Henry (Harry) William Tompkins was a renowned Melbourne architect, former City of Kew councillor and sometime Mayor of the municipality. He was president of the Melbourne Institute of Architects in 1914-15. In partnership with his brother, Frank Beauchamp Tompkins, he designed the Myer Stores in Bourke and Lonsdale Streets in 1933. Locally he was the architect of the Kew War Memorial (opened 1925). At the time that the gravure plate was made, the couple lived in 'Fenwick', a house on the corner of Stawell Street and Fenwick Street, Kew, which has since been demolished.Copper (on steel?) gravure printing plate made for Mr & Mrs Harold Tompkins, 'Fenwick', Fenwick Street, Kew. Engraved in reverse script. It is assumed that the acronym PPC may stand for 'Please Present Card'. "Mr & Mrs H.W. Tompkins, Fenwick, Fenwick Street, Studley Park / PPC 1st Friday"harry tompkins, gravure printing plates, business cards

After a quiet period, interest in bookplates in Australia began to increase in the early 1970s, Entrepreneurial art and book collectors such as Edwin Jewell and others commissioned multiple Bookplate designs from a range of well known fine artists. At a 1997 meeting in Melbourne of the Ephemera Society of Australia Edwin Jewell and others announced the formation of the Australian Bookplate Society. The society was instrumental in promoting the art of the bookplate through establishment of the Australian Bookplate Design competition. The competition includes a design award for International bookplate designers and graphic artists.Goanna on pole forming left border of plate with graving tools lower right framed in loose black border on three sides with MK in block.Signed in pencil beneath block Mary Keep.goanna, gravure