The Arms of Brookline Public Library

The Arms of Brookline Public Library in Massachusetts 

designed by Pierre de Chaignon la Rose and drawn by the author.

Several years ago, I became obsessed with the heraldry of Pierre de Chaignon La Rose (1872-1941), undeniably America's greatest heraldic designer.  La Rose, perhaps, made his greatest contributions in the fields of ecclesiastical and scholastic heraldry, advancing a design aesthetic unseen on American soil.  Prior to la Rose's explosion onto the scene, American heraldry was all over the place with plenty examples of poorly composed and designed arms.  From among the 200 or so coats that I've identified thus far designed by la Rose, there is one oddity among them that stands out, the Brookline Public Library.  The arms for the Brookline Public Library, known thus far, is the only non-academic or non-religious arms designed by la Rose.  

Brookline, Massachusetts was the first town in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to establish their own library as a result of new legislation in 1857 allowing localities to adopt taxes for this purpose.  According to Battis, Reed & Clark (2009), the library committee set aside $100 in 1910 for the creation of a seal for use as a bookplate.  Interestingly enough, this is the first and only example that I've been able to find of what la Rose charged for his design services.  According to one website which adjusts for inflation, $100 in 1910 is today the equivalent of $2,780.00.  This is not an insignificant amount!  La Rose would have likely provided a sketch and a painting of the design, since he was not an engraver.  Most likely the seal was engraved by someone else in Boston.  

The Trustees of the Public Library of Brookline (1911) published in their 54th annual report noted,

 "reference should be made to the seal of the library, especially designed for the carved medallion over the east door of the facade, which also may be used on the stationary and bookplates.  We are indebted to Mr. Pierre La Rose for the design, and to Mr. Sturgis, our architect, for the final rendering of it" (p.363).

This pieces together how la Rose most likely got involved in the library project.  

Richard Clipston Sturgis (1860-1951) was a well-known Boston architect and most assuredly knew fellow architect Ralph Adams Cram (1863-1942).  Cram and la Rose ran among similar Brahmin circles in Boston.  Based on my research, it is my belief that Cram was the one who leveraged his book of business in order to launch la Rose's heraldic career.  Early on, Cram and la Rose partnered on a number of heraldic projects within the Episcopal Church.  Before too long, Cram's firm was slammed with work.  I also believe that at some point, Cram bowed to la Rose and acknowledged the latter's expertise on the subject of heraldry.  Thus, if Cram's firm had a project requiring heraldic work, the firm would recommend la Rose to the client.  

Brookline Public Library in Brookline, Massachusetts.
Source: The Brookline Library Webpage

Brookline Public Library arms carved medallion in the pediment.
Source: The Brookline Library Flickr Site

The Bookplate created by Pierre de Chaignon la Rose in 1910.
Source: Battis, Reed & Clark (2009), page 75.

In my rendering above, I made the open book larger since it's the central charge in the arms.  Without access to a scanner, it's a poor quality photograph for now, I'm afraid.  I prefer Lombardic font for armorial bearings and seals, so I tried my hand at the inscription Sapientia Legendo, loosely translated as "reading for wisdom."  La Rose adds small symbols or "doodles" to balance the inscription on an open book.   I've observed a number of these symbols, this one looks like a shamrock.  On religious institutional coats that bear an open book, for example, he uses small maltese crosses.  Thanks to the hatching on the above Flickr photograph, one can just about make out the tinctures and metal used in the arms.  

The armorial bearings of Brookline Public Library is thus blazoned: Gules, an open book edged with three clasps or and inscribed SAPIENTIA LEGENDO, and in base barry wavy argent and sable. 

Beautiful, elegant, and characteristically simple--la Rose was a brilliant heraldic artist.  And yes, I'm still obsessed with la Rose's work.

Works Cited

Battis, C., Reed, A., & Clark, A. (2009).  Public library of Brookline: A history celebrating 150 years of library service, 1857-2007.  Authors, 69.

Trustees of Brookline Public Library (1911).  The fifty-fourth annual report of the trustees of the public library of Brookline for the year ending December 31, 1910.  Grimes Press, 363.