Album of cuttings from illustrated envelopes and letters.
Published / Created:
England, 1879-1891.
Physical Description:
1 volume (38 pages, plus blanks) ; 21 cm
Collection:
Rare Books and Manuscripts
Copyright Status:
Copyright Not Evaluated
Classification:
Drawings & Watercolors
Notes:
Illustrated letters gained popularity between 1840 and 1850, and reappeared occasionally throughout the remainder of the century. They were issued by firms, designers, and, originally, by the post office itself, though they were also produced by amateur illustrators. The illustrated envelopes in this album consist of amateur illustrations, as opposed to mass marketed products. Satire was frequently the tone of the drawings -- as in this album -- though many illustrated envelopes later became vehicles for propaganda and more serious subjects. See "Envelope, illustrated" in Maurice Rickards. The Encyclopedia of Ephemera: A Guide to the Fragmentary Documents of Everyday Life for the Collector, Curator, and Historian. London: The British Library, 2000.
Subject Terms:
Envelopes (Stationery) | Caricatures and cartoons -- Great Britain. | English wit and humor, Pictorial. | Clothing and dress -- Great Britain -- 19th century. | Great Britain -- Social life and customs -- 19th century.