Imaginary Libraries In The City Of London
The ever-ingenious Adam Dant has devised these illustrations, selected from his new book BIBLIOPOLIS, Imaginary Libraries in the City of London, proposing an alternative history for the Square Mile based upon Culture rather than Commerce. With each example, Adam has helpfully given us a photograph of the location today so that we may observe the remaining ‘evidence’ and share his vision of this strangely credible yet entirely fictitious version of the past.
The Subterranean Bovine Archive
The Bathhouse Library
The Walbrook Fluvial Shelves
The Guildhall Peripatecknicon Library
The Gresham Secretary
The Walbrook Stepped Library
The Candlewyke Lineamental Census
Gallic Oculus & Vitiarama
Stowe’s Raised Survey Diorama
Cheape Moralitorium
The Wall Reading Rooms
The Library By The Tree
The Debtors’ Library
The Library Of Compleat Replenishment
Jamaica Topoteque
Library On A Pole
Bibliothecque Incinis
An ape studies Adam Dant’s handsome new book
Copyright © Adam Dant
Signed copies from the hardback limited edition of three hundred copies of BIBLIOPOLIS, IMAGINARY LIBRARIES IN THE CITY OF LONDON are available direct from Adam Dant at £45 + £5 (postage & packing) adamdant@gmail.com
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Oh, yes!
Phenomenal work! Very instructive to compare the old with the new sights.
Would like to find out more about the Walbrook Stepped Library (what’s that?) and the Wall Reading Rooms…
Love & Peace
ACHIM
What is the place called now, where Mr. Dant put theDebtor’s Library? Could it be that once there was a debtor’s prison there?
Dr. Francis Anthony, who was not, after all, my ancestor, went to the Compter Prison (Wood St.?) a few times for misbehaviour (and pride, not to mention dispensing toxic “medicines”).
The photographs are also wonderful. Like the Paris photographs of Marville and Atget. Early morning light, empty and haunted.
what a wonderful project! love what he did with the “baths”.
and the previous “london skies” post……oh – words don’t do those photos justice.
Another excellent production by Mr Dant.
According to Borgesian principles, these libraries
will be built in futurity.
Dear Gentle Author,
Once again, I must launch this message in a bottle across the ocean.
Thanks to you and now Adam Dant, for opening up the mind to the infinite possibilities, and history, around London, and therefore, the world. Tomorrow, when I return to my work as teacher-keeper of the lower school library here in Brooklyn, these fresh ideas will be further disseminated.
Gentle reader