Calling Cards

"Yours Truly. A. J. Clark."

This photographic calling card belonged to Ellen Sophia Auchey (1860-1942), who lived in York County, Pa. The card likely dates to sometime before 1886, which is the approximate year that she married Adam B. Laughman (1865-1930).

One of five John S. Kriebel calling cards--two photographic cards ( John S. Kriebel and J. S. K. ) and three chromolithographed cards ( John S. Kriebel , John S. Kriebel, Only Thee , and John S. Kriebel, A Token of Love ). See also John S. Kriebel, Only Thee (Detail) , which shows the embellishments on the uppercase letters of the name, including a fish at the bottom of the S and a bird on the K. The typeface is MacKellar, Smiths & Jordan's Spencerian Script with ornamented capitals.

One of five John S. Kriebel calling cards--two photographic cards ( John S. Kriebel and J. S. K. ) and three chromolithographed cards ( John S. Kriebel , John S. Kriebel, Only Thee , and John S. Kriebel, A Token of Love ). See also John S. Kriebel, Only Thee (Detail) , which shows the embellishments on the uppercase letters of the name, including a fish at the bottom of the S and a bird on the K. The typeface is MacKellar, Smiths & Jordan's Spencerian Script with ornamented capitals.

One of five John S. Kriebel calling cards--two photographic cards ( John S. Kriebel and J. S. K. ) and three chromolithographed cards ( John S. Kriebel , John S. Kriebel, Only Thee , and John S. Kriebel, A Token of Love ). See also John S. Kriebel, Only Thee (Detail) , which shows the embellishments on the uppercase letters of the name, including a fish at the bottom of the S and a bird on the K. The typeface is MacKellar, Smiths & Jordan's Spencerian Script with ornamented capitals.

One of five John S. Kriebel calling cards--two photographic cards ( John S. Kriebel and J. S. K. ) and three chromolithographed cards ( John S. Kriebel , John S. Kriebel, Only Thee , and John S. Kriebel, A Token of Love ). See also John S. Kriebel, Only Thee (Detail) , which shows the embellishments on the uppercase letters of the name, including a fish at the bottom of the S and a bird on the K. The typeface is MacKellar, Smiths & Jordan's Spencerian Script with ornamented capitals.

One of five John S. Kriebel calling cards--two photographic cards ( John S. Kriebel and J. S. K. ) and three chromolithographed cards ( John S. Kriebel , John S. Kriebel, Only Thee , and John S. Kriebel, A Token of Love ). See also John S. Kriebel, Only Thee (Detail) , which shows the embellishments on the uppercase letters of the name, including a fish at the bottom of the S and a bird on the K. The typeface is MacKellar, Smiths & Jordan's Spencerian Script with ornamented capitals.

Detail from a calling card ( John S. Kriebel, Only Thee ) showing the embellishments on the uppercase letters, which include a fish at the bottom of the S and a bird on the K. The typeface is MacKellar, Smiths & Jordan's Spencerian Script with ornamented capitals. One of five John S. Kriebel calling cards--two photographic cards ( John S. Kriebel and J. S. K. ) and three chromolithographed cards ( John S. Kriebel , John S. Kriebel, Only Thee , and John S. Kriebel, A Token of Love ).

A Victorian-era hidden-name calling card.

A bright and colorful Victorian-era calling card.

"Imported Hand. C. C. Liechty." A sample Victorian-era calling card used to advertise this "Imported Hand" design.

"This is one card from our pack of 50 elegant assorted chromo cards. Gold, silver, tinted, shells, mottoes &c." A sample Victorian-era calling card.

A colorful Victorian calling card. The typeface used on the card is MacKellar, Smiths & Jordan's Spencerian Script with ornamented capitals.

"Gen. Wayne Herman. True loves offering."

"Mrs. Margaret Kushmore, nurse, No. 319 Richmond Street." An unusual Victorian-era business card. Calling cards that listed just a name were the norm for women and men in the late nineteenth century, but it's not as common to find a business card from that period that advertises a woman's name, occupation, and address in this manner. It's likely that this is the same Margaret Kushmore (1828-1909) who is buried in the East Cedar Hill Cemetery in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, which is located about six miles from the 319 Richmond Street address that she used on her card.