Earlier this week I got the privilege to visit Helsinki Observatory library and notably get my hands on the only copies available in Finland of two legendary books: Catalogue of nebulae and clusters of stars by Sir John Frederick William Herschel (1864) and Observations of Nebulae and Clusters of Stars Made With the Six-foot and Three-foot Reflectors at Birr Castle From the Year 1848 up to the Year 1878 by William Parsons (3rd Earl of Rosse) (1878). What a great experience!
Here are some low quality samples:
http://www.kolumbus.fi/jaakko.saloranta/Deepsky/Misc/JHerschel_pageb.gif
http://www.kolumbus.fi/jaakko.saloranta/Deepsky/Misc/Rosse_1.gif
http://www.kolumbus.fi/jaakko.saloranta/Deepsky/Misc/Rosse_20.gif
http://www.kolumbus.fi/jaakko.saloranta/Deepsky/Misc/Rosse_38.gif
http://www.kolumbus.fi/jaakko.saloranta/Deepsky/Misc/Rosse_95.gif
http://www.kolumbus.fi/jaakko.saloranta/Deepsky/Misc/Rosse_123.gif
http://www.kolumbus.fi/jaakko.saloranta/Deepsky/Misc/Rosse_130.gif
