The Victorian Era (1837-1901) produced a tremendous outpouring of beautifully designed objects for domestic use - from finely crafted, handmade decorative art pieces to humble, machine-made household work tools. We treasure them all today as Victoriana: objects handed down from generation to generation, collected for their nostalgic, aesthetic, and investment value, displayed in museums and historic house restorations, and copied by commerical manufacturers of authentic reproductions.Victorian Treasures is a houseful of these beloved objects, a sumptuous photo album organized into six chapters, each devoted to a separate room in a typical Victorian house: the parlor, library, dining room, kitchen, bedroom, and nursery. The book presents a selection of 200 superb examples of both English and American Victoriana, from the familiar, such as highly collectible painted biscuit tins and silver matchsafes, to the esoteric and arcane, such as the mysterious hair receiver and the blessed birthing scissors.The extended captions that accompany the photos provide curious and entertaining information about the life of the Victorian home: how (and where) one bathed; what the children were allowed to eat; who sat where at the dinner table; and what really went on in the library.Like the objects it collects, Victorian Treasures is both beautiful and useful. An informal cultural history, it is an indispensable guide and a charming companion for all lovers of Victoriana - collectors, dealers, flea market shoppers and the proud owners of old family heirlooms. Read Less