What is F.I.S.A.E.? The origins... Ex-libris, as small printed art graphics pasted in books to identify their owners, have existed for more than five hundred years. The first use of mobile type by Gutenberg caused a swift development of libraries and their owners - proud of their possessions - chose to mark their books with ex-libris, or bookplates as they are commonly called in English. Apart from rare exceptions, such as a mid-18th century German collection whose owner has not been identified and the collections of Ad...laide Le Caron de Fleury (constituted c.1780-1793) or Miss Jenkins of Bath (active c.1820) ex-libris collecting did not, however, really start before the 1860s. When it did, because of the historical sociological and artistic interest of these small prints, the fashion spread like wildfire. Societies of collectors were founded in London and Berlin in 1891, and in many European capitals in the subsequent decade. At first, the prime object of collection was old bookplates, particularly the early rarities, but soon many collectors widened their interest to include contemporary plates and commissioned ex-libris not only for their libraries but also for exchange. Many of these societies, however, ceased functioning in the 1920s. This corresponded to a lull in interest during the 1930-1950 period, caused by the economic crisis and the Second World War, but ex-librism has since been slowly expanding. In 1949 already, with numerous societies having been re-established, one of the most active international collectors, Gianni Mantero, launched the idea of organising an international meeting to bring together people sharing an interest in ex-libris. He rightly considered that exchanges of bookplates by correspondance would never replace the direct contacts which could be taken at that sort of meeting, especially between collectors and artists. First congresses... In 1953, at Kufstein (Austria), a meeting pompously called "congress" brought together some sixte persons from seven countries. In 1954, a similar event took place in Lugano (Switzerland) followed by one in 1955 in Antwerp (Belgium), in 1956 in Frankfurt (Federal Republic of Germany) and in 1957 in Amsterdam. Participants were so pleased with these meetings that the experience snowballed and in 1958 some 150 persons from 12 European countries met in Barcelona (Spain). In view of the increasing size of the congresses and the burden for the organisers, it was decided that they would take place every second year. Venues were decided at once: Vienna for 1960, Paris for 1962 and Kracow for 1964. These apparently informal congresses had already taken important decisions. In 1958, G. Mantero and A. Herry presented a list of technical symbols for techniques used in printed ex-libris which was adopted by the congress and only replaced by a new list in 2002 at the XXIX Congress of FISAE At the congress in Paris in 1962, model exchange lists for collectors were adopted and a proposal was made to found a federation of bookplate societies within the framework of UNESCO. This project was abandoned not only because institutional support was hard to obtain rapidly, but because there were a number of societies from Eastern Europe with which the West European societies wanted not to sever ties. How FISAE came into being... In 1965, at a meeting of the French bookplate society AFCEL, at which Gianni Mantero was present as well as Albert Collart, then Secretary of the Belgian ex-libris magazine Graphia, The idea was launched to call the Federation FISAE, on the basis of the initials of its title in French. A few weeks later, Jean-Charles Meyer visited Gianni Mantero in Como and Carlo Chiesa, a very influential Swiss ex-librist and at present the dean of ex-libris collectors, at Lugano, and draft statutes were prepared. They were then sent for comment to 25 bookplate societies, and 17 responded quite favourably. When the 1966 congress opened in Hamburg, discussions were still sharp. Most articles and concepts were uncontroversial, but there was a project of direct financial contribution by the member societies to FISAE which had to be abandoned as its being maintained would have prevented consensus. Thus the statutes were adopted by fifteen founding societies, those of Austria, Belgium (N.E.K and Graphia), Denmark, the Federal Republic of Germany, France, the German Democratic Republic, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain (A.E.B.), Sweden, and Tchecoslovakia. All congratulated themselves for having done so "without any financial implications." The question of an obligatory financial contribution by member societies has constantly been refused. The working languages were deemed to be German, French and English. At the Oxford Congress of FISAE in 1982, the Belgian delegate Leo Winkeler proposed that Dutch (or Flemish) be added, but even the Dutch delegate spoke against, and the official languages remained three. To ensure continuity despite no permanent seat or organs, the statutes foresee that at each congress, the president of the society in whose country the next meeting will take place, takes over the presidency. He is assisted by two vice-presidents, the two persons who immediately preceeded him in his functions. FISAE has an Executive Secretary, who for several years now has been Professor W. E. Butler, collector and editor of Bookplate International. What are FISAE Congresses like? The number of participants has remained fairly stable, with 260 at Como (Italy) in 1968, about 170 at Frederikshavn in 2002, 400 at Monchengladbach (Germany) in 1990 and the same number in Chrudim (Czech Republic) in 1996. Larger congresses have both advantages and drawbacks - the main advantage lies in the variety of collectors and artists present, the drawback is the difficulty of meeting all the people one would like to! At each Congress, one or more societies have joined: Switzerland in 1968, Slovenia in 1970, Great Britain in 1972, the USA in 1974, Finland and Canada in 1976 (the latter is now dormant), Japan in 1982, China, Russia, Luxemburg, Italy and Israel in 1988 (the latter is also dormant), Estonia, Spain (the Catalan society) and the KME of Poland in 1990, Lithuania in 1992, Ukraine and the Belgrade Ex-libris Circle in 1996, Turkey and Mexico in 2000 and Argentina, Andalucia (Spain) and Taiwan in 2002. Fees for participation are charged by societies organising congresses to cover costs of publications, services provided and - of course! - an official dinner. The main reason for many people to take part in the congresses is to have contacts with other collectors and artists, to exchange ex-libris and to commission new ones.There are usually several exhibitions of bookplates on show, sometimes one or two conferences, (though lack of interpretation sometimes render them difficult), and a few stands with ex-libris and books about bookplates on sale. There is also, obligatorily, a meeting of the delegates of member societies, which decides on the venue for the congress to be held four years later, and confirms the one held two years hence. Other subjects of common interest are discussed as well. It is without doubt the conviviality of these 2-3 day events which makes them so agreable, and the exciting possibility to be with a group of people sharing the same interests and passion for bookplates.	Logos of international congresses after the formal constitution of FISAE in 1966
	Hamburg, Germany 1966	Como, Italy 1968
	Budapest, Hungary, 1970	Helsingör, Denmark, 1972
	Bled, Slovenia, 1974	Lisbon, Portugal. 1976
	Lugano, Switzerland, 1978	Linz, Austria, 1980
	Oxford, GB, 1982	Weimar, GDR, 1984
	Utrecht, Netherlands, 1986	Frederikshavn, Denmark, 1988
	Mönchengladbach, Germany, 1990	Sapporo, Japan, 1992
	Milano, Italy, 1994	Chrudim, Czech Republic, 1996
	St. Petersburg, Russia, 1998	Boston, USA, 2000
	Frederikshavn, Denmark, 2002