1898 Christmas Stocking

The lady at work(Nancy) that is my Christmas angel brought in a stocking that was her grandmother's to show me. It is dated inside -1898. I have seen these in a book but never in an antique store where I could buy one. It was so exciting to just get to see one. In a book I have it states(An Old Fashioned Christmas-Time Life Books) In the late 1800's, the first commercially made stockings became available. Most featured scenes printed on thin cotton or linen and were sold either already assembled or as patterns to be cut and sewn at home. The most popular images included Santa decending a brick chimney(I think that's hers), and "x-ray" view of a stockings contents, or scenes of stockings hung by the fire. The images are wonderful and the material is so light and soft

There are no holes or tears-the material is a little stained but I think that adds to the look

A baby

What the bottom of the stocking says

The message on the toe of the stocking

What a wonderful piece of family history!

I'm joining Vintage Thingie Thursday at http://coloradolady.blogspot.com/