Seasonal
Most Victorian trade card artists are anonymous. Lion Coffee, however, reproduced this painting (probably watercolor) crediting the British artist Albert Bowers. It was created sometime between 1875 and 1893 and most likely made available as a trade card in the 1880s.
Below is another Albert Bowers card from Lion Coffee.
I call this "Riverside" but it's probably not in Newark NJ and certainly not on Market Street!
Small town and rural winter scenes were common on Victorian trade cards. Artists were none too careful, sometimes depicting "winter" trees in full leaf....
If you're competition is Lion Coffee's outstanding line of advertising trade cards, you have to counter with something spectacular.
"Summer's bounty," above, with its splash of white daisies against a purple watermill background, grabbed attention with its bold contrasts.
W.M. Hoyt's 19th century advertising policy was explained on the back of the card (to your left). The emphasis was to be on quality rather than newspaper advertising, but they obviously gave away colorful trade cards as well.
Sightseeing was popular in the Victorian era.
As usual, one had to be properly dressed for the occasion!
Printed for Lion Coffee (Woolson Spice Co., Toledo OH), this embossed card has elegant framing for multiple seasons. Minor color variations were introduced during processing.
Fishing near the shore, this unknown fisherman in this charming but unidentified landscape is overlain by a sheet of flowers on this anonymous card. From artist to lithographer to the advertiser who handed it out--all of this is shrouded in mystery on this 19th century advertising trade card. The flowers, however, may be a variety of Cosmos.
Is it spring yet? The flock wonders if they have arrived a bit early on this Lion Coffee trade card.
The subtle colors of the winter view above calm the spirit. The artist, "EB." has yet to be identified.
Flowers for a festive occasion are on the way!
... A troika from Woolson Spice Company's Lion Coffee brand ...
An anonymous card finds the color in a winter landscape.
Seasonal fantasy
It's not just the holiday, but the anticipation and the afterglow that makes this season exciting!
Autumn, left and Spring, right.
At one time, but no longer in our time,
The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co. (A & P) grocery stores were everywhere east of the Mississippi, as the backs of these cards showed.
Can you find a location near you?
"I'll take the cottage, with or without the range!"
