Henri's berichten over zijn recente activiteiten

Henri's reports on his recent activities

zaterdag 30 mei 2020

Catalogue of Marine Glass Models – A review in "Der Thiergarten", Vol. 1, 1864

Translation of a review in "Der Thiergarten", Vol. 1


Artificial actinia.

On Reichenbach's order for the Dresden Zoological Museum Mr. Leopold Blaschka in Dresden has artificially  reproduced beautiful actinias or sea anemones (from what? is not said) and now offers such for those admirers who want to see these animals in water, for the aquaria. Sea water is of course not necessary. They are, as he says, "immersed in ordinary pure well water and remain imperishable and unchangeable in their beauty."In the [journal] Leopoldina, B. gives a long list of the species he has prepared so far. These preparations (even without being immersed in water) are certainly very valuable for museums and admirers for the correct determination of the species, and the prices are cheap enough to make the purchase of the complete series possible. Such preparations are also valuable for grammar schools and secondary schools; they give quite a  good idea of this important class of animals, the polyps, which are known to distort their shape beyond recognition in alcohol. Only Mr. Blaschka's idea to give these artificial products the appearance of life by placing them in water is, frankly speaking, contrary to our feelings.

Wd.

The author, presumably David Friedrich Weinland, is not very happy with Leopold's creations. He grumpily remarks that the used materials are not specified  - the models are reproduced "from what? is not said"

Further, the concept of an aquarium populated with "artificial products" does not appeal to Weinland. 
Frankly, I am sympathetic to his point. The presentation of sea anemones in an aquarium was a contemporay British concept, where at that time the "Aquarium Craze" was in full swing. This was not a Natural History presentation as such, but a fashion statement in the domain of interior decoration. The cultural angle dominates.

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