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Inside Spencer: The KSRL Blog

Books on a shelf

Welcome to the Kenneth Spencer Research Library blog! As the special collections and archives library at the University of Kansas, Spencer is home to remarkable and diverse collections of rare and unique items. Explore the blog to learn about the work we do and the materials we collect.

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That’s Distinctive!: Nineteenth-Century Sketchbooks

Check the blog each Friday for a new “That’s Distinctive!” post. I created the series because I genuinely believe there is something in our collections for everyone, whether you’re writing a paper or just want to have a look. “That’s Distinctive!” will provide a more lighthearted glimpse into the diverse and unique materials at Spencer – including items that many people may not realize the library holds. If you have suggested topics for a future item feature or questions about the collections, feel free to leave a comment at the bottom of this page.

This week on That’s Distinctive! I am sharing a sketchbook from the Papers of Lady Pauline Trevelyan. As noted in the finding aid, Lady Pauline Trevelyan (1816-1866) was a “writer, traveler, etcher, and painter of watercolors. She was also known as a naturalist and scientist.” Her collection here at the library holds mostly journals, notebooks, and sketchbooks. The collection consists of 69 volumes and one document case.

I actually first came across this collection when we had a researcher viewing it in the Reading Room. Otherwise, I am not sure I ever would have stumbled upon it. While I have not viewed the journals, the sketchbooks fascinated me because they are quite thin and all different sizes. Due to age, some of them are quite fragile. The sketchbook shared today is from Paris in 1863. This particular sketchbook is quite small (similar to a small spiral notepad) which makes the paintings that much more impressive.

To get a “taste” of Pauline Trevelyan’s journals, see the 2012 blog post “An Easter Pizza in Umbria, Italy in 1842” by former Special Collections Librarian Karen S. Cook.

Color sketch of a tan building that is probably a family home.
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Color sketch of a green field cut by lines of trees, with a large blue sky overhead.
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Two-page color sketch of swans and ducks in nests that sit in water.
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Color sketch of a small boat on the edge of a body of water, with trees and pink flowers in the background.
Selected pages from a sketchbook by Lady Pauline Trevelyan in Paris, 1863. Trevelyan Collection. Call Number: MS K1, volume 9. Click images to enlarge.

Tiffany McIntosh
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This entry was posted on Friday, March 1st, 2024 at 8:10 am and is filed under Special Collections, That's Distinctive. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.