It was the discovery of this type of craft article in magazines like The Girl's Own Paper that caused me to take a second look at the accepted view of "The Victorian Woman." Until then I'd assumed that Victorian women were expected to occupy themselves quietly with their embroidery hoops, crochet hooks or knitting needles. I did not imagine them - or imagine that Victorian magazine editors could imagine them - happily banging out repoussé pieces or embossed metal or bent/wrought iron work! Yet such craft pieces appeared regularly in The Girl's Own Paper, suggesting that Victorian ladies were considered capable of much more than we might have given them credit for.

How Repoussé Work Is Done (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1885)

Repoussé Brass Work, by B.C. Saward (Girl's Own Paper, 1885)

Suggestions on making beautiful hammered decorative pieces from brass and other metals, with a selection of gorgeous patterns.

Bronze Painting, by Blanche C. Saward (Girl's Own Paper, 1886)

Embossing in Metal, by Katherine Armstrong (Demorest, 1886)

Bent Iron Work, by E. Crossley (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1889)

Bent Metalwork: Iron, Copper and Brass, by C. Harrison Townsend (Girl's Own Paper, 1890)

[Embossing] A New Home Occupation for Ladies, by E. Crossley (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1890)

A Few Hints on Repoussé Work, by Fred Miller (Girl's Own Paper, 1900)

An interesting how-to article on embossing pewter plates!