Victorian Die-Cut Advertising

Regular readers of this blog know that one of my passions is collecting 19th century advertising. I thought today I'd share some of my Victorian die-cut advertising. Sometimes the subject matter of the die cuts was appropriate for what was being sold, and sometimes, like the stove trade card above, there was no relationship whatsoever between the image and the product.

I'm not sure whether this was a real cigar brand but I love the imaginative design. Of course this would have been either a very large box or a very small cat!

China Hall, at 15 East King Street

These are the cards of E. C. Davis,

Penman & Card Writer

7 Weybasset Street, Providence

C. E. Poston School Books

Nelsonville, Ohio

This 1889 jelly roll actually advertised the "Happy Thought" Range. "You will make no mistake if you buy the 'Happy Thought'."

I feature this O.N.T. spool of thread in my short history of trade cards, found in the side bar or here.

This ad for china and glass is embossed to look and feel like a real saucer.

He-No Tea, a real life preserver!

H. J. Heinz took an active interest in all his promotions. I wouldn't be surprised if had personally approved this die-cut pickle.

from A Victorian Scrapbook  |  Cynthia Hart, John Grossman and Priscilla Dunhill

Die-cut advertising is not to be confused with the popular die cuts that were called "scraps." They came in sheets like the sample above, and could be separated into individual die cuts.

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