#rare book collection

Our rare book catalogers are nearly finished cataloging this rare and elegant copy of Giannozzo Manetti’s translation of Aristotle’s Magna moralia and Eudemian ethics. Only four other copies are known to exist.

Ever wondered what people wore to costume balls in the Regency era?  

All of these amazing ensembles (and more!) can be found in Wilson Library’s copy of Characters in the grand fancy-ball given by the British Ambassador, Sir Henry Wellesley, at Vienna.…  This ball–given at the end of carnival in 1826–was filled with dramatic historical and literary costumes, counting Queen Elizabeth and Ivanhoe among its many “guests.”

If you want to know even more about all the costumes, entertainment, and drama of the ball, come take a look at the book in person for a little Jane Austen era party inspiration!

Happy mer-May from Wilson Library Special Collections!

This particular mer-man is found in the pages of Wilson Library’s copy of  Pavli Macii Emblemata…(1628).

Today’s#colorourcollections post features Queen Elizabeth I of England.This particular portrait of Elizabeth is found in an extra-illustrated copy of The workes of Benjamin Jonson (1640).  Pasted into this collection of Johnson’s plays by a former reader or owner, this portrait of Elizabeth Tudor even comes with it’s own caption!  

Today’s#colorourcollections post comes courtesy of illustrator Aubrey Beardsley!  This ornate illustration appears in Wilson Library Special Collections’ 1896 edition of The Rape of the Lock , which combines Beardsley’s art with Alexander Pope’s mock epic poem.

I don’t know about you, but I’m very excited to color all the ruffles, wigs, and gowns that appear in this image!

For more #ColorOurCollections fun, head over to the main site (here), or to UNC Chapel Hill Library’s Coloring book (here)!

For Day 2 of #colorourcollections , we’ve decided to feature one of our favorite skeletons in Wilson Library Special Collections!

This particular skeleton is from De dissectione partium corporis humani libri tres(1545)–an anatomy text printed by the prolific printing family, the Estiennes.

Color our Collections 2018

It’s finally time for Color our Collections! And we here at Wilson Library are pretty excited about it!

Color our collections (hosted by the New York Academy of Medicine) is a week full of free, printable coloring book pages from your favorite special collections around the country–including our collections here at UNC Chapel Hill!  

So find some colored pencils and get ready for a week of arts and crafts fun with special collections!  (And check back in with our Tumblr for some bonus content throughout the week!)

Today’s image: Printer’s device fromDell'historia naturale di Ferrante Imperato NapoletanoLibri XXVIII (1599, located in Wilson Library Special Collections)

Today’s highlight from our Rare Books Collection is some charming marginalia from our copy Der Statt Wormbs Reformation . From what we can tell, the annotator was trying to figure out the time that had passed between the first printing of this text and the year 1614.  However, this owner slightly bungled both the original publication date (1499, not 1498) and the math (the difference should have been 116)!  

Despite those few mishaps, though, this piece of marginalia is still a favorite of mine.  Although the annotation is small, this subtraction makes a nice addition to the work of anyone studying reader-text interactions!

The Death’s Head Hawkmoth & 19th- century literature

It’s time for a little entomology in Wilson Library Special Collections!  Today’s bug is the beautiful but bleak death’s head hawkmoth.  Though there are three species of moths grouped under this moniker (Acherontia Atropos,Acherontia lachesis, and Acherontia styx)all three of them share the same signature skull-shaped markings.

This peculiar patterning makes the death’s head hawkmoth a particular favorite of writers and filmmakers.  Although you might remember this moth most vividly from The Silence of the Lambs, the death’s head hawkmoth can actually trace its pop culture roots all the way back to the 19th century!  Because of the spooky pattern that adorns its back, the 19th-century was particularly obsessed with all things Acherontia.  You can spot references to this macabre moth in the pages of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Poe’s “The Sphinx”, and in this beautifully illustrated copy of A true relation of the apparition of Mrs. Veal ( 1883, located in Wilson Library Special Collections).  

If you want to try your hand at finding the references to the death’s head hawkmoth in these works, you’re in luck!  Wilson Library has copies of all three chilling tales in their special collections! So come visit if you want to learn more about these little lepidopterans!

Wondering what to wear for any upcoming holiday parties?  Then take some style inspiration from today’s Special Collections Outfit of the Day, taken from a portrait of 19th-century author, Catherine Charlotte Maberly (1805-1875).*

*Image from Wilson Library’s Copy of The love-match : a novel(1841).

This weekend’s weather forecast calls for snow here in Chapel Hill! So to celebrate the first snow of the season, here’s a lovely winter landscape courtesy of Wilson Library Special Collection’s copy of Account of a voyage of discovery to the north-east of Siberia : the frozen ocean, and the north-east sea.

That moment when you realize it’s finals week already………

Shoutout to all UNC students finishing all their final papers and exams this week!  Finals week bird feels your pain….

Image from Wilson Library Special Collections’ copy of  An account of the islands of Orkney 

One item that is currently being cataloged for the Rare Book Collection is this early Pietist devotional work that intended for its reader to tear out its pages for personal use. This is the only known copy of the 1725 edition and there is one extant copy of the first edition from 1719 held in Germany. This rarity is likely due in part to the intended ephemerality of the piece. The Biblisches Spruch-Kästlein, or little chest of biblical sayings, is a testament to the beginnings of Pietism within the Lutheran faith. The preface argues that that the reader should not learn solely from sermons, but also from personal exploration of the Bible and its truths, pointing to the work of Lutheran theologian Philipp Jakob Spener, who is considered to be the father of Pietism. This little volume, measuring 7 x 10 cm, includes directions for use, which tell the reader to consider ripping out a particular page to read and remind oneself of spiritual truths throughout the day. Another possibility would be to read one page after the other, or to open the book at random, read the short entry, and look up the corresponding passage in the Bible for further learning. Each page includes a verse from Luther’s translation of the Bible, a reference for further reading, and a rhymed poem that interprets the verse. The poems tend to emphasize the importance of personally studying the Bible. This piece shows a move toward encouraging individual learning and devotion for both the young and old. The Rare Book Collection copy was contained in a small, portable slipcase. Most pages of the volume have been removed from the sewn gatherings and were stored loose in the case (surprisingly very few are wanting). The pages show heavy use and point to personal spiritual education in the early eighteenth century.

Halloween reading from the Rare Book Collection at Wilson Library. We have spooky mysteries, devilishly illustrated books, and even a dictionary for all things infernal! 

Give me death(1934); Saducismus triumphatus(1689); Dictionnaire infernal (1844);The twin hells(1890)

Read more about Katie Phar, the IWW songbird, on the Southern Folklife Collection blog today. The materials discussed are cataloged or processed and available at Wilson Library: http://blogs.lib.unc.edu/sfc/index.php/2017/10/12/katie-phar-songbird-of-the-wobblies/