<![CDATA[International Friends of Bookmarks

<![CDATA[International Friends of Bookmarks - Blog]]>Fri, 08 May 2026 14:43:30 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[Asim Maner Award Winners 2025 - Domènec Martinez Muñoz and Montserrat Casaponsa]]>Sat, 12 Apr 2025 18:06:54 GMThttps://www.ifobookmarks.org/blog/asim-maner-award-winners-2025-domenec-martinez-and-montserrat-casaponsaEditor's note: Montserrat nominated Domènec for the award, providing information on his long history of researching and sharing bookmarks. When we made the award to him, he requested that we also honor Montserrat, saying that the collection and their activities wouldn't be the same without her contributions. So, the judges agreed to make the award to both, and as their answers indicate, they truly have a partnership centered around promoting bookmarks. In the answers below, D: indicates his responses and M: identifies her responses. They sent their answers in Spanish which have been translated using Google.

1.Tell us about yourself – where you are from, your occupation, etc.

D: I'm 70 years old and from Catalonia, currently retired. Montse is my partner.

M: I'm from Catalonia, an Autonomous Community of Spain. My city is small with just under 70,000 inhabitants. It's called Girona and has a lot of history. We have it all: to the east, the Mediterranean Sea with a beautiful coastline called the Costa Brava, and to the north, the Pyrenees mountain range that separates us from France.

I'm 67 years old and currently retired, but I've dedicated many years to extracurricular education. I'm an outdoor activities director, a children's sports coach, and a basketball coach, among other things...

2. How did you start collecting bookmarks? Do you remember your first bookmark?

D: I started after finding the bookmark for Umberto Eco's novel "The Name of the Rose." I wanted to have a bookmark for every book I read.

M: I started collecting bookmarks by chance. I've always been a big reader, and after an operation that kept me at home for months, barely able to walk, I realized I had a few bookmarks in a drawer. I thought I could collect them, and I mentioned it to my friends, asking them if they had any at home and weren't using them to give them to me. So, after a few months, I already had quite a pile. Then a couple of collectors from my city introduced me (I thought I was the only weirdo who collected them), and that's how I started to change. I started going to Barcelona to the meetings, and the collection gradually grew.
I don't remember my first bookmark because there were several.

3. Do you have any favorite types or special emphasis in your collection?

D: I especially like the early 20th-century Art Nouveau or Modernist bookmarks.

M: I have several favorites in the collection, but one is very simple. It was made to raise money for the Sarajevo library, which was destroyed during the Bosnian War.

This one is also a religious bookmark that was probably made as a complement to the book, Volume II of the Letters of Saint Teresa of Avila, according to what can be read on the bookmark. We can date it to 1752.

4. What is the most unusual bookmark in your collection?

D. & M: Well, in the collection we have all kinds of bookmarks, the most original you can imagine. We have some with holes of different sizes that are spaghetti portion measurers, others with a built-in magnifying glass, others made of paper made from elephant dung, etc.

5. How do you acquire your bookmarks?

D. & M: From donations from people who have stopped collecting, from gifts from friends' trips, but above all from exchanges either by mail or at the many collecting gatherings held in Catalonia.

6. How many bookmarks do you have (an estimate)?

D. & M: We don't currently have a tally, but a rough estimate is 300,000, considering we have 900 albums with an average of 45 index pages and an average of 5 bookmarks per page. We have the rest in display cases, sideboards, drawers, and filing boxes.

7. How do you organize, display and store your collection?

D. & M: We organize our albums by paper albums, by themes we like, publishers, religious, museums, sports, comics, etc. Then we also organize them by continent, and then by country.

We have several glass display cases where we display our most valuable pieces, like Coventry silk and others. We also have organizing drawers for silver, gold, wood, etc. We try to keep the most beautiful ones visible so we can enjoy them and not leave them in a box.

8. What has been your experience in using the IFOB Swap List, if any?

D. & M: Yes, we've had several contacts with collectors on the IFOB list, but we've always been the ones who contacted them to arrange exchanges. Some have been and continue to be very positive, but with others we've only done one exchange. We like to have bookmarks from all over the world, but since we have so many, we prefer specific themes from a specific country, which are sometimes difficult to find.

9. What do you enjoy about IFOB? Is there anything you would like to see IFOB do in the future?

D: I especially like the articles on the history of bookmarks, as it's a topic I research and am passionate about.

M: I like that IFOB promotes bookmarks worldwide.

I would like them to encourage collectors to make duplicate albums so they can make more equitable exchanges. We don't mind the 1-for-1, but we do care about knowing what we're getting in return.

10. Do you have any plans to celebrate World Bookmark Day next time?

D.& M: Yes, we'll continue asking friends to make a bookmark for this day. We'll try to hold an exhibition at a library or community center. Of course, we'll hold a mega-meeting where we'll give away bookmarks, and we'll hold a talk at a library or school with young people.

11. Do you collect anything else?

M: Yes, I collect GRAMOPHONE NEEDLE BOXES. This collection belonged to Domènec, but he wasn't very interested in it. I liked it and became interested in it. From the 10 he had, we've now grown to over 50 different ones. I'm not very active with this collection, since I only find them at antique markets and only buy them at a reasonable price... I don't trade, and I don't have duplicates.

12. Is there anything else you would like to share?

D.& M: We'd like to say that collecting has helped us make many friends. To begin with, we met through collecting bookmarks at a difficult time in our lives. We've had great friends who are no longer with us, but we still remember them fondly, and we have many others with whom we remain in touch. We always say we're a big family and we help each other. The exchanges allow us to stay in touch physically and enjoy a good day, since we almost always end them with a good meal.

13. Do you have any advice for those who are just beginning to collect?

D: Don't get overwhelmed and choose a main topic. Also, know that collecting is about sharing knowledge and friendship.

M: I'm not much for giving advice, since now when I see someone starting to collect, they do the same thing I did when I started: grab everything that came my way, regardless of the topic. I think it would be better to start with the topics you like the most, but I'm aware that there are so many attractive (I don't like to say pretty) bookmarks that you can't refuse.

14. As winners of the Asim Maner Award, tell us more about what you have done to promote bookmarks for World Bookmark Day or in general.

D: I've been researching the history of the bookmark for years, publishing numerous articles on the subject in libraries, as well as hosting numerous book exhibitions.

Note: From Montserrat's nomination, the most recent is "an exhibition titled "Art and bookmarks." It is an exhibition where you can see paintings from the Middle Ages to the present day where bookmarks appear in the books in the painting, all types of bookmarks since it has been seen that not only paper or parchment were used."

M: I limit myself to offering opinions or proposing activities, such as exchange meetings, exhibitions, talks, etc.

I manage the blog (Mondopunts MON de Montse, DO de Domènec y Punts, which means bookmark in Catalan), email, and postal exchanges, and I help set up bookmark exhibitions.
I've been collecting for over 25 years (20 alongside Domènec), and we've done a variety of activities in different parts of Spain.

We've organized national meetings in several Spanish capitals to bring together collector friends, who have as many opportunities as we do in Catalonia, where, as I've already mentioned, we're very active. These Spanish capitals are Catalonia (Girona and Tarragona), Castilla León (Salamanca), Cantabria (Santander), Madrid, Castilla la Mancha (Toledo), and Asturias (Gijón). We're planning to hold more if our health allows...

]]><![CDATA[Member Profile: Liz Bartlett]]>Fri, 23 Aug 2024 16:06:23 GMThttps://www.ifobookmarks.org/blog/member-profile-liz-bartlettEditor's Note: Liz, a long time collector, has supported World Bookmark Day in recent years by meeting, in person or virtually, with other collectors. She also has two distinctive collecting interests to showcase.

1. Tell us about yourself – where you are from, your occupation, etc.

My name is Liz Bartlett, I am 70 years old and a retired primary school teacher. Originally from the East coast of England, a tiny village called Great Bentley in Essex, but moved to the beautiful south coast of the UK when I married Keith, 50 years ago. We have lived in Weymouth, Dorset, ever since. We have two adult sons, two delightful daughters-in-law and five splendid grandchildren. I love to garden, read, knit and a lot of my time is taken up with a small 13th century church, of which I am churchwarden. This photo shows me with a cross-stitch bookmark made by my mother when she was a girl. It is quite a precious one.

2. How did you start collecting bookmarks? Do you remember your first bookmark?

I started collecting bookmarks in 1974, when we were first married and started to travel together. We had little money and leather bookmarks were a cheap but pleasant souvenir of the places we visited. I was working as a clerk in a local history museum at the time and instigated a set of bookmarks linked to the museum, which became very popular.

We started to look in charity and second hand shops to widen the collection and that was where I found the first Stevengraphs of my collection. I thought it was particularly beautiful and also had a young son called Steven. Eventually, when we both had better jobs, these were the type of bookmarks that I looked for, but continued to collect, and be given, lots of other types. In one job lot I found two memorial bookmarks which started me on another part of the collection, along with sets from Scottish Widows, local Weymouth ones and old advertising ones (these last two because of my job at the museum).'

3. Do you have any favorite types or special emphasis in your collection?

The emphasis now is definitely Stevengraph types, of which I found there were several manufacturers. These photos show the type of loom on which they were made and the huge punched cards that change the designs. Thomas Stevens made them from 1863 to 1938, although Thomas himself died in 1888.

Thomas Stevens also went to the United States of America and I have found quite a few American ones. An example is the one with the Star Spangled Banner. When you think that the loom was using hole punched cards for each detail and look at the music on this one, it must have taken the designers a long time to set up the loom for each design. There are hundreds of designs for Stevens' company.

Regarding Stevengraphs and other woven bookmarks by manufacturers such as Bollans, Welch and Lenton, I look for ones that are in good condition, preferably with their silk tassel. Sometimes I get duplicates in a different colour or that are in better condition. I am looking for the nursery rhyme set at the moment as I only have two and they are often rather expensive. Any that still have their original backing sheet is a treasure. Really I just look for designs that I like, that are bright and that I don't already have an example of. There is a huge variety of greeting bookmarks for birthdays, Christmas, New Year and particular celebrations such as Bar Mitzvahs. He also produced some for celebrations and centenaries. As a regular church-member, I have also been interested in those that celebrate preachers and Christian texts and hymns.
There are over 820 designs from Thomas Stevens alone so I am unlikely to get the full set!

I have used the Stevengraph silks site and have contributed examples that were not previously photographed. I also used the site to download information pages about bookmarks that I have to add to my knowledge.

The Stevengraph Collectors also deal with his pictures, and postcards. I have one or two examples of these, but I have not used the site a great deal. I always look through the Bookmark Collectors quarterly magazine and have contributed to that twice.

Note: Stevengraph Silks is a site illustrating bookmark designs by Stevens and other weavers; Stevengraphs and the Stevengraph Collectors Association also has information and examples on bookmarks.

The memorial ribbons have a slightly different interest. I go onto family history sites and try to find relatives of those mentioned on these ribbons and send them scans. As these examples illustrate, they often have interesting genealogical information about the deceased which those researching family history may find interesting. The map shows the small area of UK where they were produced.

4. What is the most unusual bookmark in your collection?

In the Stevengraph collection, I like one that still has the vendor's information paper attached to it,

In the memorial set, I have one that has a photograph on it which makes it rather poignant. I also have some that are related which were collected at different times. This type of ribbon seems to be particularly linked to the north of England between late 1800s and the early 1900s.

5. How do you acquire your bookmarks?

Most of my bookmarks are now acquired online on sites such as eBay. Sometimes friends and family find them and give them to me.

6. How many bookmarks do you have (an estimate)?

The whole collection is about 1000, but the speciality groups number about 100 Stevengraphs, about 80 memorial ribbons. I still have boxes of others and folders of sets such as the Scottish Widows,

And many Victorian cross-stitch...

7. How do you organize, display and store your collection?

The collection is in plastic folders and then in ring binders.

8. What do you enjoy about IFOB? Anything you would like to see IFOB do in the future?

I just like browsing other people's collections and interests. It is always good to know that there are others out there with similar interests. My family think I am barmy!

9. What did you do to celebrate World Bookmark Day this year? Any plans for next year?

I plan to try Zoom again and perhaps get a few more folk involved. There were only four of us last year. Easier for me than travelling. I don't like driving.

10. Anything else you would like to share?

I belong to the UK Bookmark Society which I find very interesting.

I also give talks to local groups about bookmarks which is why I have kept lots of other types as examples to pass around. To lighten the mood a little (as I try to do when I preach in church or give talks) when I start a bookmark talk I usually start with a rubber banana! I have lots of examples of different materials but this one always gets a laugh! I also tell the story that a local librarian told me. They always give books a shake before putting them back on the shelf and the most unusual one she ever discovered was a dry rasher of bacon! Not recommended as it tends to spoil the page somewhat.

11. Do you have any advice for those who are just beginning to collect bookmarks?

Advice, find bookmarks that you really like to look at, otherwise they are just filed away. Keep them out of the light. Only buy what you can afford. Stevengraphs range from about £10 to £100s. It can become an expensive habit if you just buy everything.

]]><![CDATA[Bookmarks Represent Culture and History]]>Wed, 01 May 2024 16:43:52 GMThttps://www.ifobookmarks.org/blog/bookmarks-represent-culture-and-historyby Gintautas Deksnys, Lithuania

Editor's Note: Gintautas is interested in using bookmarks to educate about the history of his country, Lithuania. These brief posts will showcase interesting facts and events as conveyed on bookmarks.

In order to introduce the culture of the Republic of Lithuania in more detail, let me present a collection of bookmarks about Mykalojus Kosntantinas Čiurlionis, regarded as the most famous Lithuanian painter and composer who ever lived. Having started his career as a composer (among his best-known musical works are the symphonic poems "Miške" and "Jūra"), at the age of 27 (1902) he entered the Warsaw School of Drawing and began to actively paint. Among the more than 200 completed paintings, some of the most famous are "The Tale (The Tale of the Kings)" (1909), "Rex" (1909), "Sonata No. 5 (Sea Sonata)' (1908).

bookmarks about Mykalojus Kosntantinas Čiurlionis, regarded as the most famous Lithuanian painter and composer who ever lived.

Ninety years ago, in 1933. Lithuanian pilots Steponas Darius and Stasys Girėnas decided to fly across the Atlantic Ocean. Flying from New York to Kaunas in an orange plane, which they named "Lituanica", they wanted to encourage Lithuanians for future journeys. Even though the plane did not reach the final destination of the flight, these planes and their mission remained in memory as one of the brightest symbols of a united nation.

Meet: two bookmarks and the Lithuanian award marking the importance of this panel.

in 1933. Lithuanian pilots Steponas Darius and Stasys Girėnas decided to fly across the Atlantic Ocean

Below is a collection of works given to me by my colleague, vocational teacher Rūta Urbelienė and her students.

While actively communicating (conducting training) with audiences of various profiles, I also constantly present bookmarks as permanent inseparable friends to the validity of the analyzed topic, giving them new definitions.

Therefore, this small collection, reflecting the traditions of linen production, is an integral part of Lithuania's national heritage. Linen products belong to the category of Lithuanian traditional crafts and perfectly represent their country.

Collection of linen bookmarks.

The collection of bookmarks-decorative weather vanes made of linen

Bookmarks-eyes (material -Velor)

Triangular, pocket bookmark, made of linen fabric, decorated with the Lithuanian flag

]]><![CDATA[Collection Award Winner 2024 - Howie Schecter]]>Thu, 14 Mar 2024 16:13:55 GMThttps://www.ifobookmarks.org/blog/collection-award-winner-2024-howie-schecterEditor's Note: Howie Schecter's Silver Bookmarks collection has been acknowledged before receiving the Collection Award on World Bookmark Day. Be sure to read a lengthy and entertaining interview in Collectors Weekly from 2009. Howie also has some of this information and more on his web site About page. From there, you can explore the wonder of his extensive and beautifully documented collection. Also note that he is selling part of his collection. Here, we ask him a few additional questions about his collection and collecting strategy.

- You have told a nice story about how you started collecting, inspired by your cousin. Then you had a friendly competition over collecting. How's that going? What are your totals now?

Unfortunately, my cousin has passed away a few years ago. She had approximately 15 pieces. At the peak of my collection, I had 1223 pieces.

- Are there any bookmarks you have identified (e.g., from a catalog) but haven't yet acquired?

There are a few from the 1888 Gorham catalog that I would still like to acquire but they are very rare and don’t come up for purchase very often. I am always on the lookout for them.

- Since you specialize in those made by Gorham, have you ever tried to contact the company for information or just to let them know about your collection?

I have never contacted Gorham. I didn’t think they were still in business, but they are. They are now owned by the Lenox Corp.

- Your website and the CW interview show that you have done a lot of research about silver bookmarks in general and specifically for each one. How did you learn where to research, and what do you usually do when you acquire a new bookmark?

Most of the information I get from a bookmark comes from the hallmark. I have several books on silver hallmarks and when I get a new one, I immediately look up the hallmark (if one exists). If there is no hallmark, or it is only marked sterling, I try to estimate its date and origin. I’ve seen so many I have a good feel for its age and origin.

- What reference source do you wish you had that doesn't yet exist?

I wish there was a source of all the old silversmith catalogs online in one place. I have reproduction copies of some old catalogs but if there were more of them it would make identifying them easier.

- What do you think makes your collection special or unique as compared to other collectors of silver/metal bookmarks?

What makes my collection special is the website. There really is no other one quite like it.

- How did you decide what to include in the description of bookmarks in your database?

I just tried to add as much information as possible.

Click to see description in database

- The wooden cabinet you use to store your bookmarks is fantastic! How are the bookmarks organized within it? Since you have so many, how can you find an individual bookmark?

I recently rearranged all of them (it took 3 days) to put them in numbered order. Each drawer now has a label of the range in number of the bookmarks and those are in that drawer. They may not be in exact order within the drawer, but it is close and if I need one I can go to the drawer that it is in and find it quickly.

- Do you have any advice for those beginning to collect silver bookmarks?

Acquire what you like and if you can, haggle!

]]><![CDATA[Asim Maner Award Winner 2024 - Gintautas Deksnys]]>Fri, 08 Mar 2024 18:03:47 GMThttps://www.ifobookmarks.org/blog/asim-maner-award-winner-2024-gintautas-deksnysEditor's Note: Gintautas has a unique approach to showcasing and sharing his bookmarks. He started an IFOB Gallery, Bookmarks Speak, to show bookmarks in complementary settings, and he has contributed to the Owls and Countries galleries. He is also tireless in exhibiting and making presentations about bookmarks. Search for him under Member News to see more than what is highlighted here. Congratulations!

1. Tell us about yourself – where you are from, your occupation, etc.

Gintautas Deksnys, renginio vedėjas

Today I am a teacher from Kaunas, Lithuania, and sometimes a mentor. I will probably continue them. In addition to my work that I immediately love, I enjoy collecting almost every day. So it is with great anticipation that I present to you my hobby, a collection of bookmarks, both descriptive and classified.

I developed my interest in book tabs through my second profession, event planning and organizing. In addition, I have obtained a university education as an engineer and a teacher's qualification.

2. How did you start collecting bookmarks? Do you remember your first bookmark?

When actively reading scientific and fiction literature, I need a book accessory - a marker to mark the reading place. Having worked in the field of protocol for many years, I realized that a bookmark can also serve well as a souvenir. So I started to organize their production. Here is one of the first bookmarks:

Personal book "Let's get up..." together with book tabs (author G. Deksnys)

In addition, I think that each tab, otherwise known as a bookmark, is also:

data library;
space for your story;
dialogue with cultures;
relationship with time signs;
symbolism of the chosen lifestyle;
book accessory;
sustainable gift model;
popular means of advertising, publicity, propaganda;
a face of information importance;
faithful companion;
social projection thumbnail;
utilitarian tool and other.

That's the unique purpose of the bookmark!

Shadow by Gintautas Deksnys

3. Do you have any favorite types or special emphasis in your collection? How do you select the ones used in your exhibitions and presentations?

While evaluating bookmarks of various nature and material structure, I focus more on those made of paper (and packaged).

For exhibitions and presentations the most important principle is that I appreciate the bookmark. Some bookmarks leave room for their holistic development, development or perspective of the content provided, while others say nothing but coded information. I try to work with publishers who tend to print bookmarks that have a value base. I am still searching for reserves of perspective within myself. I really love life, unrequited but balanced, which I see in the bookmarks I select.

4. What is the most unusual bookmark in your collection?

I include the gifts of nature in this category, an example in the photo below:

Gift of the Baltic Sea - the bookmark is different

5. How do you acquire your bookmarks?

I have mentioned many times about bookmarks to my friends who are employed. These are great tools for factual validity during lectures/lessons. It interests the audience and at the same time represents a more active reading culture. A wide circle of fellowship helps to gather together a larger amount and a diverse collection according to topics. I second Asim Maner that the collector must specialize in individual areas towards a more perfect result. I am also grateful to my family and friends, pupils/students, colleagues who help me create a colorful collection together. And I leave it to myself to do the investigative work of a collector, capturing it in my latest publications. I am currently preparing a monograph for the press "Interviewed book tabs. Reader's Audience'

6. How many bookmarks do you have (an estimate)?

Lately, I've been focusing my collections on quality along three parameters: bookmarks with regular value, bookmarks with special value, and bookmarks with personal value. According to this, the individual topics combine close to 3 thousand. bookmarks. I don't place a particular priority on the amount of bookmarks. I appreciate the holistic uniqueness of bookmarks.

7. How do you organize, display and store your collection?

The personal bookmark basket stores bookmarks with normal value (institutions, advertising, organizations, etc.).

Thematic bookmark collections are stored in binders (originals), but all bookmarks are digitized. It's a great gift to the audience.

8. What has been your experience in using the IFOB Swap List?

I haven't accumulated enough bookmarks for the day yet to exchange. But this type of activity should be encouraged.

9. What do you enjoy about IFOB? Anything you would like to see IFOB do in the future?

Several years of activity in the IFOB have highlighted community spirit. This, I think, is the strong and main form of club activity, chosen for sincere communication, uniting into one family on the principle of volunteerism, responding to everyone's strong and versatile activities and experiences. That is precious.

10. What did you do to celebrate World Bookmark Day this year?

February 25 became a day for me to celebrate the results of the year and the work done in promoting bookmarks. Today, attention has increased in particular, so I travel a lot with my exhibitions, lectures and, lately, the authors of books and/or bookmarks in Lithuania. Undoubtedly, the Asim Maner award is a symbol of honor, dignity and loyalty, obliging to connect, share, create. Simply, love what you do and what you give your precious time to.

11. Do you collect anything else?

In addition to bookmarks, I collect historical postcards, but not as actively. But together with the bookmarks, they also serve during creative meetings.

In memory of the first Lithuanian photographer and postcard maker Paulina Mongirdaitė (2023, Palanga, Lithuania)

12. Do you have any advice for those who are just beginning to collect bookmarks?

First, it is necessary to realize that direct accumulation of bookmarks is not a prerequisite for collections, and secondly, it is necessary to love them.

13. Anything else you would like to share?

In order to spread the creative process and share the result (Process Art), I would be happy to share my paintings by sending them to your exhibition in various countries around the world. My original works are presented in two formats: in frames and 3 mm panels (plastic).

Recently, I have been writing for many different creative meetings of audiences of various ranks, not only as a lecturer, but to a greater extent as a collector of bookmarks or the author of exhibitions about them. This is the collective result of all of us, including IFOB.

I'm currently on a creative sabbatical, during which I've committed to finishing an authored book about bookmarks.

I am truly grateful.

]]><![CDATA[Asim Maner Award Winner 2023 - Vilija Jocienė]]>Fri, 07 Jul 2023 17:44:26 GMThttps://www.ifobookmarks.org/blog/asim-maner-award-winner-2023-vilija-jocieneEditor's Note: Vilija has been a supporter of IFOB and especially World Bookmark Day for a number of years. The activities she organizes for her local library are always creative and fun for the children especially. She also makes bookmarks and has other interesting collections and activities. Congratulations, Vilija!.

1. Tell us about yourself – where you are from, your occupation, etc.

I am Vilija from Lithuania, mother of three children, and now grandmother of three grandchildren. I live in the small village of Vainočiai, near the forest. I am a librarian by profession and I have been working in this job for 41 years. I also work as an organizer of cultural events.

My events are for my area. The most famous is "Poetry in blooming gardens" where we read poetry and play music while the 140-hectare apple orchard is in full bloom.

The event "Poetry in the Bloom of Gardens" Alpurgiya Night on Shatrija Hill Renginys "Poezija sodų žydėjime"

Another, no less famous, is Walpurgis night on Shatrija mountain. On that night, according to legend, witches fly to the mountain. "I fly" and I am a witch, because I am there.

2. How did you start collecting bookmarks? Do you remember your first bookmark?

Since my work is related to books, bookmarks were always there. I don't remember the first one. Once I saw an advertisement for a girl's bookmark exhibition, and I thought that I also need to collect what I have. I collected from all the books and a lot appeared in the drawers. That’s how the first exhibition was born.

3. Do you have any favorite types or special emphasis in your collection?

I love handmade bookmarks because they are one of a kind and so original. Since I myself like needlework, these bookmarks are my favorites.

4. What is the most unusual bookmark in your collection?

The cutest ones were made and given by friends, and the most original ones were won in the lottery this year on World Bookmark Day. Labeled with a tiny book and donated by Gaby Dondlinger, it still evokes a great emotion.

Bookmark with tiny book made by Gaby Dondlinger for Asim Maner Award winner.

5. How do you acquire your bookmarks?

Bookmarks enter the collection in the most diverse ways. I exchange them with collectors, bring them back from trips, receive gifts from friends and readers. I often make them myself whenever I find a new idea for needlework, because I have learned a lot of types of needlework. In my collection there are bookmarks drawn on silk, ebru painting technique, folded origami, felt from wool, made with natural plants, drawn on fabric or even sculpted from modeled on a paper clip. When I learn something new, I always try to apply it to bookmark making. I find most of them at the annual Book Fair in Vilnius, where I try to go every year.

Vilija's handmade bookmarks.

6. How many bookmarks do you have (an estimate)?

There are about 2,500 book marks in the collection and over 200 handmade ones.

7. How do you organize, display and store your collection?

I keep my regular bookmarks in binders, organized by country, in clear document pockets. I mark the contents with a special soldering iron so that the bookmarks do not fall on top of each other. In the binders, each part begins with notes. Unfortunately, it is difficult to see how I solder the places of the marks. It's quite a big job, so there is still a big pile of marks received this year waiting for their order. And the handmade ones are still in the box. They are of very different shapes, made of different materials, so it is difficult to keep them in binders, and I often want to show them to others, so I haven't thought of another way to organize them yet.

Bookmarks stored in binders by country.

Clear pockets soldered for bookmarks.

8. What has been your experience in using the IFOB Swap List?

This is a very good place for like-minded people to meet, that there is a list and we can find each other and who wants to exchange bookmarks. I do that too, but not very often.

9. What do you enjoy about IFOB? Anything you would like to see IFOB do in the future?

I really like that there is an IFOB. I always see how many like-minded people there are from different countries. I can find friends with the same interest, and every year I prepare and look forward to the World Bookmark Day. I think it is possible to offer more activities for that day so that as many participants as possible can participate. Or maybe there is some global platform where different collectors gather and we could be a part of it?

Vilija at her library.

10. What did you do to celebrate World Bookmark Day this year?

Kaunatava Library marks this day every year with events, educations, bookmark exhibitions. This year we held book mark workshops, I prepared an exhibition and presented a video of photos of book marks and covers that I drew called "Book Dress".

11. Do you collect anything else?

Yes, quite by accident, little by little, souvenir hedgehogs started to "come" to the house, and that's how 484 of them accumulated in a few years. I even had to make a separate shelf for them. And it started quite unexpectedly - I got lost on a trip and the name hedgehog in the fog stuck, based on Sergej Kozlov's book "Hedgehog in the Fog".

Part of Vilija's hedgehog collection.

And I still have quite a few cups for tea with poppies, so now the dishes decorated with poppies are my favorites. But I don't know if it can be called a collection. My family eats from these dishes, I serve my guests in them and I happily drink my morning coffee myself, After all, you can choose a different cup decorated with poppies.

Vilija's collection of poppy dishes.

The symbol of the library is an owl, so over many years of work I have accumulated a lot of figurines of these birds or works made by children, so sometimes I make an exhibition of them in the library or my colleagues in other libraries do it.

12. Do you have any advice for those who are just beginning to collect bookmarks?

Maybe if I just started collecting bookmarks now, I would choose one area according to the topic, production method, specialty or hobby. Bookmarks are endless and it can't end... how to set a limit or have a goal for how many to collect. After all, you can't have all the bookmarks in the world, but if you think you can, I will help you as much as I can!

13. Anything else you would like to share?

I would like to be glad that I was able to get involved in joint activities and participate in IFOB events, sharing bookmarks with the whole world. Until then, I only collected on my own. Thanks to this page I got to know collectors not only from other countries, but also from my own country. Lithuania is a very small country, and I live in a small village in a small country, but now I am open to make my country known to the whole world through bookmarks.

]]><![CDATA[Thematic Exhibitions]]>Sat, 05 Nov 2022 16:26:11 GMThttps://www.ifobookmarks.org/blog/thematic-exhibitionsBy Gintautas Deksnys

Editor's Note: Gintautas is sharing some of his activities for promoting and educating people about bookmarks (aka book tabs). His idea is to create thematic exhibitions to focus on relevant events or topics. He has also created his own personal bookmark. Updated 10 December 2022

After the beginning of the school year, my activities as a teacher intensified. But regardless of this, book tabs as true friends help to educate the younger generation and educate the public with various possible activities.

Lately, I have been "recruiting" thematic exhibitions of my personal collection in order to celebrate public holidays and memorable dates. One of them is the anniversary of the founding of the Lithuanian Armed Forces (November 23).

I share with you my thematic collections, which I will soon present to various audiences (students, doctors, seniors, war veterans, students, library visitors). Of course, I will give lectures on relevant topics.

A recent example is the presentation of a thematic exhibition of book tabs on the aviation theme and paying respect to the fallen pilots shown in this article from the regional newspaper Laikraštis Gyvenimas, 23 November 2022.

Gintautas Deksnys Bookmark Collection, Lithuanian Army

Gintautas Deksnys Bookmark Collection, Lithuanian Air Force

Here is another example from my collection on the theme of States and Cities.

And here is a personal bookmark from a banquet I hosted where the bookmark served as a guest card.

]]><![CDATA[Halloween Boo(!)kmarks]]>Thu, 20 Oct 2022 18:47:17 GMThttps://www.ifobookmarks.org/blog/halloween-bookmarksby Laine Farley

A special interest in my bookmark collection is for those that serve the dual purpose of greeting cards. As the greeting card industry developed, it was natural for similar themes and designs to be used for bookmarks. By far, the most common occasion was Christmas bookmarks, often with a calendar for the new year included, with Easter and Valentine bookmarks following not far behind. Halloween bookmarks, however, are rare. Their scarcity reflects the relatively short period when Halloween greeting cards were produced. The book The Romance of Greeting Cards, edited by edited by James D. Chamberlain, University Press of Cambridge, 1956, devotes a very short chapter to Halloween cards, noting on p. 109:

Hallowe’en cards came into being in 1908 at the beginning of the new era in cards and they sold fairly well until the thirties when the sending of cards for the occasion went into a decline from which it has never fully recovered.

From the beginning, the card designs were built around ghosts, witches, black cats, scarecrows, jack-o-lanterns, bats, and wishes for good luck and safety from all harm were the common verse themes. Bright yellow was the dominant color, with black, emblematical of the night and artistically effective, too, as its traveling companion and complement.

Examples of the first cards are few. The earliest Hallowe’en greeting the author has traced was a yellow paper card with a solid black background on which appeared the faint outline of a black cat and white-faced witch and the following doggerel rhyme:

If ev’ry awful sound doth come thy way tonight
And creeping things both fat and lean,
Do scare thee into running with all thy might,
Remember, it is Hallowe’en!

The earliest ones in my collection are undated but probably from the 1920s-1930s based on the design.

Recently, I acquired a set of reproductions with graphics that appear to be from the same time period. These examples are small and a bit fuzzy, but one has a verse as follows:

When the Owl & Witch
to gather are seen,
There’s mischief brewing
on Halloween.

Although more recent examples typically do not have verses or greetings, they do carry lively (or deadly?) graphics for the season. Some publishers feature Halloween related titles or images as well.

Haunted house silhouette, die cut and laminated

The Halloween Book of Facts and Fun

The back of this bookmark has a place for children (or even adults) to record their Halloween activities, thereby increasing the chance that the bookmark will be saved.

Of course, nowadays it is easy to find Halloween bookmarks. They feature the usual themes of witches, ghosts, skeletons, jack-o-lanterns, cats, bats and scarecrows, as well as literary and movie themes. It is possible to find those with vintage graphics, and even a few with actual greetings, although they mostly just have a wish for a Happy Halloween.

Besides ready-made designs, there are also printables including those that can be colored, and examples such as this one for making foldable corners.

Anyone can make clever bookmarks with some stiff colored paper (or even old file folders) adorned with stamps and stickers, as these from an office party with the theme “Spooky Books” illustrate.

Sending Halloween bookmarks as greeting cards is a practice that will probably not be resurrected. They still can be used for trick or treaters, parties, and decorations (one suggestion was to put them in potted plants). However they are used, they will continue to appeal to collectors who like to reflect the range of holidays and celebrations from this time of year.

]]><![CDATA[Asim Maner Award Winner 2022 - Ms. Man Wong]]>Tue, 08 Mar 2022 19:44:11 GMThttps://www.ifobookmarks.org/blog/asim-maner-award-winner-2022-ms-man-wongEditor's Note: Man Wong is one of the few IFOB members who has published a book about bookmarks. What stands out in her activities described below is her desire to spread the word about bookmarks and to preserve them for the future. She links her love of bookmarks to their ability to document her life and record her memories. Congratulations Man!

1. Tell us about yourself – where you are from, your occupation, etc.

I am from Hong Kong which is a small city with over 7.5 million residents. I left my job in the year 2021 where I worked in the Telecom Industry as a Customer Service supervisory role for over 20 years. I aim to spend more time with my family and drive a new pathway in my life. I would like to take on a new challenge and new job in future. Last year, I reached a new milestone by publishing my first book related to the bookmark collection- Collection Notebook: A page of Life, Hong Kong and the World. This enriched my life with such a valuable memory that worked with my bookmark.

Ms. Man Wong, bookmark collector in Hong Kong

2. How did you start collecting bookmarks? Do you remember your first bookmark?

The first set of bookmarks I collected came from my dad. I remember that when I was a child, my father often had to work, and once he went to the mainland for business. He saw some bookmarks decorated with dried leaves and butterflies on China Civil Aviation, and thought they looked good. He brought them home for me. On the dry leaves, the veins of the leaves were clearly textured, and the butterfly pattern on it was lifelike. I thought it was very beautiful, and I started collecting bookmarks from then on.

3. Do you have any favorite types or special emphasis in your collection?

I specially treasure those bookmarks with my favorite idols. One is the famous singer Leslie Cheung Kwok Wing and the other one is the artist Andy Lau Tak Wah. When I was still in secondary school, I couldn’t afford to buy many bookmarks and so I could only select two or three from the full set. It’s a pity that I can't collect a full set.

Singer Leslie Cheung Kwok Wing bookmarks

Artist Andy Lau Tak Wah bookmarks

4. What is the most unusual bookmark in your collection?

In my collection, there is are a set of bookmarks that are presented as Dinosaur bones stacked layer by layer which I bought through a Dinosaur exhibition held in Hong Kong. And the traditional Chinese paper-cut A Dream of the Red Mansions Character bookmarks which was also first bought by my dad. These two sets show a different presentation from the traditional paper cut to modern cut with specific design. It’s not common to find out about other bookmark creations nowadays.

Dream of the Red Mansions paper cut bookmarks

5. How do you acquire your bookmarks?

On campus, teachers will give away bookmarks with words of encouragement, students will send bookmarks on their birthdays, and between male and female students, they will send messages with bookmarks.

There are also friends from the Netherlands, France, Spain, Italy, Japan and other places who have exchanged duplicate bookmarks for mutual benefit.

In Hong Kong, where space is limited, it may be a luxury to collect things. Hong Kong fans tend to hand over bookmarks. Instead of sending them to landfills to bury their memories, they always hope that someone who has a heart will keep them on their behalf.

Sometimes I had to pursue the bookmarks I wanted. The Asian TV series "Blue Moon" once published a game with prizes in the newspaper. The gift was a bookmark. Of course, I immediately sent a letter to participate, and I applied for a full set.

Asian TV series "Blue Moon" bookmarks

However, sometimes unexpected gifts will fall from the sky. One day I noticed on the recycling box that there was a stack of bookmark-shaped objects above! I found that the bookmarks were still fresh and clean, and immediately took them home like a treasure. So sometimes I feel like something is meant to be, so I can take it home so it doesn't end up in a landfill.

I found out that government departments and some institutions will launch relevant publicity bookmarks to remind everyone to respond to crises, such as teaching everyone how to deal with natural disasters. Changes in Hong Kong can also be discovered through bookmarks. For example, I have some bookmarks published by the Lands Department in my collection, and I will see some small changes in the landscape. Or there are the earlier logos of the Urban Council in the bookmarks, which the younger generation may not have seen already.

Sometimes I go to the second-hand market to find relics, but the price of bookmarks is very erratic. As for the selection criteria, if it can give me the feeling of 'electric shock', I will buy it even if it is expensive.

6. How many bookmarks do you have (an estimate)?

One day in 2009, I suddenly became obsessed with counting the bookmark stock, and I thought I had stored more than 1,000 bookmarks and was proud of it. Suddenly, I wanted to apply to Guinness World Records to be the person with the most bookmarks, so I checked it out. It was discovered that in another country in the world, someone had already achieved this record, and it was more than 100,000 copies!

I decided to look for someone by the name of Frank Divendal. After a lot of searching on the Internet, I finally found a website with regularly updated collections and a bookmark exchange platform, which is where I got his email. In the end, I managed to get in touch with Frank Divendal, the Guinness world record holder in the Netherlands, who was more than willing to exchange duplicate bookmarks with me and became my strongest bookmarking friend. [Note: see this interview for more information on correspondence with Frank Divendal]

I checked the records, and in 2017 he had 160,000 copies in stock. As for me, there are about 3,000 or 4,000 copies. Although I have doubled it, I am still far behind him. But for me, collecting bookmarks is not only about quantity, but also about quality. It is a record of every stage of my life.

7. How do you organize, display and store your collection?

To classify, it is necessary to have an outline. There are few collection books in Hong Kong that can be used for reference. It is neither a stationery series, nor a paper art series, nor a Hong Kong feeling series... I tried to search in different ways, but still It was difficult to start, until I saw Appreciation of Chinese Bookmark, which helped me make a systematic classification, and this book became one of my collections.

Appreciation of Chinese Bookmark

My bookmark classification may not be completely in line with the system, but it must be divided according to my preferences, because I think the most important meaning of collection is to store memories and thoughts, such as my Facebook page: Bookmarks and Memory, to commemorate the reason why bookmarks exist. It is because of their functionality, which is convenient for people to read, and also has the meaning of communication between the two. That I also named my Instagram account after this.

Having saved bookmarks for decades, I am not the only "Bookmark Collector" in Hong Kong, but I believe that I will keep my passion and remain eager to keep collecting to save bookmarks.

In March 2021, I first published my book related to my bookmark collections and stories.

Bookmark Collection: A Page of Life, Hong Kong and the World

Then from 24 Apr - 24 May 2021, I held the first “Hong Kong Bookmark Exhibition” in Silver Café in Mong Kok to share my collection with the public and memories about the bookmark in Hong Kong

I held a Bookmark exhibition at the 31st Hong Kong Book Fair, 15 July 2021, and hosted a seminar to share my bookmark collection history and insight:. Hong Kong Book Fair 2021: Bookmark Collection Notes - A Page of Life, Hong Kong and the World

After collecting bookmarks for so many years, I really hope that there is a place to show everyone, so that everyone can know that bookmarks can actually be very colorful.

8. What has been your experience in using the IFOB Swap List?

The swap list is really useful and brought me to know other fellow collectors from other countries. IFOB Members are nice to invite for swapping bookmarks. I really appreciate this and enjoy this journey.

9. What do you enjoy about IFOB? Anything you would like to see IFOB do in the future?

From IFOB, I gain a lot of valuable information related to bookmark collecting, such as bookmark history, culture and activities in each country. I am impressed by members’ passion and effort towards bookmark collecting. These also inspired me to improve my collection by taking reference from them, such as how IFOB members store their bookmarks, how they classify into different levels or categories.

10. What did you do to celebrate World Bookmark Day this year?

I designed a bookmark and brief video to introduce for the 6th World Bookmark Day, through Extraordinary Publications via Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube. This designated bookmark will be treated as a gift with each purchase by an online bookstore with a limited quota.

I also contributed to IFOB for World Bookmark Day a free printable bookmark designed by the illustrator Bella Chan, Instagram: @_bea.aaaa. This is a digital painting based on a Sunset photo taken at Cheung Chau, Hong Kong.

Finally, I arranged a live chat to further celebrate the event and chat with anyone who is interested in the bookmarks collection, and promote this interest in Hong Kong. And I hope to raise more awareness to support this activity in the future.

11. Do you collect anything else?

I used to collect the McDonald’s Toys in the past, however, I didn’t collect them for long. Puzzles is another good leisure game. It makes me relax and focus on solving puzzles. But I didn’t collect much as there was limited space, so I only kept those with special designs and with high difficulties.

12. Do you have any advice for those who are just beginning to collect bookmarks?

I would say that when you start to collect bookmarks, record if there is any story about the bookmark, no matter if it's a gift from friends, a souvenir from a tour, or picked up from any exhibition or bookstore. When there is a story embedded into the bookmark, it seems to grant them life.

See "Bookmark Collection Notes": Today, why do we still need bookmarks?" from Orange News for more about Man's collection and a video where she shows more of her collection (text can be translated but not video).

]]><![CDATA[Collection Award 2022 - Jonathan Xuereb]]>Tue, 01 Mar 2022 18:46:52 GMThttps://www.ifobookmarks.org/blog/collection-award-2022-jonathan-xuerebEditor's Note: For World Bookmark Day 2022, we created a new Collection Award to recognize an outstanding collection based on the subject of the collection or the format of materials, whether the collection has been recognized by other organizations, or whether the owner has written about it or promoted it in some other way. The criteria to be considered include:

How substantial the collection is, whether in number and/or completeness
How extensive is the description and documentation of the collection
Whether there are publications, presentations, exhibits, or internet/social media activities to provoke recognition and reactions

The first winner, Jonathan Xuereb from Malta, exemplifies all of these attributes and more. He describes the focus of his collection and how he is managing, promoting and sharing it. Congratulations, Jonathan!

While I collect any bookmarks in general on a casual basis, I have a very specialized collection of Book Depository bookmarks. I am very passionate about this collection, and in fact I manage a dedicated Facebook page as well as a dedicated Instagram account.

As to why I started specializing in these bookmarks, at first it was just random collecting, but once I started getting close to completing sets, my collector's instinct kicked in and I just wanted to collect as many as possible. Apart from that, I truly liked the designs, especially of the earlier releases. It might sound a bit silly but I also really like double-sided bookmarks, rather than ones with a blank white back. And perhaps more pertinently I enjoy the fact that it is a documented series, with finite sets to collect. As opposed to collecting bookmarks in general, where one can just simply buy readily available sets online - you can virtually never stop collecting those.

Collection Details
With regard to my collection, I now have 199 unique Book Depository bookmarks at the time of writing, going back to 2009 so spanning over a decade. I have fully completed 22 our of 25 known individual sets across these years. The incomplete sets include some of the older ones, namely the My Bookmark Competition set of 2010 (13/20), the Useful Bookmarks set of 2011 (8/14), and the Factmarks set of 2012 (12/14). Needless to say I'd love to complete these sets one day!

Apart from these sets, Book Depository sometimes issues single releases, i.e. standalone bookmarks not part of a set. I have tracked down 13 of these (in my Singles album) - the issue here is that sometimes there are special bookmarks distributed at book fairs around the world, and these are not announced on the Book Depository website/social media like the sets are. Therefore, there is no way of knowing how many have been released of these. Personally I have ones from Taiwan, Hong Kong and Argentina, but I have seen other countries too.

By way of an anecdote of sorts, there was also a 'Golden Bookmark' campaign once - including limited edition bronze, silver and golden bookmarks - but for the life of me I never managed to find any further info or actual photos of these elusive bookmarks.

I have also been in touch with the designers of some of the bookmarks, and managed to obtain signed or even coloured-in copies. Below I am attaching a photo of bookmarks signed by novelist Jasper Fforde (who designed four bookmarks of the 2009 set), and a colouring bookmark signed and coloured-in by its designer Elina Gor (from the second Colouring Bookmark set of 2016).

Autographed 2009 set by novelist Jasper Fforde

Coloring bookmark by Elina Gor

Recently, I have also had the pleasure of liaising with another designer of one of the bookmarks, Mr Richard Nicholls, who very kindly sent me some signed bookmarks of his:

Book Depository bookmarks autographed by designer Richard Nicholls

Book Depository bookmarks by designer Richard Nicholls

I have also been in touch with the actual founders of the Book Depository who started the publication of these bookmarks, and who have expressed their delight at seeing the joy these bookmarks were still bringing people (screenshot attached below).

Ms Kate Felton, the wife of one of the Book Depository's co-founders, sent me the below at Christmas time - one of the very first (if not the first) Book Depository bookmarks!

One of the first Book Depository bookmarks

Sharing the Collection

Facebook Page
On my Facebook page, which now has around 1000 followers, I display all my collection in distinct photo albums according to sets. I also feature photos of mail calls I receive from fellow bookmark collectors whenever I swap bookmarks. I also provide information whenever Book Depository host any contests, competitions, sales or bookmark releases. The page serves as a community hub for fellow bookmark lovers to arrange swaps among themselves as well. It has been a pleasure watching the page grow and I look forward to nurture it further!

Instagram
On my Instagram account, which now has over 2000 followers, I opted for a more minimalist look - I upload photos of all my bookmarks against a black backdrop, with information on each and every bookmark once expanded. This way viewers can easily see all the bookmarks at a glance, with further details available should they wish to know which set it belongs to, year of publication, etc. This account has also served to set up bookmark swaps with other collectors from all over the world.

More recently, starting in 2021, I have also been sharing the books I read with my followers, accompanied by a bookmark 'throwback' of sorts. This has allowed me to keep both social media more active, rather than waiting for new sets to be released by Book Depository. I share these posts on both Facebook and Instagram accounts, and include information both on the book and on the bookmark (plus a subjective rating for the book out of 5 stars). As I average one book per week, it helps both communities to remain active.

Managing the Collection
I store my collection in a binder, using custom transparent sleeves to hold 4 bookmarks per page. I have a video showcasing the collection available below - this was back in 2019 so the collection grew significantly since then; I hope to upload an updated video some time soon. I have reason to believe that I have the largest collection of Book Depository bookmarks in the world - perhaps not a monumental feat but one of which I am immensely proud!

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