Fans
(A Shire Book)

Hélène Alexander

This book traces the history of fans from biblical times to the present day. Originating as an everyday functional object, the fan rapidly acquired ceremonial and social significance, becoming the utilitarian sceptre of kings, the subject of conversation for bluestockings of the seventeenth century, the toy of frivolous ladies, the vehicle of revolutionary messages, the sentimental possession of the Victorians, the mirror of the Belle Époque, and an advertising gimmick. Above all, fans are hand-crafted objects and therefore no two are identical, which makes recording and classifying them an absorbing and fascinating historical adventure.

Hélène Alexander FRSA has collected fans for over thirty years. In 1991 she founded The Fan Museum and is currently President of The Fan Museum Trust.

40 pp, many colour illustrations
$8.95

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Spectacles, Lorgnettes and Monocles
(A Shire Book)

D.C. Davidson and R.J.S. MacGregor

Spectacles have been used since the thirteenth century, at first by the few people who needed to read, such as churchmen and clerks. This book traces the development and use of eyeglasses from the fourteenth century onwards. In the eighteenth century lorgnettes and quizzing glasses became elegant accessories of upper-class dress and fashion began to influence design.

The late Derek Davidson trained as an optician. He started his own business and a workshop for custom-made fashion spectacles. He also began to collect old spectacles and was the founder of the Ophthalmic Antiques International Collectors Club. This new edition has been completely revised by the editor of the club newsletter, Ronald J. S. MacGregor, a retired optometrist. It is illustrated with many new colour photographs.

40 pp, 64 colour and 4 b/w ills.
$8.95

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Clay Tobacco Pipes
(A Shire Book)

Eric G. Ayto

Although clay tobacco pipes are still made today their place in history is the seventeenth, eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Until about 1890 the clay pipe was as commonplace as the tankard of ale and the mug of tea, but competition from the briar pipe, the cigar and the cigarette brought the clay-pipe industry to an end about 1900. Many people remember using clay pipes for blowing bubbles when they were children, and some can recall seeing navies, or their grandfathers, smoking them. These old pipes are now being eagerly looked for and picked up by the hundreds, and the enthusiastic finder is confronted with many questions. The aim of this book is to answer these questions and to record the part the humble "clay" once played in our society.

Eric G. Ayto has manufactured clay tobacco pipes as a craft potter since 1972. His interest in the history of clay pipes led him to Eton, where he discovered an almost forgotten pipemaking industry dating from about 1690 to 1914. He is now retired.

32 pp, 24 b/w ills
$7.00

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"Death Head" buttons, their use and construction

by Norman H. Fuss

A Treatise on how thread wrapped buttons known as "Death Head" were made and used in 18th Century Clothing.

Mr. Fuss has written a book that has clear and concise instructions and easy to follow photographs showing the process to make a thread covered button. Not just an instruction book, the history of the button along with many photographs of extant clothing is included.

This book is a must for the construction of well-made civilian clothing. "They appear to have been used primarily on less formal attire intended for business and informal social wear rather than formal or court attire" according to Mr. Fuss. He adds that there is some evidence that their use may extend down to the lower sort as well. With the directions in this book and wood button blanks you can make your own death head buttons.

Mr. Fuss taught me how to make death head buttons and I put them on Fred's coat, they certainly add that extra pizzazz!

Softcover 23 pages
$8.00

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Needlework and Embroidery Tools
(A Shire Book)

Eleanor Johnson

This delightful book describes and illustrates over 200 items used mainly by Victorian and Edwardian ladies in their needlecrafts: needle cases, scissors, tape-measures, chatelaines, thread waxers, pincushions, thimbles etc. Eleanor Johnson has revised her text previously published in the Shire Album series and has added many colour illustrations for this new book.

0 7478 0399 4
(Album 38) 40 pages
27 b/w and 42 color illustrations
$8.95

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Living History; Drawing on the Past

Cathy Johnson

An exploration of the equipment of an artist, naturalist, botanist or other scientist, and including various writing accoutrements and tools to boost vision. Also, an examination of more common accoutrements including pistols, shooting bags, lanterns, horn goods, tinware, cookware, and the like. Included also are people and places, as well as appendices on color, sources, &c. Complete bibliography.

$11.95

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Portable Writing Desks
(A Shire Book)

David Harris

Even today, many people still own an old portable writing desk or know someone who does. Although portable writing desks have existed in England since the sixteenth century, the majority of those found nowadays date from the Victorian period. They were made in large numbers at that time for the rapidly increasing middle classes. These small pieces of furniture have been largely ignored as antiques, perhaps because they are so numerous. This book looks at the history and significance of the portable writing desk and illustrates the main types to be found.

40 pages with many color and black & white illustrations
$8.95

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A British Soldier's Story:
Roger Lamb's Narrative of the American Revolution.

Edited & Annotated by Don N. Hagist

This narrative includes two abridged books edited and extensively footnoted; A Journal of Occurrences during the Late American War (1809) and Memoir of My Own Life (1811). Lamb describes his recruitment, his voyage to America, the Ticonderoga campaign, his capture at Saratoga, his imprisonment in Boston and his escape to New York City. This is followed by Lamb's participation in the invasion of Charleston, the battles of Camden, Cowpens and Guilford Courthouse, and his daring escape during the climatic Yorktown campaign and lengthy return to British-held New York City. Also included is biographical material of Roger Lamb, and an overview of weapons, tactics, uniforms, and accouterments of the British army during the American War for Independence.

6" × 9", 206 pages
$14.95

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Buttons and Trimmings
(Fashion & Style Series)

by Althea MacKenzie
A Snowshill book (out of print)

Buttons, while performing a very practical function, have often been used as a form of elaboration; some of the most exotic are used on Georgian men's court clothes. Trimmings, too, such as ribbons were added for adornment and decoration.

Published by the National Trust
Dimensions: 7" × 7"
98 pp.
$19.95

Embroideries
(Fashion & Style Series)

by Althea MacKenzie
A Snowshill book (out of print)

Published by The National Trust
Dimensions: 7" × 7"
96 pp

$19.95

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Hats and Bonnets
(Fashion & Style Series)

by Althea MacKenzie
A Snowshill book (out of print)

From bergères to boaters, this book provides a unique journey through the styles of a period that saw major radical and social changes, from the French Revolution to the emancipation of women.

Published by The National Trust
Dimensions: 7" × 7"
96 pp

$19.95

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Shoes and Slippers
(Fashion & Style Series)

by Althea MacKenzie
A Snowshill book (out of print)

At a time when women did not expose their legs, shoes could be not only a means of conveying status, class and persona, but also hold the hopes, dreams and fantasies of greater delights above.

Published by The National Trust
Dimensions: 7" × 7"
96 pp

$19.95

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Needlework Tools and Accessories
A Dutch Tradition

by Kay Sullivan

We no longer carry this book but it may be of use to our customers so we have left it here for you to read about.

This hardbound book, with 500 illustrations, 400 in color, is one you will revisit time and again. It is the first published about the needlework tools used by the women of Holland from the Middle Ages to the 20th century. Not only does it tell about the beautifully hand crafted tools but about the people who used them. Included is a chapter detailing identifying marks of the makers to help collectors with their research. Valuable also, not only to those in Holland but to collectors worldwide because these tools made their way across oceans along with the migrants to far off lands. Read about thimbles, equipages (chatelaines in the 19th C), winders, needle cases, pin cushions, and knitting accessories.

224 pages

$59.50

The Worm-Eaten Waistcoat

by Alison Backhouse

We no longer carry this book because of the poor exchange rate. The Warm-Eaten Waistcoat may help many of our customers so we have left it here for you to read about.

The database is at last complete . . .  1900 gowns, 1400 aprons, 1300 handkerchiefs, 600 cloaks, 200 watches, 500 petticoats . . .  Over 10,000 pledges accepted during 1777-78 by George Fettes, the pawnbroker of Lady Peckett's Yard in York, give a fascinating insight into the every-day life of the poor in Georgian England. Information abounds about the customers and the goods they pawned. Essential reading for everyone who has ever found it hard to make ends meet and invaluable for students of social history and costume.

112 pages, including 6 chapters, 9 appendices, 50 illustrations and tables and a comprehensive index.

$18.95