your walls could be like 57% more awesome, pt. 2
At long last, pt. 2 of my wall-improvement series is ready. My plan had been to show just a couple of samples from the nature illustration print collection of the NY public library’s Digital Gallery, but, well, there were way too many that I adored.
and so BELOW are just an itty bitty smattering (apologies for the nautical prejudice - it’s just where my interest lies) of the vast collection of archived science/nature book pages scanned and available for purchase (for like $50 and up, depending on size):
Testudo polyphemus. from North American herpetology; or, A description of the reptiles inhabiting the United States. (1842) (omg, TURTLE BELLIES.)
Sixteen Varieties of Gooseberries, from A collection of the most esteemed fruits…with the blossoms and leaves… (1812) (who knew there were so many varieties of gooseberries? not me, that’s for damn sure.)
Himanthalia lorea, from Photographs of British algae: cyanotype impressions. (1843)
Fig. 1. Male Narwal, or Unicorn (15 Ft. in length); Fig. 2. Under side view of the same Narwal; Fig. 3. Lamantin. from American natural history. Part 1.–Mastology (1826)
Sea Anemones from Animate creation; popular edition of our living world, a natural history (1898)
Les Poissons: le Hareng, la Morue, la Baleine from Cabinet du petit naturaliste (1812) (Woodcut = yay)
Ctenophores. from The new natural history (189-?) (Just LOOK at that loverly shade of blue…)
1. Helix antiqua; 2. Helix Coreanica; 3. Helix leucostoma; 4. Helix orientalis; 5. Helix immaculata; 6. Helix caliginosa; 7. Helix decora; 8. Helix densa; 9. Helix plurizonata; 10. Helix canescens; 11. Helix conoidalis. from The zoology of the voyage of H.M.S. Samarang; under the command of Captain Sir Edward Belcher … during the years 1843-46 (1850)
Siren lacertina from North American herpetology; or, A description of the reptiles inhabiting the United States. (1842)
They also have cartography, russian civil war posters, fashion illustration (see below), industrial blueprints, architecture, menus… I just… it’s just so… overwhelming. Go forth, acquire.
from Ladies’ dress shoes of the nineteenth century (published 1900)
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These are all stunning, but the “Les Poissons” one is one of the most magical things I have ever seen.
I could not agree more, dear-j.
I went to library site, and were it not for a lack of funds, I would purchase them all and plaster my apartment with them!
alliepants: I would do the same. I decided I’m definitely going to get 1 of them. but, as you can see, I have a very difficult time choosing. I might go by color alone.
[...] From neverslapthegiftmonkey: Digital prints from the New York Public Library Archives. A lot of these are very John [...]
the shoes make me want to swoon, but the baleine is truly beautiful. i miss yr obsessions being all around me, darling. and i miss you, truly. good find.
hi there kotacakes, I miss you muchly more!
Sea Anemones!!
Just an FYI, while the high resolution images are available for purchase, if you can make do with the lower resolution, just print them out on a color printer.