Cards depicting men : carrying a wooden backpack and a marionette, sitting on the back of a wagon and lighting a pipe, with his dog hunting, skinning a bird; depicting women : dusting and breaking a lamp and looking into an envelope while sweeping.
Summary
Public domain photograph of American trade card, no copyright restrictions image - Picryl description
Trade cards were one of the most prevalent forms of advertising in the U.S. from around 1875 to 1900. They had their origin in England in the 1700s with tradesmen advertising their wares. The advent of lithography in the 1870s made it possible to mass-produce them in color. The Philadelphia 1876 Centennial Exhibition sparked the beginning, as many were passed out at that event.
Tags
Date
1876 - 1890
Source
New York Public Library
Copyright info
Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication ("CCO 1.0 Dedication")