BGuthrie Photos: DC -- Natl Museum of American History -- Dibner Library Exhibit: Magnificent Obsessions: Why We Collect

DC -- Natl Museum of American History -- Dibner Library Exhibit: Magnificent Obsessions: Why We Collect:

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Description of Pictures: Magnificent Obsessions: Why We Collect
November 7, 2018 – July 1, 2020
The impulse to collect is human. We collect for many reasons: to gather information about the world, to preserve the past, and to follow our interests and desires. For some, it is a lifelong pursuit. Pioneering collectors shaped Smithsonian Libraries. Each had their own unique passions, from hot-air balloons to seashells, from Japanese prints to world’s fairs. Together, these diverse collections form a vast network of knowledge.
Smithsonian Libraries continues to build upon the work of these curious collectors. We preserve historic treasures and everyday items to provide a window onto the past. We seek out new sources and collections to advance research and scholarship. And we share our collections with the world to inspire curiosity and spark new ideas. Our collections are living and breathing. What will we collect next?

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Specific picture descriptions: Photos above with "i" icons next to the bracketed sequence numbers (e.g. "[1] ") are described as follows:
1. AHYCOL_181024_004.JPG: Books are the carriers of civilization. Without books history is silent, literature dumb, science crippled, thought and speculations at a standstill. -- Historian Barbara Tuchman Smithsonian Libraries At a Glance 2018 marks the 50th anniversary of Smithsonian Libraries as a networked library sytem. But our ibraries have been an important part of the Smithsonian Institution since it was founded more than 170 years ago. Today, we continue this legacy through our collecting, research support, education, and outreach initiatives.
2. AHYCOL_181024_012.JPG: Magnificent Obsessions Why We Collect The impulse to collect is human. We collect for many reasons: to gather information about the world, to preserve the past, and to follow our interests and desires. For some, it is a lifelong pursuit. Pioneering collectors shaped Smithsonian Libraries. Each had their own unique passions, from hot-air balloons to seashells, from Japanese prints to world's fairs. Together, these diverse collections form a vast network of knowledge. Smithsonian Libraries continues to build upon the work of these curious collectors. We preserve historic treasures and everyday items to provide a window onto the past. We seek out new sources and collections to advance research and scholarship. And we share our collections with the world to inspire curiosity and spark new ideas.
3. AHYCOL_181024_014.JPG: Collecting Knowledge
4. AHYCOL_181024_017.JPG: Smithsonian Libraries Collects Stories can be powerful tools for learning. Smithsonian Libraries collects illustrated children's books that offer diverse perspectives on history and culture. Written and illustrated by African American and American Indian authors and artists, these books are used both as teaching tools and objects of study at Smithsonian museums, including the Anacostia Community Museum.
5. AHYCOL_181024_019.JPG: Ann Nolan Clark Singing Sioux Cowboy Reader Illustrated by Andrew Standing Soldier Lawrence, Kans., 1947
6. AHYCOL_181024_026.JPG: Why Did They Collect? Charles Freer and William Rockhill Detroit industrialist and art collector Charles Lang Freer (1854–1919) was introduced to Asian art by American artist James McNeill Whistler. Freer traveled to Asia several times, bringing back prints, artworks, and books. Before his death, Freer donated his collection to the Smithsonian and helped establish the Freer Gallery. Freer's avid interest in collecting Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai's prints, paintings, and drawings extended to his woodblock-printed books as well. U.S. diplomat William Woodville Rockhill (1854–1914) immersed himself in Tibetan culture, design, and religion, collecting books and rare manuscripts about Central Asia.
7. AHYCOL_181024_030.JPG: Pippa Skotnes, Roderick Sauls, and Fritha Langerman On the Surface: Art and technique of relief printmaking Cape Town, South Africa, 1996
8. AHYCOL_181024_034.JPG: Maṣlaḥat al-Misāḥah A Short Note on the Design and Issue of Postage Stamps Cairo, 1918
9. AHYCOL_181024_039.JPG: Society of Washington Fakirs Washington, D.C., 1905 and 1908
10. AHYCOL_181024_040.JPG: Fo ding xin tuo luo ni jing China, between 1644 and 1722 This early sutra collected by William Woodville Rockhill depicts a young woman whose devotion to the sutra protects her and her children from a vengeful enemy.
11. AHYCOL_181024_042.JPG: Katsushika Hokusai Fugaku hyakkei Japan, 1834–1849 Hokusai devoted years to depicting Japan's sacred volcanic mountain, Mt. Fuji, both in his woodblock-printed book series and in the color prints that would establish his reputation abroad.
12. AHYCOL_181024_044.JPG: Capturing Creativity Smithsonian Libraries collects books about art and books that are works of art themselves. Our collections span many movements and mediums, from historic Japanese prints to contemporary American art and design. Historic examples of decorative arts and avant-garde book designs offer inspiration to today's designers. Illustrated children's books bring stories to life for young readers. Artists' ephemera and objects provide insight into the creative process. And contemporary artists' books push the boundaries of what a book can be.
13. AHYCOL_181024_047.JPG: Why Did They Collect? The Hewitt Sisters Sisters Sarah (1859–1930) and Eleanor Hewitt (1864–1924) began collecting books and examples of decorative arts at an early age. Inspired by the Mus�e des Art D�coratifs in Paris, they decided to open their collection to the public. Their goal was to elevate the state of design in America by creating a living laboratory, where students, designers, and craftsmen could come for reference and inspiration. Today, their collection is part of the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum in New York, where their books form the core of the library.
14. AHYCOL_181024_051.JPG: Thomas Chippendale The gentleman and cabinet-maker's director London, 1754
15. AHYCOL_181024_055.JPG: Birmingham brass catalog Birmingham, England, ca. 1780s
16. AHYCOL_181024_057.JPG: Why Did He Collect? Larry Zim As a child, interior designer Larry Zim (1931–1987) attended the 1939 New York World's Fair. His visit sparked a lifelong passion for collecting world's fair materials including books and souvenirs, which he donated to the Smithsonian. Zim shared his passion for world's fair materials with other collectors, including New Yorker Bernard Rosenfeld.
17. AHYCOL_181024_058.JPG: 1939–1940 New York World's Fair Billed as the "Dawn of a New Day," the 1939–1940 New York World's Fair promised a look at the "world of tomorrow" and the future of international trade and industry. New Yorker Bernard Rosenfeld, who, like Larry Zim, attended the fair as a child, shared Zim's passion for collecting world's fair memorabilia.
18. AHYCOL_181024_067.JPG: Exposition Universelle, Paris 1900 Both objects and books help researchers study the past. The Exposition Universelle held in Paris in 1900 inspired many souvenirs, including this pocket watch featuring portraits of world leaders, including Queen Victoria of Britain, Czar Nicholas II of Russia, and U.S. President William McKinley.
19. AHYCOL_181024_074.JPG: The World's Columbian Exposition of 1893 The World's Columbian Exposition of 1893, also known as the Chicago World's Fair, commemorated the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in North America. The fair had a profound impact on industry, architecture, and the arts and inspired many tributes and souvenirs, including pop-up books.
20. AHYCOL_181024_077.JPG: Labor-Saving Devices After World War II, a variety of labor-saving devices emerged that claimed to make housework more efficient and convenient. The Universal Electric Housewares catalog advertised such cutting-edge appliances as an automatic coffee machine and a combined sandwich grill and waffle maker.
21. AHYCOL_181024_079.JPG: Herman Miller Furniture Co. Soft Seating Zeeland, Mich., ca. 1956 The Eames Lounge Chair was so comfortable that when Charles Eames invited his friend filmmaker Billy Wilder to sit in it, Wilder apparently fell asleep. Classic Comfort A brochure advertising the Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman, designed by revolutionary husband-and-wife design team Charles and Ray Eames, epitomizes the elegance of mid-century modern style.
22. AHYCOL_181024_081.JPG: Exploring Our World Smithsonian Libraries' collections trace the evolution of the American experience, from the food Americans ate to the products they bought to the music they listened to. Our collections include historic treasures and everyday items, such as comic books, cookbooks, and catalogs, which offer unique insights into daily life. New museums, including the National Museum of the American Indian and the National Museum of African American History and Culture, have expanded our collections, amplifying the voices of under-represented communities and deepening our understanding of the past.
23. AHYCOL_181024_085.JPG: Smithsonian Libraries Collects
24. AHYCOL_181024_093.JPG: Why Did He Collect? Russell E. Train Russell E. Train's experiences on safari in Africa in the 1950s inspired a deep-seated passion for wildlife conservation, which he shared with his wife Aileen. Train (1920�–2012) dedicated his career to conservation, helping establish the African Wildlife Leadership Foundation, the U.S. World Wildlife Fund, and the Environmental Protection Agency, serving as its first administrator. The books and materials he collected document the history of Western exploration of Africa and Africa's natural history.
25. AHYCOL_181024_095.JPG: A Plate, I Presume British American journalist and explorer Sir Henry Moton Stanley was so well known that he appeared on souvenirs, including this plate commemorating his final expedition to Africa in 1887. Stanley is best known for his rescue of the explorer Dr. David Livingstone in 1871, but he returned to Africa on several expeditions.
26. AHYCOL_181024_097.JPG: Welcome Home, Teddy! In 1909, former President Theodore Roosevelt embarked on a Smithsonian-sponsored expedition to Africa. He brought back more than 23,000 specimens, many of which became part of the National Museum of Natural History's collections. Roosevelt's triumphant return was celebrated with a dinner and a commemorative book filled with cartoons and tributes.
27. AHYCOL_181024_103.JPG: Smithsonian Libraries Collects Comics and Cookbooks Smithsonian Libraries collects all kinds of everyday items that you might not expect to find in a museum, such as comic books and cookbooks. These materials, known as ephemera, were never intended to be preserved. But they help us advance our understanding of the past and support the Smithsonian's vast collections of material culture. Without the foresight of collectors, these materials might have been lost forever.
28. AHYCOL_181024_106.JPG: Smithsonian Libraries Collects Ella Fitzgerald The book collection of Jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald (1917–1996) offers a glimpse into her life and the artists and musicians she collaborated with. The January 1952 issue of French magazine Le Point from her personal library features such jazz luminaries as Earl Hines, Lionel Hampton, Mahalia Jackson, and Louis Armstrong.
29. AHYCOL_181024_109.JPG: Sensation Comics, no. 1 New York, January 1942 Wonder Woman made her cover debut in January 1942 in Sensation Comics, a series published by DC Comics. Courtesy of DC Comics Wonder Woman, no. 7 New York, December 1943Wonder Woman's December 1943 issue envisions a future in which a woman is elected president. Courtesy of DC Comics Wonder Woman, no. 1 New York, June 1942 Wonder Woman's June 1942 issue features a cameo by a Smithsonian expert, who translates a parchment explaining Wonder Woman's origins as a daughter of the Amazons -- a mythical tribe of women warriors. Courtesy of DC Comics
30. AHYCOL_181024_116.JPG: Wonder Woman William Moulton Marston, a psychologist, created the superhero Wonder Woman in 1941 to provide a strong female role model for American readers. Marston's own set of early comics featuring Wonder Woman was given to the Smithsonian Libraries by his wife Elizabeth, along with related correspondence about the character's creation. Wonder Woman's costume has long been the subject of heated debate. Dorothy Roubicek, one of the first female editors in American comics, sketched this suggestion for a less revealing alternative, which Marston's editor forwarded to him with a note.
31. AHYCOL_181024_122.JPG: Harold Lentz The Pop-Up Pinocchio New York, 1933
32. AHYCOL_181024_131.JPG: Why Did They Collect? Smithsonian Scientists and Curators Smithsonian scientists and curators are experts in their fields. Many literally wrote the book on their subjects, from grasses to mollusks. The books they collected continue to advance research and scholarship today. Among these influential collectors are the Smithsonian's first curator, Spencer Fullerton Baird, explorer William Healey Dall, deep-sea biologist Ted Bayer, and botanists Mary Agnes Chase and Albert Spear Hitchcock.
33. AHYCOL_181024_133.JPG: Grasses Smithsonian botanist Mary Agnes Chase (1869–1963) was one of the world's leading experts on grasses. With her colleague Albert Spear Hitchcock (1865–1935), she collected early printed sources on the subject from around the world, including this book by Johann Christian Daniel von Schreber, a disciple of Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus -- known as "the Father of Taxonomy."
34. AHYCOL_181024_138.JPG: Why Did They Collect? Bella C. Landauer and Evelyn Way Kendall Collectors arrive at their passions in many different ways. Canadian collector Evelyn Way Kendall (1893–1979) may have been influenced by her father's interest in ballooning. Over a period of more than 50 years, she collected hundreds of prints, objects, and books on the early history of flight.
35. AHYCOL_181024_143.JPG: "The Air Balloon" George Chard [London?], ca. 1784 "The Air Balloon," published in 1784, is the earliest known example of aeronautical sheet music. Aeronautical Sheet Music Bella C. Landauer (1874–1960) took an interest in aviation when her son became a pilot. She scoured music shops to amass a collection of sheet music with aeronautical themes.
36. AHYCOL_181024_145.JPG: The Birth of Flight French geologist Barth�lemy Faujas de Saint-Fond helped fund the first flight of a manned hot-air balloon, launched by brothers Joseph-Michel and Jacques-�tienne Montgolfier in Paris in 1783. His description of their pioneering experiments popularized hot-air ballooning. The Golden Age of Flight As well as trailblazing "firsts," Evelyn Way Kendall collected ephemeral materials that were often overlooked, including Paul Lyle's illustrated book documenting the airplanes of "the Golden Age of Flight" in the 1920s and '30s.
37. AHYCOL_181024_148.JPG: Why Did He Collect? Bern Dibner As a child, Bern Dibner (1897–1988) emigrated from Ukraine to the U.S., where he became a successful electrical engineer and inventor. Curious about Leonardo da Vinci's incredible scientific and technological achievements, Dibner delved into the study of the history of science and technology, amassing a library of influential works, which he chronicled in his 1955 book, Heralds of Science. Encouraged by Silvio Bedini, deputy director of the Museum of History and Technology (now the National Museum of American History), Dibner donated his collection to the Smithsonian in 1976. Smithsonian Libraries continues to add important works and promote scholarship to this day.
38. AHYCOL_181024_151.JPG: How to Move an Obelisk Bern Dibner loved reading about remarkable feats of engineering. Swiss engineer Domenico Fontana's book describes the relocation of a 361-ton granite Egyptian obelisk over a distance of nearly two-and-a-half football fields to St. Peter's Square in the Vatican City. The task required hundreds of men and took almost a year to complete.
39. AHYCOL_181024_153.JPG: Benjamin Franklin Letter to Thomas Darling Philadelphia, March 27, 1747 Benjamin Franklin's letter to Connecticut businessman Thomas Darling offers advice on establishing a glassworks and describes the foundry that supplied the apparatus for Franklin's groundbreaking electrical experiments.
40. AHYCOL_181024_157.JPG: New Experiments German engineer Otto von Guericke is credited with inventing the vacuum pump, which he used to conduct groundbreaking experiments in physics. This copy of his book Experimenta nova (New experiments) previously belonged to Bern Dibner's mentor Herbert McLean Evans.
41. AHYCOL_181024_161.JPG: Cabinet of Curiosities Dutch pharmacist Albertus Seba (1665–1736) devoted his life to collecting exotic plants and animals. His richly illustrated books document his cabinet of curiosities -- a precursor of the modern museum. He commissioned hand-colored illustrations to document his extensive collection of plants, animals, and other curiosities, including a squid. His work served as a model for future books on collecting and classification, but it is also a landmark of artistry and design.
42. AHYCOL_181024_170.JPG: Holmes's 1871 watercolor sketch of the National Mall depicts a now-defunct canal and the then-uncompleted Washington Monument.
43. AHYCOL_181024_173.JPG: "Nano Bible" Haifa, Israel, 2007 Smithsonian Libraries Collects Technology The Smallest Bible in the World In 2007, the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology used a focused ion beam to create a microscopic version of the Hebrew Bible. More than 1.2 million letters are engraved on a microchip the size of a grain of sugar. As technologies evolve, there's no telling what the collections of the future will look like.
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2018 photos: Equipment this year: I continued to use my Fuji XS-1 cameras but, depending on the event, I also used a Nikon D7000. Trips this year: Civil War Trust conferences in Greenville, NC, Newport News, VA, and my farewell event with them in Chicago, IL (via sites in Louisville, KY, St. Louis, MO, and Toledo, OH), three trips to New York City (including New York Comic-Con), and my 13th consecutive trip to San Diego Comic-Con (including sites in Reno, Sacramento, San Francisco, and Los Angeles). Number of photos taken this year: about 535,000.
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