When I was teaching high school Commercial Art one of the projects the students had to create in PhotoShop was their own version of a ‘Cabinet Of Curiosities’.
For those of you unfamiliar with a Cabinet Of Curiosities it originated in the Edwardian and Victorian Ages.
Back then only the rich could afford to travel around the world or even to some more primitive parts of their own country-such as out West in the U.S.A.
Many of the travelers would collect various items, bric-a-brac and artifacts and bring them back home. There they would assemble display cases to show off their prize possessions.
At some point some bright entrepreneurs began showing the Cabinets Of Curiosities to the general public for a small fee. They were a huge hit.
Remember, most people at that time seldom traveled more than a few miles from where they were born and raised.
To them viewing such odd and exotic items would be like you and I traveling to the Moon or outer space-it’s not something the common man can do.
Workman Publishing and author Gordon Grice have brought the concept of the ‘Cabinet Of Curiosities’ to the 21st Century with their book by the same title.
In it readers are encouraged to create their own Cabinets Of Curiosities by ‘collecting and understanding the wonders of the natural world’.
Inside the book explains how to begin collecting items from the oceans, animals, insects, plants, minerals and other objects commonly found in nature.
Instructions are given on how to categorize them, organize, label, display and care for them.
Information packed text delves into each individual category or subject while at the same time explaining how the natural world works.
Students and teachers are sure to be fascinated by the Cabinets while learning at the same time.
From the first six films
in the Star Wars Saga comes the Star Wars Fandex Family Field Guide.Star Wars fans can easily fan through the various images of key characters, space ships, planets and creatures from the films, flip the individual fan pages over and read all about the character or creature represented by a color photo on the flip side.
Additional information is also printed below the photos.
The Fandex allows Star Wars fans to easily identify key characters, etc. in a flash. The entire assembly neatly fans together into one unit and is stored in a cardboard display box with a clear cover.