Library Company of Philadelphia
Today’s #Feathursday feature was found on our copy of Thomas Stackhouse’s A New History of the Holy Bible (London, 1764). The striking bespoke binding is heavily decorated with floral designs and features eight gold-tooled birds per side, making this a true #GiltyPleasure.
Stackhouse, Thomas.
A new history of the Holy Bible. London, 1764.
Some of our favorite beasts are helping us start this week with a #MiniatureMonday feature! Measuring just over 8 centimeters, our copy of The Museum of Beasts (New Haven, 1836) is bound in delightful yellow printed paper wrappers and contains 16 pages of woodcuts of animals alongside a poem about each animal.
Friedrich Schoedler’s The Book of Nature (Philadelphia, 1853) is filled with illustrations and information on a variety of topics, including physics, geology, astrology, and zoology. The mollusk that adorns our copy of The Book of Nature is from an illustration on page 611.
Schoedler, Friedrich. The book of nature.
Philadelphia : Blanchard and Lea. 1853.
We’re starting the week with some marbled edges for #MarbledMonday! Trimming the edges of a textblock leaves a smooth surface that begs for decoration.
Our copy of Dress and Care of the Feet (New York, 1871) is signed by engraver John Feely and shows his characteristic squiggly lines. #PublishersBindingThursday
Dress and care of the feet. New York : Samuel R. Wells, 1871.
This #FelineFriday feature is from the back wrapper on our copy of A Brief Biographical Sketch of I.A. Van Amburgh (New York, 1860). Van Amburgh is credited with developing the first trained wild animal act, and would often place his bare arm, and sometimes his head, within the jaws of a wild cat. His act influenced many circus performances after him.
Known as “The Lion King”, Van Amburgh was criticized in his time for his brutal treatment of animals.
A Brief biographical sketch of I.A. Van Amburgh.
New York, Samuel Booth, 1860.
It’s time for our final #PrideMonth #LibraryLoveisLoveisLove feature! We have enjoyed participating in this challenge over the last week and seeing all the colorful publishers’ bindings!
Our copy of Tennessee Claflin’s Constitutional Equality a Right of Woman (New York, circa 1871) features a gorgeous gilt-stamped title on its violet cloth. We peaked inside and found this line from the introduction: “We feel that we are in duty bound to advocate the perfect equality of all human beings, which may, without assumption, be called the cause of humanity.”
Day 6 of the #PrideMonth #LibraryLoveisLoveisLove challenge brings us this beautiful indigo publishers’ binding on our copy of Rambosson’s Astronomy (New York, circa 1870). We especially love the gilt decoration on the spine.
Day five of the #PrideMonth #LibraryLoveisLoveisLove challenge brings us this highly-decorated publishers’ binding on our copy of The Poetical Works and Remains of Henry Kirke White (Philadelphia, 1855).
The poetical works and remains of Henry Kirke White.
Philadelphia : E. H. Butler & Co.
1855
We’re throwing it back to 1832 for day 4 of the #PrideMonth #LibraryLoveisLoveisLove challenge! Our copy of The Child’s Own Book of Tales and Anecdotes About Dogs (Boston, 1832) features a lovely printed paper label on its moss-green binding.