Charles Valentine Riley Printing Blocks

The Charles Valentine Riley Printing Blocks Collection, 1868-1989, was donated to the National Agricultural Library in 1988 and 1989 by the Entomological Society of America. The collection features over 1200 woodcuts, electroplates and metal casts of insects and agricultural scenes produced by Riley between 1868 and 1895, which are housed in 41 clamshell boxes. There are two binders of descriptive materials stored in one Hollinger box at the end of the collection. Most of the collection is in good condition, though there are some instances where the metal plate has separated from the wood block, and there are no restrictions on the materials.

The collection was arranged and described by Fred Stielow and Emelie M. George in 2004.

Charles Valentine Riley's printing blocks were created for use in a variety of publications—most notably the American Entomologist, American Entomologist and Botanist, and Riley’s Missouri Reports [Annual Report on the Noxious, Beneficial and Other Insects of the State of Missouri, 9 volumes (Jefferson City, State of Missouri, 1868-1876)]. Most of the printing blocks depict insects in various stages of development, but there are a number of engravings of maps, farm implements, and machines used to fight insects. As described by Albert Greene in his 1988 appraisal for ESA:

My initial inspection of the engravings emphasized that they constitute nothing less that a national treasure. They are striking examples of what has become a lost art, and on a physical basis alone, represent a remarkable technical and aesthetic achievement. Considering their historical status, they are priceless. It is clear that any project concerned with their curation and republication should aim for a far wider audience than the entomological/agricultural communities, and in addition to prominently displaying the pictures themselves, should attempt to communicate their significance from as many different vantages as possible: scientific, historical, illustrative, and artistic.

The blocks are intricately carved reverse-image sculptures ensconced on rectangular cubes that were used for printing production. Each is 7/8 inch in depth, but faces range from ½ x ½ inch to 5 x 7 inches, the majority of which are smaller in size. Every block features fine, almost microscopic detail. There are three types of production media represented in the collection: woodcuts, which are hand carved by Riley; electrotypes, which are electroplated lead molds of original engravings mounted on wooden blocks; and metal castings, complete slugs cast from molds.

Also included in the collection are descriptive materials created through a survey of the collection in the late 1980s. Karen Olmstead, an Entomologist at the University of Maryland, and Albert Greene, a Regional Entomologist for the USDA, conducted two surveys of the collection. Greene focused on the printing blocks used in the Missouri reports and Olmstead worked with the blocks used in Riley’s other publications.

This collection focuses on Riley's contributions as an engraver and illustrator and show the great impact that Riley’s work had on the field of entomology. His illustrations not only launched his professional career; they established new professional standards for scientific illustration. For more information on Charles Valentine Riley, please consult Collection 143: The Charles Valentine Riley Papers.