As I was writing a scene yesterday I typed a word that I had no idea if it even existed during my time period. I was 99.9% positive it had, but I needed to be 100%.
scissors-origin 1350-1400 derives from the medieval Latin word cisoria (dictionary.com)
Dictionary.com wasn’t my first choice for research, instead I typed 1850 sewing scissors into my google bar. And what to my wondering eyes should appear? The Graphics Fairy!
Oh, yes! I’ve mentioned her before. She is a treasure trove when it comes to all kinds of vintage clipart. Why would this matter to an historical romance writer? Because I’m very visual. I love to see things. And check this out!!
Aren’t they fabulous? Yeah, I know, I’m a geek like that, but not only did I find out that scissors existed in the 1850s, but I get to see what they looked like as The Graphics Fairy found these in an 1850s catalog. And there are more here. I love these images so much that I’m trying to figure out what kind of art work I’d like to create with them, and of course, where I would put them since I don’t have a sewing room. Although . . . we do own an upholstery shop. I wonder if hubs would be okay with these babies decorating his walls.
Anyway, instead of writing “She opened the bedside table and retrieved the scissors” I can now write, “She opened the bedside table and retrieved the fancy scrolled scissors”. Of course, this is all part of my first draft, a bit of what we writers call ‘vomitting on the page’. The fancy scrolled bit may not even stay, but at least I have a visual if I need it.