Dodos and Dark Lanterns

By David A. Berry

Tells the story of the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, UK, the world's first university museum, dating from the late 1600sNot your traditional approach to a museum history, but told through anecdotes about people famous and not-so and the objects they treasuredIt all started with the bequest of a cabinet of curios called "The Ark"
Dodos & Dark Lanterns tells the fascinating story of Oxford's Ashmolean, the first public museum in the world. Through a series of interesting anecdotes, based on objects from the Ashmolean's collections, the book traces the eventful history of this remarkable institution, which evolved from a cabinet of curiosities, representing the world in microcosm, into a museum of art and archaeology, illustrating connections between cultures over time. In the process, it introduces a host of colorful characters, such as a local confectioner named James Sadler who became the first English aeronaut and a young schoolboy known as Ned who grew up to be the legendary Lawrence of Arabia.

Contents: Map of Oxford; Introduction; Tradescant's Orchard; Powhatan's Mantle; Pr mia Honoraria; Statutes Order & Rules; Bottle of Nitre; Clypeus ploti; Oxford Dodo; Mourning Dress; Megalosaurus bucklandi; Draft Labels; Jewelled Disc Brooch; Guy Fawkes' Lantern; Statue of Athena; Study of Heads and Hands; Chester Seal; Hill House Album; Medieval Mug; Head of Louisa; Jane Russell; Ritual Food Vessel; Statue of the Buddha.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1854442813
• ISBN13: 9781854442819
• Release Date: August 2013
• Publisher: Ashmolean Museum
• Length: 160 Pages
• Weight: 1.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 7.7" x 10.3"