I love coffee table books. Albertus Seba's "Cabinet of Natural Curiosities" has been on my wish list for some time now. I kicked myself for not buying a copy for $200 at Anthropologie a few years ago. Now, in minimal production, I am hardly in the market to buy a copy at a $500-$700 pricetag.
Here is what the publisher has to say about the book: 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-basedpharmacist 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.
Though it was common for men of his profession to collect natural specimens for research purposes, Amsterdam-basedpharmacist 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.
A few weeks ago, after seeing this post on Armonia Decors via House of Turquoise I bit the bullet and scored a copy (at $200) here. Literally two days later I received my InStyle Magazine to see this.
See anything familiar?
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