Crayons have been around for centuries, with some of the earliest known crayons dating back to the 1800s. While crayons in the 19th century were different from the crayons we know today, people did use waxy drawing tools and coloring sticks during the Victorian era.
Wax Crayons in the 1800s
Wax crayons emerged as an artistic medium in the early 1800s, thanks to innovations in wax and pigment technology. One of the first recorded references to wax crayons comes from 1813, when French chemist Nicolas-Jacques Conté developed a method for mixing powdered pigments with melted wax to create solid sticks of colored wax.
Conté’s technique paved the way for the commercial production of crayons. In 1828, Joseph Lemercier produced one of the first commercially available wax crayons in Europe. These early crayons were made of a mix of wax, kaolin clay, and color pigments. They were sold in a solid block form that had to be manually cut into sticks. While crude, these represented the beginnings of modern crayon technology.
English chemist William Savory improved on crayon formulation in the 1830s. He discovered that substituting soap for some of the wax created harder, sturdier crayons that could be sharpened to a point. Savory crayons quickly became popular art supplies, first in England and later in the United States.
American artist and inventor Joseph Dixon also made key advancements in crayon technology in the 1860s. He developed a method for mass-producing cheap, high-quality crayons by molding and drying pigmented wax. Dixon’s techniques enabled crayon production on an industrial scale and put high-quality crayons within reach of the masses for the first time.
Crayon Use in Victorian Times
By the mid-to-late 1800s, wax crayons were commonplace childhood toys and art supplies. The growing availability of crayons contributed to the Victorian-era popularity of coloring books and educational toys for children.
Victorian children used wax crayons for arts and crafts, coloring book illustrations, and coloring on slates. Quality wax crayons with superior color brilliance and blendability became prized art tools. Brands like Reeves, Prang, and Dixon dominated the wax crayon market with their high-end coloring sticks.
Crayons also provided creative inspiration for Victorian adults. Many genteel ladies used wax crayons and colored pencils for drawing and sketching. Crayons offered vibrant color in a convenient, portable medium. They were standard equipment for the parlour, travel, and artists’ studios.
Besides coloring, Victorians also enjoyed using hot wax techniques. Heated in a makeshift double boiler, crayons could be melted and poured onto paper or glass. This molten wax method created textured, dimensional color effects. Scientifically-minded Victorians also delighted in making invisible ink by dissolving colored crayons in vinegar.
Crayon Drawbacks
Despite their growing popularity, early crayons still had some limitations:
- Color range was limited by pigment availability
- Heat caused colors to melt and mix together
- High cost made quality crayons expensive
- Frequent breakage
- Crumbling
Over time, innovations like non-toxic pigments, sturdier formulations, and mechanical mass production helped resolve many of these drawbacks. While early Victorian crayons were far from perfect, they still offered handy, colorful fun for crafty 19th century kids and adults.
Notable Victorian Crayon Brands and Inventors
Some prominent crayon makers in the 1800s include:
| Brand | History |
|---|---|
| Prang | Founded in 1835 by Louis Prang, a German immigrant and pioneering chromolithographer. Prang manufactured high-quality art supplies and was one of America’s leading crayon producers. |
| Reeves & Sons | English crayon company founded in 1766 as a maker of artists’ supplies. Their wax crayons were sold around the world. |
| Joseph Dixon Crucible Company | Founded in 1827 by entrepreneur Joseph Dixon, this company was one of the first to mass produce crayons by molding and drying pigmented wax. |
Prominent crayon innovators and inventors include:
| Name | Contribution |
|---|---|
| Joseph Lemercier | French chemist, credited with inventing one of the first wax crayons in the early 1800s. |
| William Savory | English chemist who invented a soap-based wax crayon formulation in the 1830s. |
| Joseph Dixon | American inventor who developed techniques for industrial scale crayon production. |
Crayon Design Improvements
Key innovations that helped improve crayon design through the 1800s include:
- Pigment Dispersal – Early techniques like Conté’s allowed even distribution of dry pigment through melted wax.
- Shaping – Casting molten wax into molds enabled crayon shaping for easy handling.
- Binding Agents – Adding non-wax binders like soap (Savory) increased durability.
- Non-Toxic Pigments – Prussian blue and chrome yellow were replaced by safer organic pigments like madder lake.
- Labeling – Color names were added to crayon wrappers for identification starting in the 1860s.
- Moisture Resistance – Paraffin wax replaced some beeswax and fats, improving moisture resistance.
Without these innovations, cheap, high-quality, non-toxic crayons would likely not have emerged until the 20th century.
Crayon Availability and Affordability
Mass production made crayons increasingly affordable over the 1800s. Estimated prices for a single crayon were:
| Year | Price |
|---|---|
| 1813 | 1 shilling |
| 1830s | 1 pence (mass-market) |
| 1860s | 5 cents (Dixon) |
Cheap crayons became widely available to the public by the mid-to-late 1800s. Even working-class families could afford a pack of crayons for their children.
Crayons were sold at:
- Art supply shops
- Bookstores and stationers
- General stores and chemists
- Traveling peddlers
- Mail order catalogs
Rising production enabled crayons to become a common, mass-market product after starting as a niche luxury item in the early 1800s.
Conclusion
In summary, while early 19th century crayons bear little resemblance to modern crayons, wax drawing implements were used by Victorian children and artists. Key innovations in pigments, shaping, and manufacturing enabled the wax crayon to emerge as an affordable, widely available art medium and toy during the 1800s. Brands like Prang and Dixon became leading crayon producers, bringing colorful fun to generations of Victorian kids and adults. So while today’s big box of Crayolas would be unrecognizable, the creative spirit of crayons took root in the 19th century.
