Mason Jar Ad 1865

This ad was in an 1865 publication of Country Gentleman, Vol. 26. Note that they looked a little different than what we are used to today.

Mason Jars were actually patent Nov. 30 1858.

John L. Mason also filed in Nov. 19, 1872 this:
Improvement in Screw-Neck Bottles, granted to Johs L Mason, November 30, 1858.
Claim.—1. A screw nock or nozzle of a jar or bottle, in combination with a groove separating the thread from the shoulder of the bottle or jar, as described.
2. A screw on the exterior of the neok of a bottle or jar, In which the neck extends above the screw-thread and tbe thread vanishes into the neck of the bottle or jar, substantially as described.

Etiquette & Manners

Etiquette & Manners is something often discussed on some of my of the writer loops I belong to as they pertain to the 19th century. Through Google books I've found a great source of books regarding such topics. Below is a list ordered by the year they were published. I've gathered this resource list over the past two years from Google Books. Hope it helps you in your search for proper behavior in the time period of your setting.

1832 Domestic Manners of the Americans
1835 Pencil Sketches
1837 The Young Lady's Friend
1839 Miss Leslie's Behavior Book
1842 Elegant Extracts
1843 Etiquette or, A Guide to The Usages of Society with a Glance at Bad Habits
1854 Etiquette Social Ethics and the Curtiousy of Society
1854 The Behavior Book
1860 The Gentlemen's Book of Etiquette and Manners
1860 The Hand Book of Etiquette
1866 Marine's Sensible Letter Writer
1868 Manners or Happy Homes
1870 Good Manners a Manual of Ediquette
1872 The Ladie's Book of Etiquette and Manual of Politeness
1873 The Gentlemen's Book of Etiquette and Manual of Politeness
1884 Don't: A Manual of Mistakes and Improprieties More or Less
1888 Manners
1889 American Etiquette and Rules of Politeness
1889 Perfect Etiquette or How to Behave in social...
1892 Etiquette An Answer to the Riddle, When? Where? How?
1896 Social Etiquette or Manners and Customs of Polite Society
1897 Manners for Men
1897 Practical Letter Writing
1899 Twenty Letters in Letter Writing and Business

Apples & Preserving

In 1874 Haydn's dictionary of dates was printed. It is filled with all kinds of interesting tidbits. Below is what it had to say about apples.


APPLES. The Romans knew of 22 varieties of apples, according to Pliny. Ray reckons 78 kinds in his day, in England (1688). In the U. S. 200 varieties exist Apple-trees of finest quality last 80 years. Some reach the age of 200 years. Throughout the U. S. the following appear to be the favorites: For summer apples, the Early Harrett, Sveet Bough and Red Astrackim ; for autumn, the Fall Pippin, Porter andGravenslein; for winter, the Baldvin and 'Rhode Island Greening. The demand for the fruit is greatly in advance of the supply, and in London the American apple commands fabulous prices. In 1860, the yield of orchard fruit amounted to $19,000,000, the greater part of which was derived from the apple product. In 1865, the orchards in the State of New York yielded 16,275,505 bushels of apples.


In 1872 the publication "A Dictionary of Every day wants:" came out and gives two methods of storing apples for later use.

APPLES, To Dry.—The most general method adopted in drying apples is, after they are pared, to cut them in slices, and spread them on cloths, tables, or boards, and dry them out-doors. In clear and dry weather this is, perhaps, the most expeditious and best way; but in cloudy and stormy weather this way is attended with much inconvenience, and sometimes loss, in consequence of the apples rotting before they dry. To some extent they may be dried in this way in the house, though this is attended with much inconvenience. The best method that I have ever ased to dry apples is to use frames. These combine the most advantages with the least inconvenience o( any way, and can be used with equal advantage either in drying in the house or out in
the sun. In pleasant weather the frames can be set out-doors against the side of the building, or any other support, and nights, or cloudy and stormy days, they can be brought into the house, and set against the side of the room near the stove or fire-place. Frames are made in the following manner: Two strips of board, 7 feet long, 2 or 2 1/2 inches wide—two strips 3 feet long, 1 1/2 inches wide, the whole 3/4 of an inch thick—nail the short strips across the ends of the long ones, and it makes a frame 7 by 3 feet, which is a convenient sire for all purposes. On one of the long strips nails are driven 3 inches apart, extending from the top to the bottom. After the apples are pared, they are quartered and cored, and with a needle and twine, or stout thread strung into lengths long enough to reach twice across the frame; the ends of the twine are then tied together, and the strings hung on the nails across the frame. The apples will soon dry so that the strings can be doubled on the nails, and fresh ones put on or the whole of them removed, and others put in their place. As fast as the apples become sufficiently dry they can be taken from the strings, and the same strings used to dry more on. If large apples are used to dry, they can be cut in smaller pieces. Pears and quinces, and other fruits that can be strung, may be dried in this way.

APPLES, Preserving. —l. By selecting the best of fruit, and carefully enveloping each specimen separately in paper so that the air cannot pass through, the time of keeping in a sound and eatable condition can be greatly prolonged. After covering each apple with paper, select a light wooden box and cover it on the inside, or outside, with paper either before, or after putting in the fruit, as the case may be. Those persons who are desirous of preserving a small quantity of apples will be amply repaid for their trouble by trying the above experiment. The fruit should not be disturbed after packing until the box is opened at the time the fruit is to be eaten.—2. A layer of dry sawdust was sprinkled at the bottom of the box, and then a layer of apples placed in it so that they did not touch each other. Upon these were placed a little layer of sawdust, and so on until the box was filled. The boxes, after being packed in this way, were placed on the wall in the cellar, up from the ground, where they kept, perfectly retaining their freshness and flavor, until brought out.—3. Apples for keeping should be laid out on a dry floor (or three weeks. They then may be packed away in layers, with dry straw between them. Each apple should be rubbed with a dry cloth as it is
Put away. They should be kept in a cool place, ut should be sufficiently covered with straw to protect them from frost. They should be plucked on a dry day. They also keep if packed in dry sand.—4. An excellent method for preserving apples through the winter is to put them in barrels or boxes, surrounding each apple with some dry mould or gypsum (plaster of Paris)— not the calcined used for casts, models, etc.— and kept in a dry, cool outhouse.



Another method I've come across but can't find the source right now, was using the husks of the corn, wrapping the apples in the husks and put them away in a similar method as above.

Hop Yeast

Today we think mostly in terms of making beer. However, it wasn't the only use for this plant. Wikipedia will give you a good description of the plant and it's many uses.

Below is a recipe for Hop Yeast that comes from The Appledore Cook Book ©1872 by Maria Parloa.


Hop Yeast.
Pare and boil one dozen mealy potatoes (they will boil in thirty miuutes) ; as soon as you put the potatoes on to boil, put a handful of hops into another kettle with three quarts of cold water, cover and boil (watch it that it may not boil over). When the potatoes are boiled, drain and mash fine; then strain the hops through a fine sieve on the potatoes (be sure that the hops are boiling when they are strained on the potatoes), and stir well; then add one half a cup of sugar, one fourth of salt, and one pint of flour; mix this well and strain through a cullender; let it stand until it is milk-warm, then stir in one cup of go"od yeast, and set it to rise where it will be warm. It will rise in five hours if the yeast is good. You can tell when it is risen by the white foam, which will rise to the top. When risen, put it in a stone jug, and stop tight. It is a good plan to tie the cork down, as it sometimes flies out. Set in the ice chest or on the cellar bottom. Make one third this quantity in summer if your family be small.
• Hop Yeast, No. 2.
In the spring and the first of the summer, when potatoes are poor, it is better to make yeast without them. Boil one fourth of a cup of hops in one quart of water, and strain it upon half a pint of flour; stir this well, and add two spoonfuls of sugar and one of salt, then strain through a cullender, and let it become milk-warm, when add one cup of good yeast. You need just as much yeast for one third the quantity made without the potatoes, as you would for the whole made with potatoes. Rise and bottle the same as the preceding.

Oil Discovery

Here is a brief outline sketch of the oil history in the 19th century.

1846 Kerosene as fuel was introduced by Canadian Abraham Gesner
1853 a Russian sea captain noted the oil along the shoreline of Cook Inlet, Alaska.
1854 the North American Gas Light Company was formed.
1859 NW Pennsylvania an important well is drilled for the soul purpose of finding oil.
1862 first commercial oil well in Canon City, Colorado.
1865 first oil pipeline was constructed.
1865 California's first productive well was drilled.
1866 First well in Texas drilled by Lyne T. Barret. wasn't exploited until 1888 when a crew of drillers from the PA came to lend a hand.
1872 Robert Augustus patents Vaseline from the unwanted goop of the PA wells.
1892 First well strike in Southern California was drilled by Edward L. Doheny indowntown LA
1896 some marginally successful wells were drilled in Corsicana, Texas.
1897 500 wells in LA, California
1897 oil discovered in Oklahoma
1898 Oil drilling begins in Alaska

Taxes

There was no annual Federal Income Tax in the 19th century but the folks of that century still had to pay taxes. Here's a brief sketch of some of the taxes.

1812 because of the cost of the War of 1812 the nation's first income taxes were paid. Gold, silverware, jewelry and watches.
1817 did away with taxes and started to rely on tariffs on imported goods.
1862 Congress enacted the first income tax law
1862 Commissioner of Internal Revenue established.
1868 Congress enacted a tobacco and Spirits tax
1872 Eliminated the Income Tax law
1894-1895 Income tax returned
1895 Supreme Court decided the tax unconstitutional

Boots & Shoe Care

This post comes from A dictionary of Every-day wants ©1872


BOOTS AND SHOES, Care of—Boots and shoes, if taken care of properly, will last two or three times longer than they usually do, and, at the same time, fit the feet far more satisfactorily, and keep them dry and more comfortable in wet and cold weather. The upper leather should be kept soft and pliable, while the soles need to be hard, tough, and impervious to water.

The first thing to be done with any pair of new shoes, is to set each one on a platter or a dinner-plate, and pour on boiled linseed-oil sufficient to fill the vessel to the upper edge of the soles. Allow the leather to absorb as much oil as it will for eight hours. Linseed oil should not be applied to the upper leather, as it will soon become dry, rendering the leather hard and tough. But if the soles be saturated with this oil, it will exclude the dampness and enlarge the pegs, so that the soles will never get loose from the upper leather.

If the shoes be sewed, the linseed oil will preserve the thread from rotting. Now wet the upper leather thoroughly when the boots or the shoes are to be put on the feet, so that those parts which are tight may render a trifle, and thus adapt the form of the shoe to the foot far more satisfactorily than when the upper leather is not wet. Keep them on the foot until nearly dry. Then give the upper leather a thorough greasing with equal parts of lard and tallow, or tallow and neat's foot oil.

If shoes be treated in this manner, and a row of round-headed shoe nails be driven around the edge of the soles, they will wear like copper, and always set easy to the feet. Boots and shoes should be treated as suggested, and worn a little several months before they are put to daily service. They should be cleaned frequently, whether they are worn or not. and should never be put to stand in a damp place, nor be put too near the fire to dry. In cleaning, be careful to brush the dirt from the seams, and not to scrape in with a knife, or you will cut the stitches. Let the hard brush do its work thoroughly well, and the polish will be all the brighter. Do not put on too much blacking at a time, for if it dries before using the shining brush the leather will look brown instead of black.

BOOTS AND SHOES, India Rubber, Water Proof for.—Spermaceti, 4 parts; India rubber (small), I part. Melt with a gentle heat, then add tallow or lard, 10 parts; amber or copal varnish, $ parts. Well mix and apply the composition to the leather with a paint-brush. Cut the rubber into very small pieces, and let it take its time to dissolve, say four or five hours.

BOOTS (White Jean) To Clean.—-If you have not boottrees, stuff the boot as full as possible with common cotton wadding or old rags, to prevent any creases; then mix some pipeclay with water to rather a stiff paste, wash the jean boots with soap and water and a nail-brush, using as little water as possible to get the dirt off. When they look tolerably clean rub the pipeclay with a flannel well over them and hang them to dry. When dry beat out the superfluous clay with the hand and rub them till they look smooth. Flake white may also be used.

BOOTS, KID, To Clean.—-If the kid boots are not very soiled they may be cleaned in the following manner:—Put half an ounce of hartshorn into a saucer, dip a bit of clean flannel in it and rub it on a piece of white card soap ; rub the boots with this, and as each piece of flannel becomes soiled, take a fresh piece; the boots will look like new.

BOOTS, KID, To Restore color of.—Take a small quantity of good black ink, mix it with the white of an egg, and apply it to the boots with a soft sponge.

BOOTS, KID, To Soften.—Melt a quarter of a pound of tallow, then pour it into ajar, and add to it the same weight of olive oil, stir, and let it standstill; apply a small quantity occasionally with a piece of flannel. Should the boots be very dirty, cleanse with warm water. It will soften any leather.

BOOTS, PEGGED, To Prevent Ripping.— Pegged boots, it is stated, if occasionally dressed with petroleum between the soles and the upper leather, will not rip. If the soles of boots or shoes are dressed with petroleum they will resist wet and wear well. The pegs, it is said, are not affected by dryness after being well saturated with this liquid.

BOOTS, (PATENT LEATHER), Care of. —The old plan of washing them with milk is simply absurd—a waste of time. If they crack, brush a little blacking into the cracks, and then rub them over with French polish, or common furniture polish, using the finger to lay on the polish, and a soft dry rag to finish off with. In lieu of furniture polish, a mixture of sweet oil and turpentine will answer. This treatment will preserve their bright polish until they are utterly worn out.

BOOT LEATHER, Preservation

BOOTS AND SHOES(Summcr) ToPreserve though the Winter.—Wash the blacking off; let them dry; then oil them with castor or neatsfoot oil. When you wear them they will be soft and pliable, and will last longer if preserved in this way. After you have worn them a few days they are ready for blacking.

BOOTS AND SHOES, (RUBBER), To Mend.—I. Get apiece of pure rubber—an old shoe—vulcanized rubber will not do; cut it into small bits. Put it into a bottle, and cover to twice its depth with spirits of turpentine or refined coal tar naphtha—not petroleum naphtha. Stop the bottle and set one side, shaking it frequently. The rubber will soon dissolve. Then take the shoe and press the rip or cut close together, and put on tlie rubber solution with a camel's hair brush. Continue to apply so fast as it dries until a thorough coating is formed. Spirits of turpentine dissolves the rubber slowest, but forms the most elastic cement.—2. Purchase a can of rubber cement, which can be found in large cities at rubber stores; also some rubber for patches, as new rubber is much better than old boots or shoes. To make the patches adhere, it is necessary to remove the cloth from them. To do this, moisten the cloth with benzine and remove immediately. Cut the patches the proper size to cover the hole in the boot. Make the boot around the hole rough, the size of the patch, with a wood or shoemakers file; apply the cement to the boot, and the patch with a case knife, and let them lie in a warm, dry room from thirty to sixty minutes; then put the patch on the boot, and press it down firmly. Be very particular about the edges of the patch. After it has been on a short time examine it again, to see that it has not started off; if it has, press it down again. Do not use the boot under forty-eight hours after the patch is put on. One fifty cent can of cement will last a family several years. Keep the cover on the can when not in use, as it dries up very quickly. If the cement becomes dry, cut it with benzine.

BOOTS,SQUEAKING,ToPrevent.—Squeaking boots or shoes are a great annoyance, especially in entering a sick room, or a church after the service has commenced. To remedy it, boil linseed oil and saturate the soles with the same.

BOOTS AND SHOES, (Soles of) To Make Waterproof.—Experience has proved that a coat of gum copal varnish applied to the soles of boots and shoes, and repeated as it dries, until the pores are filled and the surface shines like polished mahagony, will make the soles waterfiroof, and also cause them to last three times as ong as ordinary soles.

BOOTS AND SHOES, Water.pr oof-composition for.—Boiled oil 1 pint; oil of turpentine, black rosin, and bees' wax, of each 3 oz. Melt the wax and rosin, then stir in the oil, remove the pot from the fire, and when it has cooled a little, add the turpentine.

Gypsum, Plaster of Paris

Below is an account of Gypsum & Plaster of Paris from the Kansas Cyclopedia 1912 giving a history of the product with regard to Kansas. Plaster was used long before this period but it is important to the history and development of the product here in the United States. In fact, history tells us that it came into use in Paris, France in the 1700's, which is where the term Plaster of Paris comes from.

Gypsum was first discovered in Kansas by Thomas C. Palmer, who settled in Marshall county in 1857. Noticing that some rocks he had used about his camp fire had burned to lime, he used the product to "chink" his cabin. Subsequent investigation disclosed the fact that the rocks were gypsum. The following year Gen. F. J. Marshall burned some of the same kind of lime and plastered a house at Marysville. In 1872 Judge Coon and his brother began the manufacture of plaster-of-paris with a five barrel kettle at Blue Rapids, and three years later a stone mill was erected, which was conducted for about twelve years. In 1887 two companies were organized at Blue Rapids for the manufacture of cement plaster, and one was organized at Hope, Dickinson county. A mill established at Salina in 1889 furnished the plaster for the buildings of the Columbian exposition at Chicago in 1893. This brought Kansas gypsum to the notice of builders, and in 1898 the American Cement Plaster company was organized at Lawrence. Factories have since been established at Burns, Marion county; Kansas City, Mo.; and Wymore, Neb., all of which use large quantities of gypsum from the Kansas deposits. The United States Gypsum company, with offices in Boston, Cleveland, Chicago, Minneapolis, Minn., and San Francisco, manufacture a gypsum hollow tile for fireproofing, which has found favor with the architects of the country, and it is certain that the next few years will witness a great development of the Kansas gypsum fields.

Pages 799-800 from volume I of Kansas: a cyclopedia of state history, embracing events, institutions, industries, counties, cities, towns, prominent persons, etc. ... / with a supplementary volume devoted to selected personal history and reminiscence. Standard Pub. Co. Chicago : 1912. 3 v. in 4. : front., ill., ports.; 28 cm. Vols. I-II edited by Frank W. Blackmar. Transcribed May 2002 by Carolyn Ward.

Mardi Gras

The first Mardi Gras was February 27, 1827 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Early French settlers practiced Mardi Gras in other areas before New Orleans but it by the end of the 17th century Spanish Governors put an end to the celebration. AFter Louisiana became a state the residents of New Orleans managed to have the ban on wearing masks and dancing/partying in the streets.

The original Mardi Gras was a group of students, who had returned from school in Paris, wore masks and costumes and danced through the streets on the last day of Carnival season. Also known as Fat Tuesday because it was the day before Ash Wednesday.

Ten years later in 1837 the first "organized' Mardi Gras parade was started. It was reported in 1839 that there was only one float but people marveled at the parade and it was considered a successful event.

In 1872 Grand Duke Alexis Romanoff from Russia attended the parade. It was through his presence and influence that the traditional colors of Mardi Gras were adopted. Purple as the symbol of Justice, green as the symbol of faith and gold as the symbol of power.

Mark Twain

One of the famous authors from the 19th century and also continued work in the 20th was Mark Twain. Below is a list of the novels/books he published during the 19th century. Many of these books can be downloaded at various internet sites, my favorite is Gutenburg's.

The Innocents Abroad 1869
Curious Republic of Gondour 1870
A Burlesque Autobiography 1871
Roughing It 1872
The Gilded Age 1873
Sketches New and Old 1875
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer 1876
Carnival of Crime in CT 1877
A Tramp Abroad 1880
1601 1880
The Prince and the Pauper 1881
The Stolen White Elephant 1882
Life on the Mississippi 1883
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn 1885
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court 1889
The American Claimant 1892
Tom Sawyer Abroad 1894
The Tragedy of Pudd'nhead Wilson 1894
Tom Sawyer, Detective 1896
Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc Vol 1 1896
Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc Vol 2 1896
How to Tell a Story and Others 1897
Following the Equator 1897

Gold

Below is a picture taken from page 30 of Houghtaling's Handbook. It's the high and low of the value of gold for each month over a sixteen year period. Since many write historical novels during that time period I thought it might be of value to some of you.

Here's the link to an enlarged image of the page. Link

Kerosene And it's many uses

Below are some excerpts with regard to Kerosene and Kerosene Lamps. I like the first one because the author admits that it isn't a fun task to take care of a kerosene lamp. I have cleaned a few in my day and it is a messy job.

ANOTHER disagreeable feature of household work is the care of kerosene lamps, for even where houses are supplied with gas, reading-lamps are often preferred on account of their steady white light. By exercising great neatness in handling the oil, and Keeping all cloths and trimming implements on a large tray exposed to the air but little odor of oil will be perceptible. After trimming the lamps turn the wicks down below the top of the burners to avoid the slight overflow of oil which makes the tops of the lamps greasy when the wicks protrude.
After the lamps are filled do not stand them in a warm place lest sufficient gas be generated to cause an explosion, over the stove, for instance, or upon the hot mantelshelf, and do not continue to burn a halfempty lamp for the same reason. It seems almost incredible that any one should attempt to fill a lamp while it is lighted, or in the immediate vicinity of a flame, but frequent accidents attest the necessity for this caution. Remember, then, that heat generates from the oil a volatile gas which ignites at any neighboring flame, and ex
filodes with most disastrous consequences, t is not the oil which explodes. A lighted match can be thrown into good oil without causing an explosion. In case of an accident by the ignition of gas from spilled kerosene oil do not attempt to quench the flames with water; it only provides additional fuel for them. Either smother the fire with woolen carpet or heavy woolen cloth, or throw sand or dry flour upon it to absorb the oil and destroy the evolution of gas from it. Some fire grenades and hand fire-engines contain a chemical composition which quenches flame upon contact with it, but there is safety in the flour and woolen cloth.

***

KEROSENE.
Many think that a bright steady light from a kerosene lamp is the best artificial light for the eye.
Rub the teakettle with kerosene, and a beautiful polish may be obtained with a dry flannel cloth afterward.
Kerosene is excellent for cleaning windows. Add a very little to each dish of water used. It will prevent sticking when judiciously used in boiled starch. It will remove rust from steel and iron tools. Kerosene is excellent for chilblains.
Rub stoves and the pipe with it before storing.

***

Lamp chimneys can be washed easily by holding them over the nose of the tea-kettle when the kettle is boiling furiously. This will make them beautifully clear. Of course they must be wiped with a clean cloth.

***
Many of these are the same as the above but there are a few differences and additions.
Kerosene—Its Uses.
Oil-cloth is much brightened if rubbed with kerosene. Iron and polished steel, knives, etc., may be kept from rusting by wiping them over before putting them away with a cloth which has been soaked in a little kerosene. Kerosene brightens silver. Lamp chimneys cleaned with newspaper which has been dipped in kerosene look much clearer than when washed in any other way. In washing clothes a tablespoonful of kerosene greatly helps the rubbing. Rusty flat irons should be rubbed with kerosene. Dirty paint is best cleaned by rubbing with a cloth wetted with kerosene. It is also good for sore throats: pour some on flannel and wrap the throat round with it. It also heals cuts and chilblains.

***

Kerosene will make the tin tea-kettle as new. Saturate a woolen rag, and rub with it. It will also remove stains from clean varnished furniture.

***

To Kerosene Lamps. These aro so much used that a few hints on their management will no doubt be acceptable. There are very few common illuminating substancss that produce a light as brilliant and steady as kerosene oil, but its full brilliancy is rarely attained, through want of attention to certain requisite points in its management. By following the directions here given, the greatest amount of light will be obtained, combined with economy in the con. sumption of the oil. The wick, oil, lamp, and all its appurtenances, must be perfectly clean. The chimney must be not only clean, but clear and bright. The wick must be trimmed exactly square, across the wick-tube, and not over the curved top of the cupola used to spread the flame; after trimming, raise the wick, and cut off the extreme corners or oints. A wick cannot be trimmed well with ull scissors; the sharper the scissors, the better the shape of the fame. These hints, simple as they appear, are greatly disregarded, and the consequence is a flame dull, yellow, and apt to smoke. The burners made with an immovable cupola, and straight, cylindrical chimneys, require especial care in trimming; the wick has to be raised above the £ and has therefore no support when being trimmed. A kerosene lamp, with the wick turned down, so as to make a small flame, should not be placed in a sleeping room at night. A wick made of felt is greatly superior in every way to the common cotton wicks.

***

To Keep Kerosene Lamps from getting greasy. The upper part of a kerosene oil lamp, after standing for a short time, frequently gets oily, from the condensation of the vapor of the oil. This will be greatly, if not entirely prevented, by taking a piece of felt and cutting a hole in it so as to fit exactly around the socket into which the burner is screwed; trim the felt off so as to leave a rim about $ inch wide, and place this felt ring on the socket.

1872 Women's Fashions

Last week we shared some 1872 Men's Fashions. This week we're sharing some 1872 Women's Fashions. Enjoy!

Women

Hats

Bonnets

1872 Men's Fashions

Enjoy these 1872 men's fashions from original sources.

1872 Fashions

Below are links to previously posted fashions from 1872 with a few other images tossed in since most of the previous links were male fashions.

1872 Men's Fashions

1872 Fashions

1872 Fashions

Quinine Biscuits

I was searching for southern biscuit recipes and stumbled on these quinine Biscuits. I began to wonder which of my characters might want to use them, and just what were they used for anyway. Although the advertisement pretty much sums it up. So, I set out exploring a little about quinine biscuits. Enjoy!

Quinine Biscuits.—One of the London bakers has introduced a dietetic novelty in the shape of quinine biscuits. They are small, extremely well made, and have a pleasant and delicately bitter flavor, not too strongly pronounced, which is exactly what a club man seeks in his sherry and bitters. Each biscuit is estimated to contain one-fourth of a grain of quinine, and for delicate stomachs, or where it is desirable to disguise medicine as much as possible, or to combine food with medicine in a perfectly agreeable form, these biscuits are likely to become very popular.—English Journal.
Source: Medical Record ©1872
Note that while this was published in a London journal it was reprinted in several American Medical journals.

Here's a link to Wiki with some basic information about quinine and it's uses.

St. Augustine, FL

Tomorrow is the release of my newest novel, The Innkeeper's Wife it is the second novel in my historical St. Augustine series. I had a lot of fun working with the 'marriage of convenience' scenario for this book. As with all my books, I try to do something a bit unique and in this case the reasons for the marriage of convenience are not your typical reasons that you find written about today.

While researching for this series I came across a booklet about St. Augustine that was published in 1872. In that publication were the seven images I'm posting below. These images helped me gain persecutive of the feel of St. Augustine back in that time period. They also showed me that some of these very same places haven't changed very much. In fact, they have been repaired and in much better shape than the artist's sketches.

Below the first seven are some photographs from 1875 that also gain some interesting perspective of St. Augustine at the time.

1872

The City Gate in 2007

1872

1875
Fort Marion today it is known as Castillo de San Marcos.

Today the Castillo de San Marcos

The harbor in 1875

In 2006 looking down on the river from the Fort

Another Classic Site in St. Augustine is the oldest school house. Note the chains and anchor to hold down the schoolhouse in case of a storm.

1872 Men's Fashions

This items come from original 1872 sources