Silent Album’s: The book of Diversion

African, American and Autralasian Animals

2010-03-12T08:44:00.000-08:00

This a plate from a great book I have called "The World’s Inhabitants or Mankind, Animals and Plants" by G.T. Bettany. M.A. 800 Illustrations. 1889. It is a very interesting book with many images that turn up in various collages.

Google to digitise ancient Italian books

2010-03-10T16:00:00.000-08:00

Dante's Divine Comedy will be among the ancient works available online.

From the BBC's website

Jimmie Graham Photos 2 & 3 Years

2010-03-02T11:17:00.000-08:00

More photo gems... What a great toy!

Slow Exposure Turkey Dinner

2010-03-02T11:04:00.000-08:00

I love the transparent image of this guy in front of this huge turkey. Made me smile.

Recent Photo Finds

2010-03-02T10:50:00.000-08:00

I came across these interesting photos while going through some old albums. I love the image of the two guys sitting on the Model-T's bumper.

People don't write like this anymore!

2010-02-18T12:20:00.000-08:00

Antique Doll Hand

2010-02-14T11:17:00.000-08:00

I received an amazing present today - this cracked antique doll's hand. It will be perfect to use in one of the palmistry collages.

Happy Valentines Day!

2010-02-14T09:04:00.000-08:00

Silent Film, Winter, Vulcan Alberta, 1950's

2010-02-13T15:24:00.000-08:00

Here is a short 16mm film shot by my wife's grandfather in Vulcan Alberta sometime in the mid 50's. There is no sound. We have others we digitized, I will post more soon.

Antique Canadian Hockey Team Photograph

2010-02-13T14:53:00.000-08:00

I found this wonderful image in a suitcase. I have scanned it from a small negative, 2-1/4" square. I wish I knew where in Canada it was taken. I love what the kids are wearing.

The Serpentine, London - Postcard from 1907

2010-02-13T14:27:00.000-08:00

Such a strange postcard. It has been coloured using solid silver ink. I really like this effect of adding floods of colour on top of an image. Gold leaf would be interesting too.

The Brother Quay Animation - From The Street of Crocodiles

2010-02-12T08:54:00.000-08:00

Amazing animation! From 1986. I love their aesthetic. Probably where my love of old doll heads comes from.

Anna May Wong Cigarette Card - 1929

2010-02-10T22:58:00.000-08:00

A very interesting card from a series of 48 cigarette cards, "shots from films". Godfrey Phillips Ltd. and Associated Companies. Nice hat!

New - Queen of Hearts Collages

2010-02-09T23:08:00.000-08:00

Here is a new collage idea I have been working with based on the face cards in a pack of playing cards. I have begun the series with the Queen of Hearts. The second Queen I added in a border of sorts and changed the upside down fork into a knife. I also thinks the knife and fork look better not cut off.

Pioneer Photographs

2010-02-09T09:17:00.000-08:00

What can I say about these incredible Photographs? Amazing finds indeed. I am working on a collage of this portrait as a Jack in a playing card. I'll post updates on this later...

Gold Panning Horse Train

2010-02-09T08:34:00.000-08:00

This beautifully faded image of horses was found in a very old album from early last century. It's from a sequence of photos documenting the search for gold. This photograph is like gold to me.

Beautiful examples of vintage photograph card backs

2010-02-08T22:46:00.000-08:00

These examples of Victorian photograph card backs are so beautiful. I love them! The possibilities are endless. I look for cards that have a history to tell. Cards that are burnt, or faded, written on or have incredible logos and typography very much appeal to me.

Vatican Passport from 1833

2010-02-07T15:38:00.000-08:00

Here is another Vatican passport from my collection. Front and back. Dated around 1833.

Glass Plate Montage

2010-02-07T14:42:00.000-08:00

I found this photograph of my wife's father when he was a baby. I thought it looked very creepy and would be appropriate combined with an image of a glass plate negative.

Photo Montages from trip to France

2010-02-07T14:25:00.000-08:00

Antique Doll Heads

2010-02-07T14:12:00.000-08:00

I have acquired a few old doll's heads. The rougher looking the better for telling a story. Here are some from my collection. The collage Madonna has a couple of dolls included which relate so well to the antique photograph of the child.

Vatican Passport from 1837

2010-02-07T08:35:00.000-08:00

I bought this amazing document in Florence. A Vatican passport from the time of Pope Gregory XVI (1765 – 1846). I have used a portion of this in the collage Dr. Henry Landor. The reverse side is equally as interesting with all the stamps and writing.

Sailors

2010-02-05T15:15:00.000-08:00

Here are a couple more photographs from my Livingston collection. Check out the guy's camera.

Fishing Flies

2010-02-05T15:00:00.000-08:00

Here is a page out of an old fishing manual. I love the rusted out staple holes.

Cafe

2010-02-05T14:50:00.000-08:00

Glass Plate Images

2010-02-05T12:59:00.000-08:00

Blast Off Photo Montage

2010-02-05T12:53:00.000-08:00

My father took photos in the 60's of various space flights on television. Here is a simple montage using one of his photographs.

Indian Head Ephemera Collage

2010-02-05T12:40:00.000-08:00

Here is another example of a collage using an interesting old photograph along with another old receipt, this one from 1911.

1920's Motorbike Photograph and Ephemera Collage

2010-02-05T12:22:00.000-08:00

Another great image from the collection of negatives. You can see the photographer's shadow! And the photograph used in a collage called A.W. Sherwood, based on an old lumber receipt from 1914.

Model T Double Exposure

2010-02-05T09:19:00.000-08:00

I was given a box of old B&W negatives by an antique dealer friend of mine. It is just a fantastic collection. The photos tell of a man who works on a steam ship, travels to various American ports and comes to Vancouver. Later, in there are photos of him and a woman in a small cabin up the coast with a dog. Amazing! In that collection was this double exposure of two women in a Model T.

Scapula

2010-02-04T17:03:00.001-08:00

This antique glass plate had the perfect scratched texture to add the image of a scapula. I like the depth of field, which when combined with the glass, has a feeling of looking inside. Another experiment in finding a style for this collage book's design.

Possible Element for Fire Collage

2010-02-04T15:45:00.001-08:00

I came across this great book illustration from an antiquarian french school book. It may be useful in the fire collage.

First Illustration

2010-02-03T15:33:00.000-08:00

Astrologer's Magazine - 1895

2010-02-03T15:24:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Keith, I continued searching the Harvard University Library and found a Google digitized Volume 5, 1895 which has a section on palmistry. Not exactly a match but closer. This will definitely help when I start creating the collages for the book.

The Astrologer's Magazine - 1894

2010-02-03T14:41:00.000-08:00

I'm so excited, my friend Keith at Pulp Fiction Books discovered that Google digitized a book from the library of Harvard University. The Astrologers' Magazine - 1894. "A book dealing solely with all branches of astral science". It is volume 4 and isn't a direct match for the manuscript I have, but it most likely dates mine from between the 1890's – 1900. Not in copyright!!!
Google states: "Public domain books are our gateways to the past, representing a wealth of history, culture and knowledge that’s often difficult to discover. Marks, notations and other marginalia present in the original volume will appear in this file - a reminder of this book’s long journey from the publisher to a library and finally to you."
We will keep looking for the Palmistry issue. THANK YOU KEITH !!!!!

Of sudden death by Apoplexy, or the like.

2010-02-03T10:24:00.000-08:00

Wrote to Daevid Allen - wooohooo

2010-02-03T08:33:00.000-08:00

Today I received an email from Daevid Allen of Gong!!! Thanks to friend Thomas Anfield.

Hi David,
Thank you! I have taken several breaths in your honour.
Sorry can't help with your extra-ordinary book.
Love to you & yours
& good luck with all projects.
Cheers
daevid

Contacted Barbara Hodgson

2010-02-02T09:52:00.000-08:00

I received an email from Barbara Hodgson today! Woohoo! I will show her some layouts when the project is further along.

Barbara Hodgson is a Vancouver-based book designer and writer. Her recent book, Trading in Memories, is a unique display of this consummate collector's passion for travel, design, illustration and writing.

Contacted Christies for information

2010-02-01T22:39:00.000-08:00

Tonight I went to the antique roadshow website and found out that their expert in antique manuscripts works for Christies http://christies.com/.

I sent in a request for a complimentary auction request to find out the value or any information on the book. I'll keep you posted.

Help needed to date the book

2010-02-01T16:17:00.000-08:00

I am looking for someone who can help me date this book. It uses language which is old, but I have no idea how old. If you have any leads, please send me a comment. I'll keep you posted when I find out more...

Here is the opening page from the book. I would love to find out more about the author.

This Book of diversion is a copy of the astrologers magazine, which is a complete treatise of the art of Palmistry.

By the lines marks and character in the hand.

Allowed by the Egyptians, the learned Doctor's and Physicians, and by the greatest philosophers in the universe.

Published by act of Parliament in the act direct.

and sold by all book sellers and news-carriers in town and country.

who can have anything against it allowed and published as a love.

I study it for my own amusement, and to oblige a friend in a private line for nothing but good civility.

Handwriting

2010-02-01T14:19:00.000-08:00

The book is a little difficult to read for a couple of reasons. It is in an older style of English and the script is hard to make out at times. For this reason, I plan on having the pages transcribed and set in an appropriate font along with photographs of the original. I will post some of this text as it is completed...

The original book

2010-02-01T11:24:00.000-08:00

The Project Begins...

2010-02-01T11:23:00.000-08:00

Welcome to my blog!

I am undertaking a project of designing a book based on a very old hand written and drawn treatise on palmistry. The Book of Diversions. It was discovered by my father in the attic of the old house he and my mother lived in after they were married in England in the 40's. I inherited it after he died.

I will be creating collages similar in style to my work on silentalbum.com for the book.

Here is photo of book...