Chennai:

S Suresh was happy on Wednesday when Barack Obama was re-elected as US President, not because of any political affiliation but because it meant his bookmark listing all the US Presidents could stay in his collection. “I was wondering if I’d have to get a new one if Obama lost,” says Suresh, 45, who has a collection of more than 250 bookmarks.

An archaeologist and state convener of the conservation group INTACH, Suresh began his bookmark collection as an offshoot of his penchant for collecting books. “I have more than 20,000 books, a collection begun by my grandparents,” says Suresh.

Some years ago, while reading , Suresh realised that some of his books contained unusual bookmarks. “I took them out and found that there was an interesting collection,” he says. He began “systematically” collecting bookmarks in 1997.

His collection includes bookmarks of metal, paper, stained glass, cherry wood and even one of dried flowers, which he never uses for fear it will disintegrate. A friend has knitted him a wormshaped bookmark in wool. The oldest is a 75-year-old leather bookmark that belonged to his grandparents . He even has one made of magnetic sheets that not only marks your spot in the book, but also never falls out. “I got it at the Guggenheim Museum in the US,” says Suresh. “They made it because garden readers complained that bookmarks fly off during strong winds.”

Suresh bought more than 150 of his bookmarks while travelling abroad. “Many museums abroad sell bookmarks with photographs of the building or the masterpieces . They also print entry tickets in the form of bookmarks,” he says. He sometimes buys two entry tickets just so he can add one to his collection. In India , the only museum to give entry tickets in the form of bookmarks is the National Museum in Delhi.

“Very few cultural institutions in India bring out bookmarks,” says Suresh. So, a few years ago when he heard that Kalakshetra Foundation was bringing out bookmarks featuring founder Rukmini Devi Arundale, he rushed over and bought a couple. Suresh says it’s easy to preserve his collection — he just stores them in his books. “It keeps them pressed and fresh,” he says. “And honestly, there’s really no better home for a bookmark.”

kamini.mathai@timesgroup.com

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / Home> City / by Kamini Mathai, TNN / November 09th, 2012