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Accidental Bookmarks

27/12/2021

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By Laine Farley
Although there are many articles that catalog the random objects people use for bookmarks, these items are not always similar to “official” bookmarks in size, shape, or appropriate material.  Accidental bookmarks are those that were not meant to be used for that purpose, but do fit the criteria and may be hiding in plain sight.  Of course, this begs the question, “What is a bookmark?”  It must be of a reasonable size to fit in books, but that can range from small ones for paperbacks up to very large ones for bibles, oversized art books, etc.  It should be longer than it is wide, but the the proportions can vary.  And it ought to be suitably thin so as not to bend the pages or risk falling out.  I think accidental bookmarks should also have a design that takes advantage of the dimensions, either the horizontal or vertical plane, and they should not be of a material that could damage a book, unlike some of the official ones that sacrifice utility for design impact.

​Here are some examples of accidental bookmarks that I have found, usually without consciously looking for them.  While I was focused on some other task, the proportions and designs of these images suddenly resolved into looking like a good bookmark.

Ads in Publications
These examples can be downloaded, clipped, or even photographed from online images and printed on photographic or stiff paper.  

City Directories
I use city directories frequently for genealogy and local history research. These now obsolete publications are filled with long and narrow ads, designed to fit above and alongside of the directory entries.  Most of them are nondescript, with only the name of the business, an address and phone number.  Occasionally, they will contain an interesting graphic, which can be clipped from the online image and printed on stiff paper for a bookmark.  This example is for a small chain of pharmacies that used to be known for their owl logo.
Picture
Husted's Oakland, Alameda and Berkeley directory, 1908
Picture
Newspapers
Similarly, old newspaper ads can often have the right dimensions and feature interesting graphics.  These examples from my local newspaper feature a clothing shop that I was researching because of its Art Deco building, and I came cross another ad for fall frocks and hats with nice graphics.  The Halloween example is an ornament that accompanied a feature for children.  The last example is from a small town newspaper where my relatives lived, and is interesting due to the period graphics as well as the family association.  I keep hoping to find an interesting ad for the business that my family owned in this town, but so far, they are just ordinary ads.
Picture
Oakland Tribune, Oakland, California, 1958
Picture
Oakland Tribune, Oakland, California, 1933
Picture
Oakland Tribune, Oakland, California, October 1927
Picture
Groesbeck Journal, Groesbeck, Texas, 1904
Yearbooks and Catalogs
These publications may have ads or ornaments, although they are not as reliable for finding appropriate dimensions.  The example for Oakland features two transportation designs that would be interesting for a double sided bookmark.  The cap and gown motif is from my grandmother’s college yearbook.
Picture
Original ad, source unknown but possibly a city promotional publication
Picture
Cropped image for one side of bookmark
Picture
Cropped image for other side of bookmark
Picture
Horned Frog yearbook, Texas Christian University, 1909
Postage Stamps
Recent postage stamp sheets for artists provided an extra benefit.  The perforations on the sheets made it possible to tear off the portrait of the artist or an enlarged artwork on the side panel. These bookmarks would be even more interesting if the post office had printed additional information on the reverse. This presentation may not be common, but it is a reminder to look closely for bookmark possibilities in any kind of graphic material.
Picture
Ellsworth Kelly stamps, United States Postal Service
Picture
Ruth Asawa stamps, United States Postal Service
Now I am always on the lookout for interesting graphics in bookmark shapes. Where have you found accidental bookmarks?
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  • Home
    • News from 2019
  • About
    • Member News
    • Contact
    • Site Map
  • Blog
  • Bookmark Swap
    • Raffle
  • WOBODA
    • WOBODA 2022
    • WOBODA 2021 >
      • WOBODA 2020
      • WOBODA 2019 >
        • WOBODA 2018
        • WOBODA 2017
        • Wobo on World Tour 2016
  • Gallery
    • Gallery Page 3 - New Year's
    • Gallery Page 4 - Bookmarks on Bookmarks
    • Gallery Page 5 - Care of Books
    • Gallery Page 6 - Owls
    • Gallery Page 7 - Woboda Bookmarks
    • Gallery Page 8 - Countries
    • Gallery Page 9 - Bookmarks Speak
  • Library
    • Reading Room
    • Book Reviews
    • Bookmark Quotes
    • IFOB Publications >
      • Earliest History of Bookmarks
      • Diamond Registration Marks on British Bookmarks
      • World Literature Classics
      • Holiday Haunts Bookmarks of the Great Western Railway
      • Reprints of the 1928 Amsterdam Olympic Games Bookmarks
      • Fascinating Bookmarks
      • Traditional Costumes of Countries - A bookmark Series by Rowohlt Verlag
      • Charting the Course of Celluloid Bookmarks
  • Bibliographies
  • Workshop
  • Events
  • Links
  • Bookmark Producers