The Porcelain Trade Card

Porcelain trade cards represent a fascinating intersection of art, commerce, and culture during the 19th century. They showcased intricate designs, often breathtakingly beautiful, featuring elaborate borders, swirling fonts, and artful depictions of the products being advertised.

Also known as "cartes porcelaine" and typically produced in Belgium between the 1840s and 1860s, these cards were coated with white lead for a porcelain-like sheen giving them a smooth surface perfect for lithography. Iridescent colours were achieved by the sprinkling of metallic powders whilst the printing ink was still wet.

• From Top
• Trade card for manufacturer of liqueurs and syrups
• Ve de Candt Faveers, No 79 Marché aux Oeufs, Bruges
• Printed by Daveluy, lithographer to the King, Bruges
• Mid-19th century
• 140 x 103mm (5½ x 4in)

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• Trade card for painters, varnishers and marblers
• Stanus Frères, No 12 Rue des Grainiers, Ghent
• Printed by L. Defferrez, lithographer, Ghent
• Mid-19th century
• 146 x 120mm (5¾ x 4¾in)

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• Trade card of stationer supplying an assortment of cards for albums
• Olin, 79 Rue de la Montagne, Brussels
• Printed in chromolithography by G. Jacqmain, Ghent
• 140 x 103mm (5½ x 4in)