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Victorian by Design

Parlor Crafts & the Age of Refinement

by Erica Lome, Ph. D.
“In the household, china-painting affords amusement for the girls in the Getting to Work
family during the hours their brothers and father leave for business, and return Victorian handcrafts are
in the evening. To many such ladies, who have nothing better to do than novel frequently sorted into three
categories: Needlework (or Fancy
reading, this method of filling their time will be esteemed a great boon.”
Work), including embroidery,
– Letts’s Household Magazine, 1884 Berlin woolwork, macramé, and
hair braiding; Sculptural Crafts,
n her innovative history of the parlor, Katherine C. Grier including shellwork, mosaic,
identified the tension between culture (linked with gentility) and featherwork, and beadwork; and
Icomfort (tied to domestic family life) that defined how Victorian Pictorial Crafts, encompassing
Americans interpreted their homes. As Grier explains, refinement textile or china painting, the
created “endless variations of common domestic objects” and properly arranging dried flowers, and
arranging these objects in leaf-work or etching on glass.
the parlor took time, All in all, Victorian ladies
effort, and a canny under- looking for a respectable pastime
standing of what was had over forty options to
socially appropriate. choose from. While making
Hand-made crafts took these took a lot of time and
up an enormous amount effort, many could be accom-
of space and time to prop- plished while sipping tea and An example of fine needlework.
Photo: Grosvenor Antiques
erly display. Elaborately chatting politely.
braided hair art, painted Many of the people who made parlor crafts were women with an
ceramics, needlework, abundance of leisure time. Leisure was a novel concept to many
and shell-work were made Americans, especially to urban-dwellers. Among middle and upper-
for the enjoyment and class women, finding ways to occupy oneself was not merely a matter of
occupation of “parlor interest, but of propriety. Certain hobbies were encouraged to maintain
people.” They also served the appearance of femininity and appropriate behavior. For example,
to commemorate a nearly every woman could handle a knitting or sewing needle – aside
family’s important events from being a socially acceptable skill, women were often in charge of
or mark the passing of altering or mending simple articles of clothing for their families. From
loved ones. Today, parlor this “plain work” came “fancy work,” an upgrade both in style and
crafts are a fun collectible purpose for Victorian women. Whereas plain work was practical and
Victorian featherwork study of a bird – and for good reason. In utilitarian, fancy work served little purpose other than decorative.
the Victorian era, they Knitting, crochet, and embroidery became perfect activities for women
were made from a variety of unique materials and executed with to pursue in the comfort of their parlor; not only did they serve as a
originality and flair. While you might find them at any flea market or pleasing way to pass the time, but the finished products were a demon-
antique mall, these objects deserve a closer look. stration of talent to be displayed prominently in the home. Magazines

A beautifully decorated parlor painted dish

left, Advertisements from the
February, 1917 issue of Keramic Studio
courtesy Dark Flowers Antiques

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