Much like we have stock photo companies today, publishers of 100 years ago relied on others for many of the illustrations they used in their publications. The book I’ve been working with today is full of wonderful vignettes and page spacer images like this one. I’ve encountered a number of the images before and have already posted them on Reusable Art, but as far as I can tell, this seashell vignette is a new one to add to the collection.
This seashell vignette dates back to at least 1871 as that was when the book I found it in was published. It features a central clam shell type drawing (that could easily be isolated and used alone) and leaves with berries. The botanical element reminds me a bit of mistletoe though I am not exactly sure why someone would mix the seashell imagery with that of a winter-blooming plant.
This image is copyright free and in the public domain anywhere that extends copyrights 70 years after death or at least 120 years after publication when the original illustrator is unknown.
