Last week we opened, for the first time, a wooden shipping crate that had been stored in the department for many years. It had been sent to the Libraries in 1986 by Desmond Leigh-Hunt, the great-great-grandson of the Romantic poet and editor Leigh Hunt. Desmond Leigh-Hunt described it in correspondence as the fireplace surround fromContinue reading “Leigh Hunt’s Fireplace”
Category Archives: Collection Connection
Round the World with Nellie Bly
By Denise Anderson Round the World with Nellie Bly is a Victorian-era board game housed in Special Collections & University Archives. McLoughlin Bros., New York, published the game in 1890 in celebration of her circumnavigation of the globe in record time, made from November 14, 1889 to January 25, 1890, exactly 123 years agoContinue reading “Round the World with Nellie Bly”
An Artistic Test from Norman Meier
By Denise Anderson During this week of final exams, perhaps a more enjoyable test to engage in might be one that measures your artistic ability? Professor Norman C. Meier, of the UI Department of Psychology, developed the Meier Art Tests, which evolved from his Ph.D. dissertation at Iowa in 1926, “The Use of Aesthetic JudgmentContinue reading “An Artistic Test from Norman Meier”
Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol on Display in Special Collections
Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol was an instant publishing success, and it remains a beloved piece of literature today, celebrated during the Christmas season around the world. The first edition, printed in 1843, includes four hand-colored steel engravings by John Leech. Our copy of this work comes from the collection of James Wallace, a collectorContinue reading “Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol on Display in Special Collections”
Happy Thanksgiving!
This morning I was a guest on Iowa Public Radio’s Talk of Iowa program, where we discussed Thanksgiving recipes, cookbooks, and traditions. You can listen to an archived version of the program here. Below are links to some of the items from Special Collections that were discussed on the show. Szathmary Culinary Manuscripts: http://digital.lib.uiowa.edu/cookbooks DIYContinue reading “Happy Thanksgiving!”
The Glenn Voting Machine
by Shawn R. Conley – student worker in Special Collections With the election year in full swing and Election Day looming, most of us will be making our way to that legendary voting booth with the fancy curtains to cast our vote and take part in yet another one of our civic duties. Most ofContinue reading “The Glenn Voting Machine”
Conflicting views of Lackington’s – Publisher of Frankenstein – 3 pf 3 from Peter Balestrieri
Third in our series on Frankenstein related holdings from Peter Balestrieri. Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein was published in 1818 by the firm of Lackington, Hughes, Harding, Mavor, & Jones. The deal worked by Percy Shelley called for printing five hundred copies, a short run even by the standards of the day. What kind of firm wasContinue reading “Conflicting views of Lackington’s – Publisher of Frankenstein – 3 pf 3 from Peter Balestrieri”
Grand Army of the Republic in Iowa
Today’s post comes from Jacque Roethler on Grand Army of the Republic finds in her recent processing work. Special Collections recently acquired the papers of a law firm in Cedar Rapids, the Bealer/Grimm/Shuttleworth papers. In it were the expected files on cases, insurance, and property, but in a ledger containing E. J. C. Bealer’s 1927Continue reading “Grand Army of the Republic in Iowa”
A Miniature Menagerie
Do you remember the Sesame Street song lyrics “One of these things is not like the other one of these things just doesn’t belong”? Today’s post was inspired by the song, though I’m inclined to agree with the first part of the statement and disagree with the latter. Yes, these things are not like theContinue reading “A Miniature Menagerie”
Mary and Percy Shelley Letter Mentions Frankenstein Rejections – 2 of 3 from Peter Balestrieri
Second in our series of three blog posts from Peter Balestrieri examining our holdings relating to Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein, or, The Modern Prometheus. On August 16, 1817, Mary began writing a letter to Marianne Hunt, Leigh Hunt’s wife. The Hunt’s and the Shelley’s were close friends, their correspondence is extensive, and many of thoseContinue reading “Mary and Percy Shelley Letter Mentions Frankenstein Rejections – 2 of 3 from Peter Balestrieri”