Ngako: The Collections Podcast- Fernmania

In this episode, we take a trip back in time to the Victorian craze for fern collecting and how Fernmania was documented. Rare Book curator Renée Orr describes the work of Herbert Dobbie and Eric Craig who collected and documented ferns of Aotearoa in the last part of the nineteenth century. We are also joined by a contemporary print artist and book maker Makyla Curtis who shares her inspiration and print work using ferns. See a list of references for this episode below or get in touch with us by emailing [email protected] and we’ll make sure you can find the collection items of your interest. This podcast is part of a wider series of short films Ngako: The Collections Talk, available to view via aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/Ngako This episode was written and produced by Sue Berman, was recorded and produced by Benjamin Brooking and edited and engineered by Juliana Machado. This has been Ngako: The Collections Podcast - Fernmania Subscribe to check out the next episode! REFERENCES Herbert Dobbie, ‘New Zealand Ferns’, Whitcombe & Tombs, Auckland, 1921. https://kura.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/digital/collection/rarebooks/id/13930/rec/1 Herbert Dobbie, ‘145 varieties of New Zealand ferns.’ Part 1.’ 1880. https://kura.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/digital/collection/rarebooks/id/13821/rec/2 Eric Craig, ‘New Zealand ferns: 172 varieties.’ 1892. Fern Mounter Princes St, Auckland [Second Edition] https://kura.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/digital/collection/rarebooks/id/13845/rec/1 Sarah Whittingham, ‘Fern fever: the story of Pteridomania,’ Frances Lincoln, London, 2012. https://discover.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/search/card?id=8957489a-a0e8-5e7e-a0f5-b9412cf0a349&entityType=FormatGroup Margaret Thomson, ‘The fern and flower album, for preserving dried specimens of ferns, flowers, seaweeds, &c.’ 1878. https://discover.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/search/card?id=d8efed72-50e3-5154-8762-9061ecd73c4e&entityType=FormatGroup Makyla Curtis. ‘Artist file.’ Available at Takapuna Angela Morton Collection. https://discover.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/search/card?id=4aea07c6-6b00-541c-8276-bba59c35170e&entityType=FormatGroup Makyla Curtis - Wordpress Blog https://makylacurtis.wordpress.com/2019/07/15/fern-printing/ Makyla Curtis, ‘Apertures.’ 2021. https://discover.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/search/card?id=245b2567-90e7-54fa-bd6f-5b043e52641d&entityType=FormatGroup Makyla Curtis, ‘Advance/ Recede.’ 2019. https://discover.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/search/card?id=03a8d70f-9cec-583b-8899-d4023d750ca7&entityType=FormatGroup Makyla Curtis, ‘Abstract compositions project ’12.’ 2011. https://discover.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/search/card?id=e450bb97-c267-5860-af7e-f2ac1132041e&entityType=FormatGroup ZINES: See a variety of multimedia publications here: https://makyla.wordpress.com/ Makyla Curtis, ‘Ngā makenu.’ 2016. https://discover.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/search/card?id=43fc789f-475f-560d-8806-25126802affa&entityType=FormatGroup Makyla Curtis, ‘I titohia ē nei kōrero paki e ngā ngeru.’ 2016. https://discover.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/search/card?id=d323e1d3-bc23-547b-b9dc-b1ff7de1ecd5&entityType=FormatGroup Makyla Curtis, ‘On rocks.’ 2018. https://discover.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/search/card?id=6820a4ea-ff41-5e0c-83c5-a08c0790dafb&entityType=FormatGroup Image Credit: New Zealand ferns: 172 varieties Illustrated by Eric Craig, 1892, Fern Mounter Princes St, Auckland [Second Edition], pg: 27 https://kura.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/digital/collection/rarebooks/id/13845/rec/1