Here is a very colorful trade card for Berry Brothers Architectural
Finishes – Uncle Sam supplying the world with architectural finishes. Uncle Sam
supplies people of all cultures in costume with gallon can of their varnish.
Victorian trade cards are an early form of collectible advertising. Popularized
after the Civil War by businesses, they offer a colorful and diverse look at
popular culture and society in the late 1800s. Trade cards originated in
England in the 1700s with tradesmen advertising their wares. But the advent of
lithography in the 1870s made it possible to mass-produce them in color,
leading to a golden age from 1876 to the early 1900s when halftone printed
newspaper and magazine ads became more economical. Trade cards typically had a
picture on one side and an ad on the other. Postcard sized. Very clean and nice
card. Colors are clean and bright. In addition to the trade card is a booklet
published by Berry Brothers for children. I believe the title was “Around the
World in a Berry Wagon.” Illustrated by W
W Denslow with 25 color plates. It
has no covers and the spine is taped. But inside are color illustrations
showing children from numerous locations around the world with a description of
each. Detroit US, Sunny South, Mexico, Peru, Canada, Alaska, Japan, China,
Australia, India, Africa, Transval Colony (British ruled South Africa), 2 page
map, Egypt, Spain, France, Switzerland, Germany, Netherlands, Russia, Lapland,
Scandinavia, Scotland, Ireland and England. No text page for England. No
covers. Rough edges. Too bad the covers are missing. This is a rare and
wonderful children’s booklet. Sold together only.