Description
Another example of the Sailor’s Guide is in the collection at Yale University donated by Jessica Helfand, a graduate of the Yale School of Art Graphic Design Program (MFA ’89) and expert on visual culture. She collected hundreds of different volvelles on various subjects and donated the collection to the Yale Arts Library.
Volvelles like the offered Sailor’s Guide are compact, interactive tools in the form of layered concentric circular cards that turn separately by hand to show various information in cut out portions. They are used to organize and display complex information. Historically applied in fields from astronomy to fashion, they provide an efficient, hands-on way to access technical data. The Sailor’s Guide, for example, provides quick, reliable references.
Condition: Generally very good with the usual overall light toning, handling, wear.
Reference:
“Volvelle collection, 1897-2012.” Connecticut Archives Online. https://archives.library.wcsu.edu/caoSearch/catalog/cty-a_arts-art-0001 (24 March 2025).
