Loading...

PODCAST

1-800-1800

Mandylion Press

Brought to you by Mandylion®, 1-800-1800 is your guide to 19th-century history, art, literature, culture, and scandal. Each episode, we dial into a random year of the 1800s to gab about the chaos that shaped the modern world. Hosted by Madeline Porsella and Mabel Taylor, two Victorian Nightgown Girls and historians of art and design, 1-800-1800 delivers rigorous research with a healthy dose of gossip. So pick up the phone, the nineteenth century’s calling! More

history visual arts

All Episodes

88:58

1-800-1872: Abby and the chocolate factory

1-800-1800 ·

2026/09/29

Welcome back to 1-800-1800! This week we are joined by the one and only Abigail Sandler, architect and author of Price Upon Request, a newsletter exploring the role of ornament in our modern lives. Abby delights us with discussion of her favorite building, the Menier Chocolate Factory in Noisiel, France. Designed by Jules Saulnier (1817-1881), the building is distinguished by its iron frame and ornamental brick infill. Listen, like, and subscribe! XoHerman Melville statue in New Bedford.Claude

en

4:58

1-800-The Awakening

1-800-1800 ·

2026/09/22

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit mandylion.substack.com“It was not necessary for a writer of so great refinement and poetic grace to enter the over-worked field of sex-fiction” — said one critic of Kate Chopin’s landmark 1899 novel The Awakening. Mabel and Madeline dip their toes into the controversy in this week’s special bonus episode of 1-800-1800. * Kate Chopin: A Reawakening* “Kate Chopin: The Awakening, T…

en

115:59

1-800-1891: basketball is our favorite sport

1-800-1800 ·

2026/09/15

This week, Harry Krinsky of Nothing But Respect joins us to talk about the invention of basketball. We discuss the rules of the game (you won’t believe how they dribbled), the cages they played in, and a hot controversy about its inventor. Listen now & follow Harry @lexaprotools on Substack & IG<3M+MShow Notes:“1-800-PODCAST” from 99% InvisibleFootball by Chuck KlostermanFrom Cages to Jumpshots by Robert W. PetersonRichard Sandomir, “Basketball’s Birth, in James Naismith’s Own Spoken Words,” New

en

5:06

1-800-The Tenant of Yesteryear

1-800-1800 ·

2026/09/08

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit mandylion.substack.comOn this week’s bonus episode of 1-800-1800, the girls dare to discuss a contemporary novel, Caro Claire Burke’s Yesteryear (2026), a novel about a tradwife influencer who time travels to 1855. To avoid being too modern with it, Mabel and Madeline compare Burke’s #1 New York Times bestseller with the least-popular Brontë novel, Anne Brontë’s The Tenant …

en

63:34

1-800-1849: A quick history of the state of California

1-800-1800 ·

2026/09/01

On this week’s episode of 1-800-1800, Mabel goes home…to California. After a brief debate about what sport the Forty-Niners play, the girls discuss the history of California before and after the Gold Rush.Captain Constable and the crew of the Balclutha ship circa 1887. Source.David Grann, The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny, and Murder.Sir Francis Drake’s Landing in California circa 1579. Source.Postcard of Mission Santa Cruz, after 1898. NYPL.Tour the Sophisticated Spanish-Style Homes of 8

en

5:27

1-800-Late Fame

1-800-1800 ·

2026/08/25

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit mandylion.substack.comThis week, Mabel and Madeline read Late Fame, a perfect little novella written by Arthur Schnitzler, and saw Late Fame, a perfect little indie movie directed by Kent Jones. More importantly, because the story tackles the rediscovery of a forgotten poet, both the novella and its contemporary adaptation make for the perfect little Mandylion conversation. …

en

79:40

1-800-1861: Death Becomes Her w/ Jessica DeFino

1-800-1800 ·

2026/08/11

This week on 1-800-1800, we’re discussing life’s inevitabilities—death and unrealistic beauty standards—with Jessica DeFino of one of our all time favorite Substacks, Flesh World!! Join us to learn more about Prince Albert’s death, Queen Victoria’s resulting mourning period as well as the ways death is trending in contemporary beauty culture. This one goes crazy!Show Notes* Flesh World* Ask Ugly* Mess World* “World Exhibition.” Free Library. Accessed July 14, 2026.

en

4:55

1-800-Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog

1-800-1800 ·

2026/07/28

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit mandylion.substack.comThis week, Mabel and Madeline dig into the painting that has appeared most frequently in Mandylion’s visual glossaries, Caspar David Friedrich’s Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog from 1818. She’s in The Gadfly, The Morgesons, The Hill of Dreams, and our upcoming title, Love Days. Listen to find out why we can’t get enough of this Romantic masterpiece.**note: Madeline got basically every first name she said in this

en

90:27

1-800-1876: America, the sequel

1-800-1800 ·

2026/07/14

Yoohoo,Welcome to America, the sequel. In this episode we look back at the Centennial Exhibition held in Philadelphia in 1876. We talk about the giant engines and sexy corsets on display, the unfinished revolutionary projects in civil rights and labor movements, and what, exactly, an acre is. Like, subscribe, drop us a line. XOXO,M&MShow Notes* The Flying Horses, Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts. * Paine, Thomas, and Philadelphia Yearly Meeting Of The Religious Society Of Friends. Meeting For Sufferings

en

100:44

1-800-1776: The Shot Heard Round the World

1-800-1800 ·

2026/07/02

I’m a yankee doodle dandy and you’re on the precipice of learning all that Mabel and Madeline have to say about the American Revolution in this special episode about 1776. Its a World War, its a Civil War, its a tax scheme, its an inspiration to us all! Enjoy it and have a happy fourth of July, k <3M&M This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mandylion.substack.com/subscribe

en

73:56

1-800-1871 (feat. Sara Hinkley)

1-800-1800 ·

2026/05/19

This week we are very excited to welcome the brilliant Sara Hinkley onto 1-800-1800 to discuss her forthcoming novel The Red Sacrament. Sara’s brilliant debut tells the story of a theater troupe of vampires, set against the backdrop of the Siege of Paris and the Commune. We had simply the best time discussing the book, Sara’s research process, and our shared obsession with the last days of the Second Empire. Pre-order The Red Sacrament here! and find Sara on:InstagramBlueskyTwitterXOXO, M&M This is

en

79:25

1-800-1841: London's Charivari

1-800-1800 ·

2026/05/05

Madeline and Mabel discuss the founding of Punch Magazine, the most popular satirical magazine of the 19th century, and muse on its enduring influence. The girls also touch on a sensational murder/botched abortion case, Summer House, a US president you’ve never heard of, and more!! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mandylion.substack.com/subscribe

en

1:51

1-800-The Princess Cassamissima

1-800-1800 ·

2026/04/30

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit mandylion.substack.comBook Club Alert !! This week the girls recap Henry James's The Princess Cassamissima, the story of a young man of mysterious parentage who tries to take on the world's inequities but instead just ends up smoking cigarettes on a magenta divan. We were delighted, we were puzzled, we were forced to ask "are beauty and revolution compatible pursuits."

en

74:24

1-800-1787: Society for Effecting the Abolition of...

1-800-1800 ·

2026/04/14

On this week’s episode, Madeline takes us back to her material culture roots to tell the story of the British abolition movement through one object, the Wedgwood “Slave Medallion.” Join us to learn about the object that made abolition a fashionable cause in the 18th century and why 1787 is a part of the long 19th century !! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mandylion.substack.com/subscribe

en

2:03

1-800-The Gadfly

1-800-1800 ·

2026/03/31

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit mandylion.substack.comMandylion now has a book club at McNally Jackson called the Minor Works book club. Each month we read a forgotten novel from the nineteenth century (brought to you by Mandylion Press), or a minor work of a major author. This month we read Ethel Lilian Voynich’s The Gadfly, one of our first Mandylion books and many people’s favorite. This 1897 novel is a…

en

89:30

1-800-1844: A telegraph and a train walk into a bar

1-800-1800 ·

2026/03/10

What Hath God Wrought, indeed! This week on 1-800-1800, Mabel tells Madeline what a telegraph is. She starts in 1792 with the one and only Claude Chappe, a man so passionate about the optical semaphore telegraph that he threw himself into a well, and then moves onto Samuel Morse, who gave the world not only the single-wire electromagnetic telegraph, but also this insane painting of Hercules: This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus

en

63:29

1-800-1823: On the origin of an American religion

1-800-1800 ·

2026/03/03

This week, Madeline and Mabel discuss the origins of Mormonism and how its founder, Joseph Smith, continues to influence the modern day iteration of the religion. Hypocrisy, hucksterism, hats, bad bets, and talking to God. What more could a girl ask for? This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mandylion.substack.com/subscribe

en

58:24

1-800-Wuthering Heights

1-800-1800 ·

2026/02/17

In this special episode of 1-800-1800, Madeline and Mabel discuss Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights as well as Emerald Fennell’s film adaptation starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi. The girls cover impossible naming conventions, mysterious heritage, and awful set design in this discussion. Listen now! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mandylion.substack.com/subscribe

en

1:49

1-800-Death by Lightning

1-800-1800 ·

2026/02/10

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit mandylion.substack.comGood morning starshine! President James Garfield says hello!This week on 1-800-1800, Mabel and Madeline discuss the Netflix limited series Death by Lighting, which tells the story of James Garfield’s assassination. We finally have an answer to a long standing question, “how did people in the back hear before electrical amplification,” and some questions…

en

76:23

1-800-1852: The Princess Who Ate a Glass Piano

1-800-1800 ·

2026/02/03

This week on 1-800-1800, Julia Carpenter, who writes the brilliant Substack “A Woman to Know,” joins us to discuss the Bavarian princess who was convinced that she had swallowed a glass piano. Our conversation covers everything from the fluctuating definitions of delusion to medieval nuns and the curative powers of spanking. Happy listening!Notes:Read Julia’s original newsletter about Princess Alexandra here (all of the images we discussed are also here!!) and check out Julia’s website and follow

en

40 results

Similar Podcasts

Today In History with The Retrospectors

The Retrospectors

pplpod

pplpod

The Old Front Line

Paul Reed

This Day in Disney History

ATIS Products

Blues Moments in Time...

The Blues Hotel Collective