Figure 1.--Children were a popular subject for 19th scrapbook cutouts. They were often shown in fancy outfits like this not very realistic outfit. Notice the split sleeves. This harkens back to the 17th century. The Fauntleroy suits worn in the 19th century did not wear split sleeves on this English illustration. Also notice the sash and fancy shoes. |
Advancements in printing during the late 19th century had a wide variety of commercial ramifications. These included among many other ventures, greeting and post cards, paper dolls, labels including toy boxes, and scrapbook cutouts, or "scraps". Like greeting cards, these "scraps" reflected the sentimentality of the rising Victoriam middle class. One of the most popular subjects, was emaculately dressed children. Children appeared in a wide variety if outfirs, dresses, kilts, tunics, sailor suits and many others. One of the most popular outfits was the Fauntleroy suit.
Related to paperdolls were cutouts, modern versions of which are still popular today. Scrapebooks were enormously popular in the 19th century. They were prepared for a variety of reasons. One of the most common were family scrapebooks or albums. Mothers, especially the ones that didn't work, loved to prepare scrapebooks on their children. These scapebooks might contain keep sakes, such as lockets of hair or ribbons the child wore as a baby. After the development of photography, portarits were a popular item to include. In fact in the 20th century these scrapbooks in many cases became family pohotographic albumns. To help decorate late 19th century scrapbooks, companies began printing "scraps"--beautiful lithographed cut-out figures. They were sold primarily scrapbooks, but might be used for other purposes like decorating screens etc.
The depictions of children on "scraps" were invairably highly idealized. Interestingly while it would seem difficult to embelish already rediculously fancy Fauntleroy suits. That is precisely what illustrators did. While they normally did not make the bows and collars as large as were actually worn, they might add unrelaistic features like split sleeves. Silk stockings were also often added, eventhough wool stockings were more common. Illustrators also added wide colored sashes. These were occasionally worn, but were no common. Footwear was one of the most often embellished item, often pictures with fancy bows. Actual boys more commonly wore sturdy high-top button shoes.
HBC has not yet analized the "scraps" from differnt countries, but hopes to do so.
Fauntleroy Related Pages:
[Return to the Main Fauntleroy merchandise page]
[Return to the Main scrapbook page]
[Greeting cards]
[Paper dolls]
[Playing cards]
[Scrap cutouts]
Other Related Pages:
[Dresses]
[Kilts]
[Smocks]
[Pinafores]
[Velvet]
[Sailor Hats]
[Blouses]
[Ring Bearers]
[Long hair]
[Ringlet curls]
[Bangs]
[Main bow page]
[Sashes]
[Hair bows]
[Lace collars]
[Ruffled collars]
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