My deepest and warmest thanks again to ANZAAB for sponsoring my attendance at David Pearson’s Provenance in Books course at this year’s Australian and New Zealand Rare Book School in Wellington, kindly hosted by the National Library of New Zealand and the Victoria University of Wellington. The partial scholarship extended by the Association was exceedingly generous, and I very much appreciate having had the opportunity to further advance my skills in the antiquarian trade as a result.
In the weeks following the course, I have been making active efforts to apply David’s insights and have eagerly shared a range of learnings from the program with my colleagues at Asia Bookroom. The course further developed my appreciation for books as objects, and highlighted the relationship between book ownership and individual experiences. As the key points of the course have settled and integrated with my work, a greater understanding of the antiquarian trade and its role in encouraging the transfer of knowledge has also grown.
In reflecting on the course, I have been regularly drawn back to David’s unique, all-encompassing perspective on marks of ownership, reading and recording. He highlighted the value in embracing all aspects of a given book’s history, regardless of the social status of its prior owners, and subsequently challenged my own pre-existing prejudices. With this new viewpoint, I can recognise that these prejudices were lingering, internalised remnants of a long-since abandoned conception of history as the story of ‘great men’.
Whereas before, I would have readily dismissed any mark that couldn’t be traced to an individual of note, I now have a newfound appreciation for the traces left by others. Although these past owners may not have left their marks in official histories, they have left their marks in their books. In discussing the human stories intertwined with each book, and by endorsing a more universal view, I have gained a greater sensitivity to the negative impacts of outmoded approaches to history, and in turn, how we determine value.
Similarly, in David’s discussion of family history, my attention was drawn to the great utility of cross-disciplinary research in our trade, and the niches of knowledge that exist within the overlap of multiple specialisations. Through practical examples of analysing family coats of arms, exploring the rich tradition of heraldry, examining how the design of bookplates has evolved over time, and by referring to a great depth of material on bookplates, we were able to delve into the lives of several books, and bring to light their worth as unique, one of a kind objects, rather than just mere copies of a work.
In the coming months and years, I anticipate that I will continue to reap the benefits of David’s course, and expect that the new and valuable insights I have gained will continue to develop. Once more, I would like to express my sincerest thanks to ANZAAB for providing the opportunity to attend ANZRBS and to expand my horizons.
Asia Book Room
Lawry Pl
Macquarie
ACT 2614
Australia