Memorabilia from your WIP era?

jessicaorr · Mar 31, 2008

Right now I'm working on a novel set during the 1893 Chicago World's Columbian Exposition. It's the first historical fiction I've undertaken and I keep wanting to buy fair memorabilia like this, this or this. There are quite a few items under 20$ on eBay. I think it would be great to have something from the fair to fiddle with while I'm plotting. So in the next few days I'll probably break down and buy a small trinket.

Has anyone else ever bought something from their WIP's era?

I'm going to Jackson Park and the Science and Industry Museum (former Fine Arts Building at the fair) next month to experience what's left of the grounds. I guess I'm going for the immersion method of historical fiction writing LOL

Mumut · Mar 31, 2008

Yes, Jessica. My YA historical fantasy is set in the year 1347. I have bought coins from around that time - silver pennies and half pennies (literally cut in half because the penny was the lowest denomination at that time) and a quarter of a penny (called a fourthing then and, later, a farthing). I show them to people who are really interested in the historical aspect of the story at signings and when I give talks at schools and service groups.

I have also borrowed a haubergeon (chain-mail shirt) which is of the pattern used then. School kids love trying it on and being horrified by the weight.

So yes, I have artifacts from the time of my story to help me get into the mood of that time but also as interest for possible buyers.

bluntforcetrauma · Mar 31, 2008

Yep, time for me to get crackin' on that book of supermodels!

PastMidnight · Mar 31, 2008

I can see how you are tempted. Neat!

You'll love this, Jessica. I found an original copy of the Columbian Exposition Official Guidebook on alibris for about £4 (including the shipping). Maps, descriptions of all the exhibits, etc. On the map, the buildings visited by the book's original owner are X'ed out.

Zelenka · Mar 31, 2008

There was a big discussion as to whether my current WIP could be classed as 'historical' or not, as it's set in the 1960s, but that aside, yes I've collected a lot of stuff from the era. I tend to collect anything from that period in general but for the story I've also been buying some period guidebooks and maps of London, and though it might sound daft, I've been getting a lot of 60s Ladybird books as well, as they're good for little details that aren't mentioned elsewhere.

Gina_Marie · Apr 1, 2008

Yep, I have a growing collection of Victorian etiquette manuals.

I'm cool with it though. Always nice to have something from the era.

jessicaorr · Apr 1, 2008

PastMidnight said:
I can see how you are tempted. Neat!

You'll love this, Jessica. I found an original copy of the Columbian Exposition Official Guidebook on alibris for about £4 (including the shipping). Maps, descriptions of all the exhibits, etc. On the map, the buildings visited by the book's original owner are X'ed out.

AH AH AH AH! I AM jealous! Man and I thought I was lucky finding an advertising card featuring the Administration building at the antique store today. I also found a neat Victorian era photo too, I'll have to add scans of them tomorrow.

Send some of your luck my way, I'm browsing eBay for guidebooks tomorrow

Willowmound · Apr 2, 2008

All stuff from my WIP's era rightfully belong in a museum. But I probably wouldn't say no to a few Viking trinkets...

jessicaorr · Apr 2, 2008

Here's a scan of the photo I picked up yesterday:

I had to share, isn't it great?

DeleyanLee · Apr 2, 2008

Oddly enough, it's never occurred to me to do this. Probably because I don't have much space left after my bookshelves to put things (I have a studio apartment), so books are my big thing. Though while I was writing a book set in Old Kingdom Egypt, a friend gave me a very nice (fake-) gilded statue of Tjuhet (Thoth), which now stands atop one bookcase and surveys my writing area, which seems appropriate given he's the god of letters and writing.

Now, should I get bigger digs, I'll probably do that, but that's not an option at the moment.

Matera the Mad · Apr 8, 2008

I can't afford a mammoth tusk

dirtsider · Apr 9, 2008

I've picked up a few things here and there. They're not for any current WIP. They're mostly because I love going to flea markets and finding stuff. That and I tend to hang out at the local living history farm about half an hour from my place. Most of the stuff I've been finding would work well over there. (Although I did keep the darning form for myself.) I also LARP so I also donate stuff that I find at the flea market to the game. Nice when most things are only a couple dollars (if that) here and there.

BradyH1861 · Apr 9, 2008

My WIP is set during the American Civil War. I have been a Civil War reenactor for about eleven years, so I have quite a collection of Civil War uniforms, equipment, etc. I do have a collection of some original Civil War material as well. (Confederate money, bullets, etc) I don't go so far as to wear one of my Civil War uniforms while writing though......at least not all the time!

I also have a large collection of 19th Century music which I use as background noise while I write.

Brady

Gina_Marie · Apr 11, 2008

BradyH1861 said:
I also have a large collection of 19th Century music which I use as background noise while I write.

Brady

Intresting. Where does one find such things?

BradyH1861 · Apr 11, 2008

My favorite present day artists who record 19th Century music are David Kincaid and Bobby Horton. A lot of companies that sell reproduction Civil War uniforms, etc, also sell CDs and tapes of music as well.

The other day, my partner at work had to use my car since his was in for maintenance. He came back to the station and got out with a puzzled look on his face. Apparently I had left one of my CDs in and forgot to tell him.

Brady

Gina_Marie · Apr 12, 2008

Thanks for the info. I'll check into it.

Claudia Gray · Apr 12, 2008

I hope to write about Ancient Rome, which would make the cost of collecting artifacts WAY out of my league!

angeliz2k · Apr 13, 2008

jessicaorr--

Oddly enough, I work in a library that has a lot of primary sources from the World's Fairs (all of them). Pictures, books, etc. I don't even know all that we have. Now, you couldn't own it, and you would have to come here (the University of Maryland) to see it. But we definitely have it in Special Collections.

If you wanted to know more, you can PM me.

As for memorabilia from my periods . . . Not much survived from Roman Britain and I saw most of what remains of Londinium when I was there. There's plenty of 18th century stuff floating around, but, well, I'm not a millionaire. I have been to Versailles, though.

Doogs · Apr 14, 2008

I've got one of the resin models of Maximus' spatha (cavalry sword) from Gladiator. Not exactly authentic, but it looks so real that most people are shocked it's not steel.

Authentic memorabilia from 3rd century B.C. Rome is a bit out of my league at this point, alas.

c.e.lawson · Apr 14, 2008

Writing about ancient Sparta puts me into the same category as those who can't afford artifacts from ancient Rome. I got around this, though, by buying a silver pendant shaped like a Spartan shield, and a silver ring in the shape of a Spartan soldier's helmet - both trinkets inspired by the movie 300.

http://www.noblecollection.com/catalog/catalog.cfm?catid=57

Don't laugh! They might be considered cheesy by some, but for me, they do the job. I love to wear them when I'm mulling over my story and writing - I feel closer to my warriors! And I love to wear the pendant anyway - it's nice looking and it's always a pleasant surprise when someone recognizes the shape and asks me about it. (Like a museum employee did.)

I also bought a miniature replica of an ancient Grecian urn when I was at the Getty Villa last month.

c.e.

jessicaorr · May 8, 2008

angeliz2k said:
jessicaorr--

Oddly enough, I work in a library that has a lot of primary sources from the World's Fairs (all of them). Pictures, books, etc. I don't even know all that we have. Now, you couldn't own it, and you would have to come here (the University of Maryland) to see it. But we definitely have it in Special Collections.

If you wanted to know more, you can PM me.

As for memorabilia from my periods . . . Not much survived from Roman Britain and I saw most of what remains of Londinium when I was there. There's plenty of 18th century stuff floating around, but, well, I'm not a millionaire. I have been to Versailles, though.

Thank you so much! That is so kind of you. I am fortunate enough to live about two hours away from Chicago. As soon as I'm able, I'll make a trip to the Library at the University of Chicago.

But I am so jealous, imagine working in such a great library -drools-

Kalyke · May 8, 2008

JessRamage said:
There was a big discussion as to whether my current WIP could be classed as 'historical' or not, as it's set in the 1960s, but that aside, yes I've collected a lot of stuff from the era. I tend to collect anything from that period in general but for the story I've also been buying some period guidebooks and maps of London, and though it might sound daft, I've been getting a lot of 60s Ladybird books as well, as they're good for little details that aren't mentioned elsewhere.

My wip is also borderline 60's. It was certainly a completely different era which would have to be researched before writing about it, and yet it is similar. All my furniture comes from the 50's 60's (classical mod). I also have a small collection of 19th c (1860'S) photography, (cartes de visite, daguerrotypes, tin-types) albums and books. I was working on a book set in that era at one time.

dovebunnie · May 22, 2008

I don't have stuff specifically from the same decade/year (that I know of) that I write in, but I have stuff from the same era (Victorian). A train poster, some jewelry, a mechanical singing bird cage (more Edwardian), old pens, and some other miscellanious things.

My mode of dress has begun to alter as well. My favorite skirt became a multi-layered laced thing I got in a thrift shop for 10 bucks. I absolutely love it, and everyone says they've never seen anything like it (short of what you'd have to pay $150 in a boutique, anyway). And I have a black-and-white shirt that has Victorian/Edwardian-era fashion and circus images printed all over it, which I layer beneath stuff.

I never thought of photography though. I'd love to start collecting that. My room's starting to look like a magpie's nest.

dirtsider · May 23, 2008

For Rev. War and Civ. War re-enactor stuff, try www.smoke-fire.com. Great stuff.

goldenquince · Jul 6, 2008

I've become obsessed with paraphernalia from the 30s...I have an old brass lamp from the Orient Express Paris-Istanbul, a bomber jacket--popular piece of clothing for stunt fliers, bakelite bookends, celluloid earrings, RCA cathedral radio, and an Egyptian revival pendant made of soap stone (probably from the 20s)...

but I love ancient history and minored in archaeology and hope to write about that, too...have a lot of pottery ostraca, Roman glass containers, pieces of marble from the Palatine, an old terra cotta figurine from Ghana, a Piranesi print, and a collection of David Roberts prints.

It's great hoarding stuff from the period that you're writing about...always gets me in the mood to start imagining and putting it to paper.

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