The Grammar of Ornament

A couple of years ago, after spending lots of money doing up the municipal libraries, Cardiff City Council decided to sell off their rare book collection. Because, honestly, no-one wants boring books in their libraries, do we? It's where we go to hire DVDs or pick up recycling bags or just keep warm. Idiots.

Luckily Cardiff University put forward a case to keep them in the city and offered to store them. There are frequent displays in the university library, some curated by postgrad students. They also have two giant touch-screens which means you can peruse some of the featured books. This is a detail from Owen Jones's The Grammar of Ornament (1856). Isn't it lovely? The title is a winner too.

I know where I'm sourcing my next tattoo...