

S.W. SIMMS & CO., Booksellers
12 George Street & 8 Bridge Street
BATH.

I love that books contains these secrets and avenues for investigation, even before you get to the "true" contents.

#WalterDeLaMare #TheConnoisseurAndOtherStories #ShortStories #GhostStories #StrangeStories #Bookstodon #Bookplates #ExLibris #DorothyNash @bookstodon

These will be available at AtomiCon July 8 Heritage Hall Vancouver 5pm-9pm Free Entry https://maps.app.goo.gl/BZEmyfaJmoUWSKHy5

#exlibris #thisbookbelongsto #sticker #horror #callofcthulhu

New post on Norwegian Exlibris!
About Exlibris in Fabritiana – Yearbook for Advertising and Graphic Design. Read the full article on my blog https://exlibris.hypotheses.org/4645.
#Exlibris #Bookplate #Norway

Nytt innlegg om norske ex libris!
About Exlibris in Fabritiana – Yearbook for Advertising and Graphic Design. Les hele artikkelen på bloggen min https://exlibris.hypotheses.org/4645.
#Norsktut #allheimen

New post on Norwegian Exlibris!
Exlibris of the Day – 9. Read the full article on my blog https://exlibris.hypotheses.org/4599.
#Exlibris #Bookplate #Norway

Nytt innlegg om norske ex libris!
Exlibris of the Day – 9. Les hele artikkelen på bloggen min https://exlibris.hypotheses.org/4599.
#Norsktut #allheimen

An #exlibris in one of the books I bought today. The motto is "scire quod sciendum", to know what is to be known. The book is a collection of homilies for the lent by Paolo Segneri, a Jesuit. This is a late edition, 1820, and is bound in a much more recent imitation leather binding, burgundy color.

#oldpaper