Welcome to The Emporium.
I’m Joey Cardmaker, the current Keeper of this fictional archive — a place where vintage charm, imagination, and curious artefacts gather under one roof. The Emporium spans many eras, from its origins in 1864 to the collections added by modern Curators. Below you’ll find the wings currently open to visitors.
The Emporium is a fictional world — but one built from the same love of history, craftsmanship, and imagination that shapes my real work. Over time, I found myself drawn to the idea of a place where forgotten artefacts, curious specimens, and beautifully strange collections could gather under one roof. A place that felt vintage, timeless, and a little bit magical.
The Emporium traces its origins to 1864, when the Society was first established and its earliest rooms were opened to Collectors. Some of those rooms still echo the Victorian age; others whisper of the 1930s; and some have yet to reveal the period they come from. It is a living archive, shaped by the collections that arrive and the curators who tend them.
The first collection — The Butterfly Emporium — comes from the meticulous work of Elias Wren, the Society’s first Curator, whose notes and colour families form the foundation of this wing. More collections will follow in time, each with their own stories, their own curators, and their own place within the Emporium.
The Emporium has a habit of leaving small curiosities behind — scraps, seals, fragments, and forgotten artefacts that do not belong to any official collection. Visitors who explore slowly may find one, and they are yours to keep.
For now, I welcome you into this world as its Keeper. May you wander, explore, and enjoy the curiosities that await.
One such curiosity, left for those who wander slowly. You’re welcome to download and use it in your own work. (Actual Size: 5¼ x 3½”)
