Housework Collection (#12)

Starr Woods Annual The Snark - ironing
Front cover of Starr Woods Annual, The Snark, Summer 1928, featuring an illustration of a flapper girl with hair severely cropped and very short skirts

Kittens playing with a vacuum cleaner hose
Unusual Friends - kittens playing with a vacuum cleaner hose. 1950s

A stout, jolly housewifes enjoys a mid-morning cup of tea and a chat with her cat before getting on with her daily chores

Old Maid card game - Mrs Fox Washes Up. circa 1950s

Advertisement, Sapolio Washing-Up Soap
Advertisement for Sapolio Washing-Up Soap, for cleaning all the utensils. circa 1935

Happy Families - Mrs Flue. circa 1940s

Happy Families - Mrs Blaze. circa 1940s

Gibbs Happy Families - Mrs Sparks the Electricians wife. 20th century

Gibbs Happy Families - Mrs Chips the Carpenters wife. 20th century

Happy Families Playing Cards - Mrs Water the Turncocks Wife. late 19th century

Happy Families Playing Cards - Mrs Silence the Ushers Wife. late 19th century

Rural Scene / Radnorshire
Old cottage at Beguildy, a small village on the River Teme, in north-east Radnorshire. Date: 1930s

Flemish Alchemist 17C
An alchemist at work, while his wife gets on with the housework Date: mid-17th century

Fairy tidying up
A conscientious, house proud fairy sweeping up. Date: 1919

Thor 30, folding elecrtic ironer 1929
Thor 30, folding elecrtic ironer, the operator (a woman) has merely to sit in a comfortable chair, turn a switch and guide the pieces through, electrically operated

Utility floral coverall, 1943 - WWII fashion
A Utility coverall from Peter Robinsons of Oxford Street, one of a variety available in many materials and colours. Coveralls protected clothing

Three girls doing the laundry on a Christmas card. Date: circa 1890s

Magnet Electric Cleaner Advert, 1927 Date: 1927

Advert for Min Cream, polish for furniture 1936
Its a matter of moments with Min. Use it on your piano or dining table and see what a beautiful, lustrous sheen it gives to polished wood. Date: 1936

Advert for Mansion polish 1937
The bright way to lovely floors. Floor retain there loveliness far longer when polished with Masion Polish. A single application will keep a floor looking bright and fresh for days. 1937

Sketch of woman scrubbing floor
Sketch of a woman scrubbing the floor. Date: 1922

Gas iron by Littgow, 1861
A lady using Littgows gas iron, Denmark, 1861. Date: 1861

Serving Through the Ages - Women
This picture shows the various roles of women servants from the 14th-19th century. It starts with showing servant girls milking, harvesting

Wyandotte Sanitary Cleaner and Cleanser - for sale by all Grocers Date: 1910

Ironing Collars
Photograph demonstrating the technique for ironing bib and collars in 1911. Date: 1911

HOUSEKEEPER, 1942. A housekeeper in the kitchen. Photograph by Ann Rosener, 1942

JOHN HELD, JR: PIPE SMOKER. Coloring the Meerschaum Pipe. Illustration by John Held, Jr. (1889-1958)

ar, art deco, art deco style, augmented reality, carpet, chore, cleaner, cleaning
Woman robot vacuuming rug

Red vacuum cleaner

MIGRANT CAMP, 1937. A woman washing clothes in a washbin at a camp for migrant workers near Calipatria, Imperial Valley, California. Photograph by Dorothea Lange, 1937

MAID CLEANING, 1941. An African American maid cleaning a staircase in Washington, D.C. Photograph by Jack Delano, July 1942

HOMESTEAD KITCHEN, 1936. Homesteader washing dishes in the kitchen of her new home, Hightstown, New Jersey. Photograph by Carl Mydans, August 1936

HOUSEWIFE AND MAID, 1943. A housewife with a maid working in a kitchen at a home in San Augustine, Texas. Photograph by John Vachon, 1943

CHINA: WASHING LAUNDRY. A family washing laundry in a stream by their home in Chefang, China. The strong soap rinsed from the clothes keeps the stream free of mosquitoes for about 100 yards

GEORGIA: LAUNDRY, 1938. A famers wife hanging her husbands work clothes on a clothesline, Irwinville Farms, Georgia. Photograph by John Vachon in May 1938

MIGRANT CAMP, 1939. A laundry unit at a mobile camp for migrant workers in Merrill, Klamath County, Oregon. Photograph by Dorothea Lange, October 1939

MIGRANT WORKER, 1940. A migrant worker in the windowless cabin where she lives with her husband in Berrien County, Michigan, July 1940

IRON ADVERTISEMENT. From American magazine, 1926

FRANCE: DAILY LIFE, 1517. Country life. Woodcut, French, 1517

AD: WASHING MACHINE, 1927. American advertisement for Easy Washer, manufactured by the Syracuse Washing Machine Corporation, 1927

ENGLAND: DAILY LIFE. A housewife spins outside her cottage as a gentleman goes hunting for deer. Woodcut, English, mid-17th century

SABBATH PREPARATIONS, 1663. Lighting the Sabbath candles in a 17th century Dutch household. Woodcut from Leusdens Philologus Hebraeo-mixtus, Utrecht, 1663

Laundry drying outside window
Hanging laundry, old Havana

The Housekeeper (engraving) (b / w photo)
XIR169151 The Housekeeper (engraving) (b/w photo) by Chardin, Jean-Baptiste Simeon (1699-1779) (after); Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris, France; French, out of copyright

Vacuum Cleaner at Work (b / w photo)
XJF106620 Vacuum Cleaner at Work (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (19th century); Private Collection; English, out of copyright

Pasie sewing in Bougivals Garden, 1881 (oil on canvas)
XIR164209 Pasie sewing in Bougivals Garden, 1881 (oil on canvas) by Morisot, Berthe (1841-95); 81x100 cm; Musee des Beaux-Arts, Pau

OKLAHOMA BOOMER, 1889. A boomers wife awaiting the opening of homestead lands in Oklahoma on 22 April 1889. Contemporary American drawing

Blue and red brooms with shovels

For sale as Licensed Images

Choose your image, Select your licence and Download the media

"From Sunlight Soap to Hoover Vacuum Cleaners: A Journey through Housework" Step into the past and discover the evolution with these captivating images and advertisements. Intriguingly, a poster advertising Sunlight Soap takes us back in time, reminding us of the importance of cleanliness in every household. The Western Electric vacuum cleaner advertisement showcases a patient woman diligently cleaning her surroundings, highlighting the dedication required for maintaining a pristine home. The artwork "St. Alkmunds, Shrewsbury, 1801" by John Varley transports us to another era, where women were responsible for keeping their homes immaculate. This timeless piece captures the essence of domesticity and reminds us of the long-standing tradition of housekeeping. Fast forward to more modern times; we witness a woman effortlessly vacuuming her living space—a testament to how technology has revolutionized our daily chores. Even Charles Dickens recognized the significance of housekeeping in his novel "David Copperfield, " emphasizing its role in shaping characters' lives. A glimpse into the 1930s reveals an image of a woman at her kitchen sink—an iconic representation that resonates with many generations who have spent countless hours washing dishes and ensuring cleanliness prevails within their homes. Advertisements for Hoover—the world's best vacuum cleaner—showcase spring cleaning rituals and highlight this brand's commitment to making housework more manageable. From electric washing machines to Mary Ann electric vacuum cleaners, these adverts demonstrate how innovation has made mundane tasks easier over time. As we explore these snapshots from history, it becomes evident that housework is not just about tidying up—it represents dedication, pride in one's home, and even societal norms that have shaped our understanding of gender roles throughout different eras. So next time you embark on your own journey through household chores, remember that behind each task lies a rich tapestry connecting generations past and present—a testament to resilience and adaptability as we strive to create comfortable and inviting homes for ourselves and our loved ones.