A supralibros (from Latin supra = ''on'' and libros = ''books'',

accusative case The accusative case (abbreviated ) of a noun is the grammatical case used to mark the direct object of a transitive verb. In the English language, the only words that occur in the accusative case are pronouns: 'me,' 'him,' 'her,' 'us,' and ‘the ...

) is a coat of arms or

monogram A monogram is a motif made by overlapping or combining two or more letters or other graphemes to form one symbol. Monograms are often made by combining the initials of an individual or a company, used as recognizable symbols or logos. A series o ...

indicating the ownership of a book. Unlike the

bookplate An ''Ex Libris'' (from ''ex-librīs'', ), also known as a bookplate (or book-plate, as it was commonly styled until the early 20th century), is a printed or decorative label pasted into a book, often on the front endpaper, to indicate ownership. ...

or ex-libris, which is stamped or pasted inside a book, the supralibros is applied to the book's cover. Supralibros (plural is also 'supralibros') usually are gilt or blocked on the upper (front) cover of a book, and sometimes on the rear cover as well. The term is also applied to such a mark on the spine. Just like the ex-libris the supralibros is an expression of pride of the owner of the book; apart from being an owner's mark it is often also an adornment. Supralibros first were used during the

Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and covering the 15th and 16th centuries, characterized by an effort to revive and surpass ideas ...

, when the first large private libraries were formed. Famous bibliophiles used much sought-after supralibros that may make a book valuable, for instance

Jean Grolier Jean may refer to: People * Jean (female given name) * Jean (male given name) * Jean (surname) Fictional characters * Jean Grey, a Marvel Comics character * Jean Valjean, fictional character in novel ''Les Misérables'' and its adaptations * Jean ...

, an renowned collector.In Search of Supralibros at The Private Library
/ref> Another often encountered type of supralibros is the school prize binding, a book that was awarded to an especially gifted pupil, bound in vellum or leather and stamped with the coat of arms of the city or the school that awarded the prize, with a bookplate giving the name of the pupil, dated and signed by the headmaster and other officials. After the 18th century the supralibros went into decline, although full leather school prize bindings with a supralibros continued to be used well into the 20th century.

Blackwell's Blackwell UK, also known as Blackwell's and Blackwell Group, is a British academic book retailer and library supply service owned by Waterstones. It was founded in 1879 by Benjamin Henry Blackwell, after whom the chain is named, on Broad Street, ...

, a large booksellers in

Oxford Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...

, will bind books and apply the supralibros of the buyer's college for a fee, usually for books bought as prize bindings.

References

*Helmuth Hellwig: ''Handbuch der Einbandkunde''. Especially vol. II with an inventory of supralibros. Hamburg, Maximilian-Gesellschaft, 1953–1955. {{Authority control Book design Bookbinding