The Game of Chess

A large, ornate engraved bookplate or ownership mark. In the center is a quartered coat of arms. The first and fourth quarters feature the Bavarian lozenges, which are diamond patterns in slanted rows. The second and third quarters show the Palatine lion standing on its hind legs. The shield is topped by a ducal or electoral crown with a cross. Two winged female figures act as supporters. They hold garlands of fruit that hang down the sides. Decorative scrollwork frames the shield. At the base, a detailed architectural frame contains the ownership inscription. Two classical oil lamps on pedestals with rising flames flank this frame.

original Latin: "Ex Bibliotheca Serenissimorum"

original Latin: "Utriusque Bavariae Ducum." This title refers to the territories of Upper and Lower Bavaria held by the Wittelsbach dynasty.

Ex Bibliotheca: From the library. Serenissimorum: Most Serene, a title of high nobility. Utriusque Bavariae Ducum: Dukes of both Bavarias. Wittelsbach: The royal Bavarian family. coat of arms: A heraldic visual identity. 1618: The year this bookplate was added.