Botanic Prints

[gore42]

I spent a little over an hour yesterday morning down at the Helen Fowler Library of the Denver Botanic Gardens. They have a really great general botanic library, but they also have a special collection rare and antique books, called the Waring Collection, which is not open to the public, but which they open during off hours to people who make special arrangements

Anyway, yesterday, I took a look through Eleven volumes of Warner's "The Orchid Album", and took photos of all of the slipper species plates. If I had had more time, I would have done everything! I also glanced through one volume of Lindenia, but didn't take any pictures.

This time, I had to sign an agreement about using the photos on my website, so I don't know if they will make it up any time soon. But I thought I'd post a couple of the photos here for those of you who are interested in this sort of thing, as a preview. I believe that I took 30 photos or so. I took a few photos of hybrids, too ...

And some Phrags...

Obviously, I haven't corrected all of these for brightness/contrast and color balance yet... I hope to have all of them edited for the web within the next few days.

Next time I go down, I'm going to take a look at Lewis Castle's "Orchids: Their Structure, History and Culute", and (my personal favorite title of the lot) "On the Various Contrivances by which British and Foreign Orchids are Fertilized by Insects" by Charles Darwin.

- Matt

 

[paphjoint]

very nice thanks for sharing!

 

[Heather]

Mmm, I look forward to seeing more of these!

 

[Marco]

thanks Matt. I look forward to seeing more as well.

 

[Mark]

Thanks for sharing those, Matt. I really love old botanical prints and natural history engravings in general. I occasionally see orchid prints for sale on ebay and am tempted but feel I don't know enough about them to bid. For now I settle for occasionally printing out a nice scan from the web to decorate my office or the "naturalist's study" in my home.

EDIT: I forgot to mention, those look pretty good for being done with a camera!

 

[SlipperFan]

Those are very lovely, Matt.

 

[NYEric]

Priorities

NIce photos. I will try to get a couple of prints at the next GNYOS show.. if I have any money left over!!! :rollhappy:

 

[Marco]

I can't wait till the next show in New York. It's probably gonna be right after tax season. Well hopefully or else I won't be able to go

 

[NYEric]

It's kind of funny but I haven't filed my taxes for 2005 yet! Hopefully I wont be asking anyone to take care of my plants and animals while I'm in the hoosegow> :drool:

 

[plntlady]

Thanks for sharing Matt.
Always look forward to a picture of two to
brighten a cold dreary day

 

[Jmoney]

gorgeous!

 

[Gideon]

Lovely