Girls Crafting with Dolls Trade Card, circa late 1800s

   New wardrobe time! These girls are busy making new dresses for their dolls. (Except for Kitty, who is determined to swat the fancy hat off one particular doll!)

  Even the toddler is getting in on the fun, with [eek!] a pair of scissors in her little fist. 

 This is a Victorian-era trade card, probably from the late 19th century. I couldn't find out any more about this one, so if you have any tips - or maybe you spot a clue I missed - I'd love to hear it! 

  Regardless, this is an adorable illustration, and I'm so glad I came across it while browsing a scrapbook filled with trade cards online. 

Victorian toddler girl trade card, 1880s

    There's something magical about watching young children play pretend. Maybe because I loved it so much when I was little (and even long after most kids had moved on...) This Victorian-era toddler, circa 1880s, is looking through pretend binoculars. Are they made from two spools of the thread this image is advertising?

    A larger image of this has been uploaded to Wikimedia Commons, but it was too cute not to share here as well! You can also just click on the image to get the original size. This is in the public domain and free to use however you wish!