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.

1863 Catalogue of Marine Glass Models - Postscript by Ludwig Reichenbach

[translation]
Postscript.

After confirming of what Mr. Blaschka has announced here, I would like to explain the following.

Mr. Blaschka arrived here in July and both the exotic orchids artificially made from glass-like materials that he exhibited here in a pavilion in the botanical garden, and the objects exhibited under our eyes, showed us that we saw before us a virtuoso of rare talent in the art of modelling. All experts unanimously agreed that his artefacts were excellently true to nature in design and colouring. The modest man also had the experience of having seen many things on his travels and so his knowledgeable look soon understood the new so easily, that he surprised us with his achievements.

But soon the question arose of how this man could be employed in a way that is useful, that is, beneficial for science. This question easily coincided with the longstanding wish of the K. naturhistorischen Museum [Imperial Natural History Museum]: to have some very perishable  delicate sea products, which become completely unimpressive when stored, represented by lifelike models. However, everyone can daily see for themselves of how well the experiment with the Sea Anemones succeeded, by looking at our rich collection in a glance at the Natural History Museum, or through placing an order and after receiving a collection, this can be demonstrated at home. We also hope to report on the scope of these experiments later on.

The demand has already increased and it is worth mentioning that the first three shipments went to Löbau for schools, but the largest orders were made for Petersburg and Dorpat. The stock will soon be depleted, but with the new copies to be produced all the time, the manufacturer will be able to satisfy the orders in the order in which they are received.

Dresden, October 16, 1863. L. Reichenbach.

1863 Catalogue of Marine Glass Models - the list of models

 Price list of the Sea Anemones [Aktinien], now available

[Price in Thaler/Neugroschen]

species	Thlr   /   Ngr
Actinia chiococca Cocks	–              5
–             concentrica Risso	–            20
–           diaphana Rapp	–              5
–           mesembrianthemum Ellis	–            20
rubra Brugu.	–            15
Actinoloba Dianthus (Ell.) Gosse	–            20
Adamsia palliata Johnston (Act. carcinopoda Otto) mit Krebs  [with Crab]	1             –
Aiptasia Couchii Gosse	–            15
Anemonia cinerea Contarini	–             5
Anthea Cereus (Ellis) Johnston	–             8
–            –           maxima veneta 7 1/2	2            –
Aureliana Augusta Gosse	–           10
–                heterocera Gosse	–             5
Balanophyllia regia Gosse	–             5
Bolocera eques Gosse	–           20
–               Tuediae (Johnst.) Gosse	–           20
(Bunodes Ballii (Cocks) Gosse	–             5
Bunodes coronata Gosse	–           10
–               gemmacea (Ellis) Gosse 2 St. [2 Pc.]	–           15
–               thalia Gosse  2 St. [2 Pc.]	–           15
Capnea sanguinea Johnst.	–           10
Caryophyllea Smithii Stokes	–           15
Cerianthus Lloydii Gosse	–             5
Corynactus viridis Allman	–             1
Gregoria fenestrata Gosse	–             8
Halcacampa chrysanthellum Gosse 2 St. [2 Pc.] [correct spelling:  Halcampa chrysanthellum]	–             3
-                     microps Gosse	–             5
Hormathia margaritae Gosse	–           15
Ilyanthus Mitchellii Gosse	–           10
Lophophelia prolifera (L.) M. Edw.	–             2
Milnea callimorpha Rchb. [AKA  Edwardsia (Milnea) callimorpha Gosse ]	–            5
–             carnea Rchb. [AKA  Edwardsia (Milnea) carnea Gosse ] (NB. Der Name Edwardsia, den Gosse beiden Arten giebt, ist schon längst von Salisbury in der Botanik vergeben!) [The name Edwardsia, which Gosse assigns to both species, has long since been claimed by Salisbury in botany !]	–          2-8
Paracyanthus pteropus Gosse	1
–                       taxilianus Gosse	–             1
-                        thulensis Gosse	–             1
Peachia hastata Gosse	–             8
–                       triphylla Gosse	–             8
–                       undata Gosse	–           10
Phellia Brodricii Gosse	–             4
–                      gausapata Gosse	–             4
–                       muricocincta Gosse	–           10
–                       picta Gosse	–             8
Phyllangia americana G. *)	–             2
Sagartia bellis (Ellis) Gosse	–       5-10
–             chrysosplenium Gosse	–             5
–             coccinea (Müll) Gosse	–             5
–             ichthyostoma Gosse	–             3
–             miniata Gosse	–             3
–            nivea Gosse	–             5
–            ornata (Holdsworth) Gosse	–             5
–            pallida (Holdsw.) Gosse 2 St. [2 Pc.]	–             5
–            parasitica (Couch.) Gosse	–           20
–            pura (Alder) Gosse	–             2
–            rosea Gosse  3 St. [3 Pc.]	–           10
–            sphyrodeta Gosse  2 St. [2 Pc.]	-              5
–            troglodytes (Johnst.) Gosse	–             5
–            venusta Gosse	–             5
–            viduata (Müll.) Gosse	–       5-10
Sphenotrochus Macandrewanus M. Edw.	–             1
-                          Wrightii Gosse	–             2
Stomphia Churchiae Gosse	–           10
Tealia coriacea (Lesson.) Rchb.  2 St. [2 Pc.]	–           20
–          crassicornis (Müll.) Gosse 2 St. [2 Pc.]	–           20
–          digitata (Müll.) Gosse	–             8
Zoanthus Alderi Gosse	–             5
–               Couchii Johnst.	–             5
-               sulcatus Gosse	–             3
(NB. Die Autoren in Parenthese haben die bei gesetzten Arten als Actinia beschrieben) [NB. The authors in Parenthesis have described the according species as Actinia]

The selection will soon be expanded in a new catalogue, highly recommended to friends of nature and science. Letters and funds are requested free of charge.

Dresden, October 15, 1863, Leopold Blaschka, kleine Schiessgasse No. 2.

⃝⃝

Chris Meechan, formerly employed at the National Museum Cardiff, analysed the early sets of sea anemone models that survive in Great Britain. He listed 68 species. The list of models presented here is almost identical: 67 species, so only one less (i.e. Sagartia viduata var.).
Instead of  the Phyllangia the correct species Hoplangia was included in Chris' list [see note *) hereunder].

When browsing the 1863 catalogue, Chris' attention was drawn to  Adamsia palliata with Crab [mit Krebs]. It may be assumed, that this anemone was modeled on a representation of the hermit crab,  with which it lives in symbiosis. Hitherto, we are not aware of early Adamsia models with this feature - but later on the Adamsia was modelled on the shell of a Whelk - in which the hermit crab houses.

 *)  The genus Phyllangia is mentioned in Gosse 1860 (pg 337), as a synonym for Hoplangia.
A quick internet search learns that  Phyllangia americana is a species of the Western Central Atlantic (Belize and Mexico) so it cannot be connected to Gosse 1860 at all. Let us assume that Leopold was misinformed here, and that later on he corrected the wrong nomenclature.

In the next blogpost the Postscript by Ludwig Reichenbach - as published in the catalogue