I gave myself a Sinterklaas present today; Cabinet Of Natural Curiosities by Albertus Seba.

A hefty read, at 18 inches high and being 646 pages thick, this beautiful book by German publisher Taschen has made my mouth water for a few years...




The publisher said;

Albertus Seba's "Cabinet of Curiosities" is one of the 18th
century's greatest natural history achievements and remains one
of the most prized natural history books of all time.

Though it was common for men of his profession to collect natural
specimens for research purposes, Amsterdam-based pharmacist
Albertus Seba (1665-1736) had a passion that led him far beyond
the call of duty. His amazing, unprecedented collection of animals,
plants and insects from all around the world gained international
fame during his lifetime. In 1731, after decades of collecting, Seba
commissioned illustrations of each and every specimen and
arranged the publication of a four-volume catalog detailing his
entire collection-from strange and exotic plants to snakes, frogs,
crocodiles, shellfish, corals, insects, butterflies and more, as well
as fantastic beasts, such as a hydra and a dragon.

Seba's scenic illustrations, often mixing plants and animals in a
single plate, were unusual even for the time. Many of the stranger
and more peculiar creatures from Seba's collection, some of which
are now extinct, were as curious to those in Seba's day as they
are to us now.

Our superb, complete reproduction is taken from a rare,
hand-colored original. The introduction offers background
information about the fascinating tradition of the cabinet of
curiosities to which Seba's curiosities belonged and an additional
annex, written by contemporary biologists, provides descriptions of
the specimens.

I could not resist. It was one of the books I returned to almost every weekend when living in Paris; I went for a walk and almost always, mysteriously, ended up at the Taschen bookstore, in one of my favourite places in Paris. I would page through the book, which is so big it had it's own stand.

As some of you know, I work at a bookstore, where three copies had been gathering dust for two years and yesterday they downpriced it! Two of my colleagues and I went bonkers and all bought one. Normally it is 150 euro, but we snatched it up for 40!

That is not including the additional 40% discount we get! How lucky am I working there?

WOW!!! Gooey...its beautiful!

Reaaally Niccccce

applekisses said:

Did I say 646 pages thick?

CookieMonster said:

You did!

applekisses said:

And 17 inches high? Normally I ain't a size queen, but with books...

CookieMonster said:

Now, that's when size matters

I mean, I even stepped away from my silly rule my prospected knight in shining armour has to be taller than my own 6'3" frame.

He does not even have to wear shining armour. Or to be a knight. He can be a plumber, for all I care.

CookieMonster said:

I'm 6'5".....but I ain't no plumber.....

CookieMonster said:

I'm 6ft 3 ins and useless at plumbing.

Faux said:

* Biting back remark *

I will say this, though;

Wow, That's a beautiful book!!!

madartista said:

It is!

You can page through it in April!