The Winterthur Library

 The Joseph Downs Collection of Manuscripts and Printed Ephemera

Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum, Winterthur, DE  19735

302-888-4600 or 800-448-3883

 

 

OVERVIEW OF THE COLLECTION

 

Creator:          Demarest, Audrey                               

Title:               Audrey Demarest calling card collection

Dates:             ca.1847-ca.1920

Call No.:         Col. 832

Acc. No.:         08x16

Quantity:        ca.3500 items

Location:        14 E 4-6

 

 

 

BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT

 

Dr. Audrey Demarest amassed most of the calling cards in this collection.  She was a physician in Whitesboro, New York.  Gifts from others were added to the collection before it was acquired by the Downs Collection.

 

 

SCOPE AND CONTENT

 

A large collection of calling cards, including a few handwritten cards, as well as many printed cards, including a large assortment of hidden name cards.  As well, the collection includes salesmen’s sample books of calling cards, a photo album used to house calling cards, some trade cards, scraps, a scrapbook and a few loose scrapbook pages, and a few dance programs, rewards of merit, party invitations, postcards, greeting cards, and trade catalogs.  Also included is a certificate of vaccination for a passenger on a ship of the White Star Line.

 

 

ORGANIZATION

 

The calling cards were arranged by the Munson-Williams-Proctor Art Institute before they were purchased by the Downs Collection, and that arrangement has been maintained.  The collection is in two series: I. Audrey Demarest collection, and II. Materials from other sources. 

 

The calling cards are divided into two categories: single, i.e. a single layer of paper, and layered, i.e. cards decorated with added scrap, usually to cover or hide the name. 

 

Most items are marked with the accession number of the Munson-Williams-Proctor Art Institute.  Items with numbers which begin with 87.9 are from the Audrey Demarest donation.  All other items came from other donors.

 

 

LANGUAGE OF MATERIALS

 

The materials are in English.

 

 

RESTRICTIONS ON ACCESS

 

Collection is open to the public.  Copyright restrictions may apply.

           

 

PROVENANCE

           

Purchased from the Munson-Williams-Proctor Art Institute.

 

 

ACCESS POINTS

 

Topics:

Alling Brothers (Durham, Conn.)

Centerbrook Card Co. (Centerbrook, Conn.)

Columbia Yarns.

Columbus Card Company (Columbus, Ohio)

            F.A.O. Schwarz. (Firm).

            F.W. Austin (New Haven, Conn.)

Henry Hesse (New York, N.Y.)

            J.L. Patten & Co.

Ohio Card Company (Cadiz, Ohio)

Ray Card Company (North Haven, Conn.)

Snow & Co. (Meriden, Conn.)

W.W. Harrison Co. (New York, N.Y.)

                       

Braid.

            Calligraphy.

            Decalcomania.

            Fishing – Equipment and supplies.

            Immigrants – United States.

Knitting – Catalogs.

Paper products – Catalogs.

            Sales by samples.

            Staffs (sticks, canes, etc.)

            Umbrellas and parasols – Catalogs.

            Visiting cards.

            Calling cards.

            Dance cards.

            Greeting cards.

Invitations.

Postcards.

Rewards of merit.

Scrapbooks.

Scraps.

Trade cards.

Trade catalogs.

           

 

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION

 

Location: 14 E 4-6

 

 

Series I: Dr. Demarest’s collection

 

Note: A printout of the Munson-Williams-Proctor Art Institute’s finding aid to the Dr. Demarest collection is available at this repository.  The Munson-Williams-Proctor Art Institute retained a few examples for its collection.

 

 

Box 1: calling cards: single: handmade and printed

 

Handmade (handwritten, calligraphy, handmade with added scrap);

Handmade with address (printed cards with names and towns written in, calligraphy, handwritten);

Dated (handmade or printed);

Printed samples, with makers’ (i.e. printers’) names;

Printed samples;

Printed blanks

 

 

Box 2: calling cards: single: printed

 

With address;

Shaped;

With folded corner;

Specialized: advertising (i.e. trade cards);

Specialized: advertising (i.e. trade cards), with maker’s (i.e. printer’s) name;

Specialized, with birthday greetings;

Specialized, with Christmas greetings;

Specialized, with doodles or drawings on back;

Specialized: cards for those in mourning;

Specialized, with New Year greetings;

Specialized, with patriotic designs;

Specialized, with photographs (printed and handmade);

Specialized, religious;

Specialized, Valentines [actually, a marriage proposal, not Valentine greetings];

Undecorated, white (A-H)

 

 

Box 3: calling cards: single: printed

 

Undecorated, white (H-Z)

Undecorated, colored or textured;

Printed, with maker’s mark;

Colored, with birds;

Monochromatic, with birds

 

 

Box 4: calling cards: single: printed

 

Birds and motto;

Birds and verse;

Bordered, colored;

Bordered, monochromatic;

Butterflies;

Cats;

Cupid;

Deer;

Dogs;

Eggs;

Fans;

Feathers;

Fish;

Flowers (continues in next box)

 

 

Box 5: calling cards: single: printed

 

Flowers (continued from previous box);

Fruit;

Hands;

Handwritten signature;

Horseshoes;

Motto, colored;

Motto, monochromatic;

Musical instruments

 

 

Box 6: calling cards: single: printed

 

People, colored cards;

People, monochromatic;

People, with motto;

Rebus;

Seashells;

Scenes, colored;

Scenes, monochromatic;

Scenes, with motto;

Scenes, with verse;

Shoes;

Verses

Unusual (includes acquaintance cards, Centennial motifs, a card for Gen. Tom Thumb and one for Mother Goose, and an assortment of styles);

Unusual: hold to light

 

 

Box 7: calling cards: layered (i.e. hidden name): handwritten and printed, with attached scrap

 

Handwritten inscription (hidden-name cards, with either another name written on back or a name written underneath the scrap);

Handwritten, with address (hidden-name cards, with either another name and address written on back or a name and address written underneath the scrap);

Handwritten name, with applied decoration;

Dated;

Samples, with makers’ [i.e. printers’] names;

Samples of three layers;

Samples with envelopes (separate or attached to card);

Sample with fringe;

Samples: plain, rectangular background;

Samples: rectangular cards with printed decoration or shaped cards;

Samples: rectangular cards with embossed designs

 

Box 8: calling cards: layered: printed, with attached scrap

 

Samples: shaped cards;

Samples: shaped cards with colored edges;

Samples; shaped cards with gold or silver edges;

Samples: shaped cards, with pierced borders;

Samples: shaped cards, with embossed designs;

Samples: shaped cards, with printed borders;

Samples: oval shaped cards;

Samples: shaped cards, with folded corner;

Samples: shaped cards of unusual design (diamonds, palettes, fans, etc.);

Blank layered cards (assorted shapes, with fringe, printed border, etc.) (continues in next box)

 

 

Box 9: calling cards: layered: printed, with attached scrap

 

Blank layered cards (assorted shapes, with fringe, printed border, etc.) (continued from previous box);

With address;

Three layers;

Envelope attached (continues in next box)

 

 

Box 10: calling cards: layered: printed, with attached scrap

 

Envelope attached (continued from previous box);

Envelope with card;

Fringed cards;

Ribbons attached to cards;

Rectangular plain hidden-name cards;

Rectangular cards with applied decoration (names not hidden);

Rectangular hidden-name cards with printed border (continues in next box)

 

 

Box 11: calling cards: layered: printed, with attached scrap

 

Rectangular hidden-name cards with printed border (continued from previous box);

Rectangular hidden-name cards with embossed design;

Shaped-edge hidden-name cards  (continues in next box)

 

 

Box 12: calling cards: layered: printed, with attached scrap

 

Shaped-edge hidden-name cards  (continued from previous box)

 

 

Box 13: calling cards: layered: printed, with attached scrap

 

Shaped-edge hidden-name cards, with color along edges (continues in next box)

 

 

Box 14: calling cards: layered: printed, with attached scrap

 

Shaped-edge hidden-name cards, with color along edges (continued from previous box);

Shaped-edge hidden-name cards, with gold or silver along edges

Shaped-edge hidden-name cards, with pierced border

Shaped-edge hidden-name cards, with printed border

 

 

Box 15: calling cards: layered: printed, with attached scrap

 

Shaped-edge hidden-name cards, with embossed designs;

Oval shaped hidden-name cards;

Hidden-name cards with folded corner;

General (assorted) shaped hidden-name cards;

Hidden-name cards with patriotic designs;

Hidden-name cards with holiday messages;

Hidden-name cards with black borders for mourning;

Assorted other hidden-name cards

 

 

Box 16: album

 

Photo album used to hold calling cards, mostly single cards printed with colored designs; many names are repeated

 

 

Box 17: other items

 

F.W. Austin (New Haven, Conn.) – “Album of Samples” [of calling cards] (see also Box 18);

Ohio Card Co. (Cadiz, Ohio) – “Sample Album” [of calling cards];

Scranton Wetmore & Co. (Rochester, N.Y.) – box of calling cards;

Snow & Co. (Meriden, Conn.) – “Sample Book” [of calling cards];

Announcements: births, engagement;

Book of stickers: “Please do not open until Christmas”;

Calligraphy drawings, with names, 1882;

Calling cards in an envelope;

Greeting cards; acknowledgment card;

Invitations;

Postcards;

Trade cards

 

 

Box 18: oversize items

 

4 loose scrapbook pages, all include calling cards, plus greeting cards, trade cards, album pictures, and scrap;

Salemen’s samples from Centerbrook Card Co. (Centerbrook, Conn.); Alling Brothers (Durham, Conn.); F.W. Austin (New Haven, Conn. – see also box 17); Columbus Card Company (Columbus, Ohio, two sample folders); and Ray Card Company (North Haven, Conn.)

 

 

 

 

 

Series II: Calling cards and items not collected by Dr. Demarest

 

Box 1: scraps and calling cards

 

Scraps: nature (animals, plants, fruit);

Scraps: with saying, poem, or greeting;

Scraps: no greeting (mostly hands holding flowers, also scenes);

Scraps: figures and faces;

Scraps: patriotic, presidents, first lady, John Rogers statue of patriotic scene;

Scraps: miscellaneous and samples;

Calling cards: arranged A-Z, plus blanks, illegible names, and multiple cards in envelopes;

Rewards of merit cards

 

 

Box 2: trade cards, trade catalogs, greeting cards, etc. (acc. 08x16.1-.34)

 

Trade cards

Trade catalog: Columbia Yarns, “The Columbia Book of the Use of Yarns,” 1901, with knitting instructions;

Trade catalog: F.A.O. Schwarz: “Black Bass Fishing, n.d., and “The Decker Grand Prize Baits,” ca.1913;

Trade catalogs: Henry Hesse: yarns, embroidery materials, knitted goods, hosiery, catalogues no. 124 and 127, 1910 and 1912, in English and German;

Trade catalog: J.L. Patten & Co., “Decalcomania or Transfer Pictures,” with decals, 1874;

Trade catalog: W.W. Harrison Co.: Holiday Umbrellas and Walking Sticks, n.d.;

Sample: Mercerized Ric Rac Braid, art. 1336, packet of red rickrack, with cover intact, stamped on back: Compliments of Princess Silk Mills;

Invitations;

Dance cards;

Greeting cards, embossed envelope, blank card, booklet “Grains of Gold”;

Immigrant health pass (certificate of vaccination);

Sheet of scrap;

Calling cards: cards glued together, sample sheet, instructions for making a card case (on reverse: suggestion for ornamenting a comb with loops of velvet)

 

 

Volume on shelf: (acc. 08x16.35):    

 

Scrapbook, inscribed on front flyleaf: Susie B. Warren from Mother, n.d., with trade cards (some advertising businesses in Rochester, N.Y.), scrap, album cards, greeting cards; some pages are loose, one post card is loose