Do you know...?

Illustrated cigarette cards from the 1920s and 30s with the theme of "do you know?" Though the set these belong to is the most visually interesting, this theme ran for hundreds of cards. The best part of them is just how random the trivia is, jumping from "Why do we clink glasses?" to "Why do we call them 'pistols'?" to "What is smoke?", all in this one set of 30. 

New York Public Library

New York Public Library

Source

New York Public Library

New York Public Library

Source

New York Public Library

New York Public Library

Source

An Air-Ship Built For Two: Songs of the 1910s

Before there were records, there was sheet music. Popular songs could be enjoyed over and over again at home, if only you had someone who could play the piano and sing all right. Thanks to the New York Public Library's collection of popular American sheet music, we can still enjoy these songs over and over again. Or at least the titles and covers, which are pretty great. 

In February we had a look at love songs of the 1890s; this time around the decade is the 1910s. By then, of course, there were also records, and of course, by now, there's Youtube, so, amazingly, a few of the selections below come with the chance to listen, too. 

So what did people like in their songs in the 1910s? Apparently rags, romance, and air travel. 

New York Public Library

Published 1910. Source

New York Public Library

Published 1913. This one actually stayed popular for a long time, at least into the 1950s. You can listen to a 1913 recording, although it doesn't have the words. Source

New York Public Library

Published 1912, and apparently a classic rag. On Youtube. Source

Flapper Butterflies

For the first post of the blog's fourth (!) year, something totally unexpected and totally delightful. This is the blog's second post featuring cigarette cards from the collection of the New York Public Library. The subject this time is species of butterflies and moths found in the British Isles... if butterflies were stylish ladies of the 1920s. 

I have no other context for this. The wonderful NYPL shares the backs of objects online as well as the front, so if you follow the source links you can look at the backs of cards to read all about the species of butterfly--without any mention of the flapper part. It's pretty great. 

New York Public Library

Source

New York Public Library

Source

New York Public Library

Source

Love Songs of the 1890s

For Valentine's Day! A selection of illustrated covers to popular love songs of the late 19th century (and 1901). 

Back in the days before any form of recording, sheet music was the popular way to take music home for repeated enjoyment. The amazingly diverse collections of the New York Public Library include an immense collection of American sheet music spanning the 19th and 20th centuries-- thousands (from 1890 to 1922) have been digitized. Though this post only includes covers, all the sheet music itself can be accessed-- follow the source links if you are interested!

Since I"m a romantic, I've chosen the more romantic kinds of love songs for today. If you are feeling less than romantic, just have a browse through the 'love song' heading of the collection--there's plenty of heartbreak and cynicism as well, don't worry (I'm single too!). 

New York Public Library

1901. Source

New York Public Library

1894. Source

New York Public Library

1891. Source

Fashion Drawings of the 1920s

The look of fashion drawings from the 1920s is perhaps more stylized than that of any other decade-- the elongated, impossibly slender women and the boldy simple patterns (though it is interesting to note the men often don't receive the same treatment). These kinds of drawings can be seen from Vogue covers to mail-order catalogues. I think they are terrific-- though it sometimes must have been disappointing to see the geometric lines disappear with a real dress on a real woman! 

From the Picture Collection of the New York Public Library. 

New York Public Library

Evening wear, 1921. Source

New York Public Library

Evening wear, 1922. Source

New York Public Library

Men's suits, 1920s. Source

Christmas Seals of Former Days

You probably know the Christmas seals the Lung Association puts out every year as a fundraiser-- I seem to recall a time when they mailed them to you before asking you to pay, but now apparently you have to order them. They've been putting them out since 1907, and you can see a nifty gallery of seals since 1920 on their site. However, if you have ever experienced them live, you'll know they don't come one by one, as shown in the gallery--they come in massive sheets, usually in different designs, sometimes with designs spanning several seals. Also, they weren't just made in the United States-- different countries had their own designs. 

Luckily, I have a nice little collection of these, coming from my late grandmother. It is in no way complete, but it's fun to see the vintage sheets and international seals--and lots of great graphic design! 

personal collection

1937

personal collection

 1944

personal collection

1945

The First Batch of Christmas Postcards

It's been about a year now since the start of my addiction to the holiday postcard collection of the New York Public Library. It began with a heap of Christmas postcards, followed by postcards for most major holidays this year. Now we're back to Christmas--fortunately the Christmas category has over 700 postcards! Here's a sampling to start the season. 

New York Public Library

Written on verso: "Dear Cousin / Isn't this an appropriate message for the times-- [illegible] for you from Lizzie / I am trusting that two little girls won't scrap in taking their pick." Source

New York Public Library

No date on postmark. Source

New York Public Library

Written on verso: "Dear Laura, the hat pin and cushion are for you  the brush and comb handkerchief and hair ribbon for Anna. Please give Abram the tie and Charlie the suspenders. Wish you all a Happy Xmas. Your loving sister Lotty. Source

Thanksgiving Leftovers

Happy belated Thanksgiving to the American folks! To go with those leftovers, how about a few early 20th century Thanksgiving postcards from the New York Public Library? 

New York Public Library

Postmarked 1909. Source

New York Public Library

Postmarked 1915. Source

New York Public Library

Written: "Why is it I never hear from you?" Postmarked 1909. Source

A Taste of Lobster

The people working at the Nova Scotia Archives are wonderful-- not only do they have in their collection a scrapbook of labels from canned lobsters (1880-1938), they recognized the quirky, colourful appeal of these labels, digitized them, and shared them on the Flickr Commons. You are awesome, folks of the Nova Scotia Archives. 

As, I would say, are these lobster labels:

Nova Scotia Archives

Source

Nova Scotia Archives

Source

Nova Scotia Archives

Source

Birthdays by Postcard

Since we don't have a holiday for a while, let's dip into the New York Public Library holiday postcard collection with something for all seasons!

Also--this is a two-month overdue birthday post for my sister. Happy birthday!

Many of these are unwritten, or the message on the back is just another "happy birthday" or "many returns", which I haven't reproduced. If you follow the link to the NYPL site you can look at all the backs, too.

From the 1900s-1910s, with one exception. 

New York Public Library

Just signed "From Mother." Source

New York Public Library

Postmarked 1908. Source

New York Public Library

Source

Postcards of Easter

It's the part of the term where I go MIA, but I couldn't possibly let a holiday pass without a jaunt to the postcard collection of the New York Public Library! Especially when so many  of this holiday's are, quite frankly, bizarre. 

Happy Easter!

New York Public Library

Postmarked 1909. Source

New York Public Library

Unwritten. Source

New York Public Library

Postmarked 1909. Source

St. Patrick's Day Postcards

An early St. Patrick's day post! In threeo days it's the anniversary of this blog and I've something special planned for the following days, including the 17th. But, of course, I can't let a holiday pass without dipping into the New York Public Library's collection of early twentieth century holiday postcards. So once again we have a wonderful collection of the lovely, the cheesy, and the odd. As usual I've noted any of the messages that go beyond "best wishes" or similar. To see the back in its entirety simply follow the source link and click the arrow to flip the object. 

So, happy early St. Patrick's Day!

New York Public Library

Postmarked 1932. Source

New York Public Library

Unwritten and unmailed. Source

New York Public Library

Unwritten and unsent. Source

Advertising the Turn of the Century

Beautifully designed advertising posters from the collection of the New York Public Library. All dated c. 1897-1917. 

New York Public Library

"Blue Seal" Birch Beer. Source

New York Public Library

Mobile and Ohio Dining Cars, 1902. Source

New York Public Library

Black and White cigars. Source

Valentine's Day Postcards Part Two

Another set of Valentine's Day postcards from the New York Public Library collections. Mailed yours yet?

From the 1900s to 1920s.

New York Public Library

Unwritten and unmailed. Source

New York Public Library

Postmarked 1910. Source

New York Public Library

Written in a Scandinavian language, postmarked 1912 (from Minnesota). Source

Valentine's Day Postcards Part One

Another holiday, another set of holiday postcards from the New York Public Library collection! Two, actually-- I wanted to include so many I split them into half for managability. So stay tuned!

From the 1900s and 1910s. 

On the back: "I love the little birds that sing/ And every flower that blooms in spring. Clarence." Source

New York Public Library

Unwritten and undated. Source

New York Public Library

On the back: "Take this in place of the bouquets I need to gather for you. Elizabeth." Postmarked 1909. Source

New Year's Postcards

Another holiday, another set of holiday postcards! These New Year's ones are especially great-- lots of embossing and metallic gold paint, really lovely (the rest of the set is here). As before I've given some of the writing on the back-- many just say "Happy New Years" and I haven't transcribed those, but I've done most of the ones with longer messages. I've also included the dates they were postal-stamped, when legible-- it's amusing how many were sent a bit late. 

From the New York Public Library. 

New York Public Library

"Friend Messick, We acknowledge your kind greetings and heartily reciprocate. All at well at home and we trust same with you and yours. When are you coming to Washington to visit us. There is always welcome. Sincerely J [or F] Harrison." Mailed 1909. Source

New York Public Library

"Going home tonight for good. Wishing you all a Happy New Year". Written December 1914 but posted Jan. 1915 Source

New York Public Library

Posted 1908. Source