As the sport of baseball was introduced in the 1800s, baseball cards didn't take too long to follow. When exactly the first cards were printed depends on your interpretation of the word 'cards'. But the earliest cards are generally recognized by most collectors as beginning in the 1860s. By the end of the century, those cards had been through quite a few changes. Here's a brief … [Read more...]
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19th Century Trade Cards Had Charm And A Message
Advertising was much simpler in the late 19th century. Think of it: no Internet, social media, television or radio. Certainly, there were newspapers and magazines, but enterprising businessmen used a more personal way to tout their companies during the Victorian era. Trade cards. These were small, illustrated advertising cards. A drawing on the front was usually … [Read more...]
A Look At Victorian Sports Trade Cards, Scraps and Die Cuts
This column is a quick look at the fanciful, colorful and esoteric collecting genre of Victorian era sports trade cards, die cuts and scraps. Trade Cards Trade cards were freebie cards used as advertisement. Unlike with premiums, supplements and inserts, they weren't directly tied to the sale of a product-- meaning you didn't have to buy something to get them or … [Read more...]
