Agents Sample Book Visiting Cards (5 results)

42 elaborately printed and embossed sample visiting cards, some folding and some moveable; some annotated with item number and price per dozen. 12mo, original cloth-backed stiff wrappers printed in blue. Light use; extremely attractive. On front cover: "Price 25 Cents. Given as a Premium for a $1.00 Card Order.".

Oblong 12mo. 10 leaves of purple and tan paper, with plain sample cards showing prices on two leaves, 16 embossed Victorian chromolithographic sample visiting cards on the other eight. The company moved to Totoket from New Haven in 1893 and went out of business in 1905. OCLC locates two copies (Connecticut Historical Society, Franklin and Marshall). Very good. Original cloth-backed printed tan boards. (7174).

12mo. 4.75 x 6.5 in. [32 pp (unpaginated).], w/ 23 visiting cards mounted, nearly all embossed raised colour-chromolithograph die-cut visiting card samples tipped-in, most w/ stock no. & price info printed on blank card mounted. Quarter-black cloth over light blue-green printed & decorated covers, red lettering & decorative border on front cover (minor dustsoiling, minor toning, thumbing to covers), still VG exemplar, w/ final sheet listing orders by Obadiah & Norman Shearer, E.M. Baley, Alice Miller, and Lewis Bordner totaling .75¢. First edition of this wonderfully preserved salesman's catalogue of Victorian die-cut chromolithograph visiting cards from the Crown Card Co. in Columbus, OH. The Crown Card Co. does not appear in street directory listings, or commercial listings in and around Columbus, Ohio through from 1880 through 1910, so it may have been operating purely as mail order subsidiary from the Crown Card Co. located in Cadiz, OH through salesmen and sales agents, with notice on the front cover here indicating that this catalogue was "given as a premium for a $ 1.00 card order." At the height of the Victorian era, many would carry these specially printed novelty cards to introduce themselves, for social calls, and even for wooing a prospective spouse. Traveling salesmen would often contract with one or more card maker, and many could make a very good living selling the beautifully printed pieces. No copies in Worldcat, 1 similar copy located in the Clements Library, Univ. of Michigan.

12mo. 4.75 x 7 in. [28 pp (unpaginated).], w/ 29 visiting cards mounted, nearly all embossed raised colour-chromolithograph die-cut visiting card samples tipped-in, most w/ sales information printed on blank card mounted, or in pencil manuscript. Quarter-black cloth over black printed & decorated covers, gilt lettering on front cover (minor dustsoiling, minor toning, shelfwear, slight offsetting to facing pages), still VG exemplar. First edition of this scarce and exceptionally preserved salesman's catalogue of Victorian die-cut chromolithograph visiting cards. The Clinton Brothers maintained a successful printing house and stationery store which specialized in visiting and address cards, often with promotions for note paper, pen knives, or cuff buttons & shirt studs. The business appears to have possibly drawn upon colour lithography printers in Rochester, NY, and surrounding areas for their chromolithograph catalogues and novelties, which also included greeting cards, postcards, and advertisements. At the height of the Victorian era, many would carry these specially printed cards to introduce themselves, for social calls, and even for wooing a prospective spouse. Traveling salesmen would often contract with one or more card maker, and many could make a very good living selling the beautifully printed pieces. Worldcat locates 2 similar copies (Toronto Pub. Lib. & CT Mus. Culture & Hist.).

A heavy stock cover agent's or salesmen's sample book for embossed die-cut scraps. The title references Visiting Cards; the assumption is that applying storied theme scraps to one's visiting card may have been a marketing idea, that didn't take hold. This particular book includes eleven samples from the Bluebeard series of scraps. Each approximately 1 ½" x 1 ½" with a captioned picture. .n.d. (c1905). 3 ½" x 5 ¾". Light edge wear.