Featured Victorian trade cards

Nice cards! I don't collect these but have at least one. I'll try to remember to post it some time when I can.

 

I also have a few and will post some pics. I always buy
these when I see them.
Mikey

 

Thanks so much for the tips, Pat and Yourturn! I've added those sleeves to the shopping list.

I'm wondering if I can salvage the album cover because it's so perfect for the period in which these cards were sent. Plus there are a bunch of other paper items found inside that need to be preserved - including lease agreements for both home and business spaces from the 1860's signed by my 2X great grandfather!

 

Terry, love the cards. I think the Woolson one would also be called a Victorian trade card, though I'm not sure if collectors consider the ones included in packages a subset.

I couldn't tell if the Woolson card is a chromolithograph, which sometimes are monochromatic but most often have multiple colors. If your card isn't a "chromo," it might be earlier than the 1880s. Trade cards were used in earlier periods, and the ones I've seen are monochromatic.

For anyone who doesn't know, chromolithographs are pretty easy to identify under magnification. The different color blocks show irregularly sized dots.

 

Bakersgma, oh, I'd save the album cover if possible. Maybe you could you put new pages in using acid-free scrapbook paper?

That's cool to have family documents going that far back.

 

I also have that same GG Grandfather's original Naturalization Certificate from 1842.

I looked at the construction of the album this morning and it looks like all the pages are bound into the cover. I'm thinking I would need to have professional assistance to replace the pages with new acid-free ones.

 

I wish I had those types of documents for my family... that's great that your relatives saved them!

Any chance the cover of your album could be removed and then glued onto the front of a new album?

 

I'm not sure. The inside of the covers (both front and back) have a fabric glued to them (although one corner of the fabric on the front cover is loose) and the fabric seems to be an integral part of the sheaf of pages. The stack of pages is sewn to a stiff "canvas" strip which is not (no longer?) glued to the cover spine. So I guess I could carefully remove the cover from the pages by continuing to loosen that fabric and the pages would come out in one piece, while leaving the cover intact?

I happened to stop by an art and framing shop this morning that has a large photo album supply section. I may go back next week when things are quieter (we're having our annual "street fair" this weekend and the crowds are awful) and take dimensions of the cover to see what they can suggest.

 

It sounds like it might work. If you're able to post photos, maybe some of us would be able to make suggestions.

 

I hate to take this thread off track. I'll try to get some explanatory pictures and start a new one.

 

Love these cards Pat,the one with the frog is wonderful!

 

Bakersgma, sure, makes sense.

Thanks, csgirl. I think he's wonderful, too!

 

These are the only two I have.
Book i found both of these in the small framed picture area at my local thrift store. You should try looking there.

Mikey

 

Bookahtoo, good question. To find individual cards in person, I think you might have to go to a specialty show or an antiques shop that specializes in paper. Otherwise, I think your best bet is to look for antique scrap albums since cards in albums stood a much better chance of surviving than individual cards.

My hunch is that most online dealers removed the cards they have for sale from albums.

 

The Raymond card is adorable! The other one may have been given out to be used as a bookmark.

There's an Essex Street in Salem, MA, so I bet that's where the Curtis store was located.

 

Absolutely Salem, MA!

Those are great, Mikey.

 

Not all of them are "politically correct" though . .

 

I have some of the non-politically correct cards, too. I've scanned them, but haven't tried selling them yet. The whole idea bothers me, although I understand that at least some of the buyers are African Americans. I feel like if I list them, I should put in a long disclaimer!

I did sell a Black Americana card recently, but it's a politically correct one with a charming image...

...

 

I bet you are correct on the Curtis one pat. There is no advertising on the back.
Thanks Bakersgma