Reveries and Recollections of a Naturalist

Reveries and Recollections of a Naturalist
by Oliver Davie
Adopted by
Henry Kahn, Laura Primakoff & Family
in honor of Myer B. Kahn on the occasion of his 102nd birthday
on November 28, 2017
Cover of Reveries and Recollections of a Naturalist

Reveries and recollections of a naturalist

By Oliver Davie. Columbus, [Ohio]: 1898.

Number 68 of just 200 copies, this whimsical semi-autobiography of expert naturalist and taxidermist Oliver Davie is interspersed with encyclopedia-esque entries minutely describing species particular to the author’s career. The pebbled, green cover is embossed in black and gold, and the book is printed on thick, embossed paper with visible chain lines. Lithographs, photos, and illustrations dot its text, including a photograph of the author at work. Enhancing the allure of this book is the unique place it holds in the Smithsonian’s history. It was owned by the Sixth Secretary of the Smithsonian, Alexander Wetmore, who, in addition to guiding the Smithsonian Libraries through the Great Depression and World War II, was one of America’s leading avian paleontologists. Secretary Wetmore signed this copy on the front page.

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Adoption Type: Build and Access the Collection