Lilla Vekerdy and Morgan Aronson their ABECEDARIUM from Rare Smithsonian Volumes

October Dinner

There have been Caxton Club speakers on a wide variety of books, but none, so far, have been coloring books. The Smith- sonian’s Abecedarium takes a light- hearted medium to introduce the serious world of embellished letters and decorated initials with examples from six centuries of rare books of science and art from the Smithsonian’s treasures. With an essay on decorated initials, the book provides two versions of each letter of the alphabet – enlarged to color – with stories of their sources, artists, and historical contexts. Our two speakers, authors of the book, will share their scholarship behind these stories of an historically significant part of book design. Through their Abecedarium they will open up an inspiring – and colorful – way to experience centuries of art, science and culture.

Lilla Vekerdy is Head of Special Collections at the Smithsonian Libraries with particular emphasis on the Dibner Library of History of Science and Technology. Morgan Aronson is Project Manager at the US Naval Observatory Library. Copies of Abecedarium will be available for sale and signing for $10.00 each.

The Social Hour (5-6pm) and program (6pm) will be in the Union League Club Library, followed immediately by dinner in the Heritage Room. Beverages available for $6-$12. Three-course dinner: $66. Reservations are required and must be received no later than NOON, Monday, October 14. Payment will be required for dinner reservations cancelled after that time and for no-shows. Reserve at caxtonclub.org, call 312-255-3710, or e-mail caxtonclub@newberry.org