Godey's Lady's Book, 1830-1898 | Cleveland Museum of Art

Frontispiece printed in gold and three colors. Godey's Lady's Book, XXVIII. (December 1844). Philadelphia: Louis A. Godey. Presented by Severance A. Milliken, call number: A20 G582, 1842-1844
Godey's Lady's Book, XXVII. (January-June 1844). Philadelphia: Louis A. Godey. Presented by Severance A. Milliken, call number: A20 G582, 1842-1844
Godey's Lady's Book, XXIV, 238. (April 1842). Philadelphia: Louis A. Godey. Presented by Severance A. Milliken, call number: A20 G582, 1842-1844
The mezzotint "Beauty and Innocence" illustrates a poem of the same title, written by Mrs. Hale. Godey's Lady's Book, XXIV. (April 1842). Philadelphia: Louis A. Godey. Presented by Severance A. Milliken, call number: A20 G582, 1842-1844
Godey's Lady's Book, XXIV, 181. (April 1842). Philadelphia: Louis A. Godey. Presented by Severance A. Milliken, call number: A20 G582, 1842-1844
"The Fourtune Teller," engraved for Godey's Lady's Book by S. Jones Pinxt and Alfred Jones Sc., illustrates another short story by Mrs. Hale. Godey's Lady's Book, XXV, 61. (August 1842). Philadelphia: Louis A. Godey. Presented by Severance A. Milliken, call number: A20 G582, 1842-1844
Edgar Allan Poe (1840-1849), American poet, critic and short story writer, is often referred to as the "father of the detective story." His chilling tale, "The Oblong Box," was first published in Godey's Lady's Book. Godey's Lady's Book, XXIX, 132. (September 1844). Philadelphia: Louis A. Godey. Presented by Severance A. Milliken, call number: A20 G582, 1842-1844
The November [1842] issue included a "portrait of the celebrated author and favorite writer, Mr. T.S. Arthur. We court a comparison between this admirable production from the burin of Armstrong and those of any other publication of the day." Mr. Arthur wrote stories for Godey's Lady's Book including "Anna Milnor: The young lady who was not punctual." Godey's Lady's Book, XXIX, 193. (November 1844). Philadelphia: Louis A. Godey. Presented by Severance A. Milliken, call number: A20 G582, 1842-1844
Godey's Lady's Book, XXIX, 147. (October 1844). Philadelphia: Louis A. Godey. Presented by Severance A. Milliken, call number: A20 G582, 1842-1844
"Paris plates of fashion in the present number (from left to right) Fig. 1- Dress of India muslin, over a pale yellow under dress... Fig. 2- Dress of light blue pou de soie.. Fig. 3- Dress of nut brown striped pekin... Fig. 4- Dress of sea green gos de Naples... " Godey's Lady's Book, XXIV, 156. (September 1842). Philadelphia: Louis A. Godey. Presented by Severance A. Milliken, call number: A20 G582, 1842-1844
"There appears to be considerable 'flouncing' of late among some 'cap'-tious individuals of the masculine gender on the subject of the pet-fashion plates. Would you believe it, ladies, that objections have been raised against our publishing them at all, because forsooth, the artist happens, in his devotion to the subject, to press a little too tight the waists of some of his figures, or the colorist to add a deeper tinge of carmine to the pictured complexion than quite natural? Yet so it is." Godey's Lady's Book, XXV, 204. (October 1842). Philadelphia: Louis A. Godey. Presented by Severance A. Milliken, call number: A20 G582, 1842-1844
The fashion plate reproduced here is especially charming: a small child, probably enthralled with looking at the latest fashions, has taken a blue crayon and added whimsical touches of color to the models' clothing and accessories. Godey's Lady's Book, XXVII, 152. (March 1944). Philadelphia: Louis A. Godey. Presented by Severance A. Milliken, call number: A20 G582, 1842-1844
Each issue of Godey's Lady's Book included scores and text for popular music, such as "Oh! Sing No More that Gentle Song" in three verses. Godey's Lady's Book, XXV, 56. (July 1842). Philadelphia: Louis A. Godey. Presented by Severance A. Milliken, call number: A20 G582, 1842-1844

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Godey's Lady's Book, 1830-1898

Founded in 1830 by Louis A. Godey, Godey's Lady's Book, was one of the most popular and long-lived women's magazines. Each issue included fiction, non-fiction, poetry, advice on interior decorating, fashion and domestic arts, instructions for needlework and handicrafts, and music. The magazine evolved into an important literary magazine and published articles, book reviews, etc. by many notable nineteenth-century writers including Edgar Allan Poe.

Godey's Lady's Book continued to flourish throughout the Civil War under the long editorship of Mrs. Sarah Hale, but by 1877, Louis Godey sold the magazine and Mrs. Hale retired. The magazine was purchased by several owners and in 1898 ended its 68 year existence.

The success of Godey's Lady's Book was due to the efforts of Sarah Josepha Hale, editor until 1877, when she retired. Mrs. Hale, known as "the lady editor," had, from 1828-1836, published the American Ladies' Magazine and Literary Gazette where her editorial mandate was "...to provide quality material to benefit and educate the female reader." In 1836, the American Ladies' Magazine and Literary Gazette merged with Godey's Lady's Book and Mrs. Hale continued to edit the magazine from her home in Boston. In 1840, she relocated to Philadelphia. Just prior to the Civil War, Mrs. Hale had built the Godey's Lady's Book subscription list to more than 150,000, the largest circulation attained by any monthly magazine at that time.

In addition to her editorship of the magazine, Mrs. Hale was an early advocate of women's rights. She argued for the retention of property rights by married women; started the first day nursery; helped organize Vassar College; and worked for the advancement of women's wages, better working conditions for women, and the reduction of child labor. She was also the author of twenty-four books and numerous poems, including the nursery rhyme, "Mary Had a Little Lamb".

Fashion Plates
One of the most popular features of Godey's Lady's Book was the La Belle Assemble; each month, beautifully illustrated hand-colored fashion plates depicting the latest in women's fashions were published. More than 150 women were employed to hand tint the plates for each issue. Black and white steel and copper engravings were also used to illustrate the published articles.