JAMES (Jim) McCREADY ...... Bookplate artist/collector (1923-2012)
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Jim was a talented heraldic artist and a friend to all, especially collectors of Bookplates!
Brought up in Dunedin, New Zealand. He served in NZ Artillery and Royal NZ Air Force Bomber Reconnaissance. Graduated University of Otago. Subsequently Senior Master King's High School (Dunedin), retiring as Deputy Rector in 1980.
Fellow of the Heraldry Society. Founder member of the NZ Heraldry Society. Established a Baliwick of the Order of St Lazarus in New Zealand and created Kowhai Herald of Arms to the Order.
Arms: Argent, a fess quartered Sable and Or between in chief two trefoils Vert and in base a narcissus slipped Proper, overall two flanches Gules each charged with a NZ cabbage tree Or. Crest: A dexter hand couped erect holding a compass rose Proper.
The other shields on the bookplate are (clockwise) 1. University of Otago, 2. Order of St.Lazarus, NZ Bailiwick, 3. New Zealand, 4. Dunedin, 5. The Heraldry Society, 6. King's High School, Dunedin.
Jim was not a commercial artist, his heraldic plates were lovingly produced and given freely to the recipient, many of whom were associated with the Order of St Lazarus or other armorial bookplate collectors, friends societies etc. He did produce many personal plates bearing his and his wife Maida's arms, commemorating various events in his life and those of Dunedin and New Zealand.
He also collected armorial bookplates and I would think his entire collection would be counted in the 1,000's. I understand this collection is to be deposited in Christchurch (NZ) University Library.
Jim was an extremely generous man, indeed during the last 12 months of his life he sent me the entire collection of duplicate plates that he had produced himself along with plates he had duplicates of from other artists. In return I could only offer a handful or so of duplicates I had available, this was the generosity of the man. The plate shown inset is number one of his personal work and the last plate I hold is numbered 142!
I hope to use this page to show and commemorate his life's work.
Brought up in Dunedin, New Zealand. He served in NZ Artillery and Royal NZ Air Force Bomber Reconnaissance. Graduated University of Otago. Subsequently Senior Master King's High School (Dunedin), retiring as Deputy Rector in 1980.
Fellow of the Heraldry Society. Founder member of the NZ Heraldry Society. Established a Baliwick of the Order of St Lazarus in New Zealand and created Kowhai Herald of Arms to the Order.
Arms: Argent, a fess quartered Sable and Or between in chief two trefoils Vert and in base a narcissus slipped Proper, overall two flanches Gules each charged with a NZ cabbage tree Or. Crest: A dexter hand couped erect holding a compass rose Proper.
The other shields on the bookplate are (clockwise) 1. University of Otago, 2. Order of St.Lazarus, NZ Bailiwick, 3. New Zealand, 4. Dunedin, 5. The Heraldry Society, 6. King's High School, Dunedin.
Jim was not a commercial artist, his heraldic plates were lovingly produced and given freely to the recipient, many of whom were associated with the Order of St Lazarus or other armorial bookplate collectors, friends societies etc. He did produce many personal plates bearing his and his wife Maida's arms, commemorating various events in his life and those of Dunedin and New Zealand.
He also collected armorial bookplates and I would think his entire collection would be counted in the 1,000's. I understand this collection is to be deposited in Christchurch (NZ) University Library.
Jim was an extremely generous man, indeed during the last 12 months of his life he sent me the entire collection of duplicate plates that he had produced himself along with plates he had duplicates of from other artists. In return I could only offer a handful or so of duplicates I had available, this was the generosity of the man. The plate shown inset is number one of his personal work and the last plate I hold is numbered 142!
I hope to use this page to show and commemorate his life's work.
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