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Wednesday, January 9, 2013

It's in the Cards

What's It Wednesday #56
 
A lover of all things Victorian, this post is inspired by those brief but oh so memorable years of excess and social graces. Even a simple visit was made an event. Thus, our first treasure, the calling card receiver. The hall table would hold an item such as this. This one is of the period, quite ornate and unusual in design.

I purchased it from a darling little old lady many years ago. I just love it! It was proper etiquette to present your “calling card” to the doorman or butler who would present it to the Master or Mistress by way of announcing you. If they were not home or not receiving visitors, the card would be left with a message.

This one is more modern, but the little hummingbird just won my heart.
 
The Victorians were big on ceremony, so every fashionable lady or gentleman would carry a card case with their own elaborately designed name cards.

This sterling necessaire is designed to hold cards, mirror, powder and a few coins, all that was “necessary” for a true lady as she made her visits.

This colorful rhinestone one is from Czechoslovakia.

This later case is made of mother of pearl.

The cards themselves were works of art. It became common practice to save the cards or display them in "scrap" books such as this. I found this one and just fell in love with the gorgeous graphics. Imagine these were called "scraps"!

They collected greeting cards and advertisements, as well. I'm so glad the Victorians were such pack rats!
 
Sadly, this is another of the social graces lost. Our cards are now business or networking tools. But, I still like to display mine pretty...
 
and dream of by gone days spent filling my dance card. Maybe we'll return to this glorious time. We'll have to wait and see if “it's in the cards”.
Hugs,
Patti
 
Here are this week's features:
 
 
 
 
 
 


Don't forget to grab a feature button:
 
Ivy and Elephants 



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What's It Wednesday” Linky Party!
 
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55 comments:

  1. Patti, the cards are just so beautiful xx

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  2. Oh how beautiful,I love coming over to see your beautiful treasures. If only we still had these lovely items in use today. xx

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  3. Thanks so very much for hosting!!

    What a beautiful post!! Love the calling cards....

    Hugs,
    Deb

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  4. I love the calling card holders. I don't have any holders but I have some old family calling cards.

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  5. These pieces are so beautiful! I love all the ornate designs. And yay the victorians were pack rats :)

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  6. What a lovely collection you have! Every piece just screams of history and sends the mind imagining the visits associated with the calling cards. Thanks so much for sharing!
    Melindda

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  7. Thank you so much for the feature!! Very exciting.

    I love all the cards and cases but that mother of pearl is my favorite. It's just amazing. Calling cards seem to be making a comeback. I saw "mommy cards" for mom's to carry and give out.

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  8. Your treasures are just beautiful!! I adore those Victorian cards. There is a little shop not too far from me that sells items like these and I can literally spend an hour or so roaming around the shop oooing and ahhhing over all of the little trasures they have there. Thank you so much for featuring my crab bites...they became quite the staple appetizer over the holidays...so easy to make. Also thank you so much for hosting and wishing you a wonderful day!
    XO Barbara

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  9. So many beautiful treasures! Thanks so much for hosting - Happy new year!

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  10. I love this post about the calling cards. I collect them and thank goodness you can usually find them at antique shops. They are such works of art and creativity. The business cards of today cannot hold a candle to the Victorian calling cards. Now I am going to search from some of those calling card cases.

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  11. Oh Patti, your home must be such a beautiful fairytale like place... your collections are the most exquisite I have ever seen... your calling card cases are all just stunning!... I too wish we would go back to a more gentle time, when ladies were ladies, and carried such elegant things with them... thank you for sharing your gorgeous collection... you know each time I visit, I want to start collecting whatever it is you have shown us!... much love, xoxo Julie Marie PS I know your dance card would always be filled pretty lady!...

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  12. Going through your pictures one seems to travel back in time and enjoy a bit further all those "outdated" gestures and tokens of a glogrious past.
    So glad you have those pieces to enjoy. Thank you for sharing so much beauty with all of us!
    Teresa

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  13. What a lovely collection! Thank you so much for featuring my New Years post! Hugs, Penny

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  14. I just love your pretty calling card holders.I will have to keep my eye out for one the next time I'm antiquing.Thanks for hosting!
    Blessings,
    Janet

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  15. I so enjoyed your post today.

    I love your collection of Card holders and cards.

    Thank you so much for sharing all your lovely items with us.

    Hugs,
    Penny

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  16. Hi Patti,
    What beautiful treasures you have collected... I love the calling cards, well everything is so lovely.
    Thank you so much for sharing with us. I just love the Victorian era.
    blessings,
    Penny

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  17. Hi Patti! I am so glad Victorian's were pack rats too! We do like, and have, a lot of the same things! I have featured my card holder and cards on several posts so it's so nice to see some on someone else's blog. Thanks for sharing! They're beautiful. Gina

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  18. How lovely. SO happy to join ion this week :)

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  19. Thank you for hosting! Wishing you a beautiful and productive year!! Toodles, Kathryn @TheDedicatedHouse

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  20. I love the cards. They are such lovely little works of art, aren't they? And the hummingbird on the card basket is darling! So cute!
    Ruth

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  21. Thank you for hosting. you have some very pretty treasure. I feel happy visiting and seeing your pretties.

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  22. Such wonderful past traditions. Your vignettes of your collection inspires. Thank you for hosting today.
    Joy

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  23. Patti, your collections are just stunning!

    Thanks for hosting another beautiful party and allowing us to show off!

    Linda and Jeannie at The French Hens Nest

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  24. I've always been fascinated by the custom of leaving calling cards.

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  25. Oh my, your collection of calling card holders is stunning. These are the kind of items that are priceless to me. I would love to see all your collections..I am sure we would spend days talking and admiring it all..

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  26. Wow, what a beautiful collection. You always share the most beautiful treasures. Thank you for hosting such a delightful party. It is always fund to see the creative ideas of everyone. Hugs, Karie

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  27. Oh Patti, your kinds words this evening are appreciated more than you know.. I often have trouble expressing myself, so your kind comment was a joy.. I am so happy you enjoyed my Angel relief..
    Blessings,
    Penny

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  28. I have an old calling card case and think it's as pretty as one of yours.
    You have more treasures than anyone on the blog world I do believe
    of course you always have a great story to go with your treasures also which I enjoy

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  29. Patti, thanks for hosting. Such a beautiful tradition now lost. You have a wonderful collection..Happy Thursday..Judy

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  30. Patti, Love the cards and the features this week!
    Thanks for hosting a fun party! Happy New Year!

    Jody

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  31. Beautiful pieces! Thank you for your kind comments and inviting me to link up. Great party!

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  32. Hi Patti,
    all those wonderful pieces are parts of my favoured novels. Must have been a charming time despite the circumstances were not so romantic. Thank you for sharing these pretty things. Makes me dreaming, too.
    Best greetings, Johanna

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  33. What a lovely collection of cards case! I love very much the victorian cards, another amazing collection! Thanks for your sweet comment and for stopping by over my blog.
    Hugs
    Alessandra

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  34. Such gorgeous treasures Patti! Every time I come here I see such gorgeous, lovely and romantic things..where do you ever find all these treasures!! I'm sorry I'm late, I was so sure I joined your great party..it's old age, (don't tell)Thank you for hosting, I alove this meme and you too! I'm sure I wished you a wonderful, happy, healthy and prosperous 2013!
    FABBY

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  35. Hi darling, I love coming over to see all your beautiful treasures. The calling card holders are wonderful. hugs ~lynne ~

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  36. Calling card holders were so special. You have a beautiful collection.

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  37. I remember that my mother, as an RCAF officer's wife, had calling cards. She was expected to call on the CO's wife and leave a card when first arriving at a new base. It was, truly, another time!
    I have business cards, but for travel I have had special cards made up. I learned that this was a good idea when we visited Japan. They contain my name and email and look beautiful, if not as elegant as those old Victorian cards.

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  38. Hi Patti! Here you go with another gorgeous collection! I love old calling cards and the holders are so pretty! Thanks for popping in to see me.
    Be a sweetie,
    Shelia ;)

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  39. Oh I love your silver calling card case! I really think I was born over a 100 years to late. Take care.

    Wanda

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  40. That is an amazing piece, Patti! You find such great stuff; I have never seen one of these. When I read about people leaving calling cards in books, I always just imagine a regular silver tray.

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  41. Love your calling card case and holders, They are treasures!
    Thank you for allowing me to link my post to your party. I am following you here and on FB, now, too!

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  42. Such a lovely post-I remember my grandmother and her mother of pearl coin purses, with velvet lining. Beautiful treasures!

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  43. Hello, my name is Marina and I'm a new follower from Spain, your blog is amazing.

    Hugs

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  44. It's a shame they don't make cards like they used to. Those are very pretty, and even the cards from my parents' era have more charm the the ones of today. My Mom still kicks herself that she threw away a big stack of her old birthday cards she had kept since childhood. A few years ago, she was throwing away clutter and those things made it into the trash pile. She said if she only knew I would be blogging and crafting later, she would have given me those cards. Live and learn I guess.

    Thank you very much for stopping by my blog, and I hope you enjoy your next Super Bowl party!

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  45. Your collection is stunning. It's always a treat to see your beautiful treasures.

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  46. Your post are always so fasinating, thank you so much for sharing all of your finds and wonderful ideas, you inspire all of us. Thank you so much for visiting and your lovely comment, oh to be young again. Hugs...Lu

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  47. Yes Patti, I'm so glad that the Victorians were not only pack rats but knew how to really spoil themselves to the excess : )
    They have left such beauty for us to enjoy. I love all of treasures Patti.
    sending hugs...

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  48. Hi Patti,
    I just love calling cards and the beautiful holders! I'm glad you dropped in on me or I might have missed this post and it's just lovely (as usual). Take care!

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  49. Dear Patti...there are so many graces I wish would come back into fashion!
    Your collection is gorgeous...I remember gifting some beautiful card holders to friends as college graduation gifts...
    Thank you, sweet friend, for your visit...
    My blog visits are a bit limited, for I'm battling a cold, but I am slowly catching up...
    Have a beautiful week!
    Much love,
    - Irina

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  50. I love Victorian scrapbooks! I have one and I really enjoy it. Thanks for hosting!
    Sherry

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  51. You have the most interesting, beautiful collections! Love the cards, the receivers, all of it! Just wonderful. You chose some wonderful features too! Thanks for hosting such a fun party!

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  52. The calling cards and cases are just beautiful....truly little pieces of art!
    ~Des

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  53. Oh, my dear! You have the most exquisite taste. I want to wish you the Happiest of New Years!

    Hugs,
    Nancy

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  54. I always enjoy seeing and hearing the history of your wonderful treasures! The cards are amazing! My maiden name was Chorniak. My heritage was from Czechoslavkia. Thanks for sharing with Share Your Cup.
    Hugs,
    Jann

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Thank you so much for your comments! We enjoy hearing from you.