Singer Ad Card

Ah, the wonder of owning a Singer Sewing Machine in the 1920s!  I love this trade advertising card - mostly because of the gorgeous yellow warbler... but also because the ad promises you can make the dress of your dreams in one "happy afternoon!"  Just love that.  The original card measures 4.5 by 6 inches.  Note that at that size, the egg is depicted at "natural size" and the warbler is at "3/4 size."  Isn't that sweet?

Artist Palette

I'm not sure what year this pretty die-cut palette was published.  The original is lightly embossed, plain on the back, approximately 6 inches in length, and includes the "My Hopes in Thee" sentiment.  I've removed the sentiment for the versions below so you can add your own sweet message.

1910 Farm Scene

This distinguished gentleman is my great-grandfather, Charles Lyman Whalen, taken on the Minich family farm in Carlisle, IN circa 1910.  I love the textures in this photo, especially the sheep's curly locks and the ruggedness of the barn boards.  "Pete" always dressed up, even when on the farm.

Vintage Bird Cards I - Bullfinch

Vintage Bird Cards I - Blackbird

Vintage Bird Cards I - Chaffinch

Vintage Bird Cards I - Originals

Dancing Pansy Flowers

I love pansies!  They've been my favorite flower for five decades.  Who can resist their cheerful "faces," luscious purple, copper and amber hues and soft, velvety petals?  I know as a toddler, I couldn't!  I was so excited to see these sweet garden beauties in grandma's garden that I pulled up several fists-full.  I ran to her grinning and squealing, proudly holding up my contraband bouquet.  I still remember that day - the day I discovered the beauty of pansies and shared that joy with my grandma!

The original lithographs were produced by L. Prang & Co. between 1861-1897.   These images have been made available to the general public by the Boston Public Library, free of charge and under a Creative Commons license with no copyright restrictions. To access the library's extensive online collection of vintage images, click here.

Music with Canary artwork

Beautiful music score cover sheet from the archives of the Boston Public Library: My Pet Canary ballad by H. Avery.  The original artwork was produced by L. Prang & Co. between 1861-1897.   I wonder if H. Avery's lovely canaries sang along with this ballad?

These images have been made available to the general public by the Boston Public Library, free of charge and under a Creative Commons license with no copyright restrictions. To access the library's extensive online collection of vintage images, click here.

Dog and Cat Portraits

Aren't these portraits sweet? The ultimate in Pet Couture!  These beautiful images were produced by L. Prang & Co. between 1861-1897. These images have been made available to the general public by the Boston Public Library, free of charge and under a Creative Commons license with no copyright restrictions. To access the library's extensive online collection of vintage images, click here.

"Louis Prang (1824-1909), a German immigrant, ran a highly successful printing firm in Boston during the late nineteenth century. His company produced high quality reproductions of major art work and greeting cards using the complex technique of chromolithography. Prang is often referred to as the “Father of the American Christmas Card” because holiday cards were rarely exchanged in America until his factory began producing them in the 1870s.


The Boston Public Library’s Print Department is fortunate to have more than 1,500 chromolithographs and dozens of sample books of greeting cards produced by Louis Prang & Company. Along with the Hallmark Historical Collection in Kansas City, Missouri, the BPL’s Louis Prang & Company Collection is one of the two major sources of information on Prang's lithographs."