Saturday, May 21, 2011

Calling Cards

Victorian/Edwardian calling cards: my new favorite way to squander money. Here are the very first 15 of my brand new collection:

. . .

Rebecca J. Smith

Lucy Houser

Isaac M. Moote

Harvey Phipps

William R. Richardson

Ella R. Mankins

J.W. Batchelder

Mary Joyce

A. E. Merritt Stationary & New Depot

Ugnies Noland

Annie B. Mankins

Flora Mourphey

Paris Abbott

Janie Abbott

Abner A. Abbott
at

30 comments:

  1. Caitlin RoseMay 21, 2011 at 3:29 PM

    this would actually be a great way to get ideas for business cards (sorry to take the romance out). But I certainly love Mary Joyce' calling card!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Maria CasteelMay 21, 2011 at 4:10 PM

    they really are delightful. i think the 2nd one is my favorite

    ReplyDelete
  3. art deco dameMay 21, 2011 at 4:31 PM

    those are so pretty!

    ReplyDelete
  4. annaleehodgesMay 21, 2011 at 4:46 PM

    These are all so marvelous! Beautiful collection!

    ReplyDelete
  5. sweet harvest moonMay 21, 2011 at 5:48 PM

    These are beautiful!

    http://sweetharvestmoon.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  6. Miss Tallulah PorkchopMay 21, 2011 at 7:03 PM

    Wow, they are amazing.

    ReplyDelete
  7. YoshiMay 21, 2011 at 7:31 PM

    Wow! Thanks so much for posting these.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Ringo, have a banana!May 21, 2011 at 8:18 PM

    Aaaah the one with the roses is incredible! Just imagining the gentleman (Isaac!) who might have carried those is blowing my mind...

    ReplyDelete
  9. Percy OwlMay 21, 2011 at 8:37 PM

    So beautiful - I love the roundish one and the one with cut-out corners!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anna Wallace May 21, 2011 at 10:07 PM

    after looking at all of these gorgeous things... i have decided to make my own calling cards.

    ReplyDelete
  11. SWANclothingMay 21, 2011 at 10:08 PM

    I am utterly smitten. You know I always noticed in a book or film when people would leave their calling card. Why did I never think to look for them in real life? These are beautiful. My business cards don't have my name on them because I like the choice of sharing my name when I give out my card. I think I need to make cards that are solely for personal reasons, something like these. I think this is a brilliant way to squander you money :) thanks for posting these.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Carrie LynneMay 21, 2011 at 11:09 PM

    I love these!

    ReplyDelete
  13. deeMay 21, 2011 at 11:14 PM

    they are so lovely!

    i found you via tallulah!

    :D

    ReplyDelete
  14. DakotaMay 21, 2011 at 11:25 PM

    Ohh, how I love these!
    I have about a dozen pretty Victorian calling cards I found in out attic, they're just the sweetest. I sort of want to revive the tradition, but people would probably think I was crazy ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  15. Jo - Lost in the HazeMay 22, 2011 at 12:00 AM

    The fourth one is my favourite! The shape is absolute perfection.

    x
    www.lostinthehaze.com

    ReplyDelete
  16. KateMay 22, 2011 at 2:11 AM

    They are so beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
  17. MarchelineMay 22, 2011 at 12:35 PM

    Adorable. I love the way hands were depicted back then... as if no one had knuckles or wrist bones!

    ReplyDelete
  18. JuliaMay 22, 2011 at 5:30 PM

    I have so many of these! My grandparents just moved and my grandmother had to get rid of boxes of these (she used to be an antique paper dealer), and I was thinking of selling them on Etsy. Glad to see there's a market! I thought maybe I was the only one,

    ReplyDelete
  19. AnonymousMay 22, 2011 at 8:45 PM

    So beautiful.. Love them all :)

    http://leavingmynoteshere.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  20. SherryMay 22, 2011 at 10:37 PM

    Paris Abbott's card is my absolute favorite, hands down!

    ReplyDelete
  21. PharaMay 23, 2011 at 8:49 AM

    Wow, these are superb. Love the typography and the gorgeous flowers.
    X

    ReplyDelete
  22. Fear is a Dirty WordMay 23, 2011 at 1:30 PM

    So beautiful, I would love to design some for myself!

    ReplyDelete
  23. AnonymousMay 25, 2011 at 3:35 AM

    Beautiful !
    http://demoiselleaparis.canalblog.com/

    ReplyDelete
  24. amy borasMay 25, 2011 at 2:09 PM

    so beautiful. i have a small collection of these and adore them.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Bliss BuffetsMay 25, 2011 at 3:37 PM

    Stunning- they really don't make them like that anymore.....

    ReplyDelete
  26. NatashaMay 29, 2011 at 6:19 PM

    These are really pretty. I love things like this, the second card is definitely my favourite one. xxx

    ReplyDelete
  27. bethMay 30, 2011 at 11:12 AM

    You're not squandering your money- this is a genuine investment in fantastic-ness!

    ReplyDelete
  28. YnRJune 2, 2011 at 2:00 AM

    Very lovely collection!! The plain black print one with the elaborate handwriting is my favorite!

    ReplyDelete
  29. sjwhiddenJune 14, 2011 at 11:35 AM

    i LOVE the script one.. it's so fancy but slightly scrappy.
    i want calling cards now!

    ReplyDelete
  30. AnonymousJune 16, 2012 at 12:03 AM

    This would definitely give any blogger some unique business card appeal. Of course, maybe the modern males wouldn't be as into them, but they're beautiful nonetheless! Awesome.

    -Iddie Doll

    ReplyDelete