Often called scrap pictures, swags were tiny versions of those colorful, collectible lithographs. They were favorites with Victorians as household decorations and as treasures to be lovingly saved or shared. Like their bigger cousins, swags were sparkling chromolithographs. By the 1880’s, advances in the art and science of lithography made it possible to run off the die-cut, embossed pictures not only in 20 colors but also to add gloss to make them ultra shiny.
Averaging from 1 inch to a foot, most came in the smaller size range. They were sold as large giant sheets and in packets of many smaller panels. Sheets had either multiples of the same design or all different die-cuts. Figures or patterns came connected to each other by thin strips of paper known as ladders. It required great care and dexterity to break apart sheets without causing damage to individual pieces.
Most British and American companies had their printing done in Bavaria, home of the best printing plants in the world. Subjects portrayed were many and varied. They included Guardian Angels, famous actresses of the day (such as Lily Langtry), and uniformed women playfully pretending to be soldiers or sailors. Also, children and women in clothing of both their own 19th century and from previous historical eras, celebrities (politicians, classic artists, famous composers, and popular novelists), babies with toys, head and shoulders of children, and sweet-faced, happy youngsters with kittens, baskets of flowers and dolls.
By the 1880’s scrapbooks had become a fad among Victorian ladies. They were pasted with all sorts of mementos and paper souvenirs. Scraps and swags, produced in great abundance and variety by the nation’s printers, helped to fill a lot of album pages.
American and British soldiers, most always dressed in the uniforms and accoutrements of specific units or regiments, enjoyed great favor among young boys. Such paper soldiers were a specialty of London’s Raphael Tuck and Sons. This giant printing house exported heavily into the United States through their American distributor, Charles Taber & Co., before opening a branch office on Fifth Avenue in New York City in the 1890’s.
Beginning in the 1880’s, sets of professional baseball players, usually all on one embossed, full color, die-cut sheet, became good sellers. Other popular sport subjects included boxers, and field-and-track athletes.
Swags were used for table decorations, pasted on menus and invitations, and used for nut cups, place cards, and even as napkins. They were especially useful for birthday parties and table settings for holidays like Easter, 4th of July, and Christmas.
Victorians had many uses for swags, but never were they more appreciated than at Christmas time. Designs included filled stockings, decorated Christmas trees, youngsters with toys, and gift-laden visitors. Far and away, though, Santa Claus was the favorite topic. A large variety of different style Santa or Father Christmas swags were marketed. St. Nick was portrayed by himself, with children, carrying a newly cut-down fir tree, and almost always with gifts or bags of toys. Some designs showed only his head, or head and shoulders. Ways of depicting the great gift-giver rolled on endlessly.
Santa heads were glued onto tinsel, spun glass and paper Christmas tree ornaments. Full length Father Christmas swags, backed by cardboard, did nicely as separate tree ornaments and house decorations.
Tuck was one of the largest sellers of swags, including Christmas themes, in this country. Packets holding ten sheets of 5 by 8-inch Santa Claus figures sold for 10 cents at retail stores everywhere. Larger size Christmas and Santa Claus designs were marketed in five to fifteen-sheet packets. So heavily involved was Tuck in selling swags and scrap pictures for traditional use, and also to decorate fancy boxes, screens and scrapbooks, they published a separate wholesale catalog.
Surprisingly, large quantities of century-old swags, including much Christmas and Santa Claus themes, survived the decades down to our own time. Individual die-cuts and entire sheets can still be found. The penchant among Victorians to save and treasure things of beauty made it possible for us today to enjoy the same treasures that they did - a wonderful gift!
A Note About Values
Individual Santa Claus swags usually retail at around $5 to $25 each, depending upon size. A column or block of them, taken from a sheet, naturally carries a higher price tag and averages about 10 percent higher for each Santa. If the segment has all different Santas, this premium can be as much as 50 percent higher. A full sheet is the most sought after of all - and if contained in its original pictorial envelope, is worth far more. Topping the list are those by Raphael Tuck & Sons.