Pretend play ship, circa 1889

   It doesn't take much browsing around this blog to realize that I love illustrations of children playing, especially pretend play. And this one is a treasure!

  It's the work these children have put into the pretend - this "ship" took some time to come together! And the fun they're clearly having together. And the awestruck look on the face of the littlest one in front - now *that* face is priceless!

   This picture was included in the "1890 Baby's Annual: Pictures and Stories for Little People", published in Boston by D. Lothrop & Company. Unfortunately, as with many of these kinds of anthologies, the authors and illustrators didn't get attribution. So I can't tell you who created this scene, but we can enjoy it together it's in anonymity.

  This picture is in the public domain, having been published in the United States over 95 years ago. You can use it freely, however you wish. Click on either image for a larger version.

Boy dressed as General Washington, 1920

  Here in the U.S., our thoughts are on the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, coming up on July 4 of this year. We're evaluating our history and what it means to be an American. 

  The little boy in this illustration has none of those heavy thoughts. He's full of images of becoming a national hero like General Washington, riding on his toy horse, with an American flag in one hand. 

  Florence White Williams drew this picture for the February 1920 issue of Little Folks magazine.