See how washboards powered old-fashioned laundry days with scrub, soap and skill, plus vintage photos showing them in action.
Vintage homes & gardens
Whether plain or fancy, antique kerosene lamps like these were more than home decor – they made it possible for people to work and play late into the night. Find out more here!
Crystal chandeliers have been a symbol of luxury and opulence since the 18th century. If you’re wondering what crystal chandeliers used to look like, take a peek below at these vintage photos!
Dishwasher history starts with Josephine Cochrane, who invented the first automatic model in the 1880s. Her creation changed kitchens forever.
Here’s a look back at 100 years of vintage Fostoria glass – from candelabra to stemware, in clear crystal or a rainbow of colorful hues – that people have been using and collecting for generations.
Biltmore is a huge private estate and tourist destination in Asheville, North Carolina with 250 rooms spread over four acres of floor area, and it has 43 bathrooms and 35 bedrooms. See it here!
See how gazebos became one of America’s favorite outdoor retreats with a look back at some vintage styles and backyard designs!
See several sets of authentic paint sample cards that feature Victorian house colors, showing how people back in the 1800s decorated their home exteriors!
These vintage tips to identify antique silver come from the 1940s – and include diagrams, descriptions and photos of lots of vintage silverwork.
Take a stroll back to the late 1800s and early 1900s to see some of the grand homes and New York mansions that lined Fifth Avenue.
Before the advent of modern refrigeration, there was the charming, wooden icebox in the corner of the kitchen – the epicenter of cold storage from the mid-19th to early 20th century.
Have you ever marveled at the charm and character of antique secretary desks? Let’s take a dive into the world of these stunning, multifunctional pieces!
From uprights to baby grands & more, these antique pianos are works of art!
Find out how the Homestead Act of 1862 helped shape American society in dramatic ways by playing a vital role in the settlement of vast US prairie lands.
Here are more than 100 colorful antique fabrics from right around the turn of the century – bright and bold vintage textiles that feature florals, tiny patterns, plaids, stripes, dots, paisley and other beautiful classic designs.
The magnificent Conrad-Caldwell mansion – also known as the Theophilus Conrad house – in Louisville, Kentucky, was completed in 1895, and was a luxurious home with detailed stonework and woodwork.
Spreckels Mansion – aka The Sugar Palace – was a completely over-the-top late Victorian home, was the luxurious residence of one of San Francisco’s wealthiest men at the time. Take a look back at the original version of this house!
Why take the stairs while you can ride up in comfort inside one of these metalwork ‘cage’ style antique elevators, made with beautiful ornamental iron? Just tell the bellhop what floor you want.
Samuel Colt’s Connecticut mansion also known as Armsmear, was built on a huge plot of land owned by the inventor of the famous gun. See what this grand and spacious Victorian home was like in its heyday!
Gorgeous, graceful old-fashioned decorative iron porches & balconies, crafted from intricate metalwork, adorn many homes and other buildings in the Southern states. Here, take a look back at some stunning examples!
Antique early American weathervanes shaped like horses, cows, deer, roosters, angels, ships and even fish were hammered in metal and used as much to decorate rooftops as to note the direction of the wind
Before photography, you could keep memories of loved ones close by getting portrait miniatures painted. Now they’re highly-collectible antiques! Here’s a look at some of this classic artwork.
Check out this collection of beautiful antique Victorian fireplaces – detailed mantels and classic grates – with an elegant style to suit homes of the late 1800s.
With this book, you can color in 44 classic Victorian houses from the 1880s and 1890s, when many elaborately-decorated homes were built in America. See what’s inside!
This flip-over chair – in the original Hudson Valley version of the 1870s or a colorful adaptation – offers the fun of choosing between two seats with a quick flip of a finger.
Anyone visiting a county fair in the 1890s was likely to bring home a piece of ruby glass as a souvenir. They once sold for a song, and now are finds you’ll treasure.
See over 20 historic southern mansions — some tied to slavery, others to politics or education — and how they reflect the South’s changing history.
Tilting water pitchers were often found on the dining table during the Victorian era. Mounted on a swing pivot, it simplified the task of pouring ice water into cups or glasses, as there was no lifting required.
A luxury yesterday, a necessity today The generation of people who locked up their silverware in cupboards and cabinets has given way to the generation
Antique Ladies’ Home Journal magazine cover: March 1890 Featuring “Mrs Harrison’s Daily Life in the White House”, “A Man’s Idea of Home Comfort”, “Hints on
What is a mansard roof home – or a Second Empire-style house? Find out here, and take a look at more than 20 beautiful examples!
See how Rosedown mansion in Louisiana was restored to its 1800s glory with care, vision and craftsmanship, as shown in this rare 1964 article and photos.
See Victorian house floor plans and exterior views of 7 antique homes from the Civil War era, designed by prominent architects and built during the early 1860s.
A Victorian garden party may extend from afternoon into evening, or it may be entirely an evening affair — and here were the best ways to set everything up.
Inside this book, you can take a look back to the 1870s — a time when many of the most ornate and elegant homes were built in America! Not only was the architecture remarkable, so,were their bold colors.
Here’s a collection of beautiful classic vintage stencil designs from the ’30s and earlier, along with patterns inspired by Greek, Roman, Persian and other classical designs.
About antique 1847 Rogers Bros silver plate from the early 20th century The ORIGINAL and GENUINE ROGERS’ goods for half a century have maintained the
These bits of well-preserved vintage graphic artistry come from the simply-named Paints Oils Varnishes catalog from F. W. Devoe Co. of New York, which was
The most charming homes of the later Victorian era were a sight to behold. In this book, you can color many examples of the elaborately-decorated houses built in America so long ago.
The beautiful art tile stoves seen here were used to heat homes in the Victorian era, and came in many different styles. Take a look!
Bold, rich coloring for houses of the Victorian era The day when nearly every building was painted white, and window blinds green, has passed away.
Whether these antique enameled blue glass sugar caskets were used for sugar cubes or for jewelry, the handpainted pieces that have survived are prized for their beauty.
Bloomingdale’s originally opened in 1861 when the Bloomingdale brothers began by selling hoop skirts on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. Then in 1872, the two opened
Thousands of lives would be lost before it was discovered that simple asbestos – something natural, helpful and seemingly innocuous – would actually lead to many major health problems.[
