Cool Stuff: Buggin' Out

Photo by Jonny Valiant for Blueprint

Did you see the feature on Binth co-owner Suzanna Bierwirth's Chicago townhouse in the latest (and, sadly, last) issue of Blueprint magazine? What an absolutely gorgeous home -- I died a little bit just looking at it.

One of the first things that jumped out at me was the awesome vintage entomology poster on Bierwirth's mantel (above). I love the way it complements the light-colored stone of the fireplace and how it pops against the deep, gray-brown wall. But mostly, I just love the wonderful ookiness of it.

(Which reminds me of the very prim and proper, pearls- and twinset-sporting New England lockjaw type in the childbirth class that Nick and I took many moons ago. At an after-baby class reunion at her apartment, I was utterly shocked and fascinated to discover a series of gross but totally cool framed insect etchings lining the hallway. It was like, "Wait -- is this the right address?" And though I'd previously written her off as your typical uptight, moneyed, and boring WASP, I realized then that even tightly chignoned chicks who wear pearls and twinsets nine months into their pregnancies can have layers of weirdness that make them -- at least in my opinion -- worth getting to know. But I digress ... )

Anyway, Blueprint lists German antiquarian printseller Philographikon as a source for similar insect images, so I logged on to check it out.

Some of my Philographikon buggy faves:

Circa-1824 Neuoptera lithograph by Georg August Goldfuss, $1,050

Circa-1820 Grasshopper copper etching, $180

Circa-1751 "Histoire Naturelle" copper etching, $210

While I was there, I also wandered over to the botanical prints section, where I was besotted with this funky fungi lithograph:

Agaricaceae, $55

Check out all of Philographikon's offerings right here.