I think I've mentioned having collected Victorian scraps in the early 1990's. I remember counting 700 pieces at one time, but I carried on collecting for a few more years, so I have no idea what the grand total would be now. But we all know, quantity does not equal quality. My maternal grandmother, however, had some amazing scraps in her friendship book from the 1920's! I would've fainted at the sight of these when I was at the top of my scrap enthusiasm.
These two books belonged to my grandmothers. The smaller one, from my namesake, is the one I'm showing you today.
Isn't this pattern on the endpapers gorgeous!
My grandmother was born in 1916, so she was just nine when she got this book for Christmas. She then passed this book around and her little friends wrote in quotes and poems - more or less skillfully - and embellished the pages with scraps (and there's one tiny photo in there, too).
I won't go into translating any of the other quotes, but I want to mention the one above saying "Live and learn" - it's pretty strange and adorable coming from a girl most likely no more than 9-years-old.
There are many very large pieces of scrap in this book, many of them quite heavily embossed and made of a much heavier weight paper than the modern ones are.
Then there are the some scraps that are like from another world! Among all the flowers and angels there are some Danish (I think?) Disney scraps. I think one of my aunts added these in later, as the Donald Duck character was created in 1934 and the quotes in this book seem to date mostly from 1926.
And here are three gif animations to show you the entire book. What a variety of hands and styles!
I hope you enjoyed these antique paper treasures!
Tallenna