Introduction to the Trade Card Collection

In 1891, Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild, one of the pre-eminent collectors of his generation and a man fascinated by all aspects of eighteenth-century life and society, acquired a collection of printed paper ephemera to do with trade. After the prints arrived at Waddesdon, they were rearranged and pasted into four leather-bound volumes, how they appear today. The volumes contain over 700 trade cards (early shop advertisements) and related items, mostly from France, but also from Germany and elsewhere on the continent. They date from the early seventeenth to early nineteenth centuries and are for suppliers as diverse as hat-makers, stationers, goldsmiths, print-sellers and confectioners. Together they offer a unique insight into the commercial and social world of the past.

In 2004 it was recognised that this little known collection, rich in research possibilities, should be made available to a wider audience. This catalogue is the result, created through a Leverhulme funded research project 'Selling Consumption in the 18th Century', a joint venture between the University of Warwick and Waddesdon Manor.

The catalogue is designed to be used by anyone interested in trade cards. All cards have been transcribed in their original language and translated into English, so language should not be a barrier to interested members of the public or undergraduate students (foreign users unable to understand English fields can use those designated 'original language'. At the same time, the cards have been catalogued in a very detailed way meaning that the resource should be a valuable resource for students and scholars carrying out advanced level study.

For more information on the many ways of interrogating the catalogue, please read the 'how to search' and 'field notes' via the Help button. To look at examples of queries and how to construct searches read 'sample searches'

Further Resources

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