Room 26 Cabinet of Curiosities

New acquisitions, unique documents, and visual and textual curiosities from the collections.

  • Speedway!

    July 30, 2009

    A photo scrapbook of cars, drivers, and photographers at the Thompson Speedway in Thompson, Connecticut in 1940.

  • The Word and The Image

    July 23, 2009

    A Curious Hieroglyphick Bible; or, Select Passages in the Old and New Testaments . London: T. Hodgson, 1785 The third edition of this title, a format that was...

  • Liquid accounting

    July 16, 2009

    H. L. Mencken inscribes a book for Carl Van Vechten and totals the amount of water under the bridge …...

  • Uncle Tom's Cabin, extra illustrated

    July 13, 2009

    An 1853 edition of Uncle Tom’s Cabin from London, with 100 added illustrations in watercolor by an artist, presumably “Eugene Bauer” by the appearance of...

  • Baby-Doll Carriage

    July 9, 2009

    Marjorie Lauderdale, daughter of J.V. Lauderdale, in a wicker baby carriage on the verandah *** Children with a baby carriage, photographed by Carl Van Vechten...

  • Venus as a Boy

    July 7, 2009

    A deluxe artist’s edition. with illustrations by Leonor Fini , of the 1884 novel by the decadent writer, Rachilde. The images from this edition (Editions...

  • Dueling Apple Pies

    July 2, 2009

    Two versions of the well-known ABC tale, The History of An Apple Pie , both from the early 19th century, but which came first?

  • . . . from the bottom UP!

    June 29, 2009

    A pop-up book created as a promotional item for the Mutual Broadcasting System, featuring a group of three-dimensional sports scenes: … from the bottom...