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Advertising Trade Cards
Developed during the Industrial Revolution in the late 19th century as a means of advertising a wide array of products and services, advertising trade cards were sent through the mail and given freely to the public by stores, businesses, and traveling salesmen. The 1876 Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia gave the distribution of these cards a jumpstart as thousands were passed out to visitors. For the next 24 years, these appealing and colorful cards were printed in large quantities in major cities and especially throughout the Northeast. They were collected and saved in albums by Victorian women and children smitten by their charms.
The cards were printed in black and white during the early 1870s, until the development of chromolithography in 1876 allowed for the production of color in advertising trade cards. Today, black-and-white cards, while not as eagerly sought as color examples, are nevertheless considered valuable due to their scarcity—they weren’t as desirable to the Victorians and therefore were not as widely saved when they were originally circulated.
Trade cards come in a variety of sizes and styles and typically feature an image on the front and a printed advertisement on the reverse. Many common examples are 3 inches by 5 inches in size, but both larger and smaller cards can be found. Regarding styles, there are plain (rectangular) cards, die-cut cards turned out in assorted shapes, mechanicals that feature moving parts, cards that feature folds or flaps, and see-through cards designed to reveal a message when held to the light. Noted 19th-century printing firms such as L. Prang & Company and Currier & Ives developed an assortment of exceptional cards for large, national firms; most regional businesses purchased stock cards on which they could stamp their company name.
The glory years of the advertising trade card were 1870 to 1900. By the turn of the 20th century the popularity of these charming give-aways declined significantly, due in part to widespread advertising in magazines.
Collectors seek out cards according to topic, image, company, product, or card style. Condition is, of course, a key factor in determining value. Cards in mint condition are rare, so look for examples in excellent condition without bends, tears, or stains that detract from the image. Cards in good condition may have slight creases or small tears but still display well.
The cards were printed in black and white during the early 1870s, until the development of chromolithography in 1876 allowed for the production of color in advertising trade cards. Today, black-and-white cards, while not as eagerly sought as color examples, are nevertheless considered valuable due to their scarcity—they weren’t as desirable to the Victorians and therefore were not as widely saved when they were originally circulated.
Trade cards come in a variety of sizes and styles and typically feature an image on the front and a printed advertisement on the reverse. Many common examples are 3 inches by 5 inches in size, but both larger and smaller cards can be found. Regarding styles, there are plain (rectangular) cards, die-cut cards turned out in assorted shapes, mechanicals that feature moving parts, cards that feature folds or flaps, and see-through cards designed to reveal a message when held to the light. Noted 19th-century printing firms such as L. Prang & Company and Currier & Ives developed an assortment of exceptional cards for large, national firms; most regional businesses purchased stock cards on which they could stamp their company name.
The glory years of the advertising trade card were 1870 to 1900. By the turn of the 20th century the popularity of these charming give-aways declined significantly, due in part to widespread advertising in magazines.
Collectors seek out cards according to topic, image, company, product, or card style. Condition is, of course, a key factor in determining value. Cards in mint condition are rare, so look for examples in excellent condition without bends, tears, or stains that detract from the image. Cards in good condition may have slight creases or small tears but still display well.
Latest page update: made by jsonderg
, Apr 19 2007, 1:04 PM EDT
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