Alfred Merian bookplate, ca. 1935
Item 96584 info
Cary Memorial Library in Wayne
This bookplate shows the house in Wayne that was acquired in 1931 by Annie Merian, sister of Dr. Thaddeus P. Hyatt.
Dr. Hyatt was a prominent New York dentist, and the husband of Elizabeth Hyatt, who created this bookplate collection in honor of famed opera singer Annie Louise Cary (1841-1921).
Annie Merian's son Alfred, who was an architect, designed the bookplate.
In addition to the house, which he called "Scotholm," Alfred included a number of classical and symbolic elements, which he described as follows:
Pediment and columns from Temples of Minerva at Priene and Athens.
Merian coat of arms, representing the city of Basel in Switzerland, from whence the family came.
Cornucopia, representing a full life.
Grecian urn, Corinthian capital, Inca vase, and Persian lute, representing the arts.
T-square, sun-dial, skull, globe, hour-glass, compass and books, representing philosophy and the sciences.
Pipe, cards and beer-mug, representing the joys of conviviality.
Piolet and rope, the implements of his favorite sport, mountain-climbing.
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