*Post written by James Wethington, senior library assistant of the University Archives and Special Collection.

*Item descriptions written by Jennifer Greene, university archivist of University Archives and Special Collections, and Susan Sauls, art collection registrar.

The Sweet 16 round in the record books, we are moving onto the Elite 8. Let’s meet our competitors for the Elite 8. Voting for this round will start on March 19 and end on March 25, at 11:59 PM CST.

Elite 8 match-ups!

Special Collections

Elvis Presley telegram to Evansville radio jockey, Larry Aiken, 1957.

Final score against Avant Garde Magazines: 59-52.

On September 12, 1957 Elvis Presley sent a telegram to local music promoter and musician Larry Aiken.  Mr. Aiken worked at the radio station WEOA while attending Bosse High School. He hosted a popular program and tried to get Elvis Presley to call in during the program.  Larry Aiken went on to travel with Dick Clark and the Caravan of Stars before coming back to Evansville to promote music and the arts.

Works of Paracelsus, 1603.

Final score against Coroner’s Record Book: 76-51.

*Defending 2017 Arch Madness Champion.

The Collected Works of Paracelsus is a rare book in our Special Collections.  Printed in 1603, this two-volume set contains the books and writings on alchemy, magic, and occult philosophies of Philippus Aureolus Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim, better known as Paracelsus.

Communal Studies

“The Game of Community” board game, 1972.

Final score against Shaker bonnet: 75-62.

The Game of Community is board game developed by Family Pastimes Products, a Canadian company, in 1972.  Unlike most games, which pit player against player, to win this challenge everyone must work together to build a community.  The game includes problem solving and teamwork to get around the obstacles to creating a communal experience.

Shiloh Farms Bread Labels, created by Dr. Donald Janzen, n.d.

Final score against Zoar anniversary plate: 60-40.

Shiloh Farms was an organic bakery that started in New York State around 1942.  These labels represent just a small selection of the variety of foods offered by this conscientious community.  Not only did Shiloh Farms open a national bakery using pesticide-free chemicals, they also began printing product ingredients on labels as early as the 1950s.

USI Art Collection

“French Lick” Sculpture, 2010.

Final score against Stephen Pace paintbrushes: 78-33.

This sculpture is created from found objects including a leather wedge sandal, a bowling bag, wooden shoe form, leopard print gloves, candlesticks, and sequined fabric among other materials.

Print of Beethoven by Andy Warhol, 1987.

Final score against Mola Applique: 89-38.

Warhol created the Beethoven portfolio prior to his unexpected death in 1987 and is one of the most desirable prints by the artist. This particular print is an “Extra, out of edition” that was given to USI by the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc. in 2013 for education and research.

Lawrence Library

Incantation bowl, c. 6th to 8th Century.

Final score against Greek Bell Krater: 76-53.

The incantation bowl, which goes by many names such as a demon bowl or a magic bowl, was usually buried face down in a home’s courtyard or near cemeteries in order to capture demons or evil spirits. Once retrieved, a hole would be made in the bowl to release the spirits.

Tibetan Folio of Mudras of the Buddha, n.d.

Final score against Book of Common Prayer: 58-51.

Mudras, the Sanskrit word for hand signs, illustrate important events from the life of the founder of Buddhism, Siddhartha Gautama. This decorative portfolio is from the Ladakh region of India, home to many of Tibetan descent.