by Lee Finley | Sep 6, 2022 | Article Archives
Coup’s Aquarium Is Coming To Town!! Redux Printable Version of Article In the beginning stages of my interest in 19th century public aquaria I found the following quote from James G. Bertram’s book “The Harvest Of The Sea” (London, Third Edition, 1873): “It may be...
by Emiliano Spada | Sep 6, 2022 | Article Archives
Antique and Vintage Catalogs: Time Portals to a Magnificent Past Printable Version of Article What distinguishes a methodical, serious collector from impulse buyers and simple hoarders? I’m quite sure that this question can be answered with a single word, knowledge....
by B.A. Rickert-Kinsey | Aug 5, 2022 | Article Archives
A Fish Tale: or On Collecting Vintage Fish Bowl/Aquarium Mermaids, Ornaments, & Stands Printable Version of Article In the BeginningWhy do collectors fall in love with a particular item? It can be hard to pinpoint. It seldom has anything to do with monetary value...
by Lee Finley | Aug 4, 2022 | Article Archives
“The Aquarium News” An apparently unrecorded 1878 weekly publication of the Charles Reiche and Brother New York Aquarium. Printable Version of Article The various publications produced by 19th Century public aquaria offer a good source of historical...
by Pam Filipski | Aug 2, 2022 | Article Archives
Flights of Fancy Printable Version of Article Recently some of our club members discovered a few vintage bird cages and, with the help of a Hendryx cage collector in Oregon, we dated some of these treasures and learned a few fun “cage facts” to share! It might be hard...
by Pam Filipski | Aug 2, 2022 | Article Archives
Those Crazy Canary People…Radio’s Singing Canaries Printable Version of Article While most of us would prefer to be called bird enthusiasts rather than bird nuts, we probably couldn’t hold a candle to pet owners during the canary craze of the 1920s and...
by James Murphy | Aug 1, 2022 | Article Archives
Wild and Ferocious Reptiles in the Tower of London Printable Version of Article Fig. 1. Tower of London. From Bennett in 1829. Credit: Courtesy of Smithsonian Institution Libraries, Washington, DC. The Tower of London is best known as a prison where human inmates were...
by James Murphy | Jul 8, 2022 | Article Archives
The Evolution of Keeping Captive Amphibians and Reptiles Printable Version of Article Nature Encased in Glass In 1688, the French produced polished plate glass in large sizes by casting and hand polishing. Over 45 years later in the United Kingdom, Robert Lucas Chance...
by Joseph Ferdenzi | Jul 8, 2022 | Article Archives
Beginnings: A Memoir of my Early Days in the Hobby Printable Version of Article Exotic Aquarium Fishes 19th Edition Revised, the “yellow Metaframe edition” Back of the Innes book My serious involvement in the tropical fish hobby began at the very...
by Emiliano Spada | Jul 8, 2022 | Article Archives
Antique Parlor Fountains A Quick Overview for Future Collectors Printable Version of Article 1901 Heinrici catalog, a Holy Grail for collectors. One of the author’s parlor fountains. It still works quite well. Among the most beautiful and sought aquariums from the...
by James Murphy, Ken McCloud | Jun 7, 2022 | Article Archives
Reptile Dealers and Their Price Lists by James Murphy and Ken McCloud Printable Version of Article If one tracks the development of herpetoculture by using reptile dealer price lists as a source, major trends are apparent. Due to loss of biodiversity and the public...
by Emiliano Spada | Jun 7, 2022 | Article Archives
Steampunk Bubbles Printable Version of Article The very first heyday of technology in the aquarium hobby took place during the 1930s. Electrical service had finally arrived for the greater part of private homes and suppliers began marketing air pumps, air-driven...
by Lee Finley | Jun 7, 2022 | Article Archives
Printable Version of Article Photo of Henry Bishop featured in 1893 “Bishop the Bird Man’s Book on the Care of Birds & Aquaria”. Photo of Henry Bishop featured in 1886 “Bishop the Bird Man’s Book on the Care of Birds &...
by Lee Finley | May 1, 2022 | Article Archives
Victorian Trade Cards and the Pet Trade, an Initial Overview Printable Version of Article Printed advertising of businesses has over its long history taken on many forms and it is a continually evolving process. Some forms of this have been long lasting (e.g., in...
