The vibrant colors of this antique Victorian trade card issued by J&P Coats Thread really pop when printed on a metal surface. Whether decorating the walls of a home or sewing studio, this printed metal art sign adds a lovely vintage touch. You can choose to attach the provided 1/2" thick mounting block to the back so the print floats off the wall, or use something like removable Command strips Velcro picture hangers for a closer wall mount. There are 3 different birds in this series, and there are several different background colors available in my shop to complement the colors in the print and surrounding decor. Mix and match or create a grouping with the set.
.: Material: 3mm aluminum composite
.: Matte finish
.: Includes one mounting block, metal plate, and double-sided tape for hanging
.: Customer assembly is required for hanging plate. For indoor use only
This image is from my personal collection of antique Victorian Trade Cards, which largely date from 1876-1900. When these vibrant little chromolithograph cards were introduced, color printing was still a novelty that had just become affordable on a mass scale. People were delighted to receive complimentary advertising cards or "chromos" from local merchants and many began collecting them in scrapbooks.
Trade cards tell a visual story of life during the American Industrial Revolution, as mechanization and manufacturing produced an array of new products and companies to market to a growing consumer audience. Businesses could choose from a variety of generic stock cards with blank spaces to add an imprint of their business name, and some larger companies also commissioned their own designs in hopes of making their brand memorable and educating consumers on the virtues of their products.
I routinely do digital restoration of the images to remove small age spots or worn areas before they are reprinted at high resolution. As the original cards are quite small (often in the ballpark of 3" x 5"), tiny text and other details can be seen better in larger copies. I imagine many Victorian collectors used magnifying glasses to read some of these cards! Stippling from the original printing process becomes more apparent in larger versions such as posters, and available sizes are limited to what can be printed while maintaining clear resolution.