Color: the principle attraction

Color was the principle attraction of Victorian advertising trade cards. Magazines and newspapers of the time were black & white. This Lion Coffee card had color for sure and it was embossed, too!

As can be seen by the creases on the back, this card was embossed so that the design on the front of the card stood out in relief. For instance, the model's elbow can be viewed on this side of the card just above the "T" of Toledo.

Embossing + Calligraphy = flashy Victorian trade card

Rose child

Embossing made some Lion Coffee cards special. Adding interest, the fancy calligraphy on the backs of their colorful cards became legendary.



The Graphic Designer's Guide to Embossing is an excellent introduction to the craft, which is also discussed on Wikipedia.

  The Paper has crafting tips and directions for your hand embossing activities with some handy references.