Old Paper Press

[oldpaperpress]

 “Encourage the beautiful, for the useful encourage itself.” - Goethe 

A lovely bookplate by Louis Rhead, from his 1907 publication of book plate designs. Enhanced by the wonderful OldBookIllustrations.com

[oldpaperpress]

A sweet illustration by Lucille Enders of a girl holding up a flower garland. From the 1930 children's book "In All France: Children in Town and Country", translated from French.

[oldpaperpress]

So much going on here in this illustration by Dorothy Furniss! The kiddos seem to be having fun, leaving scattered toys in their wake, while their aunt just looks on in shock. (Perfectly captured expression of a woman who doesn’t know children having to spend time with them! )

From the 1926 “Girls Own Annual”, featured here: https://vintageinkandwhimsy.blogspot.com/2026/07/three-exuberant-children-1926.html

[enchantedbook]

The brownies: their book

see more here: https://www.enchantedbooklet.com/the-brownies/

[oldpaperpress]

I believe this is a Palmer Cox illustration. They look like they’re having fun!

[oldpaperpress]

Aww, this is the life. This boy is kicking back, enjoying the start of summer, no worries to bother him as he watches the clouds!

Illustrated by Josephine Bruce,  for "Songs for Tom, Dick, Bob & Peggy", a book of songs published in 1905.

[thefugitivesaint]

Maud Trelawny, “The Sleepy King - A Fairy Tale” by Aubrey Hopwood & Seymour Hicks, 1900 Source

[oldpaperpress]

Rather loving the art supplies illustrations from the  F. W. Devoe & C.T. Raynolds Co., published circa 1900. I shared these and a few more I couldn't resist on my main blog, Vintage Ink & Whimsy.

[oldpaperpress]

Lovely illustration by William Rainey for "His Little Royal Highness" by Ruth Ogden, published in 1887. [The book lists his name as "W. Rainsey".] He was a prolific illustrator of books and magazines.

[thebeautifulbook]

CHRISTMAS ROSES by Lizzie Lawson and Robert Ellice Mack (London: Griffith Farran, c.1886). Illustrated.

source

[oldpaperpress]

I'm in love with these illustrations!

[oldpaperpress]

This card is gorgeous! It has a

layered die-cut design an lots of flowers - so Victorian! Probably printed sometime between 1880 to 1910, when this kind of thing was all the rage!

Text reads, “For Auld Lang Syne” and ”With best Wishes for the New Year”. 

It was included in a scrapbook, circa 1890, part of the Boston Children’s Museum Scrapbooks from the American History Collection.

[oldpaperpress]

A blackbird perched on a rock amidst flowers. The same image, with the caption of "Rusty Blackbird" printed beneath the illustration, was printed by Armstrong & Co. Lith, Boston, in 1887, by G. E. Marsh & Co. of 395 Chestnut St. in Lynn, MA, as part of a series of bird trade cards.

I've seen "cleaner" versions online, but I love that this one has age stains and looks like it's been around, oh, 130-something years!

[oldpaperpress]

A Christmas postcard featuring pink roses and bittersweet nightshade (Solanum dulcamara). 

The greeting reads, “A Happy Christmas to you”.

It was printed by Raphael Tuck & Sons of London. They also used this design for a New Year’s postcard. Possibly circa 1900s. 

[oldpaperpress]

When I saw the original with "Merry Christmas" handwritten in it, I thought this would make a great one for crafters and junk journalers! (Journalists? Um...people who junk journal!) This one was printed in 1877 by L. Prang & Co.

So I removed the image and viola! If you use it, I'd love to know. (You'd make my day...but no pressure!)

For a larger size of the blank image (Tumblr compresses images), you can download it here.

[oldpaperpress]

How adorable is this little one, playing pretend with her "binoculars". This is actually a trade card for J&P Coats thread, but I just love the sweet image.

[oldpaperpress]

I'm sometimes struck by the images on Christmas cards in the late 1800's. Take this girl, for instance, who looks fairly miserable to be out in the chilly snow, perhaps a little grumpy. Yet the sentiment cheerfully reads, "Keep this Christmas in your heart."

The Aberdeen Archives, Gallery & Museums estimates this image was from the "late 19th-early 20th century". It was also included in a scrapbook hosted at Digital Commonwealth, estimated to date from the 1880s.

[oldpaperpress]

These two images were included in a scrapbook a girl named Minnie made from her sister, hosted at Digital Commonwealth.

They are both illustrations from the 1882 book "My Own Dolly," by Amy E. Blanchard, illustrated by Ida Waugh. (She is officially one of my favorite 19th-century artists!)

Note the bottom left corner of both pictures, which shows they were published by Sunshine Pub. Co. in Philadelphia.

[oldpaperpress]

Being new to the ephemera scene, there is so much to learn...and I'm enjoying trying to learn it all!

These are two Victorian-era die-cut illustrations, or "scraps". I had come across the term here and there, but I didn't realize it meant die-cuts. I'll be sharing this knowledge with uninterested friends and family for weeks!

I came across this in a scrapbook at Digital Commonwealth, called "to Sister Lizzie from Minnie". I don't know the story of the scrapbook but I like to imagine a sister working hard on a gift to her sibling. I'm sharing several images I "discovered" there that I loved most!