Ione Klenk Wiechel’s Book Plate Collection

Bookplates (aka Ex Libris) have been a popular method throughout history for book owners to create a personalized method of showing ownership of their books. The creative quality and informational value of many bookplates has inspired collectors and artists. 

Mrs. Ione Klenk Wiechel, a longtime member of the American Society of Bookplate Collectors and Designers, shared her hobby of collecting bookplates, calligraphy, and miniature books with the community through an exhibit at the Sandusky Area Cultural Center from November through December of 1979.

After her death Mrs. Wiechel’s bookplate collection was donated to the Sandusky Library. The collection features bookplates owned by individuals and businesses of Sandusky and Erie County. 

This bookplate once belonged to Judge Ebenezer Lane, former Common Pleas Judge and Judge of Supreme Court of Ohio:

Esther Sloane Curtis was the granddaughter of abolitionist and former Sandusky Mayor Rush Sloane:

Author and local historian, Charles E. Frohman, was a past president of the Ohio Historical Society. His bookplate reflects his many interests, including nautical history, the theater, and the history of Sandusky industry. Mr. Frohman’s bookplate was designed by Norman Lonz and Harold Zeitsheim.

Daisy A. Kugel was graduated from Sandusky High School in 1896. She earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Michigan in 1900, and graduated from Columbia University in 1909. From 1911 to 1927, Miss Kugel served as Director of Household Arts at University of Wisconsin-Stout.

There are several more bookplates in the holdings of the Sandusky Library Archives Research Center. Ask for assistance at the Reference Services desk if you are interested in viewing Ione Klenk Wiechel’s bookplate collection.