Full Text:

THE BEAUTY OF VICTORIAN ERA CELLULOID

(with cuts)

By Joan F. Van Patten

Although the Victorian era historically ended in 1901, its influence continued

for many more years and celluloid collectors consider the period of 1886-1915

as the "golden age" of celluloid collectibles.

The Victorian styled photo albums, boxes and tri-fold mirrors featured

chromolithograph pictures of beautifully dressed ladies in graceful flowing

garments, men in their finest costumes, and children playing with the toys and

games of the day.

Numerous ads for celluloid items have been found in old catalogs, particularly

Butler Bros., a wholesaler to stores. These ads describe some of the scenes as

"automobile girls dressed in colored gowns, Asti and Gainsborough heads,

woodland maids, Court dames, Holland pictures..." - the list goes on and on.

Many famous artists' works were displayed on these wares. "The Angelus" and

"The Gleaners," painted by Francois Millet, are two of the most easily

recognizable ones. There are also Gainsborough landscapes, Charles Dana Gibson

Girls and the "Christy Girl," made famous by Howard Chandler Christy.

The works of Maud Humphrey, Louis Prang, Frances Brundage, Paul DeLongpre and

Alphonse Mucha are others found on these items. Some celluloid boxes are even

decorated in the fashion of Josiah Wedgwood's Jasperware.

Combination toilet and manicure cases originally sold for $1 to $7, but some

of the very large ones now carry price tags of $1,000 to $2,000! Autograph

books once cost less than 20 cents, photo albums were 82 cents to $3 for those

that play music, and glove boxes were priced at 65 cents to $1.22, which today

sell from $100 and up depending on condition and the design featured on the

item.

Collectors should always look for items in top condition: the celluloid must

not be cracked or peeling and the seams should not be split. Quality must be

the foremost consideration in making a purchase. One good box or album is

always better than several that are damaged, no matter how wonderful the

design may be.

John Wesley Hyatt has been called the "father of the plastics industry" by

many people. His patent #88,634, dated April 6, 1869, was for an improved

molding composition to imitate ivory and other substances. He was issued over

200 patents in his lifetime - a feat matched by few other inventors. Alexander

Parkes is another name considered by many, especially those in Great Britain,

to also be a founder of the plastics industry.

Important patents for celluloid boxes and albums are #484,006, issued in 1892

as a "method of making corners, covers, and like parts for books, boxes and

similar articles of celluloid or kindred material"; design patent #22,788,

dated September 19, 1893, for the "design for a celluloid sheet"; patent

#505,462 in 1893 for "manufacture of celluloid boxes"; and patent #601,214 in

1898 for the "method of and apparatus for veneering with celluloid covers and

corners of books and boxes."

My new reference book, Celluloid Treasures Of The Victorian Era, co-authored

by Elmer and Peggy Williams, is the first of its kind devoted exclusively to

these beautiful collectibles and is available from Collector Books. Hundreds

of items are shown in color photos, from toilet sets and jewel boxes to sewing

boxes, shaving sets and even infant and smoker's sets.

The book offers information about these items and also includes many pages of

old ads and lists of known patterns. Ninety patents have been discovered that

deal with celluloid items and nine of the most important ones are featured.

Lists of contents found in some of the sets are given, as well as information

about the various artists and the different techniques used.

For many years these items have been "sleepers" but that is no longer the

case. The demand is now very strong, availability is limited and prices

reflect this change.

Joan Van Patten is also the author of The Collector's Encyclopedia of Nippon

Porcelain, First Series to Fifth Series, Price Guide For Collector's

Encyclopedia Of Nippon Porcelain, No. 1-3, and The Collector's Encyclopedia of

Noritake, First and Second Series. She is the co-founder of the INCC

(International Nippon Collector's club) and served as its first president. For

information, write Collector Books, P.O. Box 3009, Paducah, Ky. 42002-3009.