Anthropomorphic The image on the trade card is an animal or inanimate object that is given 'human' qualities, wearing human clothing, doing human things.
Before and After Card (With/Without) These are 'metamorphic', or showing change. The before & after card shows in some way, what life is like before using the product advertised... then the card shows the after image ~ or what life is like since using it!!! [It's always positive... the advertiser wants you to buy his product!]
Calling Card (Visitor's Cards) Generally the size of a business card. Victorian etiquette requested that the caller, or visitor, to leave a token of one's visit. Most calling cards have an attached scap which is lifted to reveal the callers nprinted name.
Die-Cut Card The trade card or scrap was shaped in a particular way - at times, but not always, to mimic the item advertised. A die was cast so that hundreds of the cards could be cut, mechanically, then colored and printed.
Embossed The card, or other paper ephemera, has a tactile feel to it... it's bumpy! This was created to mechanically put the 'relief' features in the paper stock.
Ephemera Very generally, ephemera is 'paper' that was not intended on being saved, let alone hold it's properties to last for over one hundred years. Victorian, Advertising Trade Cards are one TYPE of ephemera.
Hold-to-Light Printed on thin paper stock. The verso of the card has an image/text printed in a dark black ink. This image is BACKWARDS; so when it is viewed from the obverse side and held in a strong light source, you can see what it is!
Lithographer/Lithography The lithographer is whoprinted the coloured trade card. The unique process used a separate stone for each separate colour. It was painstaking... but the creations by some, can stand next to present-day photographs.
Mechanical Card Something attached to the card, like a wheel & grommet, moves, so that the picture changes.
Metamorphic Card (see Before & After, above)
Obverse The front of the trade card. This side usually has the color lithograph covering the bulk of the card. The Lithographer usually has his imprint on the lower portion, as well.
Puzzle Card Cards with either hidden pictures for the consumer to find, or more elaborate geometric or other 'brain' problems to solve. Puzzle cards are often stock cards.
Private Issue The opposite of a stock ussue, these cards were commissioned by a 'private company', with a more national distribution.
Scraps Were generally colored, embossed pieces of paper to be glued in scrapbooks. They depict items from animals to adults to furnishings to nursury characters.
Stock Images Generia images that were usually printed in large quantities, so any person could have their advertisement printed on them. One often finds BLANK stock cards (they never had the ad on it!)
Variants Variants, at first, look like the same exact image/text on two or more trade cards. Yet uupon closer inspection, there are differences. It could be in the size, style, or colouring used.The difference may also be due to different Lithographers.
Verso The back of the trade card. Many merchants had information about themselves and/or the product printed on this side.
