Detail of the stereo card. A sweet and endearing stereo card of three Edwardian little girls enjoying the flowers and sunshine. The view is overlooking the Willamette River from...Welcome!
A Victorian Passage has published 152 articles on a diverse range of subjects. Most of our growing archive of Victorian Era subjects are taken directly from 19th century sources to achieve a closer look into how our ancestors really lived. We have also been expanding our historical eras to include Early American from 1790-1839 and the Edwardian period of the early 20th century. Latest article added July 15, 2009
Listing all the Etiquette and Social Life Articles
Unfolding the Mysteries of Sealing Wax and Wafers
Introduction To Sealing Wax and Wafers In the 19th century, sealing wax was a material made by the melting of lac or rosin with turpentine and pigments. In it's earliest forms it would have been made of beeswax and resin. The sealing wax was used to "seal" the letters or envelopes, with or without a wafer. During the early to mid 19th century the...Continue Reading
Baby's Announcement Cards.
It is quite common now to have cards printed in tiny form, announcing the birth of infants, and giving thereon the name of the new arrival, and weight and day of birth. We have recently received cards from a mother having "two of 'em," and the cards of each are so neat and unique, that we are led to reproduce them here for the suggestions...Continue Reading
19th Century Diaries
Many of our 19th century ancestors kept diaries, scrapbooks or even autograph books. The reasons varied from person to person, but one article on the subject noted that it would be a wise idea to keep a diary of the events that played out. This was true even in the common man [or woman's] life, since after all "every man's life is of importance...Continue Reading
The Correct Thing In Good Society
In Shopping The Correct Thing For employees to be patient, cheerful, and obliging. For employees to remember that it is their business to wait upon customers, and to be civil to them. For a salesman to prove that he respects himself by showing due respect to others. For a salesman to advise a customer, or assist her in making a choice, if asked to do...Continue Reading
The Correct Thing In Good Society
At The Writing-Desk The Correct Thing To use good jet black ink. To use handsome, thick, plain white paper. To fold and direct a letter neatly, and to put on the stamp evenly, and in the proper corner. To put on as many stamps as the weight of the letter or parcel demands. For the autograph fiend to enclose a stamped and directed envelope when...Continue Reading
A Little About Calling Cards
I love the form of etiquette used by the Victorians. One way they kept social graces was by calling cards. I have a book on etiquette and when I ran across the chapter on Making Calls I was rather surprised to read the following: "It is the correct thing to use perfectly plain visiting cards, of fine pasteboard, engraved in plain script." Example below: Very...Continue Reading