The type foundry and print shop of old would create books, like the one this image was discovered within, to help customers and clients with their design choices. Naturally, these books were jam packed with useful illustrative elements that could be combined to create a final piece. Today, these books are extremely difficult to get a hold of. Especially those that were published in the late 1800s. They were not mainstream publications, they simply served as ‘catalogs’ and thus were only produced in small numbers. Fortunately, we were introduced to a collector who had precisely what we had been searching for for so long. After some costly negotiations, we’re very excited to be able to share the wonderful gems within.
You’re looking at a beautiful piece of Japanese woodblock art from our collection of original 1881 prints by noted artist, Kono Bairei; Created for one of his best-known publications ‘one hundred birds’. Most of the bird species throughout this collection were native to Japan, with a few domesticated and some imported cage birds.
Bairei was born and lived in Kyoto. He was apprenticed to the Maruyama printer Nakajima Raiso at the age of eight. He was a pupil of Shijo artist Shiokawa Bunrin and followed the Nanga school tradition. He established the Kyoto Prefectural School of Painting before opening his own studio to students and retiring from teaching.
You’re looking at an Original pre-1820’s Antique Engraving from a rare copy of Abraham Rees’ “The Cyclopaedia; or, UNIVERSAL DICTIONARY OF ARTS, SCIENCES, and LITERATURE” (Published 1820 by Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme)
An original Antique Plate scan from the National Encyclopaedia: A Dictionary of Universal Knowledge. Published by William Mackenzie in 1880. Click on the Artist’s name to see the full collection from this series!
An original Antique Plate scan from the National Encyclopaedia: A Dictionary of Universal Knowledge. Published by William Mackenzie in 1880. Click on the Artist’s name to see the full collection from this series!
This image was sourced from our original ‘Dekorative Vorbilder’ collection; A gorgeous collection of Art Nouveau decorative patterns, graphics and illustrations including plants, figures and animals. For draftsman, painters, graphic artists, decorators, sculptors and architects. Published in 1904 by Julius Hoffman, Stuttgart.
The image is 1 of 59 from the following collection: ‘Discover Toile De Jouy’s gorgeous style within this meticulously edited collection of 59 isolated PNG illustrations. Inside, you’ll discover a wonderfully detailed set of vintage illustrations with a subtle texture applied, making the illustration look like it has been printed with dark blue ink! It’s super effective and looks fantastic on light backgrounds.
Vintage Toile de Jouy Patterned Backgrounds – Ornate, Classical, and Full of Charm
This wonderful background is from a collection that features a beautiful range of vintage Toile de Jouy-style patternes, carefully restored from antique prints. Packed with intricate scenes of rural life, mythological figures, classical architecture, elegant florals, and decorative motifs, these designs are perfect for adding timeless elegance to your creative projects.
You’ll find everything from aristocrats and animals to hot air balloons and garden scenes, all woven into that iconic French toile style.
Whether you’re working on a junk journal, printable paper pack, or a more refined design project, this bundle is a go-to for vintage lovers looking to add depth, texture, and character to their work.
A Charming Mix of Vintage Illustrations – Pastoral Scenes, Mythical Figures & More
This image is part of a collection packed with beautifully restored vintage toile de jouy style illustrations. Think peaceful countryside scenes, graceful mythological figures, farm animals, and a good dose of that old-timey charm.
Whether you’re into junk journaling, crafting, branding, or just love adding a touch of vintage to your creative projects, there’s loads to play with here. You’ll find everything from shepherd boys and garden goddesses to hot air balloons, dancing villagers, and elegant birds – all cleaned up and ready to use.
Perfect for print, digital, or anything in between, this set brings a slice of history into your modern designs with plenty of character and detail.
A Charming Mix of Vintage Illustrations – Pastoral Scenes, Mythical Figures & More
This image is part of a collection packed with beautifully restored vintage toile de jouy style illustrations. Think peaceful countryside scenes, graceful mythological figures, farm animals, and a good dose of that old-timey charm.
Whether you’re into junk journaling, crafting, branding, or just love adding a touch of vintage to your creative projects, there’s loads to play with here. You’ll find everything from shepherd boys and garden goddesses to hot air balloons, dancing villagers, and elegant birds – all cleaned up and ready to use.
Perfect for print, digital, or anything in between, this set brings a slice of history into your modern designs with plenty of character and detail.
This image is part of a curated collection that showcases a diverse range of vintage document designs and typographic art, featuring intricate letterhead logos, ornate receipts, and decorative printed overlays. Each piece captures the elegance of historical print styles—from German heraldic flourishes and British typographic traditions to antique invoices and lottery tickets. Perfect for design enthusiasts, crafters, and historians alike, these images offer a nostalgic glimpse into the artistry of printed communication, blending handwritten and printed text with ornamental details and transparent overlays.
A vintage illustration of a parrot skeleton, highlighting its intricate bone structure. This transparent PNG is ideal for scientific and ornithological-themed projects, emphasizing the anatomy of birds.
This vintage frame combines detailed blue and gold floral and geometric patterns, with triangular and circular elements adding a bold touch. The intricate design is ideal for formal certificates, decorative art, and heritage-themed projects.
A timeless and versatile 19th-century frame with a gold ornate design, perfect for framing art, photographs, or text. This high-resolution PNG offers a transparent center, making it easy to incorporate into digital design projects while retaining an authentic vintage charm.
This striking heraldic illustration from the 1800s features a brown bear vigorously holding a battle axe. Restored to highlight intricate details, this graphic is perfect for historical or medieval-themed heraldic projects.
Detailed vintage illustration of a Bactrian camel, presented on a transparent background. Suitable for educational or design projects.
You’re looking at a vintage collection of beautifully illustrated design assets discovered in a late 1800s design book. These illustrations were extracted from their original backgrounds and converted to the following image formats: SVG (vector), EPS (vector), and, of course, PNG (300dpi raster image with transparent background).
You’re looking at a wonderful collection of ornamental banner designs discovered in a late 1800s design book. These illustrations were extracted from their original backgrounds and converted to the following image formats: SVG (vector), EPS (vector), and, of course, PNG (300dpi raster image with transparent background).
You’re looking at a vintage collection of decorative frame and label illustrations discovered within a late 1800s design book. These illustrations were extracted from their original backgrounds and converted to the following image formats: SVG (vector), EPS (vector), and, of course, PNG (300dpi raster image with transparent background).
You’re looking at a vintage collection of Victorian-styled banners discovered in a late 1800s design book. These illustrations were extracted from their original backgrounds and converted to the following image formats: SVG (vector), EPS (vector), and, of course, PNG (300dpi raster image with transparent background).
The type foundry and print shop of old would create books, like the one this image was discovered within, to help customers and clients with their design choices. Naturally, these books were jam packed with useful illustrative elements that could be combined to create a final piece. Today, these books are extremely difficult to get a hold of. Especially those that were published in the late 1800s. They were not mainstream publications, they simply served as ‘catalogs’ and thus were only produced in small numbers. Fortunately, we were introduced to a collector who had precisely what we had been searching for for so long. After some costly negotiations, we’re very excited to be able to share the wonderful gems within.
You’re looking at a beautifully detailed, lithograph print by Gustave Doré. A French artist, printmaker, illustrator, comics artist, caricaturist, and sculptor who worked primarily with wood-engraving. This particular engraving was sourced from the 1891 ‘Bible Gallery’ book that compiled a collection of Doré’s biblical themed artwork.
You’re looking at a beautiful illustration from the ‘Butterflies & Moths of the Countryside’ series by F. Edward Hulme. These antique pieces of art, created in 1903, have lasted the test of time, and the colours are stunning.
An original Antique Plate scan from the National Encyclopaedia: A Dictionary of Universal Knowledge. Published by William Mackenzie in 1880. Click on the Artist’s name to see the full collection from this series!
This image was sourced from our original ‘Dekorative Vorbilder’ collection; A gorgeous collection of Art Nouveau decorative patterns, graphics and illustrations including plants, figures and animals. For draftsman, painters, graphic artists, decorators, sculptors and architects. Published in 1904 by Julius Hoffman, Stuttgart.
We’re breathing new life into antique type!
This font is part of our growing collection of restored typefaces, carefully revived from original specimens in the Century Library archive. Each one is a direct translation of the past – scanned, cleaned up, and converted into a working font so you can actually use these historic letterforms, not just look at them.
These aren’t modern interpretations or redesigns. What you see is what was once printed – charming imperfections and all. The character set is limited to what was available in the original source material, which varies from font to font.
Perfect for adding an authentic vintage feel to your designs – whether you’re working on a book cover, a poster, branding, or just something personal – these fonts carry all the texture, age, and personality you’d expect from type that’s over a century old.
This image is part of our Extensive Collection of 135 Greek, Roman, and Mythology Vintage Line Art Illustrations. Each piece hand-selected from a variety of 19th-century books and ephemera found within our private library.
This image is part of a beautiful collection of highly detailed, engraved illustrations from the early 1800s – Originally discovered within a small book full of stories inspired by the English countryside. While I’m sure the stories are lovely, I couldn’t get over how incredible these illustrations were!
This image is part of a curated collection that showcases a diverse range of vintage document designs and typographic art, featuring intricate letterhead logos, ornate receipts, and decorative printed overlays. Each piece captures the elegance of historical print styles—from German heraldic flourishes and British typographic traditions to antique invoices and lottery tickets. Perfect for design enthusiasts, crafters, and historians alike, these images offer a nostalgic glimpse into the artistry of printed communication, blending handwritten and printed text with ornamental details and transparent overlays.
A stylized heraldic dog head with prominent horns and a spiked collar, showcasing a fierce expression. This unique design reflects medieval artistry and symbolizes strength and protection.
Vintage frame with intricate swirling floral details, isolated as a transparent PNG. Ideal for artistic projects or elegant designs.
Our supporters and members help us continue collecting and restoring these wonderful pieces of art for the modern creator
While a lot of the library is available for free, some is kept behind closed dusty doors only to be accessed by our lovely members.