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Home > Objects, Curiosities & Antiquities > Books, Paper & Printed Items
- Bookbinding in Olden Times
(Girl's Own Paper, 1880)
- Romance of the Art Preservative
(Demorest, 1880)
- A brief history of printing.
- Paper Money
(Cassell's Family Magazine, 1886)
- A short history on the development of paper currency.
- Some Old School Books, by Frederick Rogers (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1887)
- Alphabet books were presented a bit differently in earlier times, when "R stands for robber, who died by the rope"!
- Birthday Cards (The Strand, 1891A)
- In 1891, "birthday cards" had only been around for 50-60 years. Find out what they looked like, and meet some Victorian birthday card poets.
- Humours of the Post Office
(The Strand, 1891A)
- A look at some oddly addressed envelopes that pass through the Post.
- Grandfather's Picture Books (The Strand, 1892B)
- A look at some curious children's books of older times, including "awful examples of children meddling with fire" and other cheerful topics.
- The Pictorial Poster, by Brander Matthews
(Century Magazine, 1892B)
- "It is small wonder that the pictorial posters which adorn our blank walls pass unperceived, and that we do not care to observe the skill which has gone to their making. Yet the recent development of the pictorial poster in France and in America is worthy of careful consideration by all who take note of the artistic currents of our time."
- Peculiar Playing Cards, by George Clulow
(The Strand, 1893A)
- Bank of England Notes, by Gilbert Guerdon (The Strand, 1894B)
- Bank notes took many forms before becoming the standard "paper currency" we know today!
- Bookbindings of the Past, by Brander Matthews
(Century Magazine, 1894B)
- Penmanship, by George Clulow
(The Strand, 1894B)
- Some lovely examples of historic calligraphy and calligraphic drawings.
- Book-Plates (Girl's Own Paper, 1896)
- Some marvelous illustrations of bookplates in history bring this piece to life!
- Some Old Newspapers, from Charles I to Queen Victoria, by F.G. Kitton
(The Strand, 1896B)
- The Binding of a Book, by Frank Hird
(Girl's Own Paper, 1897)
- A Book of Names, by Charles Lee Sleight
(Century Magazine, 1897A)
- A look at a rare book compiled entirely of British surnames, organized by category - including "Blood, Flesh, Veins, Fairhead, Broomhead, Lovelock, Goodheart, Noback, Whitehand, Clinkerfoot" and many more that will set you chuckling!
- Curious Bibles (The Strand, 1897A)
- The "vinegar" Bible, the "Wicked" Bible, the "She" Bible, and a variety of other curious misprints that have turned several editions of The Great Book into highly collectible rarities!
- Some Old Visiting Cards
(The Strand, 1897A)
- The visiting card that became such a staple of Victorian social life was only 200 years old by 1897 - though similar cards had existed in China for 1000 years. This article looks at some of the cards of notable figures, and some curious designs.
- Some Peculiar Wills, by L.S. Lewis (The Strand, 1897B)
- This article discusses not only peculiar wills, but peculiar hiding places for wills, "from weather-cocks to picture frames."
- Old Jest-Books
(The Strand, 1898A)
- Some Old Children's Books, by Alice Waters
(The Strand, 1898A)
- "These quaint publications, which date from the sixteenth century onwards, give one an excellent notion of the manners and customs and beliefs that prevailed among our ancestors; besides showing what kind of educational literature was provided for the instruction and amusement of the children of other days."
- Old Puzzle Cards
(The Strand, 1899B)
- An older version of "can you find the hidden image" pictures, often with a hidden political meaning as well.
- The Picture Postcard Craze: Hints to Collectors, by Dora de Blaquière
(Girl's Own Paper, 1900)
- Some Old Riddle Books
(Strand, 1901B)
- These would probably not be of much use to today's comics.
- Wonderful Letters
(Good Words, 1902)
- Several curious letters, including the official apology (embroidered on silk) from China to Germany for the murder of the German Minister at Pekin.
- • See also Business & Industry: Printing, Lithography & Book-Binding
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