Here at the Digitization Centre we are fascinated and excited by the vast amount of primary-source material that our digitization work exposes us to. Whether a document of historic significance, a beautiful illustration, or even a particularly fine typeface, we are frequently amazed by the materials we’re working to share with the world. So much so, that not only will we crowd around to ogle a particularly interesting specimen, but we’ve started decorating our workplace with copies of some of our favorites. But why stop there? Surely, we can’t be the only ones geeky enough to appreciate such “gems” in our collections, and so we’ve decided to share them here with you. Below you will find some of our favorites, hand-picked by staff from both existing and upcoming collections. We hope you enjoy them as much as we do!
TIP: To view full resolution versions of the images on any size screen, click to view in Open Collections.
All ‘Round the World (1860-1862)
Posted on Jun 15, 2012 by slindber
All ‘Round the World is a three account by William Ainsworth of his travels around the world in the early 1860s. Chock-full of beautifully crafted historic engravings of exotic locales like the Ateshgah of Baku and Mt. Etna, we enjoyed this set so much that we decided to do some high quality scans of some of our favorites […]
Invest in Kerrisdale!
Posted on Jun 04, 2012 by slindber
This advertisement from a 1910 issue of Opportunities magazine made us all wish we’d been around to take advantage of the deal… The full anthology of Opportunities issues will be available to view in the upcoming BC Bibliography digital collection.
The Transit of Venus (1883)
Posted on May 30, 2012 by slindber
“The Transit of Venus” J.G. Brown, 1883 With the recent hubbub over the upcoming transit of venus we noticed copies of this image kicking around the ‘net in varying qualities, and thought to ourselves, “we can do better.” A quick search of the UBC ASRS yielded Harper’s Weekly; A Journal of Civilization (1857-1916), and sure enough, this image […]
Explore Open Collections: H. Bullock-Webster fonds
Posted on May 29, 2012 by slindber
Sketches of the Canadian west by H. Bullock Webster (1855-1942). As a young man he came to Canada from England and began working as an apprentice clerk for the Hudson’s Bay Company in 1874. While in the service of the company Webster travelled extensively to HBC posts throughout northern Alberta and British Columbia. Although never […]
Disaster Prints
Posted on by slindber
Woodcuts by unknown authors from “Disaster Prints,” a part of the Japanese Maps of the Tokugawa Period digital collection. UBC Library’s Rare Books and Special Collections holds one of the world’s largest collections of maps and guidebooks of the Japanese Tokugawa period, ca. 1600-1867. Most of this collection was acquired from George H. Beans, the original collector, and […]
William Fraser Tolmie
Posted on May 17, 2012 by slindber
A brief (and almost fawning) biography and impressive etching of William Fraser Tolmie from British Columbia Pictoral Biographical printed by the British Alaskan Boundary Tribunal, 1903. In addition to the quality of the etchings, typography and illuminations in this volume, the DI team was struck by this image due to the remarkable likeness Mr. Tolmie bears to our […]
Klondike Gold Rush
Posted on by slindber
Photographs from the Klondyke Souvenir published by H.J. Goetzman in 1901 depicting pioneer life and the Klondike gold rush from the upcoming B.C. Bibliography collection. Images contributed by the University of Northern British Columbia. If you are looking for more related Klondike gold rush resources, please visit this blog post: British Columbia, the Gold Rush and […]
Illustrated Victoria
Posted on May 15, 2012 by slindber
Illustrations of Victoria BC from Souvenir British Columbia by the Canadian Department of Agriculture, 1885, and Souvenir of British Columbia: Views No. 1, printed by T.N. Hibben & Co., 1880 (respectively). The full volumes and many other illustrated and photographic “souvenirs” of early BC will be featured in the upcoming BC Bibliography digital collection. Both images […]
Know Your Enemy
Posted on May 08, 2012 by slindber
Second World War era Japanese poster depicting allied bombers from UBC Rare Books and Special Collections’ David Conde fonds. David Conde was born in Ontario. He moved to the United Sates in the early 1920s and became an American citizen in 1932. In 1945/1946 Conde worked for the U.S. State Department during the occupation of […]
Vancouver, 1880
Posted on May 07, 2012 by slindber
Souvenir of British Columbia, No. 1 printed by T.N. Hibben & Co. circa 1880. Look for lots more photographs of historic Vancouver in the upcoming B.C.Bibliography Collection!
