What type of reader are you? This image might make some cringe, but it is evidence of a well-loved book. 

Cornelius Tacitus, The Works of Tacitus (London, 1753).

The reader, Founding Father John Dickinson, precisely, deliberately, bent hundreds of page corners to point to paragraphs of note. This evidence of use can provide the historian valuable insight into the reader’s thinking, which would be lost if the corners were unfolded. A typed note on the book tag ensures that a well-meaning user won’t be tempted to “fix.”

We found this note while cataloging our copy of Phoebe Cary’s Poems and Parodies (Boston, 1854). The note is on the final page of the text and states: Nothing worth reading in the book #everyonesacritic

Cary, Phoebe, 1824-1871. Poems and parodies, by Phoebe Carey.
Boston, Ticknor, Reed, and Fields, 1854. [5], iv-vi, 200, [4], 8 p. ;  19 cm

TGI #FinisFriday! We’re feeling uplifted by these cherubs, found in William Hobby’s Self-examination in it’s Necessity and Advantages (Boston, 1746).

Hobby, William, 1707-1765. Self-examination in it’s necessity and advantages urged and applied : in sundry sermons delivered at Reading. Boston : Printed and sold by S. Kneeland and T. Green, in Queenstreet, opposite to the prison, 1746.

The Age of Enlightenment filled the minds of men and women with wonder. It was a period of observation and discovery. Books furnished an avid public with new knowledge of the earth and the heavens. Information was presented in novel ways to captivate and educate the reader.

The book featured in the video is John Lodge Cowley’s An Illustration and Mensuration of Solid Geometry (London, 1787), which contains several plates that fold into geometric forms that rise up out of the page.

You can see this book on display in our current exhibition The Living Book : New Perspectives on Form and Function open through January 5, 2018. Remember to take a handout of this geometric form while you’re in the gallery!

John Lodge Cowley, An Illustration and Mensuration of Solid Geometry in Seven Books (London, 1787).

We’re sharing this terrifying (though beautifully stamped) seven-headed dragon as part of the June #FantasticBeastsintheLibrary challenge. We especially love the cluster of stars around the beast’s tail, maybe because it distracts us from all those teeth…

Gavin, Antonio, fl. 1726. The great red dragon ; or, The master-key to popery / by Anthony Gavin. Boston : Published by Samuel Jones, 1854. 408 p., [4] leaves of plates (incl. frontis.) :  ill. ;  20 cm. (12mo)

This gorgeous circa 1846 publisher’s binding is our ‘offering’ for #FloralFriday. We love the delicate floral patterns surrounding the gold-stamped cover title, especially against the rich color of the cloth binding.

Browse the Library Company’s database of 19th-Century Cloth Bindings to see more!

Osgood, Frances S. [c1846], The floral offering, a token of friendship 
Philadelphia : Carey and Hart [c1846]  22 cm x 28 cm x 2.5 cm

Check out the gorgeous decorated paper wrappers on our copy of Luke Howard’s Christian Momento (Philadelphia, 1824) #WrapperWednesday

Howard, Luke,1772-1864. A Christian memento, Philadelphia: To be had of Benjamin & Thomas Kite, No. 20, North Third Street.,1824. 12 p. ;  18 cm.

It’s #MarbledMonday, and we’re flipping for these marbled edges and endpapers found on our copy of Thomas Jefferys’ The Natural and Civil History of the French Dominions in North and South America (London, 1760).

Jefferys, Thomas, -1771. The natural and civil history of the French dominions in North and South America. London [England], : Printed for Thomas Jefferys at Charing-Cross., MDCCLX. [1760] 2 v. :  maps, plans ;  38 cm (folio)

Our conservation department recently uploaded a collection of Pennsylvania German catechisms on Flickr. The 18th-century block-printed decorative papers provide a unique personality to these bindings. To see their full covers visit the Library Company Conservation Dept. Flickr page:  https://www.flickr.com/photos/librarycompany/34392956223/in/album-72157681837145234/

Benjamin Sands, Metamorphosis, or, A Transformation of Pictures (United States?, 1802). Manuscript copy by “A.A. Sept. 25th, 1802.”

Each of the five panels folds at the top and bottom to create three illustrations. This book form, called “metamorphosis,” was so popular that thirty-nine editions were printed in America before 1820. Other manuscript copies exist, but all copies are unique.

You can see this book in person in our current exhibition, The Living Book: New Perspectives on From and Function on display through January 5th, 2018.