In pictures
Victorian envelopes
Early envelopes were often hand-made and inconsistent. The Industrial Revolution brought new methods of mass-producing paper envelopes and innovations in their design. Our Copyright and Registered Design collections offer some interesting examples.
Envelope design by Warren De La Rue
- Date
- 1845
- Catalogue reference
- BT 43/419/30691
A simple ink sketch shows a folded envelope with dotted lines indicating its unfolded shape.
Patent specification for envelope-folding machine
- Date
- 1845
- Catalogue reference
- C 54/13268
A drawing of two large pieces of metal machinery next to one another, with many frames and gears.
‘Improved envelope’ design
- Date
- 1849
- Catalogue reference
- BT 45/10/1917
A drawing of a blue envelope with a perforated line on the fold sits above a detailed description.
Powder envelope design
- Date
- 1855
- Catalogue reference
- BT 45/19/3749
A drawing of an envelope with arms sticking out at each side, ready to be folded in.
The Mourning Cross envelope design
- Date
- 1864
- Catalogue reference
- BT 47/6
A title, explanatory text and three figures show exactly how The Mourning Cross envelope works.
'With Love' envelope design
- Date
- 1894
- Catalogue reference
- COPY 1/114
Colourful blue flowers and leaves sketched around the shiny words 'With Love'.
De La Rue stationery
- Date
- 1880
- Catalogue reference
- COPY 1/50/171
Bright sketches of autumn and spring leaves on top give way to snow-covered conifers on the bottom.