Saturday, October 26, 2013

Pirates!

An illustration of a mustachioed man named Francis Lolonois.Thinking of dressing up like a pirate this Halloween? If you want the classic look popularized in the 19th century, Howard Pyle is the place to go. But, if you want a more authentic take on the style, try The Bucaniers of America: Or, a True Account of the Most Remarkable Assault Committed of Late Years upon the Coasts of the West-Indies by the Bucaniers of Jamaica and Tortuga, Both English and French (London: William Crooke, 1684). Not only will you find some good costume ideas, but you can read about the exploits of the campus favorite Captain (Henry) Morgan.

A n illustration of Captain Henry Morgan.Originally published in Dutch in 1678, this 1684 English translation added to Alexander Exquemelin's first hand accounts of his encounters with pirates in the Caribbean. It helped to popularize the romantic and sensational tales of privateers and pirates and built the modern mythology surrounding their exploits.

An illustration showing the "towne of Puerto del Principe taken and sackt."
Just ask for Rare F2161 .E75 1684.






Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Shape up!

A book with a novelty cover shaped like Little Red Riding Hood with the wolf curled around her feet.Prang's inexpensive color lithography technique revolutionized advertising and made color greeting cards commonplace. His work appeared in millions of scrapbooks in the the late 19th century. He also made novelty books like this shaped book of Little Red Riding Hood.

In the original Perrault telling of Little Red Riding Hood, our young heroine is eaten by the wolf. It is a cautionary tale about the wolves of the world that stalk young women. But the story has become much nicer over time. But in this 1863 edition, Little Read Riding Hood is saved at the last minute by a hunter--not even her grandmother dies. It still has a cautionary moral at the end, but it only reminds the young to shape up and obey their mothers.

The book opened. On either page is a small block of illustrated text. The illustrations on this section include a snaring, bonneted wolf, a crying child, a shotgun, and a broom.
Eerily, when you open the book, it looks remarkably like a tombstone.

Come see it by asking for 1926 Collection V489.