Voices From the Past: Iva Swift's 1883 Autograph Book

Those of you who have been following my blog for a while have probably figured out that it's impossible to pin me down into one particular era. 

I may appear to be a 1940's vintage fashion blog for a few posts, and then suddenly I've moved into 1950's films or 1960's advertisements, and then back to the 1920's for a bit more fashion and music, and then into the 1930's for some closeups of my "scary" doll collection.  (Scary dolls?  You're all crazy - I think they're adorable.)

And now with this post, I've just jumped back 60 years in one week - from 1940's catalog fashion to 1880's schoolgirl poetry and art.

I apologize for my blog's multiple personalities. I hope I'm not too schizophrenic for you.  But I did warn you in my "About Me" that I would be sharing with you "my passion for vintage advertising & clothing and other intriguing finds from the Victorian era through the 1960's."   And that covers an awful lot of territory!

At this point, I'm too much in love with everything vintage to be willing to focus on just one era or subject.  So fasten your seat belts - it's going to continue to be a bumpy ride...

...beginning with today's look at this fantastic 1883 Victorian Autograph Book that I found at an estate sale this past summer.



I've had the pleasure of owning this Victorian autograph book for about 8 months now, so I've decided that it's time to pass it on to a new owner.

(It's up for auction on eBay right now if you'd like to take a peek.)

I love the name - Miss Iva Swift.  She sounds like she belongs in a Victorian novel.

The book is filled with more than 50 charming little poems and quotes...

Hiram Hill (another great name!) got fancy by adding a tiny red dot under each of his letters.

Emma Templeton wasn't very creative with her note to Iva, but she added a frame around her words so that she won't be forgotten... 

Others added artwork.  Isn't this girl with the daisy sweet?  The author wrote this little poem:

"Let me see,

One - two - three;

I don't care what the daisy says,

I'm bound to be married one of these days."

Christmas 1883 - James A. Butler

Was this James' way of flirting with Iva?  Cute...

Iva's piano teacher coudn't resist another opportunity to remind her to practice! 

Some of the artwork got pretty fancy.  Like this scenic view...

Here's my favorite - an owl reading to two cats on a park bench - drawn by Iva's teacher, Jeanie Blair.

I love the birds with the red and black flourishes in the photo above.  The poem is rather quirky, though:

"Be plain in dress My dear

And sober in your diet.

In short my deary:  Kiss me and be quiet."

- Yours truly. P.A.S.

Is P.A.S. another suitor of Iva's?  These young men certainly have an interesting way of showing their affections.

And finally, here's a fun little poem of B's from one of Iva's teachers, Edwin A. Sawyer...

I thought that this wise and clever poem was well worth the effort of typing out:

"B patient, loving, good and kind;

B quick to hear, B quick to mind;

B earnest in the cause of right;

B brave for truth and shed its light;

A blessing B to all around

And you'll B blest, as all have found.

To you may such B's always cling,

A swarm of B's that never sting."

Good advice for all of us - don't you think?

Hope these next days will B happy and productive ones for you.  B good! - but not too good...
- Susan