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Paper of the Past

Hunting down vintage scrapbooks and unraveling the stories they tell.

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The Joy of Vintage Scrapbooks

Scrapbooks provide a whimsical look into past lives. They are surprising and fun. Some unique scrapbook mementos include a puppy tooth from the 1940s, a piece of a 1920s wicker hamper, and a soldier's button from the 1890s tied with a ...
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For the Love of Paper

Media & Events

Others have helped share these stories in articles, books, posts, and events. click here to see where Paper of the Past has been featured.

Your Ephemera

Tell me about your own ephemera collection! Whether it's a beloved family scrapbook or vintage postcards, I'd love to hear about it.

Scrapbook History

This article on scrapbook.com discusses the long and interesting history of scrapbooking (with beatiful photos). I highly recommend it.

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Historic scrapbooks are time capsules in book form...

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Happy Halloween! Each sheet of this page-a-day cal

Happy Halloween! Each sheet of this page-a-day calendar was decorated by a different person. It was put together in 1908 and gifted to Helen Washburn Mathewson (b. July 9th, 1867) who had recently moved from Massachusetts to New Mexico with her husband and young children.

On the page for December 24th, 1909, the organizer of the calendar writes, “December 24th, 1908. Have just been looking over these calendar leaves, preparing to send them over tomorrow. Love and best wishes for a merry Christmas a year and a day hence -M.”

Here we are enjoying M’s efforts 114 years later. 🎃

Evelyn Ruth Gates started her scrapbook in 1929. I

Evelyn Ruth Gates started her scrapbook in 1929. It’s full handwritten details. You can scroll through to see her souvenirs from a stage production of Dracula. She writes, “The scariest play we could find in Chicago to take Esther and Bernice to. Insane shrieks, vampires in black capes.”

What details stand out to you? I like the shoe shop that moves locations “20 doors north”, the multiple references to waffles and pancakes, and the way she writes the letter G. ✨

Harold F. Martin created this in the 1910s by addi

Harold F. Martin created this in the 1910s by adding his own pockets to a reference book and filling it with stuff he liked. He labeled the book: Scrapbook, show cards, advertising cuts, and lettering.

In some cases he used cut up letterhead to create the pockets (which he glued face down). It’s a cool example of movable scraps. Things that can be pulled out, unfolded, rearranged, and used for reference. He saved labels from canned beans, mustard, peanut butter, tea, and more.✨ What details stand out to you? I love the baked beans one.

A scrapbook made around 1901 using an old tailor’s catalog. It’s full of floral designs, family photos, and jokes. I like how many of the flower scraps she used have bright orange and yellow hues. She made good use of Childs’ seed catalogs.✨Editing to add: You can see some new details in my current story too. We’re over here solving mini scrapbook mysteries. 🕵️‍♀️

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