L. H. P. Farrar scrapbook, circa 1876

Summary

Creator:

Farrar, L. H. P.

Abstract:

This scrapbook was likely compiled by L. H. P. Farrar of Boston, Massachusetts, around 1876. The bulk of the scrapbook consists of printed, illustrated trade cards from businesses in the Boston area. It also includes twelve collaged scenes of household rooms, where Farrar pasted in clippings and photographs of furnishings alongside samples of wallpaper, tissue paper, or other decorative papers used as background designs or curtains. Several rooms feature hand-drawn or hand-crafted elements, like a hallway door, a piece of furniture, and a child's dress. Rooms depicted include: a hall, a music room, a parlor and back parlor, a library, a sitting room, a dining room, a kitchen, three chambers, and a nursery.

Extent:

1 volume

Language:

English

Authors:

Collection processed and finding aid created by Jayne Ptolemy, June 2025

Background

Scope and Content:

This scrapbook was likely compiled by L. H. P. Farrar of Boston, Massachusetts, around 1876. The volume has an embossed cover with pre-printed, decorative papers affixed to shapes of urns, fans, and stripes, and a statement on the back indicates its design was patented in 1876. The bulk of the scrapbook consists of printed, illustrated trade cards from businesses in the Boston area. Many feature images of animals, flowers and plants, women and children, and various stereotyped representations of women, African Americans, Asians, and laborers.

The volume contains twelve collaged scenes of household rooms, where Farrar pasted in clippings and photographs of furnishings alongside samples of wallpaper, tissue paper, or other decorative papers used as background designs or curtains. Several rooms feature hand-drawn or hand-crafted elements, like a hallway door, a piece of furniture, and a child's dress. Rooms depicted include: a hall, a music room, a parlor and back parlor, a library, a sitting room, a dining room, a kitchen, three chambers, and a nursery.

Biographical / Historical:

No additional historical or biographical information is available for this finding aid.

Acquisition Information:

2025. M-8484 .

Arrangement:

The collection is a single bound volume.

Rules or Conventions:

Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS)

Related

Additional Descriptive Data:

Related Materials

The Hyde Park Register Scrapbook includes similar collaged scenes of interior domestic spaces.

Subjects

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Subjects:

Architecture, Domestic--United States--History--19th century.
Dwellings--Massachusetts--19th century.
Interior decoration--United States--History--19th century.
African Americans--Caricatures and cartoons.
Asians--Caricatures and cartoons.
Furniture.
House furnishings.

Formats:

Clippings (information artifacts)
Collages (visual works)
Scrapbooks.
Trade cards.

Places:

Boston (Mass.)--Commerce--History--19th century.