More Spring Favorites...!

I was just posting some great items to my Ruby Lane shop, and thought I'd also let you know about them!  This first one is a gorgeous vintage rose print by Jean Baptiste Robie, who is famous for his renderings of old roses.  It's a lovely study in a wood and gesso rose barbola frame.

This next one is by the artist, Charles Chaplin (French), and is entitled May Flowers.  The little flower girl with her basket is just darling.  I love how she gazes directly into your eyes.  This one's from the 1880's, an engraving.

And of course, a lovely study of lilacs by the brother of the Victorian artist Paul de Longpre.  Raoul de Longpre's studies almost always include his signature lilacs, and this one is captivating.

Mother's Day is coming soon, so click on this link below to view items in my Ruby Lane shop.  Looking for something??? Please ask!
www.rubylane.com/shop/victorianroseprints

Oh Those Spring Flowers!

Lilacs are some of my all-time favorites. After all, who can resist their sweet perfume? They have such a delicate scent, and are exquisite in vases.  My favorites are the deep purple blooms, but again, the creamy white flowers are also quite beautiful.  Check out this early print by F. Shauns.  The lilacs are just magnificent, and the artwork superb!

Another sweet Victorian print has lilacs around a cartouche, or open blank area.  The opening could be used for advertisements, or better yet, the Victorians added their favorite cabinet cards. Whatever your favorite flower, there is surely one in each month of the year to delight the senses.

The Victorians also had a huge love of social norms and convections.  Goodness, if you didn't follow the guidelines, you were shun from society, and probably wouldn't make a good marriage match! There are many books on these laws of etiquette, and here are a few in my Ruby Lane shop right now:

They are a hoot to read, and quite the coffee table conversation piece.  And, they are delightful gift for Mother's Day and birthdays, or better yet, treat yourself!  You can find all these items in my Ruby Lane antique website shop:
www.rubylane.com/shop/victorianroseprints

Gorgeous Arched Barbola Frames with Rose Prints!

OMG! These are quite a fabulous set of rose prints! They are both in a grand, arched, barbola style, with ornate embellishments. And, they have that antique convex glass that makes the art just pop!

The frames are antique and the reprints come from paintings in our personal collection. You can find both of them on our antique website at Ruby Lane. Here's a link below. We will also be posting more great antique items on that site in April, just ready for Mother's Day! Think ahead, our antique etiquette books (which are quite a hoot!) go real fast, and they make great gifts for Mom! We also have layaway so you can buy now and hold items for that special day!www.rubylane.com/shop/victorianroseprints.

Sweet Baby Chicks for Easter!

Oh goodness! What could be sweeter than dressed chicks doing people things?! This set of four circus chicks has endearing scenes that are sure to please, and oh so cute to boot! We not only have this set, but two other sets of 4 scenes, one that has baby chicks in an office setting, and another of baby chicks cooking and baking! Scroll down to see a sampling.

Another set of six photograph chicks (5 shown below), are from the early 1900's and have baby chicks posed in very sweet Easter scenes. All of them are just darling! You can find all our chicks on our Etsy site by clicking this link: www.etsy.com/shop/victorianroseprints

Spring is on It's Way!

Ah, the arrival of Spring! It's not long off, and to celebrate and renew your vigor, try decorating with some of our inexpensive reproduction prints. They are all made from the 1890 oldie's, and are quite affordable. You can find them on our Etsy site by clicking this link: http://www.etsy.com/shop/victorianroseprints Lilacs are always a favorite, and this basket of overturned lilacs by Paul de Longpre is gorgeous! Another vertical study by Catherine Klein is below.Violets were always a Victorian favorite, and of course, they symbolized the virtue of "Faithfulness". Their tender sentiment makes them all the more endearing. The potted violets are by Paul de Longpre, and the vase of violets with the ribbon is by Mary Hart, sometimes known as "the violet artist". She painted several yard long violet prints, and most of her studies are indeed violets. Alice Chittenden also favored violets, and here is one of her paintings in a slightly more wispy Impressionist style.

Victorian Treasures in our Ruby Lane shop!

Welcome back! We're now listing some terrific antique prints on our Ruby Lane website.

And, we also now have Victorian etiquette books, as well as some medical quack books! These are great gifts for Mom, the medical student, and those who collect them. We're parting with some of our "personal stash", and many are quite extraordinary and rare indeed!

Here's a preview of what's up now!Just click on this link and start shopping!

www.rubylane.com/shop/victorianroseprints

On Sale Now at Victorian Rose Prints!

OMG! These are some of the most beautiful engravings, prints, and books available right now at our Ruby Lane website: www.rubylane.com/shop/victorianroseprints.

Hop on over via the link and check them out. We'll be posting more soon!

Ruby Lane Blog Talk Radio - Tune In!

Yep, I'll be a guest speaker at Ruby Lane's Blog Talk Radio on Thursday, June 2, at 10AM! Tune in for news about how my shop got started, and other tidbits on collecting old prints. Here's the URL directing you on how you can listen in, as well as send yourself an email reminder:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/kfrishman/2011/06/02/ruby-lane-radio-shop-interview-with-nancy-hallshop-interview-with-nancy-hall
Drop by my shop when the interview is over, and send me your comments!

Spring is here, and in the Northwest, that's a welcome sight, as we've had way too much rain these last few months! Bleeding hearts, glorious stands of purple and white lilacs, and teenie, cheerful grape hyacinths are in full bloom. There's nothing like a vase of lilacs with their sweet aroma. Cruise on over to my website http://www.victorianroseprints.com/, and check out all the lilac prints for sale.

I've got my dahlias in, and they're starting to sprout too. Soon it will be time for the State Fair, where I usually enter a few winners. It's incredible the diverse selection of dahlias that can be found. My favorites are the "dinnerplate" varieties, with blooms up to 12 inches across. I tend to like the weird and wonderful oddly-colored ones too. My kitchen island in the Summer always has a vase of fresh dahlias. I usually plant at least 75 tubers, so there are plenty to be harvested at any given time. If you'd like to try growing them, I highly recommend buying them at Swan Island Dahlias in Canby, Oregon. Their website is http://www.dahlias.com/. Yep, that's me and "Maki", a late bloomer that is gi-normous! Uh huh, it IS that size! I've been growing them for a while now, so if you have questions, glad to help out.

On another note, my Ruby Lane shop, Victorian Rose Prints, is now selling great old Victorian etiquette books. They sell pretty fast, so do check back on a daily basis to see the new listings. Right now is a great book entitled "For Girls", and wonderful sex education and etiquette book that everything a young woman should know about how to conduct oneself in Victorian etiquette. They are truly a hoot to read! Here's a few more that are coming up soon: And, more great prints coming soon too, some in terrific Mission-style, oak, Adirondack frames, with ornate three-dimensional corner embellishments. A grouping of these "Adi" frames makes quite a statement, and I have several in my shop. Keep checking our listings daily!

Roses & The Language of Flowers

Visit our Etsy shop for affordable rose prints:
Victorians were well known for their love of symbolism. A proper lady's affections were always held in check, as she was expected to be timid and demure. Their social norms were highly proprietary. They seldom verbalized as we do today, and likewise expected those who courted them to portray their sentiments in other ways. One of their favorite ways to do so was in the presentation of flowers, roses in particular. Old rugosa roses were a mainstay of Victorian life, displayed with grandeur in their eclectic parlours. While the rose has been hybridized to perfection in today's life, the symbolism associated with each rose color still holds true today.

Overall, the rose has always portrayed the virtue of "Love", and the unique hue or color of each individual rose was further extrapolated to associate the giver's emotion and heartfelt yearnings.

White rosebuds were a favorite of young girls, and did indeed indicate the virtue of their "Girlhood". The thornless rose often bespoke "An Early Attachment" for adolescent lovers. The pink cabbage rose was a welcome anticipated event of old forklore, as it suggested that the bearer was "An Ambassador of Love". Larger white roses were incorporated into bridal bouquets, and portrayed a maiden's "Innocent Love".

A damask rose gave the compliment of a "Brilliant Complexion", so important to the ladies. Of course, the red rose is known for "True Love". Yellow roses, on the contrary, signified waning love and loss of affection, the dreaded emotion of "Jealousy".

Is it any wonder that roses were highly regarded and shouted to the world the tender secrets they hid? We find them pressed between the pages of old books, preserved for centuries. One can only imagine the importance of that little bloom to the original owner. Ever so sweet, the rose is truly the Queen of the Flowers.

More soon on language portrayed by other flowers......

Visit our Etsy Store, Pink Rose Lady, for oodles of affordable, inexpensive rose and flower prints. For ANTIQUE rose and flower prints, stop by our other website on Ruby Lane: Victorian Rose Prints.

Redecorating with Affordable Rose and Flower Prints!


Ah, Spring is on the horizon, and what better time to redecorate those walls! Everyone appreciates "eye candy" in luscious, spectacular colors, not to mention how renewed we feel when in sync with Spring. Here's a great way to redecorate at low cost. And don't forget...these affordable, reproduction prints can also be used for scrapbook accents, decoupage, and other crafting projects!

I'm sure you all have oodles of oh-so-gorgeous frames that took you years to find, a.k.a., the never-ending scavenger hunt spent scouring antique swap meets and flea markets. Unfortunately, exposing those prized possessions on your walls to UV sunlight over the years causes fading, and they just don't have the ooh-la-la rich color hues we so desire. Do you find yourself secretly wishing you could replace those faded prints for NOT a lot of cash??? Well now, hop on over to our Etsy store, "Pink Rose Lady" (click on the link above), and check out our affordable rose prints! Most prints you'll find are taken from 100-year old chromolithographs, as well as old paintings. They are a wonderful, low-cost alternative for redecorating. Just pop out the old faded print you've got there, and insert a fresh new one. Many of our prints easily fit a standard size 11 x 14 inch frame. Better yet, get out the scissors and trim them down, letting just the image area fill the frame for a dramatic effect.

More of these sweet prints can also be found on our sister website, VictorianRosePrints.com.
And of course, if you've just "gotta have" the antique prints, do visit our shop on Ruby Lane (click the lady link to the right):