Fifty Vintage Crochet Patterns Brought to You From 1915
I’ve been slowly putting together a collection of vintage patterns from scans of old pattern books. I enjoy everything about that from the discovery, to examining the patterns in detail, to reading all the “useful” hints and advice. I even like the old advertisements. Most of all I like making it available to the world to that everyone can enjoy them too.
Well today is a genuine treat for me (and I hope for you too). A friend brought me The Royal Society Tatting and Crochet Lessons Volume 1 Number 5 booklet last week. I’ve been reading it, chuckling over some of the passages, marveling over the patterns. I also scanned it, turned it into a pdf, and now its ready for download.
RS Tatting and Crochet Lessons Vol 1 No 5.pdf
June 9, 2016 – I had to remove that link. Sorry. The third part site I was using to host documents for download was compromised. When I have a new host site, I’ll fix the link.
Just know that its a bit of a large download. That’s because this is good size pattern booklet. There are 50 patterns in there waiting for you.
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The tatting part of the booklet is minimal. Its just a two-page layout with basic tatting instructions. No tatting patterns are included (not that I could find). The rest is thread crochet. There are two adorable brimmed hat patterns, numerous edgings for handkerchiefs and dish towels. There is one very elaborate Irish crochet collar. And there is this!
A hair receiver. For keeping all the hair that falls out when you brush your hair I guess. I have a vague understanding that ladies of the time would embroider photographs or other keepsakes with their hair which seems like an odd and kind of icky past time to me. Also I feel the need to point out that when I brush my hair copious amounts come out of my head (its a wonder I’m not bald) and I could fill that baby up in a week.
This booklet and numerous others was published by the H. E. Verran Company. You can find Volume 4 and Volume 6 for download at Antique Pattern Library. They don’t seem to have Vol 5 so I’ll be sure to send them an email so they can include what I have scanned in their collection.
I couldn’t find any other volumes that have been made available for free. This series seems to be quite collectible with copies selling for up to $20 each. I’m not even sure how many of these booklets Mr. Verran put out but I did find a reference to “No. 23” in a recent ebay auction. So I’m guessing lots. Mr. Verran published lots of these.
They were in truth advertisements for his cotton thread. At the back of Vol 5 (and I’m sure all the other volumes) I found this:
Cordichet “the perfect crochet cotton” at “10 cents per Ball in ALL sizes” seems to be his best seller. But he offered crocheters mercerized cotton as well and that came in colors! At the front of the booklet, before all teh wonderful patterns, Mr. Verran advises against using inferior materials.
It is a great waste of time to put hand work on inferior fabrics and threads. The articles illustrated throughout this book have all been worked with Royal Society Crochet Cottons. In the Royal Society line there is a size and special twist for every variety of crocheting or lace making. The smoothness of finish, the round evenness of twist and unusual strength recommend Royal Society Cottons, which are made from the finest long staple Sea Island cotton.
He seems to have done quite well selling pattern books for 10 cents and balls of thread for 10 to 25 cents. Initially Mr. Verran worked for at the Bentley lace and embroidery factory in lower Broadway. In 1912 he bought them out and reformed the company under his own name and operated at 17-19 Union Square West corner of 15th Street. In 1928 he moved his manufacturing to Connecticut, possibly for health reasons because two years later he died of bronchial pneumonia.
Love vintage patterns? Me too. Here are a few other posts you might like:
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Vintage in the Digital Age
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Scans of Vintage Patterns
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Have Some Vintage – a girl’s crochet pinafore
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Vintage Crochet Terms Translated
"There is no failure. Only feedback." - Robert Allen
12 Comments on "Royal Society Tatting and Crochet Lessons Vol 1 No 5"
Holy cow, that’s a lot of vintage! This booklet has blown me away. That’s the first time I’ve seen instructions past the triple crochet in an older publication. When I was first learning from my old books, I truly thought the stitches stopped there 🙂 I also thought a hair receiver was something worn on the head until now, lol.
Thank you for uploading this, and thanks to the friend that brought it to you!
Yes the instructions at the front are particularly nice, especially for its time. I’m also a little in love with the simple cords included at the very end.
What an awesome find! Thank you for doing all that work in order to share with us. I remember my grandmother and great grandmother tatting with their shuttles. So amazing! Sadly I never learned. I still have a about 3 yards of lacy tatted edging she gave me. It is such a treasure.
Tatting is a treasure. i say that firmly as one who can barely manage the basic tatting knot. Those crafters that can turn oit yards and yards of tatted lace are really something.
Tatting can be a challenge to learn, but goes along quickly once you get it well in mind. I’ve made some lovely pieces (like all the lace on my wedding dress) and taught others to tat. Sure would like to see more patterns that could be used now. No, I don’t think I need a tatted hair receiver!!
Ahh so you are one of those magicians that can churn out yards of lace tape with those little shuttles. That must have been some wedding dress!
Thanks for sharing. Curious to check out volumes 4 and 6.
They are certainly worth a look. I have heard back from The Antique Library and they are very happy to add this volume to their collection. Isn’t that nice? I love that resource, use it all the time. And now I get to help them in some small way! Thanks so much for lending the book.
I would assume the hair receiver was to keep hair for a specific purpose. As they were really into making dolls, where the hair of the doll was the actual hair of the recipient- it was probably to store up hair for the dolls.
Ahh. Well doll hair would have never occurred to me, lol. Thanks for the tip!
There is a reference in a short story by O. Henry of a ‘rat’, which appears to be a hair piece to pad out your own hair, made of hair combings. I Googled it and… http://www.hausfraujournal.com/2012/01/how-to-make-hair-rat-for-free.html
That’s good advice right there. What an… interesting article! lol Seriously thanks for sharing the link. I’m going to browse that whole blog as soon as I get the time. I can see that she hasn’t posted in a long time which is a shame since she seems to be unique.