XXX Ex-Libris Congress, Wels: Minutes of the Plenary Meeting of Delegates.
(from the Ankara/Fisae website)
Minutes of the Plenary Meeting of Delegates XXX Ex-Libris Congress Stadthalle, Wels, Austria
15 July 2004
The President of FISAE, Dr Ottmar Premstaller, called the meeting to order at 10:05 hours in the Stadthalle,
Wels, Austria.
There were no apologies for absence.
Delegations in attendance. Austria (H. Scheffer); Belgium (M. Theunis); Bulgaria (Onnik Karanfilian); China
(Zhang Zhi You); Czech Republic (V. Janda); Denmark (K. Roedel); Estonia (L. Lohmus); Finland Aboensis
(T. Piiroinen); Finland Suomen (O. Ylonen); France (J. F. Chassaing); Germany DEG (B. Goebel); Germany
Pirckheimer (M. Neureiter); Hungary (L. Palasthy); Italy (M. Mainardi); Japan (H. Haneda); Luxembourg
(H. Decker); Mexico (D. Black); Netherlands (J. van Waterschoot); Poland Malbork (B. Omieczynska);
Portugal (A. Mota Miranda); Russia (V. Khudolei, V. Loburev); Slovakia (I. Panenka); Slovenia
(M. Gashi-Butler); Spain Andalucia (L. G Muro Cliville); Spain Catalan (F. Orenes); Sweden
(L. Stolt); Switzerland (J. Burch); Taiwan (Pan); Turkey (H. Pektas); Ukraine (P. Nesterenko);
United States (J. Keenan); Yugoslavia Beograd (B. Junod).
Also in attendance: Ottmar Premstaller (President of FISAE); W. E. Butler (Executive Secretary of FISAE).
1. Report on XXX (2004) Congress. Dr Premstaller reported briefly that 410 persons had registered from 32
countries and that the Congress had proceeded very satisfactorily. The Congress had enjoyed welcome
support from the City of Wels and from other organizations and sponsors.
2. Report on Congress Bookplate Exhibitions. Five major bookplate exhibitions were shown as part of the
Congress. The traditional exhibition of bookplates designed since the preceding Congress had been
juried for quality and mounted in collaboration with the Triennial Exhibition held in Slovakia.
There was a comprehensive personal exhibition of J. Jakubowski, an exhibition of lady Austrian
bookplate designers, an exhibition commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Austrian bookplate
society, and the winning bookplates in the computer-generated bookplate design competition held under
FISAE auspices.
3. XXXI Congress (2006). The representatives of Switzerland confirmed their invitation to hold the next
Congress in Nyon, Switzerland in August 2006.
The President of FISAE for the period 2004-2006 is Mr. Josef Burch. Ottmar Premstaller was elected the
First Vice President of FISAE and Klaus Roedel was elected the Second Vice President.
4. Executive Secretary of FISAE. Professor W. E. Butler was elected to a further six-year term of office
as the Executive Secretary of FISAE.
5. XXXII Congress of FISAE (2008). China confirmed its wish to hold the Congress in 2008, and late
invitations were received from France and Turkey. After spirited presentations from all parties,
by secret ballot of 15/11/6 France was eliminated in the first round. In the second round of
voting by secret ballot of 19/13 China was chosen as the site for the 2008 Congress, to be held at
Beijing from 16-20 September 2008. Turkey was invited to apply for 2010.
6. FISAE Directory. The Executive Secretary reported that at least three countries (England, Belgium,
Netherlands) had data protection legislation which precluded their participation in the Directory and drew
attention to alternative possibilities for producing the list, for example, on CD-rom or using the
FISAE website. After some discussion, the delegates decided to cease the Directory but maintain the
list of FISAE society addresses and contact details on the FISAE web-site.
7. Computer-Assisted Design Competition. Benoit Junod reported that more than 1100 bookplates were
submitted by more than 300 artists, mostly younger designers. He announced the major prize winners.
Given the success of the competition and the importance of the medium, FISAE voted unanimously
to offer official endorsement of a Second competition to be held in 2005 for report at the 2006
Congress and in collaboration with the St Niklaas Exlibris Museum, provided that as before there are no
financial obligations for FISAE itself.
8. FISAE Web-Site. The Executive Secretary reported that the FISAE Web-Site had been organized and the
address would be communicated to all member societies.
9. Model Bookplate Cataloguing Entries. T. Oost reported that some progress had been made and a further
report would be submitted to the 2006 Congress.
10. Status and Prospects for Bookplate Collecting. A lively and useful discussion was held under the title
"Quo Vadis Ex Libris?" in accordance with the request of the delegates at the 2002 Congress. The two
Finnish societies made a strong plea on behalf of those artists who draw bookplate designs and reproduce
them by various mechanical means not to be excluded from bookplate design competitions.
11. FISAE Certificates and Medals. The Executive Secretary reported that an anonymous donor had been
found to finance the five categories of FISAE Certificates of Honour. The Certificates had been
designed and printed letterpress by Sebastian Carter of The Rampant Lions Press and the calligraphy
by Joke van der Brandt. The Gianni Mantero Certificate was presented at the meeting to Dr. Ottmar Premstaller.
A full list of recipients for the years 2003 and 2004 as published in Bookplate International,
vol. XI (2004), no. 1, was reported to the meeting, and will be circulated to member societies.
The Executive Secretary drew the attention of member societies to the project of Edith A. Rights to
compile a directory of women bookplate designers and asked that each review her list and make suggestions
of additional names.
Attention also was drawn to the Malbork miniature graphic congress to be held from 1-5 June 2005.
The Delegates expressed their appreciation to Dr. Ottmar Premstaller and Heinrich Scheffer
for organizing such a splendid Congress.
On behalf of the Swedish Society, Lars Stolt presented a gold medal to Dr. Ottmar Premstaller and
Heinrich Scheffer.
The meeting was adjourned at 12:30 hours.
Ottmar Premstaller
President of FISAE
William E. Butler
Executive Secretary, FISAE
