The latest instalment in our BHL at 20: Treasures from the Biodiversity Heritage Library blog post series comes from Museums Victoria Archivist Nik McGrath. Nik explores one of the most visually delightful (and delicious) items in BHL: Melbourne Industrial and Technological Museumās Economic Botany Fruit and Vegetable Specimen Register.
Created in the late nineteenth century, this beautifully illustrated register documented real fruits and vegetables used by museum model makers to produce an extraordinary collection of wax botanical specimens, many of which still survive today.
The collection and the accompanying register provide a fascinating glimpse into nineteenth century museum education, botanical science, craftsmanship, and archival documentation.
Read the full post here: Industrial and Technological Museum Economic Botany Illustrations and the Wax Fruit Collection ā Biodiversity Heritage Library
Have you used specimen registers on BHL in your work, or in your own institutions? Weād love to hear about them.