There is an attractive plate belonging to a lady of the family of Vander Aa, among whom were some famous engravers and printers, members of that branch following these arts for two centuries. This plate is dated 1597, and it has a heavy woodcut border with bears, wyverns, flowers, and fruit showing in the abundant scroll-work. Movable type was used in the printing of the name, and the 97 of the date, which is in old Roman numerals, is queerly expressed thus, 100 — 3. This family has branches at Antwerp, Delft, and Leyden; and the Anna Vander Aa, whose plate is described, was probably the wife or the daughter of one of the wealthy burghers who carried on the engraving and printing trades.
One of the most notable plates of early Germany is the large one — it measures thirteen inches by nine — which was used by the prior of St. Lawrence's Church in Nuremberg, Dr. Hector Pomer. The plate is a remarkably fine specimen of early engraving on wood, and bears some resemblance to the celebrated Death's Head Coat-of-Arms engraved by Albrecht Durer. Indeed, there are some features of workmanship displayed in it which excel that print. This Pomer plate shows the arms of the prior's family quartered with the gridiron, the instrument of martyrdom upon which the patron saint of the abbey ended his life. There is the usual accompaniment of rich mantling, and above the helmet is a demi-nun in hood and cloak. A figure of St. Lawrence, some eight inches high, stands at one side of the shield as a supporter, and the expression of his face is at once tender, lofty, and pathetic. He bears upon the right shoulder the palm of victory, while the gridiron is again visible at his side, the handle in his hand. A nimbus encircles the noble head.
Christoph Jacob Trew, M.D., was a botanist of distinction, a resident of Nuremberg, and the author of several important works as well as the possessor of a valuable library in which were some thirty thousand volumes and seventeen thousand pamphlets, which at his death he bequeathed, along with his large collection of physical and chirurgical instruments, his herbarium, and his natural history cabinets, to the University of Altdorf, where he received his education and his degree. He had no less than seven book-plates engraved. The differences between them are slight, and the description of one will suffice. This plate was engraved about 1760, and is in the best manner of the rococo style, showing the arms of the learned owner within a fancifully designed border of shell-work, below which is appended the cartouche, which adds no little interest to the plate, for within its graceful outline sits contentedly a very peaceable looking member of the canine family. The doctor's name Trew, which may have had the variant Treu, signifies the quality of loyalty; and it may be supposed that the dog here depicted stood not only for a representation of the favored pet of the scholar, but as well for a play upon his name. This plate is handsomely engraved, the background being filled in with what is sometimes termed the " brick wall pattern."
Among German plates there is one of extreme rarity and value which was the property of one Johann Bernard Nack, a citizen and merchant of Frankfurt. This gentleman conceived the idea of having a very elaborate book-plate, and entrusted its designing to one Osterlander and its engraving to St. Hilaire. In the print, as finally completed by these artists, we see the library of the owner, with its shelves of goodly books before which sits the Goddess of Learning, and to whom the master himself presumably addresses himself. The ships of this prosperous merchant lie in the offing, and his employees are landing from them the boxes and bales containing the goods in which he deals. The drawing of the picture one can hardly judge of, as its execution is so far from satisfactory. At any rate the merchant himself found fault with it, for it is known that he commissioned a lady engraver by the name of Wicker to re-engrave the plate. Copies of the first plate are not easily found, and copies of this second one, while not so rare, have an added value in that they are printed on the back of the old one. From this it would seem that having used a few of the first lot, M. Nack became so dissatisfied that he gave his order for the others, and having a quantity of the first unused he had the new engraving printed upon their backs. As the paper of those days was tough and thick, it was able to take the second impression without damage. Those who are so fortunate as to have copies of these prints in both states in their collections may well believe that they have some of the rarest of German plates. The second engraving of the plate is much superior to the first. The date is about 1760.



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