The miscellany by Fowler, H. Alfred - 1914-1916

Kansas City; Cleveland, 1914-1916. All published. 12 issues, comprising three volumes. Bound in blue buckram boards (19 cm. tall), with simple gilt lettering to spine. Original wrappers not included. Minor soiling to rear board and faint stain to margins of the contents of the third volume, not affecting text. Each volume preceded by an annual title page and table of contents. Paginated separately: [iv], 68 / [iv], 80 / iv, 100 pages. "An occasional publication devoted to bibliology;" that's how The miscellany's first editor, H. Alfred Fowler of Kansas City, introduced the journal in 1914. It was his third effort in three years; having earlier edited Ex-Libran (1912) and The biblio (1913). In the first number of this new journal, Fowler is frank about his situation, publishing a letter he had received from T. Cobden-Sanderson: "I am touched by your frank confession of failure so far and applaud your determination to make a fresh start with a new format. The biblio was not a 'Book Beautiful,' but one can not hope to reach the goal in one effort, and one must pursue this ideal notwithstanding failures by the way." Fowler would now publish reviews of exhibitions and publications related to bookplates—in search of an ideal of the Bookplate Beautiful—as well as short essays on bibliophilic matters more general. Of note: a reproduction of the hoax auction catalogue for the library of the "Count de Fortsas." By the third number of the second volume (1915), Fowler announces that The miscellany has become the official journal of the American Bookplate Society. Soon enough, however, Fowler had moved onto his next bibliological project (The quarterly notebook) and editorship is transferred to Mrs. Elisabeth C. T. Miller of Cleveland, who introduces an information exchange in the rear pages. By the final issue present here, the Society announces that it has plans to resuscitate The Bookplate booklet as its official publication; a serial for which The miscellany is often recorded as predecessor.