Marsh's Unpublished Brontosaurus, 1966

18c. Marsh's Unpublished Brontosaurus Restoration, 1966

In his various papers in the American Journal of Science, Marsh continually mentioned that his published illustrations, usually wood engravings, were reduced versions of larger plates prepared for the United States Geological Survey to accompany a monographs in preparation. These larger plates were actually prepared as lithographs, but they were never published. At least not until 1966, when John Ostrom and John McIntosh performed the singular service of finally seeing the hundred and fifty original plates through the press. The authors say in the preface that the plates were prepared under Marsh's direction by illustrator F. Berger and lithographer E. Crisand; the USGS bore the cost of $45,000.

All of the plates are impressive, but the most eye-catching is the Brontosaurus, which in this fold-out is about three times as big as Marsh's published versions of 1883 and 1896.

Source:

Ostrom, John H.; McIntosh, John S. Marsh's Dinosaurs: The Collections from Como Bluff. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1966. This work is part of the Library Collections, but it is NOT on exhibit.

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