Victorian Ephemera

"Yours Truly. A. J. Clark."

The Rev. John William Hamilton was founding pastor of the People's Church in Boston, where he served from 1875 to 1884. He was later elected as a bishop in the Methodist Episcopal Church. This fundraising card provides evidence of the ambitious building program that took place during Hamilton's tenure at the church. According to The Centennial of New England Methodism (Boston, Mass: Crawford Brothers, 1891), ed. George A. Crawford, the construction of the People's Church took about seven years. "The corner-stone of the chapel and parsonage was laid May 27, 1877.... The corner-stone of the church-building itself was not laid until July 3, 1882, and the building was not opened for worship until Sunday, February 10, 1884" (pp. 508-9). The Owner of This Card Has Purchased One Brick in the People's Church Cor. of Columbus Avenue and Berkely St., Boston. The Rev. J. W. Hamilton, pastor. The edifice combines three buildings in one: the church, parsonage, and chapel. The main auditorium will seat 3000 people; the chapel opens into it, greatly increasing its capacity. No expensive tower or costly ornaments, and the church will be free. The Rev. D. W. Couch, financial agent. D. E. Poland, pres. and treas. board of trustees. "The rich and poor meet together; the Lord is the maker of them all." [Proverbs 22:2.]

"H. M. Bruck, merchant tailor, No. 118 Park Avenue, near Lexington Street, Baltimore."

"Be sober, be vigilant. I Peter V.8. Marcus Ward & Co. Ent. Sta. Hall." For another Bible verse card by Marcus Ward, see Children, Obey Your Parents .

"Independent Order of Cadets of Temperance. We educate to love truth & temperance. This is to certify that ________ is a member in regular standing in ________ sect., no. ____, I.O. of C.T. ________ G. ________, 18____. Elliott, printer, cor. 4th & New, below Vine." For a similar membership card, see Theodore K. Young, Independent Order of Cadets of Temperance, 1858 .

"Independent Order of Cadets of Temperance. We educate to love truth & temperance. This is to certify that Theodore K. Young is a member in regular standing in Crystal Fount Sect. No. 15, I.O. of C.T. Geo. King, G. Sep. 15th 1858." For a similar membership card, see Independent Order of Cadets of Temperance .

Compare this pledge card with a Lincoln-Lee Legion Pledge Card, 1903 , and an Anti-Cigarette Pledge, 1916 . "Touch not. Taste not. Handle not. Pledge. I hereby promise, by the help of God, to abstain from the use of all intoxicating liquors, including wine, beer, and cider, as a beverage; from the use of tobacco in any form, and from all profanity. National Temperance Society, 58 Reade Street, New York."

Or to put it more straightforwardly, this acquaintance card asks, "May I see you home?" The Encyclopedia of Ephemera (New York: Routledge, 2000), p 4, provides additional information: "A novelty variant of the American calling card of the 1870s and 1880s, the acquaintance card was used by the less formal male in approaches to the less formal female. Given also as an 'escort card' or 'invitation card,' the device commonly carried a brief message and a simple illustration.... Flirtatious and fun, the acquaintance card brought levity to what otherwise might have seemed a more formal proposal. A common means of introduction, it was never taken too seriously."

J. Kohn, the leading clothier and hatter, corner First and Morrison Sts., Portland, Oregon.

W. H. Shoemaker, sheet music, pianos, organs, music books, No. 11 South Third Street, Harrisburg, Pa.

Dr. Hand's Remedies for Children Mothers, use Dr. Hand's Colic Cure in place of stupefying syrups, paregoric, and cordials. Immediate relief for wind colic or crying babies. Not injurious. Pleasant physic, teething lotion, diarrhoea mixture, cough and croup medicine. Colic cure, worm elixir, general tonic, chafing.

"J. T. Handford, importing dealer in postage stamps for collectors, P.O. Box 1870, New York. Stamps bought, sold, and exchanged. Circulars free." For a closer view of the stamp affixed to the middle of the card, mouse over it to see an enlargement, or go to Hussey's Express Special Message Stamp .

"Hussey's Express Special Message. 54 Pine St., N.Y. R. Easson, prop'r. N. F. Seebeck, Wall St., N.Y." This stamp was affixed to a nineteenth-century postage stamp dealer's business card. See J. T. Handford, Importing Dealer in Postage Stamps for Collectors (below).

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.