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

1863 Catalogue of Marine Glass Models - Introduction

 May 27, 1822, Leopold Blaschka was born.

Today we commemorate his life and achievements as a scientific artist.

It is his 198th birthday. 

🔘

Leopold Blaschkas first catalogue was retrieved in the digital archives.
It was printed in  "Mitteilungen der Deutschen Akademie der Naturforscher Leopoldina, Volume 4 (1863)". Apart from that, a  two-sided leaf with the same text (Impressum: Dresden, Druck von E Blochmann & Sohn.) was bound in "Die neuentdeckten Vögel Neuhollands. Zweiter Band. Abt. 1.2 / by Ludwig Reichenbach (1845).

Translation in Eglish

Marine aquariums with Sea Anemones [Aktinien] or (ray)flower Anthozoans [Strahlblumen-Polypen]
for  decorating elegant rooms as well as for  instruction,
for teaching institutions and for museums
artificially produced
by
L e o p o l d   B l a s c h k a

 

 At the instigation, and under the guidance of Mr. Hofrath Reichenbach, Director of the Royal  Natural History Museum in Dresden, the undersigned has succeeded in presenting  the most magnificent  sea anemone species [Aktinien] for this museum in such a way, that several zoologists returning from the Versammlung der deutschen Naturforscher [conference of German naturalists], as well as the President and the Adjunct Members of the Kaiserl. Leopold.-Carolinischen Akademie der deutschen Naturforscher [Imperial Leopold. Carolinian Academy of German naturalists], who were present here for the conference as well as some experts who had just arrived here from England and France, and who had seen the sea anemones there shortly before, honoured them with their complete recognition.

In order to promote the sense of nature and  knowledge of it, I have been allowed, in the same way and according to the same instructions, to artificially represent the so popular, but most precious and very quickly perishable marine aquariums with such extremely beautiful and manifold "Aktinien"  or sea anemones, or with other small sea animals and to be ordered additionally, so that these, infused with ordinary, pure well water, remain imperishable and unchangeable in their beauty.

To decorate rooms, such aquariums are provided in glass containers with a corresponding number of the most beautiful sea anemones, for 3 Thaler. When shipped outward, a small fee for packaging is added.

The same type of aquarium can be used for teaching in schools, but for careful scientific study, for larger educational  institutions such as universities and their museums, or for natural  history collectors, I can supply ten and even more different aquariums and  I also offer a selection of the species of sea anemones from the following list, combined in a glass container, but that cannot be made available  for an amount under  three Thalers. 

In the next blogpost: the list of available glass marine models in 1863

New Insight:
Rudolf Blaschka wrote to Goodale on January 6, 1896, that the first glass sea anemones were exhibited in water tanks, as Leopold describes above. It is always assumed that  the models were presented in dry aquariums - but here we read they were steeped into water for maximun effect as an artificial aquarium. 

25 years of Blaschka Glass Research

In 1992 I saw Blaschka glass models of invertebrate animals for the first time. It was in the zoology display of the Utrecht University Museum, where I held a temporary position as a curatorial assistant. The University museum kept a collection of these objects, acquired in 1883. I  was asked to look into the matter and published the story in spring 1994. This article drew the attention of North American professionals - based in Harvard  University as well as the Corning Museum of Glass.
In 1995, twenty five years ago, I was awarded the Rakow Grant for Glass Research and I published my paper in 1998. At that time I was no longer employed by the Utrecht University Museum, yet several museums demanded my cooperation in order to understand their Blaschka glass collections. In the slipstream of these contacts, I continued my investigations.
In 2002 the London Design Museum composed a travelling exhibtion of Blashka Marine Animals.  In cooperation with Chris Meechan of Cardiff a chapter in the accompaying booklet was contributed. This show was another hype in Europe, and eventually led in 2008 to the Dublin Blaschka Congress.

Back in 1992-1993 the internet was still in its early days. My research started in the University Libray, by consulting the printed materials. I remember browsing the Directory Of Museums in order to find the contact information on institutions, that were known to have ordered glass models in the 19th century.
Unlike then, many archives and books are now digitally available and documentation that was hard to find in the 1990s, is available at my desk today. Being retired and gladly occupying myself I wondered if Google Books contained lost or forgotten information, .

It did indeed, and  blogposts in the near future will present my findings.
This effort is certainly also meant to highlight the imminent birthdays of Leopold Blaschkla (* May 27, 1822) and Rudolf Blaschka (* June 17, 1857)

I will unveil that an 1863 catalogue of Blascha's marine glass models was refound in the digital archivess.
The earliest known catalogue hitherto was dated 1871, so this is a valuable addition of our understanding.

This following statement by Ludwig Reichenbach (dated October 16, 1863) proves that the earliest Blaschka glass models catalogue ever made was uncovered. 
" 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, as well as the objects exhibited under our eyes ..." [translation mine]

In the following posts, find a full transcript of the 1863 catalogue - in three installments:
- Introduction by Leopold Blaschka;
- The List of Species;
- Postscript by Ludwig Reichenbach.  

- A review of the 1863 merchandise,  published in 1864, will be presented as well. 

References in Google Books:

Titel		Die neuontdeckten Vögel Neuhollands. Zweiter Band. Abt. 1.2
Author		Heinrich Gottlieb Ludwig Reichenbach
Published		1845
Original kept at		Universiteit Gent
Digitized		Oct 30, 2007
		This digitized item contains two volumes by Reichenbach on  the birds of Australia, and origially bound with these two is the Blaschka Catalogue - impressum: Dresden: E. Blochmann & Sohn, 1863. Thus, the catalogue was included in the PDF.
Titel	Leopoldina: Mitteilungen der Deutschen Akademie der Naturforscher Leopoldina, Volume 4 Leopoldina: Mitteilungen der Deutschen Akademie der Naturforscher Leopoldina, Kaiserlich-Leopoldinisch-Carolinische Deutsche Akademie der Naturforscher (Halle, Saale)
Contibutors	Kaiserlich-Leopoldinisch-Carolinische Deutsche Akademie der Naturforscher (Halle, Saale), Deutsche Akademie der Naturforscher Leopoldina (Halle, Saale)
Publisher	Kreuz-Verlag, 1863
Original kept at	Bayerische Staatsbibliothek
Digitized	Dec 9, 2010
	This digitized item contains the 1863 Blaschka Catalogue.
Titel		Der Thiergarten: allgemeine deutsche Monatschrift für Kunde, Beobachtung, Zucht und Pflege der Thiere,  mit besonderer Rüchsicht auf die Verbesserung unserer gegenwärtigen Hausthiere und Heranbildung neuer,..  Volume 1 Der Thiergarten: allgemeine deutsche monatschrift für kunde, beobachtung, zucht und pflege der thiere,  mit besonderer rüchsicht auf die verbesserung unserer gegenwärtigen hausthiere und heranbildung neuer,..David Friedrich Weinland
Contributor		David Friedrich Weinland
Publisher		Ebner und Seubert, 1864
Original kept at		University of California
Digitized		Dec 16, 2008
		This digitized item contains a review of the models, offered in 1863.

Download Natural History Illustrations

Being confined to  my desk, I browse the internet again.
I found these very rich sites that offer high quality Natural History Illustrations:

Biodiversity Heritage   - Then click: Today's Picks - Flickr Stream
How do I download a high resolution copy of an image I found in Flickr?
This is Colossal  - Biodiversity Heritage Library Free Download

There is so much to enjoy.

Rudolf Blaschkas 161rst birthday

Rudolf Blaschka , 2018 (spraypaint, 18 x 18 cm)

Rudolf Blaschka was born 161 years ago, on June 17, 1857. 

Thus, this month we commemorate his life and achievements as a scientific artist.

Leopold Blaschka's 196th birthday

Leopold Blaschka, 2018 (spraypaint, 18 x 18 cm)

May 27, 1822, Leopold Blaschka was born. 

Thus, today we commemorate his life and achievements as a scientific artist.