Emily Mary Sutherland
@pulp-wire-wtrmks.bsky.social
Archivist at NARA. Processing and accessioning job. Conservation passion. Fascinated by the moments when practice meets theory and user meets object. Books. Paper. Bound. Unbound.
Today’s furlough fun: cleaning out my sock drawer. These sad socks know their fate.
October 8, 2025 at 5:01 PM
Today’s furlough fun: cleaning out my sock drawer. These sad socks know their fate.
Calendar day 6 of furlough. Cut the morning glories down from the window. Doing some plant maintenance and perusing some finds from my trip. A primer on modern art written in 1932? I’ll bite.
October 6, 2025 at 3:05 PM
Calendar day 6 of furlough. Cut the morning glories down from the window. Doing some plant maintenance and perusing some finds from my trip. A primer on modern art written in 1932? I’ll bite.
It's been a while since I've posted. I've been very busy professionally and thus, personally. Here's a little note I found in some estate records recently. Some subjects are so timeless they remind us of our shared humanity.
March 1, 2024 at 12:58 AM
It's been a while since I've posted. I've been very busy professionally and thus, personally. Here's a little note I found in some estate records recently. Some subjects are so timeless they remind us of our shared humanity.
Opened up some documents today during my project to enhance the description of a Hawaiian Consular Post Entry and found what I think is some pounce still stuck to the ink. Documents from 1844 and 1850.
December 4, 2023 at 11:28 PM
Opened up some documents today during my project to enhance the description of a Hawaiian Consular Post Entry and found what I think is some pounce still stuck to the ink. Documents from 1844 and 1850.
$12 pack of party decorations off Amazon gets you exactly what you pay for.
October 21, 2023 at 3:39 AM
$12 pack of party decorations off Amazon gets you exactly what you pay for.
Still waiting to hear back about the Conservation Technician position. Next week I interview for a Position as an Archives Specialist in Navy Refrence and Augmented Processing. Much higher GS scale, and much more research involved than hand-skill work. Oh, to be a single traveler in a yellow wood.
October 18, 2023 at 11:14 AM
Still waiting to hear back about the Conservation Technician position. Next week I interview for a Position as an Archives Specialist in Navy Refrence and Augmented Processing. Much higher GS scale, and much more research involved than hand-skill work. Oh, to be a single traveler in a yellow wood.
The very last page has this lithograph, which I also can't quite get translated either. Something about looking back fondly on your youth.
October 11, 2023 at 10:22 AM
The very last page has this lithograph, which I also can't quite get translated either. Something about looking back fondly on your youth.
It has a beautiful handwritten note at the front, which I cannot decipher, for the life of me. And at the back the most adorable bookplate.
October 11, 2023 at 10:01 AM
It has a beautiful handwritten note at the front, which I cannot decipher, for the life of me. And at the back the most adorable bookplate.
Obviously this copy was well used, because the index has been worn and repaired very intently. Even if it was done with self-adhesive tape.
October 11, 2023 at 9:58 AM
Obviously this copy was well used, because the index has been worn and repaired very intently. Even if it was done with self-adhesive tape.
Pairing up information with corresponding images is still a challenge for some formatters.
October 11, 2023 at 9:56 AM
Pairing up information with corresponding images is still a challenge for some formatters.
I'm fascinated by the organization of information and this 1835 encyclopedia gives it a shot in four languages. It's entertaining that the German text (as well as the text for the rest of the book) is in a beautiful font while the other languages are in the same simple serif.
October 11, 2023 at 9:54 AM
I'm fascinated by the organization of information and this 1835 encyclopedia gives it a shot in four languages. It's entertaining that the German text (as well as the text for the rest of the book) is in a beautiful font while the other languages are in the same simple serif.
"Orbis Pictius" 3rd ed. of Gailer's "world in pictures": textbook w/ lithographs on nat. history, astronomy, agriculture, world cultures, tech., trades, and other subjects for an encyclopedic intro. to the world's knowledge, w/ descriptions in French, German, English, and Latin.
October 11, 2023 at 9:49 AM
"Orbis Pictius" 3rd ed. of Gailer's "world in pictures": textbook w/ lithographs on nat. history, astronomy, agriculture, world cultures, tech., trades, and other subjects for an encyclopedic intro. to the world's knowledge, w/ descriptions in French, German, English, and Latin.
Artist Johann Whilhelm Baur (1607-1640) designed 151 illustrations for the Metamorphoses. They first appeared in Vienna possibly as early as 1639 and were reissued several times. Print is possibly for a 1703 edition. (Ganymedes abduction)
October 4, 2023 at 9:40 AM
Artist Johann Whilhelm Baur (1607-1640) designed 151 illustrations for the Metamorphoses. They first appeared in Vienna possibly as early as 1639 and were reissued several times. Print is possibly for a 1703 edition. (Ganymedes abduction)
It's WATERMARK Wednesday! This one I found on a print of Ganymedes abduction by Artist Johann Whilhelm Baur (1607-1640). An absolutely majestic creature.
October 4, 2023 at 9:35 AM
It's WATERMARK Wednesday! This one I found on a print of Ganymedes abduction by Artist Johann Whilhelm Baur (1607-1640). An absolutely majestic creature.
Why don't they make car ads like this anymore??? Ad from magazine "L'Illustration" December, 4th, 1926.
October 4, 2023 at 12:24 AM
Why don't they make car ads like this anymore??? Ad from magazine "L'Illustration" December, 4th, 1926.
Many of the pages have edits; a few misspellings, grammatical fixes, and on the fly format or subject changes.
October 3, 2023 at 9:26 AM
Many of the pages have edits; a few misspellings, grammatical fixes, and on the fly format or subject changes.
One of my favorite little books from my collection is this strange fellow. Found at the top of a box, like someone had thrown it in as an afterthought. Entirely handmade. Text block edges have a rough-sawn look. Includes biblical and poetical quotes with marginal detailing. No owner name, no date.
October 3, 2023 at 9:23 AM
One of my favorite little books from my collection is this strange fellow. Found at the top of a box, like someone had thrown it in as an afterthought. Entirely handmade. Text block edges have a rough-sawn look. Includes biblical and poetical quotes with marginal detailing. No owner name, no date.
No shutdown, but I have developed a bad cold over the weekend. Can't stay asleep, can't stay awake. Reading "The St Cuthbert Gospel: Studies on the Insular Manuscript of the Gospel of John" in the in-between moments.
October 2, 2023 at 8:41 AM
No shutdown, but I have developed a bad cold over the weekend. Can't stay asleep, can't stay awake. Reading "The St Cuthbert Gospel: Studies on the Insular Manuscript of the Gospel of John" in the in-between moments.
While frantically refiling records for the impending shutdown, I flew past this poor book. A prime example of why self-adhesive tape is, most likely, not the answer.
September 29, 2023 at 2:15 PM
While frantically refiling records for the impending shutdown, I flew past this poor book. A prime example of why self-adhesive tape is, most likely, not the answer.
At the auction house, I'd been told this heavy item had been around for a year or two. One day a heafty set of prints came in and as I was looking through them, I spotted a familiar shape! Probably a 19c chruch candlestick.
September 23, 2023 at 10:23 AM
At the auction house, I'd been told this heavy item had been around for a year or two. One day a heafty set of prints came in and as I was looking through them, I spotted a familiar shape! Probably a 19c chruch candlestick.
Before I worked at NARA, I worked at a little Long Island auction house. The most amazing things came through. Like This stunning micromosaic. And the biggest clamshell I have ever seen in my life. I genuinely expected it to start singing or spit out a dinglehopper.
September 23, 2023 at 1:17 AM
Before I worked at NARA, I worked at a little Long Island auction house. The most amazing things came through. Like This stunning micromosaic. And the biggest clamshell I have ever seen in my life. I genuinely expected it to start singing or spit out a dinglehopper.
A section of news from The Berkshire County Eagle, May, 1891. An ancestor of mine leaves Glasgow with his family to start a life in Lee, MA. His occupation; wire worker at Thistle Wire works which supplies the local paper industry with wire for their paper moulds. And I thought this was my story...
September 22, 2023 at 10:53 AM
A section of news from The Berkshire County Eagle, May, 1891. An ancestor of mine leaves Glasgow with his family to start a life in Lee, MA. His occupation; wire worker at Thistle Wire works which supplies the local paper industry with wire for their paper moulds. And I thought this was my story...
One of the lovely things about my job is getting to pass compartments with items like these. The unfortunate part is I am always on a mission to retrieve other records and don't have time to stop for a peek. So tantalizing close.
September 22, 2023 at 10:14 AM
One of the lovely things about my job is getting to pass compartments with items like these. The unfortunate part is I am always on a mission to retrieve other records and don't have time to stop for a peek. So tantalizing close.