Supralibros of the Primate Stanisław Karnkowski in the University of Warsaw Library

Abstract

This article describes superex-librises of an outstanding archbishop Stanisław Karnkowski (1520-1603), a writer and a politician, a man of merit for the culture of the book. The source materials were provided by the archbishop’s books found during provenience works in the University Library. This historical library contains about 200 volumes the most of which in the 17^th and 18^th centuries belonged to the Jesuit College Library in Kalisz. Out of these, 27 bindings are provided with Stanisław Karnkowski’s superex-librises. Such considerable number of these books and information about others in other 1ibraries allowed for making their typology. Out of these 27 superex-librises 5 types and 3 varieties were distinguished. This gave 8 variants of superex-librises. They contain so called real superex-librises and bookbinder’s ones as well as such which can be described as mixed ones (the real one completed with material presses).

Besides these issues a mention was made about finding two other types of the sign of ownership: a hand made one and a library’s seal, often mistaken for an ex-libris.