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Category Archives: Books
Veiled in Gold: The Mysterious History of Disappearing Fore-Edge Decoration
The anatomy of a book includes the fore-edge, or the vertical outer edge of a closed volume. The American Heritage Center’s Toppan Rare Books Library holds fourteen specimens of disappearing fore-edge paintings. Eight of these were collected by Charles Chacey … Continue reading
Posted in Books
Tagged Art preservation, Art revival, Bibliophilia, Book aesthetics, Book collecting, Book decoration, Book design, Bookbinding, C.B. Currie, Cultural Heritage, Fore-edge painting, Historical bookmaking, Library Collections, rare books, Samuel Mearne, Toppan Rare Books Library, Vera Dutter, Victorian book arts, Vintage books, William Edwards
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“Asters All A-blow”: Women’s Gardening Aesthetic in Industrial America and Eliza Toppan’s Gardening Manuals
The Toppan Rare Book Library is inextricably linked to the legacies of members of the Toppan family: Frederick, Clara, and Eliza. Fred, a geologist, met Clara Raab when he and Eliza moved to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, in 1941. As a … Continue reading
Posted in American History, Books, Women's History
Tagged Book collecting, Botanical illustrations, Cottage-style gardens, Eliza Toppan, Female authors, Gardening manuals, Helena Rutherfurd Ely, Horticulture, Illustrated books, Industrial America, Margaret Armstrong, rare books, Toppan Rare Book Library, Victorian era, Women gardeners
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A Friendship in the Books
For dearest Olga—who knows, loves and writes books—from a kindred soul with love and admiration. Ishbel Ross. Christmas 1964, inscription in An American Family: The Tafts, 1678 to 1964. For Olga Arnold—dear and understanding friend. Devotedly, Ishbel Ross. Christmas 1967, … Continue reading
Over the Rainbow: Toppan Rare Book Library’s 1939 Oz Books
In the days before streaming became commonplace, it was an annual tradition in many households to look forward to the night when The Wizard of Oz film would air on television. Although not my favorite movie, it was always breathtaking … Continue reading
Celebrating National Book Lover’s Day with Medieval Treasures
August 9th is National Book Lover’s Day. To celebrate, the Toppan Rare Books Library is presenting a couple of our (personal) favorite books from the collection: a 15th century Belgian prayer book and an illuminated religious song book, also from … Continue reading
True Crime Obsessed: The Literary Figures Who Contributed to the Craze and the Stories That Feed It
With the current plethora of media – documentaries, podcasts, books, and biopics of serial killers – it’s no wonder true crime is so popular. But it isn’t just today’s societies that have this obsession. The love for true crime stories … Continue reading
Prints Profoundly Proper: Unveiling the Works of George Cruikshank
George Cruikshank (1792-1878) was an English caricaturist known for creating political satire pieces and famous illustrations for notable authors like Charles Dickens. While taking printmaking classes, I came across his name multiple times. This piqued my interest to learn more … Continue reading
Posted in Books, Literature
Tagged 19th century, Book illustrations, Caricaturist, Charles Dickens, Comic Almanack, Cruikshank's Table-book, George Cruikshank, Glyphography, Illustrators, Oliver Twist, Political Cartoonist, Printmaker, Satirical Illustration, The Bottle, The Drunkard's Children, Toppan Rare Books Library
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How the Library of a 19th Century Club for Elites Ended Up at the University of Wyoming
In the Toppan Rare Books Library, there are several sub-collections of books. These sub-collections reflect where the Rare Books Library acquired the books, whether it was by donation, a transfer from a different part of the University of Wyoming, or … Continue reading
Book Lover’s Day: Eighteenth-Century Women Writers
For Book Lover’s Day (August 9), the AHC’s Toppan Rare Books Library offers you a historical vignette of prominent women authors and poets of the eighteenth century. While women did not particularly write more novels over the course of the … Continue reading