Books by Carol Belanger Grafton

Women's fashions during the second half of the nineteenth century offered a delightful display of styles reflecting English, French, and American tastes. This comprehensive treasury of more than 900 crisp black-and-white illustrations―arranged chronologically and dated by year―provides a rich pictorial record of clothing styles from that period. Suitable for a wide variety of graphic projects, these cuts will especially appeal to artists and illustrators in search of finely rendered images of authentic Victorian fashions. Selected by graphic artist Carol Belanger Grafton from such vintage sources as Harper's Bazar, La Mode Illustrée, Peterson's Magazine, Godey's Salon de la Mode and Frank Leslie's Ladies' Magazine, the cuts brim with clear detail and old-time flavor as they record a wealth of evolving styles―from ornate gowns of the mid-1800s, widened by hoop skirts and elaborately enhanced with ribbons, ruffles, laces, and bows, to turn-of-the-century fashions that produced leg-o'-mutton sleeves, narrowed skirts, diminished bustles, and high-necked bodices (except for evening wear, which exhibited a more daring neckline).Here, for copyright-free use, are hundreds of elegant dresses accented with intricately embroidered designs, shirtwaists featuring lace inserts, and row upon row of tiny pleats, tightly laced undergarments, wide-brimmed hats topped with feathers, flowers, and ribbon; beaded handbags, magnificent parasols, fur-trimmed capes, and much, much more.An invaluable reference to period clothing styles for designers, illustrators, and costume historians, this magnificent archive―with its entertaining glimpse of the fashions of yesteryear―will also delight casual browsers and lovers of Victoriana. Original Dover (1999) publication.

Women's fashions of the 1920s continue to fascinate artists, couturiers, and students of fashion, who will welcome this treasury of French designs from that dazzling era. Carefully selected from rare issues of the famed French periodical La Vie Parisienne, over 630 royalty-free illustrations comprise a pictorial display of sophisticated couture embodying the seductive chic of the liberated woman.Drawn with wit, flair, and charm, the line cuts depict slinky beauties in an immense variety of gowns, dresses, coats, suits, beachwear, lounging suits, capes, and other outfits. Carefully reproduced, these stylish representations lend themselves perfectly to graphic projects calling for sophistication and feminine charm. Moreover, this inexpensive compilation presents a valuable and authentic record of French fashion from 1918 to 1928.Dover (1987) original publication.

This book presents more than 2,000 illustrations of shoes, hats, and fashion accessories reproduced directly from now rare periodicals and catalogs from the 1850s to 1940. It comprises an invaluable pictorial survey for the fashion historian, designer, and enthusiast, as well as a practical source of illustrations for permission-free use by artists and craftspeople.The sources of these illustrations include major American, British, and European fashion periodicals of the time: Godey's Lady Book, Peterson's Magazine, Harper's Bazar, La Mode Illustrée, L'Art et la Mode, Der Bazar, The Delineator, and others, as well as such general interest periodicals as Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, Harper's Weekly, The Youth's Companion, and Life. Many illustrations come from trade catalogs of such merchants as Montgomery Ward, Sears, Roebuck & Co., Jordan Marsh & Co., N. B. Holden Artistic Footwear, and a score of others.Arranged chronologically, the plates present an overview of 90 years of fashion evolution of footwear, millinery, and such accessories as gloves, scarves, purses, handkerchiefs, and more.

Ornament is the essence of Art Nouveau. Throughout their two decades of dominance, Art Nouveau artists concentrated on the ornamental and decorative potential of the flowing line in painting, printing, wallpaper, and all other fine and applied arts. Hundreds of thousands of carefully wrought designs embellished books, bookplates, furniture, and appliances. A fashionable home was a garden of graphic florals, petals, leaves, and stems.Today, Art Nouveau is again attracting artists, designers, and craftsmen of all kinds, while these countless ornamental flourishes have perished with their ephemeral surroundings. Art Nouveau motif seekers have been left with little choice but to resort to expensive archives of rare books. Here, taken directly from those rare books and periodicals, are 577 royalty-free authentic period designs specially chosen for artists and designers. The ornaments range in size from full-page illustrations to borders, head and tailpieces and decorative initials. All are in black-and-white line, clearly reproduced.Many of the creations come from the influential English periodical The Studio (1894-1920) and the French Art el Décoration (1897-1910); others from a variety of original European sources, all identified. Artists represented include Gustav Klimt, George Auriol, Ethel Larcombe, and Will Bradley, along with hundreds of English. French, Italian, German, Scandinavian, and American studio draftsmen, all identified when possible. The designs are grouped by subject matter: florals, landscapes, figures, etc. There are spot illustrations, bookplates, menus, title pages, and many, many swirling line forms.