Smithsonian Libraries
Polychromed PlumesDuring the last quarter of the 19th century, feather decoration for hats, fans, and boas was at its peak; in 1886, 77% of women’s hats were decorated with feathers and a milliner’s window had a display of colorful ostrich tips and plumes. They were used not only on hats, but were also used in trimming dresses, wraps, and to a large extent used in making exotic fans. Smithsonian Libraries, ostrich feathers, Alexander Paul, millinery, Victorian fashion, Godey's Lady's book, Peterson's Magazine |
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Fancy French FurnitureLe Garde-meuble, ancien et moderne (Furniture repository, ancient and modern), was a periodical consisting entirely of illustrations depicting French furniture, interiors, and window treatments. It was published in Paris from 1839 to around 1935 originally under the direction of furniture designer Désir&eacut Désiré Guilmard, Le Garde Meuble, Furniture -France, Interiors -France, Drapery-France, Smithsonian Libraries |
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I Wish I Had Been There!!Between 1909 and 1948, the Grand Palais near the Champs-Elysées in Paris featured remarkable decorative interiors which housed automotive, aeronautical and many other types of trade shows. For the buildings and other structures of the Paris Colonial Exposition of 1931, decorative lighting helped create a unity among the diverse architectures. lighting, André Granet, Smithsonian Libraries, Décors Éphémères, fountains, fireworks, lighting exhibitions, Grand Palais, lumière, Colonial Exposition of 1931 |
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Back in the USSRThis extremely rare trade catalog from 1940, in the collection of the Cooper-Hewitt Museum Library, represents the output of 10 state-owned ceramics factories from all over the Ukraine in small towns and villages after industry was nationalized in 1918. Ukraine, ceramics, tableware, prpoganda, Smithsonian Libraries, political symbols, folk art, embroidery, Soviet Union, National Design Library |
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To Tell the TruthIn the 1930s, Blue Ribbon Books and Pleasure Books, who published a series of colorful pop-up books including The Pop-up Pinocchio, were the first to coin the phrase “pop-up book”. In a five year period, they produced more than ten remarkable pop-up books on classic fairy tales including Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Jack the Giant Killer, Puss in Boots, and Little Red Riding Hood. Each of these titles featured large print text, thick board paper, colorful cartoon-like images and well constructed pop-ups that greatly appeal to chil Blue Ribbon Books, pop-up books, Harold Lentz, Smithsonian Libraries, Pinocchio |
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I Read It in a MagazineNo one can resist flipping through the pages of a magazine—in waiting rooms, while traveling, or anywhere. One that I love to browse through, and one that is popular among our library’s users, is the “women’s magazine,” Modern Priscilla (1887-1930). Originally focused on dress patterns, china painting, and needlework, the magazine’s scope was subsequently enlarged to cover other aspects of women's home life. magazines, Periodicals, Modern Priscilla, Fortune magazine, Smithsonian Libraries, illustration, graphic design, National Design Library |
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Beware of the Goblin Spider! A haunting children's illustrated bookEveryone loves a scary story, especially on Halloween. Noted writer and linguist Lafcadio Hearn’s 1910 English translation of the ancient Japanese ghost tale, The Goblin Spider, transports children of all ages to an exotic world of samurai warriors, haunted temples, and monstrous goblin spiders. Illustrated Children's Books, Japanese folktales, wood block prints, Halloween, Smithsonian Libraries, kaidan, Lafcadio Hearn, Takejiro Hasegawa, spiders, Japan, illustrations |
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Lady Liberty's baby pictures from the Kubler CollectionTo celebrate the Statue of Liberty’s 126th birthday, we’ve pulled together some of her baby pictures. These earliest images of Lady Liberty, from our National Design Library’s George A. Kubler Collection, depict her before her dedication in 1886 on Bedloe's Island—now Liberty Island. You might notice a few differences from the statue we know today, most notably the pedestal she is standing on. Statue of Liberty, picture collection, George A Kubler, Lady Liberty, Smithsonian Libraries |
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Linoleum Lives OnTurning the pages of this 1939 Armstrong pattern catalog brings me back to when I first moved into my apartment. Linoleum, Floors, Armstrong Cork Company, Smithsonian Libraries, patterns, National Design Library |
