The Real Victorian: 2020

19th Century Public Domain Poetry: The Toll-Gate (Poem for Kids)

Labels: 19th century poem, Children's poems, Free vintage poems, Music & Poetry, Poetry for kids, Public domain poetry

This little poem, entitled "The Toll-Gate" was written and illustrated by Rudolph F. Bunner (1860 - 1931), a noted illustrator and painter. It was originally published in the December 1895 issue of St. Nicholas Magazine. Here is how it goes:

There is a toll-gate hidden away,
Half in the fields, and half in the trees,
Where the children, the elves, and the fairies stray,
With footsteps facing the twilight breeze.

The fairies and elves can pass through free,
But a child must pay for the toll with a song,
Before the fairy land it can see,
And this must be said, or it all goes wrong:

"I believe in the Three Little Bears,
And the Prince that climbed the Mountain of Glass,
And I know how the Wild Swan's sister fares, --
So open the gate and let me pass."

Public domain poem is from my personal collection. All digitized work by Victorian Trends.com is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Free for personal use only. Please link back to VictorianTrends.com as your source when sharing or publishing.

Victorian Fashion History Illustration: Promenade Costume for Spring, 1875

Labels: 1870s fashion, American fashion, Belle Époque, Fashion history, Gilded Age, New York style, Victorian fashion, Victorian ladies

A black and white fashion illustration from the May 1875 edition of Frank Leslie's Lady's Magazine. The following is a description of the two costumes:

(Left)
Costume of light-brown silk alpace, trimmed with black Lyons silk. The front of the skirt is trimmed step-ladder fashion with bias silk bands, about one and a half inches wide, while the back breadths are encircled with four narrow overlapping flounces, headed with a similar silk band. These are framed with a ruche of the alpace, laid on in waves from waist to foot. The overskirt has the short pointed fronts, draped onto the long bouffant back-breadths by a bow of black ribbon, the points being edged with a narrow flounce and silk band. Close-fitting cuirass corsage, pointed front and back, and trimmed the same as the front of overskirt. The sleeves are coat-shaped, ornamented with a black silk cuff, on which is placed a black ribbon bow, encircled with lace. A band of the silk, edged with a down-falling flounce of the alpace and an upstanding frill of cambric decorates the neck, closed on the bust by a black ribbon bow. Black chip hat, trimmed with light brown and blue ribbons, and a blue feather.

(Right)
Promenade costume of black silk and French gray Summer cashmere. The silk skirt is trimmed with a gathered flounce, measuring in depth eight inches in front and twelve behind, surmounted with two wide and closely laid bands, piped on the edges. The overskirt and postilion basque are of the cashmere, edged with camels' hair fringe. The former is draped below the tournure, designing it as an apron, the looped sashes falling onto the silk flounce. Surmounting the fringe, on both the overskirt and basque, is a wide cashmere fold with a heavy rouleau of black silk, laid on through the centre; and a flaring black silk collar, deeper behind than in front, completes the neck. Muslin ruff and undersleeves. Hat of French gray chip, trimmed with black ribbon, and two ostrich tips - rose pink and gray.

All digitized work by Victorian Trends.com is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Free for personal use only. Please link back to VictorianTrends.com as your source when sharing or publishing.

Victorian Fashion History Illustration: Gilded Age Promenade Costume, 1875

Labels: 1870s fashion, American fashion, Belle Époque, Fashion history, Gilded Age, New York style, Victorian fashion, Victorian ladies

A black and white fashion engraving from the January 1875 edition of Frank Leslie's Lady's Magazine. The following is a description from the publication:

Nos. 1 and 2 gives a front and back view of a promenade costume. The skirt is of black gros-grain silk, and is trimmed with a deep box-plaited flounce, each plait ornamented with a band of ribbon velvet. The overskirt is of gray cashmere, very long at the back, and undraped and arranged in a triple box-plait, which is sewed into the waistband, and the plaits laid evenly the full length of the skirt, and tacked in several places on the side, to keep them in position. The front is pointed, and is closed by buttons and buttonholes after being trimmed with a band of velvet, the trimming extending around the lower edges, and also up the centre of the back-breadths. Close-fitting basque-corsage, also of cashmere, belted at the waist, and trimmed with velvet to correspond with the overskirt, both the front and back of the corsage having a band of velvet laid evenly with those on the skirt, and ornamented with buttons. A sleeveless close-fitting jacket is added, made of black velvet, closed at the neck only, immediately under the standing collar. The amount of material required is twelve yards of black gros-grain silk, six yards of double-fold cashmere, and three yards of velvet. Black velvet hat, decorated with feathers and gros-grain ribbons, intermixed with velvet.

Free Vintage Real Photo Postcards (RPPCs): Grete with Daisies in her Hair

Labels: Free vintage photos, Free vintage postcards, Real photo postcard (RPPC)

These are original, first-generation digital scans of vintage real photo postcards (RPPCs) from my personal collection. The first two photos show a pretty young Edwardian girl with daisy hair ornaments posing first with her right profile presented and then with her left profile presented. A big thank you to James W. who pointed me to her possible real identity, a German actress named Grete Reinwald (1902 - 1983). You can read more of her story here.

After reading her biography and seeing all the pictures of her (some look so drastically different that it is hard to believe that they are of the same person), I began to wonder if I might have other photos of her in my collection. I managed to find one of a young girl all wrapped in gauzy chiffon who looked like she had the same upturned nose and tight-lipped smile - can this be a young Grete as well?

Next, I came across this photo of an older girl - she looks to be in her late teens but there is something of her nose and the ever so slightly puckered mouth that made me think that she might be a more grown-up Grete. What do you think?

I have no idea if all these long-ago photographs are of the indomitable Grete who graced so many postcards but it is a lot of fun to imagine who these young ladies might have been and how they would have lived their lives.

All digitized work by The Real Victorian is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Please link back to RealVictorian.com as your source when sharing or publishing.

Victorian Fashion History Illustration: New Style of Hair Dressing, 1879

Labels: 1870s fashion, 19th century hairstyles, American fashion, Belle Époque, Fashion history, Gilded Age, Hairdressing, New York style, Victorian fashion, Victorian ladies

A set of illustrations from February 1879 showing the four stage of a pretty hairdressing style for February 1879 with hair set in many loops. If you are feeling adventurous, below are the instructions for trying out the style as written by Mrs. Jane Weaver:

Victorian Fashion History Illustration: How Do I Look? (1860)

Labels: 1860s fashion, American fashion, Antebellum period, Fashion history, Pre-Civil War fashion, Victorian fashion, Victorian ladies

Original, first-generation digital scan of an engraved fashion plate from the February 1860 issue of Godey's Lady's Book in my personal collection. The description for the costumes (from left to right):

Fig. 1. -- Evening-dress of white silk, with two skirts; the lower one has a flounce of lace, headed by a puffing of silk, caught at intervals with sprays of crimson salvia; the upper skirt is in longitudinal puffs, finished in the same manner; puffed and pointed corsage trimmed with salvia; round wreath of the same for the hair.

Fig. 2. -- Evening-dress of rose-colored silk; the lower skirt trimmed with four straight flounces, or single folds of the silk, edged by a shell ruche of the same; the upper skirt has corresponding volantes arranged as a tunic to the right; low, pointed corsage, with Grecian folds, trimmed by a flounce and heading of lace, the fall is crossed at the bouquet de corsage, and is continued in graceful lapels. Round wreath of blush roses without foliage, as in bouquet de corsage.

Fig. 3. -- Dress for the opera. Material, gray moire, with ribbons of deep bright crimson sewn on flat. Opera cloak of white cashmere, trimmed by several rows of swan's-down; Olga sleeve, and graceful hood with tassel.

Fig. 4. -- Evening-dress of white silk, with triple flounces, very deep; under each flounce of white appears an alternating flounce of blue; the drapery of the corsage and the sleeves has the same feature. Wreath of blue convolvulus, with foliage and tendrils.

Victorian Fashion History Illustration: The Bride, 1860

Labels: 1860s fashion, American fashion, Antebellum period, Bridal fashions, Fashion history, Pre-Civil War fashion, Victorian fashion, Victorian ladies

First-generation digital scan of an engraved fashion plate (in full color) from the January 1860 issue of Godey's Lady's Book in my personal collection. The description from the book reads as follows:

The Bride's Toilet. -- Gored dress of thick white silk, sloped to the hips, the only ornament being flat bows of white satin ribbon, fastened by pearl buckles in the centre; these extend from the throat to the hem of the skirt. Veil of thulle. Wreath, mounted in the coronet form, of fine flowers, jessamine, and rose-buds.

From left to right:

Fig. 1. -- Dress of queen's purple moire; the skirt full and plain, ornamented by a tablier trimmed of black Chantilly lace, placed spirally on each side of the front breadth, and following the opening of the corsage around the throat. From the waist line to the hem of the skirt is placed a row of rosettes of silk and lace. Sleeves, quite tight at the shoulder, and widening a little to the parement or turned back cuff. Undersleeves and chemisette of point lace. Bonnet of white therry velvet with white plumes.

Fig. 2. -- Dress of steel blue and black Bayadere stripes on a white ground, suited, at this season, only at dinner, evening, or dress receptions. The sleeve is new, and extremely pretty; corsage plain, and in double points at the waist. Bonnet of white crape, with wreaths of bluish roses outside and in; strings of rose-colored ribbon.

Fig. 3. -- Dress of Azof green moire, made en surplis, or tending decidedly to one side, in the arrangement of the trimming, which consists of lappet ornaments in black lace; corsage open after the style of a vest, or en gilet.

Fig. 4. -- Robe or pattern dress, of steel blue silk, with a border and tablier front of velvet, a light shade of groseille, with a raised figure in black, and tassels of groseille at the end of each bar. The sleeves are quite tight, with caps and cuffs of the velvet. Bonnet of white crape. Clotilde veil of blonde.

Victorian Fashion History Illustration: Morning and Dinner Dresses, 1857

Labels: 1850s fashion, American fashion, Antebellum period, Fashion history, Pre-Civil War fashion, Victorian fashion, Victorian ladies

A fashion illustration from my collection of Peterson's Magazine, July 1857 issue. From the magazine, the description of the dresses are:

On the left, a morning dress of white cambric, trimmed in front in the apron style with insertions and heavy worked rufflings. The corsage is made with a basque and ornamented to correspond with the skirt.

On the right, a dinner dress of white muslin, trimmed with three flounces richly embroidered. Corsage high. A small mantle of white muslin, embroidered.

Fashion History Illustration: Edwardian Ladies in Dinner and Reception Gowns, 1901

Labels: 1900-1909 fashion, American fashion, Belle Époque, Edwardian fashion, Edwardian ladies, Fashion history, Gilded Age, New York style

Antique fashion illustration from the December 1901 issue of The Delineator. The magazine says: "On the left, charming simplicity marks this gown, for which black crêpe de Chine was chosen in combination with jetted lace, rowa of ribbons of graduated widths and narrow ruffles of the crêpe de Chine. The waist is in low, rounding outline at the top, a short distance from which a ruffle of the material is arranged so that with the jetted lace it suggests a bertha. A closing is made at the back with small buttons, and the front blouses with becoming fulness [sic]. The cap sleeves are circularly shaped, and a ribbon belt describes the dip.

An inverted box-plait takes up the fulness at the back of the five-gored skirt, and a graduated, circular flounce is added. Several narrow ruffles arranged on the flounce near the bottom give a fluffy effect. White embroidered mousseline de soie will evolve a handsome evening gown, with medallion of black lace on white-edged black chiffon. A sash of black chiffon would be a pretty adjunct. Nile-green Louisine with appliqués of point Venise lace, or black dotted net over white taffeta will make a smart gown, and bows of black velvet and Liberty silk ruffles will be dainty as graniture.

On the right, tucks are employed in the decoration of this waist, which is low and square at the neck where it is outlined by a shallow bertha. The fronts puff out prettily and are tucked at the top and bottom, while the back is tucked to suggest a girdle. A closing is arranged to the left side. Tucked sleeves are also introduced, terminating in a puff at the elbow. A crush belt of panne velvet is worn, and the material employed in the development was Nile-green Lansdowne with self-colored dots. Cream lace appliqué was applied on the bertha.

The skirt is also of the Lansdowne, trimmed to match the bodice. It is circular and has a graduated flounce of similar shaping, while the back is in habit style. Pale-yellow taffeta will make up well in this gown, and the indispensable touch of black may be introduced in a chou of chiffon at the left of the corsage. Crêpe de Chine, mousseline both plain and dotted, and the various new silks are appropriate, and a ribbon belt may be used.

Victorian Fashion History Illustration: Belle Époque Mantelet in Vicuña, 1873

Labels: 1870s fashion, Belle Époque, Fashion history, French fashion, La Mode Illustreé, Parisian style, Victorian fashion, Victorian ladies

A Victorian lady dressed in a mantelet made of vicuña, considered the world's rarest fabric, so luxurious that the Wall Street Journal says coming in contact with it might cause you to "...for a moment, think seriously about blowing your children's college funds."

Originally published in an 1873 issue of La Mode Illustrée.

20 volumes of La Mode Illustrée to digitize!

Labels: 1860s fashion, 1870s fashion, 1880s fashion, 1890s fashion, 1900-1909 fashion, Belle Époque, Edwardian fashion, Fashion history, French fashion, La Mode Illustreé, Parisian style, Victorian fashion

Okay, I've bought huge lots of antique books from eBay before but this is the...biggest one ever! 20, yes, TWENTY bound volumes of full-year La Mode Illustrée magazines ranging from 1873 to 1903 - the originals, not reproductions. These books are huge, measuring approximately 15" x 11" bound - over 120 pounds of books that were shipped to me all the way from a dealer in Ireland! Swoon. With gorgeous illustrations of Victorian and Edwardian fashion on almost every single page, my rough calculation is that I have at least 25,000 images on my hands! What am I going to do with these? I haven't quite decided yet. I'm not even sure where to begin digitizing! As problems go, this is a very nice one to have, don't you think? :)