Antique Pressed Seaweed Specimen #6, c. 1850s hand-painted round wooden trinket box sewn to a cloth torso

sewn to a cloth torso which seems to be stuffed with sawdust

comes  from a volume of Zeitschrift für populäre Astronomi (Journal of Popular Astronomy)

My new favorite antique watercolor

most clearly done for assignments

the alligatoring of the creamy white paint and just terrific overall wear and aging

Antique Pressed Seaweed Specimen #6, c. 1850s hand-painted round wooden trinket box sewn to a cloth torsoSince finding a bundle of antique seaweed pressings from the Isle of Wight a few months ago, I've been looking for more, and so was thrilled to recently find a portfolio of seven of them. They came nicely preserved inside a large piece of paper with folded edges, with "Specimens of Sea Weeds for Mrs. Bindle" hand written on the front. There is a watermark on one piece dated 1852 with the printer name A. Pirie & Sons, who were located in Aberdeen,