Carhops in Dallas, Texas 1940

Snuffbox

c.1740

France

A Caricature Group by John Hamilton Mortimer, c. 1766.

This does not look like an 18th century oil painting, it looks more like something out of Mad magazine, but nope. 1760’s.

I made a pinterest board for 18th century pottery just to save all the Weird Stuff to it, like this horrible bear jug, which is just one of many similarly horrible 18th century bear jugs! It’s hideous and I love it.

Mugs shaped like people’s heads was also A Thing, here’s one from c. 1782.

And I LOVE this teapot with fossil decoration c. 1760-65. It’s amazing. Perfect. I would so dearly love to have a replica and feature it prominently in a photoshoot with some of my 18th century costumes.

This one is also c. 1760’s.

And one more, also c. 1760!

I love pretty historical dishes with delicate floral patterns as much as the next guy, but seeing weird and bright and tacky stuff from over 2 centuries ago makes me happy.

Honourable mention to these c. 1788-93 stockings with little knitted portraits in between the brightly coloured stripes.

EXTREMELY 1980s

This embroidered waistcoat is one of 3 I’ve seen with the same design, so it must have been published in a magazine or something. It’s so weird knowing that it’s 1840’s because it looks so pixel-y, especially with that bright blue background. (And yes, I’ve seen plenty of other pixel-y looking old needlepoint and and such, but they’re usually floral.)

Also, wow, those do look very 1980’s! Very convenient for costumers when things repeat like that!

There’s also a surprising amount of historical jewelry that looks exactly like something my middle school classmates would wear.

Necklace, 1861-67, V&A.

Ring, 1730-60, V&A.

Ring, c. 1780, V&A.