The buzz of insects

“Beetles that shimmer and vanish among little stones...”, adorn these two little visiting-card size greetings, each carrying an evergreen symbol of Christmas, the magical roles of which are steeped in the beliefs and myths of ancient cultures.

•  
• Tis sweet to feel,
• and good to know.
• Amid our Christmas
• frost and snow:
•  
• That Spring will bring
• us sunny hours,
• Green trees and
• butterflies and flowers.
•  

We sometimes forget how the Victorians valued the natural history all around them, exemplified by the abundance of cards, exquisitely decorated and embossed of beautiful flower studies.

It is, therefore, not surprising to find insects alongside the animals in our Christmas Menagerie.

• The dazzling dragon-fly, with sparkling
• wings glittering with changing colours,
• like Tiffany stained glass, was a favourite subject of Art Nouveau jewellers.

• Victorian Albums
• Victorian Scraps
• Father Tuck's Complete Picture Maker

• Lace-Paper Valentines
• Comic Valentines

• Easter Frolics
• In Fairyland

• A Victorian Christmas
• A Christmas Menagerie

• The Calendar
• Reward of Merit
• The English Lotteries

• Victorian Greeting Card Publishers

Copyright   © 2021 Malcolm Warrington. All Rights Reserved.