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Oregon, United States
loves: you win if you guessed "pets" and "museums". Also books, art history, travel, British punk, Korean kimchi, bindis, martinis, and other things TBD. I will always make it very clear if a post is sponsored in any way. Drop me a line at thepetmuseum AT gmail.com !

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

a prickly hedgehog to guard your book

thanks wikimedia commons (PD)
This is for hedgehog enthusiasts everywhere: a woodcut bookplate, said by some to be the earliest in existence, featuring the name of a guy nicknamed "Hedgehog."  Hans "Igler" Knabensberg had this plate on one of his treasured books sometime in 1450-1470.  Igel is the German for that cute pointy animal.  Perhaps Hans was prickly to be around, or spent a lot of time rolled up with his reading.  He must have had a sense of humor though, because according to this page, the banner (written in Fraktur, the old German script) says "Hanns Igler, dass dich ein Igel kuss" (Hans Igler, that the hedgehog may kiss you - possibly a warning against stealing his book, but who minds a hedgehog smooch?).
Posted by at 7:24 AM

2 comments:

parlance said...

One of my brothers had bookplates made, long ago, that said, 'Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's'.

3:00 AM
Anonymous said...

What a find! I love hedgies, they are akind of my home's talisman - my husband's name sounds very similar to the Polish word for "hedgehog" (I'm writing from Polsnd). No living hedgehogs with us though, four cats are enough :) Anyway, this particular portrait of a hedgehog is fabulous - just look at these feet (or do you call them paws?)! Dar Curator, thank you for another educative and inspirational post.
Love,
Joanna

11:42 AM

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