BOOKPLATES OF COMPANIES

The bookplate of McCrone Associates, an analytical laboratory employing many kinds of microscopes, has as its bookplate a caricature of Dr. Walter C. McCrone, founder of the company, standing tippy-toe on a couple of microscopy and x-ray diffraction books, focusing a camera mounted on a microscope.  This bookplate (Figure 11), which is now almost 50 years old, has an interesting story behind it.  A book was loaned by McCrone to someone at Chicago’s Newberry Library, and when it was returned, the book contained the caricature, which subsequently was made into the official company bookplate.  We will see later that this same design was used for the McCrone Research Institute.

click image to enlarge (114K) Figure 11

click image to enlarge (96K) Figure 12

The bookplate of The Ohio Oil Company’s Research Center Library (Figure 12) incorporates a line drawing of a monocular microscope; the outline of the eyepiece is reminiscent of the American Optical Company.

The bookplate of the Sharp and Dohme Library (Figure 13) is in the heraldic style.  At the base of the shield are retorts, hypodermic syringes with needles, and representative experimental animals.  The crest incorporates a stylized microscope; in the background are reference books, and retort with receiver.

click image to enlarge (66K) Figure 13

click image to enlarge (185K) Figure 14

The bookplate of the Chemical Laboratory of Storeys of Lancaster (Figure 14),  features a generic microscope in the base of the centrally-placed benzene-ring-like hexagonal design element, together with laboratory equipment (filtration apparatus, graduated cylinder, flask, wash bottle, and tripod with gas burner).  The motto indicates that Industry Follows (as a consequence of) Science.