1. A Behind the scenes look into the sketchbook of a medieval book illuminator
Aren’t these incredible?
Selected pages from the Spätgotisches Musterbuch des Stephan Schriber, a manuscript which appears to be some kind of sketchbook, belonging to a fifteenth-century monk working in South-West Germany, where ideas and layouts for illuminated manuscripts were tried out and skills developed.
More from the Illuminated Sketchbook of Stephan Schriber (1494) found on The Public Domain Review.
2. A Digital Swedish Mitten Museum
Explore hundreds of pages of them here.
3. The Smallest House in Great Britain
Measuring just 72 inches wide and 122 inches high, the Quay House proudly holds the title of The Smallest House in Great Britain.
Located in Conwy, Wales, it was originally built in the 1500s and remained occupied until 1900, when the last tenant was a 6ft 3inch fisherman called Robert Jones. It was soon realised that Jones couldn’t even stand up in any of the rooms and the council declared the property unfit for human habitation. It remains in the family to this day, owned by another Robert Jones, but is now a tourist attraction.
The ground floor features a small open fire, a built in wooden bench, and a water tap tucked behind the stairs. The stairs then takes you to a tiny bedroom, just large enough for a single bed and a small niche for storage.
Found on A Surface In Between.
4. A tiny French wine grower’s lodge for sale
Located in Pays de la Loire, it comes with its own 3-acre AOC vineyard (yes, really), a functional fitted kitchen, a sitting room that used to be the tower room. Asking price €195,000. Found here.
5. Inside the Most Magical Brownstone in NYC
6. Storefront churches
Documented by Rob Stephensen.
7. A Simple, Down-to-Earth Christmas Card from the Great Depression (1933)
The Smithsonian sets the scene for this Christmas card sent in 1933, a few years into the Great Depression. Found on Open Culture.
8. The story of the world’s first Christmas tree with electric lights
The world’s very first Christmas tree with electric lights was displayed in 1882 at the home of Edward Hibberd Johnson in the Murray Hill neighborhood of New York City. Not only did it glow with this innovative new form of illumination, this Christmas tree also spun around, revolving like a flashy new car at an automobile expo.
Find the full story on Bowery Boys History.
9. Salvador Dali jewelry, 1960
10. Rudolf & Leopold’s Amazing Glass Creatures
Meet Bohemia’s greatest glassblowers, the Blaschkas. Specifically, father and son duo Leopold (father) and Rudolf (son). They became famous for crafting Harvard University’s glass flower collection, but they also made the most intricate glass biological models of seas creatures…
It was on the boat to America in 1889 that Leopold observed the beauty of sea creatures, and it’s no wonder he made such inspired pieces; “We look out over the darkness of the sea, which is as smooth as a mirror,” he wrote, “there emerges all around in various places a flashlike bundle of light beams, as if it is surrounded by thousands of sparks, that form true bundles of fire and of other bright lighting spots, and the seemingly mirrored stars.”
Found on Wikipedia.
11. “Always laugh when you can, it is cheap medicine.” Lord Byron.
An antique ring and a wonderful Lord Byron quote engraved by Annina Vogel.
12. This would make a great family movie (a Julie Andrews forgotten gem)
13. The Night Before Christmas (1933)
Holiday Bonus:
A comforting recipe throwback with Jacques Pépin
Something I’ll be making with my kids! Happy Holiday