Scope and Content
Forty-five original watercolors of plants mounted on paper. The watercolors may have been produced in Canton. Many bear "M. and J. Lay or J. Whatman” watermarks dated 1815 to 1819. Watercolors include butterflies, moths, or other possible pollinators. Latin names have been added in pencil.
Dates
- Creation: circa 1815-1819
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is available by appointment for research. Researchers must register and provide valid photo identification. Please contact botref@oeb.harvard.edu for additional information.
Extent
0.5 linear feet (1 flat oversize box, 1 shared oversize box) ; Plates measure 33 x 41 cm. Binding measures 36 x 42 cm.Arrangement
The watercolors are arranged alphabetically by latin name. Plate numbers written in pencil in top right corner and may correspond to original order.
Provenance
The provenance of this collection is unknown.
General note
Harvard's Imaging Services department digitized this collection as part of the "Original botanical illustrations of the Botany Libraries" project.
Processing Information
Plates removed from original binding, interleaved and rehoused in a box. Moved from Fol. 139.4 An8.
Collection title taken from note on end-sheet and collection dates based on watermarks. Title on spine of original binding: Chinese plants. Most plates include plant name written in pencil. Corrected and supplied plant names appear in brackets.
- Title
- Chinese plants: 45 drawings in water-color, circa 1815-1819: A Guide.
- Status
- completed
- Author
- Botany Libraries, Arnold Arboretum Library (Cambridge), Harvard University.
- Description rules
- dacs
- Language of description
- eng
- EAD ID
- arn00017
Repository Details
Part of the Botany Libraries, Arnold Arboretum Library (Cambridge), Harvard University Repository
The Harvard University Herbaria houses five research libraries that are managed collectively as the Botany Libraries. The Arnold Arboretum Library in Cambridge specializes in the identification and classification of Old World plants with emphasis on Asia. The Archives of the Arnold Arboretum (Cambridge) houses unique resources, primarily field notes related to the plant specimens housed in Cambridge.
Harvard University Herbaria
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Cambridge MA 02138 USA
(617) 495-2366
botref@oeb.harvard.edu