Resources for your own projects,
in alphabetical order by topic
19th-Century Articles
19th-Century article index, transcribed from publications in our private archive
Artwork
Artwork by Charles Dana Gibson:
http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/granger.html?tab=artworkgalleries&artworkgalleryid=227196
Bags
E.H. Campbell Trading Co. (Link sent in by fan): http://e-h-campbell-trading-company.myshopify.com/products/leather-messenger-rustic-satchel
Kunst & Leder: http://www.kunst-und-leder.de/index.php/Fahrradgepäck
Beverages
Mineral water:
Crazy Water: drinkcrazywater.com/
"The waters of Mineral Wells, TX have been making folks feel good inside and out since 1881. The legend goes like this: In late 1881, a woman who suffered from dementia would sit by the well all day drinking the mineral water. People slowly began to notice that the crazy old lady was not so crazy anymore. Had the water from the well alleviated the lady’s “crazies”? The well became known as the “Crazy Well” and thousands of people from all over the country flocked to this magical well, including a man named Ed Dismuke. Mr. Dismuke was told by his doctor that there was no remedy for his ailing stomach. But Mr. Dismuke began drinking the magical water and before he knew it, he was restored to health. In 1904, Mr. Dismuke founded the Famous Mineral Water Company, selling and distributing the mineral water. Now, more than 100 years later, people are still drinking Crazy Water."
Topo Chico: https://www.topochicousa.net/#default
"This legend speaks of the virtues of the water that since 1895 has given its name to one of the most important drinks in all of Mexico: Topo Chico Mineral Water.
There was a beautiful Aztec princess who suffered a terrible disease. A disease so strange that no doctors of her father, Moctezuma I Ilhuicamina, successor in 1440 of the King Itzcoatl, had been able to cure. Desperate, the King turned to the older priests in the kingdom to find a cure for his beautiful daughter. They told him that according to the timeless stories of travelers, in a far away northern land, there were strange and hidden waters which flowed at high temperatures. Waters in which one only needed to bathe in or drink from to regain vigor, joy, strength, and refreshment.
Encouraged by this news, Moctezuma I ordered an immediate expedition to take his daughter to this amazing place. After traveling long and rugged roads, the Princess and her expedition reached a fertile valley flanked by mountains. To the east, they saw a mountain with the form of woman’s face (now Cerro de la Silla) and a mole-shaped hill, from whose slopes flowed the prodigal waters. After spending some time there, taking baths and drinking from the water, the daughter of Moctezuma I, his priests, and chiefs returned to the Anahuac lands optimistic, strong, happy, and refreshed. The news about the Princess's recovery spread throughout the kingdom and has passed from generation to generation up until modern times."
Acid Phosphate (for adding to sodas): Extinct Chemical Company http://www.artofdrink.com/shop
Tonic (for adding to sodas): Bradley's Tonic Co. http://kinatonic.com/about-us/
Bicycles
Victorian Cycles: https://www.victoriancycles.com/
Gabriel's hand-built bicycle business! Interested in a real time machine? Commission one of our 1890s-style custom bicycles! Custom, hand-made steel frames with wooden fenders and chainguards, leather saddles and cork grips. Whether you are interested in a roadster or a racer, we can build you the period bicycle of your dreams.
Brooks: http://www.brooksengland.com. Founded in 1866, Brooks originally produced horse harnesses and switched to bike gear in 1878. They manufacture high-quality leather bicycle accessories including saddles and bags. Sarah's saddle and the bags on both our bikes were made by Brooks.
Copake auction: 266 Route 7A Copake, New York, 12516. <http://www.copakeauction.com>. Every year Copake Auction Inc. holds the biggest auction and swap meet for antique bicycles in the United States.
Gazelle: http://www.gazellebikes.com. The Gazelle bicycle company was founded in 1892 and is still going strong! Sarah's safety bike is a Gazelle Toer Populaire.
Kunst & Leder: http://www.kunst-und-leder.de. Leather touring bags for bicycles.
Mesicek: http://www.mesicek.cz. Produces good quality high wheel bicycle replicas. An American company is now selling their high-wheel tricycle! www.hammacher.com/Product/13081?promo=search
Richards of England: https://richardsofengland.co.uk Hand-built high-wheel bicycles and tricycles.
Vintage Columbia Bikes: www.vintagecolumbiabikes.com/id94.html Information about Columbia bicycles.
Vintage Bicycle: https://vintagebicycle.wordpress.com/2011/02/07/58-inch-racing-ordinary-c-1889-2/
The Wheelmen: http://www.thewheelmen.org. A group of modern high wheel bicycle enthusiasts. Information, events calendars, and photographs (both historic and modern.)
Books / reading materials
For a list of some of our favorite nineteenth-century books and magazines, be sure to check out our Favorite books etc. page. For secondary-source materials (books written about history, rather than at the time) which our fans might enjoy, go here: Secondary Sources. Also, remember to check out the index of 19th c. Articles transcribed from our collection.
Antique books: Abebooks: www.abebooks.com
Digitized 19th century books and magazines which can be downloaded and printed at home: Google books advanced search: http://www.google.com/advanced_book_search. This subset of Google books allows a search by specific date range (for example "Return content published anytime between" Jan. 1885 and September 1886.)
Digitized historical children's literature, free to download: ufdc.ufl.edu/baldwin/all/thumbs
Also, scroll down to Newspapers for more reading links.
Bookbinding supplies:
Hollander's: http://www.hollanders.com
Candy:
http://www.oldtimecandy.com/candy-by-decade/pre1920-candy
Chatelaines
eBay: www.ebay.com, www.ebay.co.uk. The British version of eBay tends to have a bigger assortment of chatelaines than the American one. eBay is constantly refining their search engines so that international choices can be more readily found from any of their various sites, but if you can't find a desired item from one version of the site it's always worth doing a quick search through the eBay postings of a different country. (Remember to pay attention to shipping charges.)
Etsy: www.etsy.com. Antique chatelaines as well as new ones made by small-scale artists.
(For chatelaine purse / pocket frames, scroll down to "Purse Frames")
Clothing —See Fashion
Corsets
Orchard Corsets: http://www.orchardcorset.com
Timeless Trends: http://www.timeless-trends.com
Information about corsets:
To answer all your corset questions, be sure to read Sarah's book, Victorian Secrets: What A Corset Taught Me About the Past, the Present and Myself.
Also, check out Valerie Steele's The Corset: A Cultural History
as well as Lucy's Corsetry: http://lucycorsetry.com.
Corset making supplies: Sew Curvy: www.facebook.com/SewCurvy/
Die-cut images for scrapbooks and other craft projects
D. Bluemchen & Co. http://www.blumchen.com/scrap_pictures_shop_animals.html
Fabric
Burnley & Trowbridge (link sent in by a fan): http://www.burnleyandtrowbridge.com
Dashing Tweeds: http://www.dashingtweeds.co.uk/shop/cloth_
D.C. Dalgliesh Ltd.: http://www.dcdalgliesh.co.uk. The last of Scotland's artisan tartan weavers. Ninety percent of small clan tartans are only available from this mill.
Fabrics-store.com (link sent in by a fan): http://www.fabrics-store.com_
Fairfield Textile: http://www.fairfieldtextile.com. Waxed canvas, for rain gear.
The Lining Company: http://www.theliningcompany.co.uk/. Quality linings and trimmings.
Renaissance Fabrics (link sent in by fan): http://www.renaissancefabrics.net
ReproductionFabrics.com: http://www.reproductionfabrics.com. Cotton fabric printed with designs from 1775-1950.
William Booth Draper: http://www.wmboothdraper.com. Fabrics (including cotton, silk, wool, linen and hemp), and notions.
Woven By Water: http://wovenbywater.com/green-energy-fabrics.html Cotton fabric woven by the world's last remaining water-operated mill.
Fashion
Antique Ring Hospital: https://www.antiqueringboutique.com/blogs/all/the-victorian-language-of-gems
Darcy Clothing: http://www.darcyclothing.com/shop/. Ready to wear men's clothing.
Dream Threads: http://dreamthreads.net Alteration and custom sewing.
Fashions Revisited: www.fashionsrevisited.com
Historic Knits: http://historicknit.co.uk/historic-knits/. Gabriel's swim trunks came from here.
Lavender's Green Historic Clothing (link sent in by fan): http://www.lavendersgreen.com
Fur
Moscow Hide & Fur Company: http://www.hideandfur.com. Furs and feathers, both antique and modern.
For used, vintage and antique furs, don't forget about eBay!
Furniture
Ella Bella: https://www.facebook.com/ellabellavintagefinds/
Glass:
Kokomo Opalescent Glass: http://www.kog.com/history.html (Link sent by a fan.)
Hats
T.P. & H. Trading Co.: http://www.benderhats.com/about.html. Authentically produced nineteenth century mens' hats in a variety of styles.
Randi Jo Hats: http://www.randijofab.com. Bicycle caps.
The Trimmings Company: https://www.thetrimmingcompany.com/product-category/millinery-materials/ Millinery materials.
Sova Design Millinery (Link sent by a fan): 1920s-style hats
https://www.facebook.com/Sova-Design-Millinery-151565554879451/timeline/
Timely Tresses: http://www.timelytresses.com
Jewelry:
Kimberly Walters at the Sign of the Gray Horse (Link sent in by fan): http://www.kwaltersatthesignofthegrayhorse.com Jewelry inspired by history. All proceeds go to help rescued horses.
Victorian Hair Momento: https://www.facebook.com/victorianhairwork/
WISP Adornments: https://www.facebook.com/Wisp-Adornments-140903286083078/timeline/ and https://www.etsy.com/shop/WispAdornments Modern jewelry and hair keepsakes in the Victorian style.
Kitchen ware
Mason Cash: http://www.masoncash.co.uk Making mixing bowls and other kitchen pottery since 1800.
Knitwear:
Historic Knits in England: http://historicknit.co.uk/historic-knits/
Lighting
Lamps:
Ebay, and
Associated Kerosene & Oil Lamps: http://www.oillamps.com.au
Period Light Bulbs
House of Antique Hardware (period light bulbs):
http://www.houseofantiquehardware.com/edison-light-bulbs
Restoration Hardware (period light bulbs):
http://www.restorationhardware.com/catalog/category/products.jsp?categoryId=cat550006
Rejuvenation (period light bulbs):
http://www.rejuvenation.com/catalog/categories/lighting/bulbs/reproduction-bulbs
Wicks for lamps and kerosene heaters:
Flat wicks are sold at most hardware stores.
For round wicks: Miles Stair: http://www.milesstair.com.
Maps
Ted's Vintage Maps: https://tedsvintageart.com/ . Historic maps from the 19th century. Digitally restored and printed on museum quality paper.
Millinery Supplies
Timely Tresses: http://www.timelytresses.com
Miscellaneous
Amazon Drygoods: http://www.amazondrygoods.com. Paper and celluloid collars, as well as books, notions, and a variety of other accessories.
Cumberland General Store (link sent in by a fan): http://shop.site-link.com/cumberlandgeneral/_
The Best Brushes (link sent in by a fan): http://thebestbrushes.com/About-Us.html
J.R. Watkins: https://www.jrwatkins.com
Lehman's Hardware: https://www.lehmans.com_ Various kitchen, garden and houseware supplies. This business began as a retail outlet and paper catalog serving Amish communities, which still form a large portion of their customer base.
StudioE Tea Salon: www.facebook.com/tealadyestelle/
The Vermont Country Store: http://www.vermontcountrystore.com/store/_
Mourning Jewelry:
Victorian Hair Momento: https://www.facebook.com/victorianhairwork/
WISP Adornments: https://www.facebook.com/Wisp-Adornments-140903286083078/timeline/ and https://www.etsy.com/shop/WispAdornments Modern jewelry and hair keepsakes in the Victorian style.
Museums:
Fort Worden Coast Artillery Museum: www.coastartillery.org
Northwest Carriage Museum: http://nwcarriagemuseum.org/our-collection/
Music
Listen to waxed cylinder recordings for free, courtesy of the University of California Santa Barbara: http://cylinders.library.ucsb.edu/playlists.php
Newspapers:
Digitized 19th century newspapers --Washington state focus: https://washingtondigitalnewspapers.org/?a=cl&cl=CL1&e=-------en-20--1--txt-txIN-------
Digitized historical newspapers —California:
https://cdnc.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/cdnc?a=p&p=home&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN--------1
Digitized historical newspapers —general
https://news.google.com/newspapers
https://newspaperarchive.com/
Digitized historical newspapers —U.S. Library of Congress:
http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov
Rare and early newspapers: www.rarenewspapers.com
Paper (see also Writing Supplies):
Crane & Co.: http://www.crane.com.
Piccadilly: http://piccadillyinc.com
Patterns
Sarah makes her own sewing patterns. These pattern sources were recommended by fans:
Iva Rose: Crocheted and knitted patterns: http://www.ivarose.com/chronological_listings
La Mode au fil du temps —French sewing patterns: http://www.french-crea-vintage.com/en/
Purse frames
Lacis: lacis.com/catalog/
Great frames and clasp fasteners for making chatelaine purses and other handbags.
Sando: http://www.sando.no/en/webshop/category/product/9.html Jewelry-quality purse frames, sold by a jeweler who specializes in traditional Norwegian bunads. (Definitely eye candy to drool over! If we ever win the lottery...)
Scissors
Hollander's Bookbinding Supplies: http://www.hollanders.com/index.php/catalogsearch/result/?q=scissors
Seamstress:
Dream Threads: http://dreamthreads.net Alterations and custom sewing.
Sewing Notions:
Wooded Hamlets Design: http://www.woodedhamlet.com
Sewing Patterns:
La Mode au fil du temps: http://www.french-crea-vintage.com/en/
Sewing Tools:
Lacis: http://www.lacis.com/catalog/data/AD_ToolsFancy.html
Shoes:
American Duchess: http://www.american-duchess.com. Historically accurate footwear based on styles from the Renaissance through the 1920's. They do beautiful, sturdy work. Sarah's button boots come from this company.
Frye's Shoes: www.thefryecompany.com American Leather Boot Company Since 1863 Sarah's hiking /work boots are from this company.
Gohn Brothers: (Link sent in by a fan): http://www.gohnbrothers.com/old-fashioned-shoes.html
Stacy Adams: StacyAdams.com Men's dress shoes since 1875.
Soap:
Duchess of Soapshire: https://www.etsy.com/shop/DuchessofSoapshire
Kirk's Castile: http://www.kirksnatural.com/about-kirks-natural/
Stoves / heaters
Antique Stove Hospital: http://stovehospital.com Antique stoves restored to Day One condition. Our Charm Crawford kitchen stove was restored by this business.
Tinware
Carl Giordano: http://www.cg-tinsmith.com. Giordano is the master tinsmith who made Sarah's vasculum. He produces a variety of other 18th and 19th century style tinware as well, including camp kettles and kitchen ware.
The Tin Man: http://www.thetinman.com Tin panels for ceilings and walls.
Videos (historic footage):
Civil War veterans demonstrating the rebel yell (4 and a half minutes): www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6jSqt39vFM
Ladies on safety bicycles (2 minutes): www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENaYt7KNcoc
Paris in 1890 (6 minutes): https://www.facebook.com/1345066156/videos/10218386513717913/UzpfSTUzMDAwOTcxMDQ3MTg0NDoxMjE5ODMyODcxNDg5NTIx/
Pope Leo XIII in 1896, one of the earliest-born people ever to be filmed. (1 and a half minutes): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzLduvnW-FA
Websites our fans might enjoy:
Antique Corsets, Crinolines and Bustles: www.facebook.com/antiquecorsets/
Carriage Association of America: http://www.carriageassociationofamerica.com
Information about horse-drawn carriages and a list of carriage museums in the U.S.
Dorestad 825: Interactive archaeology, circa 825 A.D.: https://gunna825.wordpress.com/category/dorestad/
Eras of Enchantment: www.facebook.com/erasofenchantment Historical reproduction clothing and hats; Historical HMUA, Historical hairstyle and fashion consultant.
Food Timeline: http://www.foodtimeline.org
Forgotten Way Farms (Link sent in by fan): https://www.facebook.com/Forgotten-Way-Farms-1386849544951498/?hc_location=ufi A family of seven, promoting simplicity.
Historical Advice Bureau for 1900-1950: www.hab3045.nl
Jo Hedwig Teeuwisse: www.youtube.com/user/nederland4045
In Pretty Finery: www.facebook.com/InPrettyFinery/
Military fashions (U.S.), history of: www.history.army.mil/html/museums/uniforms/survey_uwa.pdf
Minnesota Historical Society Digital Collections: http://search.mnhs.org/index.php?brand=cms
MisstoricalFiction: www.facebook.com/MisstoricalFiction/ History and fashion.
Myrrmade: www.myrrhmade.com Simple living and happy thoughts.
Ngram Viewer: https://books.google.com/ngrams Search engine for word frequencies —find out when a particular word came into usage, and how common it was.
Old and Historic Corsets: www.facebook.com/HistoricCorsets/
Society19: www.facebook.com/SocietyNineteen/
The Corseted Beauty: https://www.facebook.com/thecorsetedbeauty/
Top Baby Names of the 1880s in the U.S., as per official Social Security records: https://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/decades/names1880s.html
Top Baby Names of the 1890s in the U.S., as per official Social Security records:
https://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/decades/names1890s.html
Victoria and Albert Museum: http://www.vam.ac.uk/page/0-9/19th-century-fashion/
World Columbian Exposition (1893) virtual tour: http://xroads.virginia.edu/~ma96/wce/title.html
Writing Supplies
Fountain Pen Hospital: http://www.fountainpenhospital.com Fountain pens.
John Neal Bookseller: www.johnnealbooks.com/
J. Herbin: http://www.jherbin.com. Inks and accessories for fountain pens and straight pens.
Paper companies whose products work well with liquid ink:
Crane & Co.: http://www.crane.com.
Piccadilly: http://piccadillyinc.com
Tokyo Pen Shop: notebooks: http://www.tokyopenshop.com/apica-a5-p-90.html#.V1XbKje5VFJ_
Fountain pens: https://www.tokyopenshop.com/fountain-pens-c-51/?zenid=kjckto2e4ilbmqkgutliio1oe3
Writing aids —cursive practice book for children: www.vermontcountrystore.com/store/jump/productDetail/Christmas_Shop/Gifts_For_Kids/Toys/Cursive_Handwriting_Instruction_Guide/45621
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