I’d love to flip through this old notebook: “This notebook was owned by the 19th Century poet, preacher, and naturalist, George Crabbe. The binding was damaged, and split along the joint, and some of the sections were loose. However, of most concern were the loose plant and insect specimens that were pressed between the pages.” … Continue reading Restoration of a 19th Century Naturalist’s Notebook
This is the only sketchbook known to have belonged to Grant Wood, the artist best known for his painting “American Gothic.” It dates back to 1929. It was supposed to have been auctioned last summer and was expected to go for $40,000-$60,000. The auction was canceled when a museum in Davenport, Iowa said the sketchbook … Continue reading Grant Wood’s Long-Lost Sketchbook
This is amazing! I’m not surprised they sold for over $3,400! From the listing: Andrew A. Ryan Police record, 1899-1920; 1 ledger, 23 notebooks (4 x 6 in.). The work of a detective in a turn of the twentieth century U.S. city was nearly as difficult and dangerous as it is today, with murders … Continue reading Early 20th Century Police Detective Log Books
The Haverford College library has a collection of over 700 Quaker diary and journal manuscripts. The one shown below is the diary of Henry Hale Graham Sharpless from June 26, 1868. The original post linked to seems to have been deleted, but here’s one with some information about this collection:Exploring Hidden Collections – The 18th-19th … Continue reading Quaker Diaries and Journals
The front cover of Isaac Newton’s notebook from the 1660s. How amazing to think that something he called a “Waste Book” would contain his notes on scientific and mathematical concepts that are so important to us today! The pages are available digitally via the Cambridge University Library. See more images at Isaac Newton’s Personal Notebooks … Continue reading Isaac Newton’s Notebooks
This is a pretty neat story: Le Hendrick never thought he would find buried treasure while sifting through a file cabinet inside Conway’s Country Club Drive fire station. “I was just looking for a few files and saw something strange at the bottom of the drawer,†the Conwayite and battalion chief of fire operations said. … Continue reading A Fire Chief’s Notebooks
Here’s a drool-worthy item that some collector has probably already snapped up: From the description: “The writing in the book includes “This Old Pocket Book & Pencil was given to me by my Father about the year 1882 and in the following pages I have recorded some of the events of my Life, places … Continue reading 1880s Memorandum Book
Thuy-Tien Crampton found something really cool in an old trunk full of family heirlooms: Read more (and more pics) at Fashion Heirloom: A 1950s Knitting Notebook Owned by Peggy Butler | Thuy-Tien Crampton.
Great Britain’s royal family has long been artistically inclined. Their work is now the subject of an exhibition called The Royal Paintbox, which runs from June 22, 2013 to January 26, 2014 at Windsor Castle. Here’s a wonderful example: Exhibition curator Lauren Porter holds a book owned by Queen Victoria containing various sketches drawn in … Continue reading Queen Victoria’s Sketchbook
I just read an interesting book called Fordlandia, about Henry Ford’s attempt to set up his own model community in Brazil where he wanted to have his own rubber plantation. Ford apparently kept a lot of pocket notebooks, which are mentioned in the book. I haven’t found any photos of them yet, but I did … Continue reading Thomas Edison’s Notebook