Trade Card for Rothwell & Hicks, engravers 1700 - 1800

Curator: The visual delicacy of this trade card immediately struck me, particularly the refined script. It feels rather formal and precise. Editor: Indeed! This is a trade card for Rothwell & Hicks, engravers operating sometime between 1700 and 1800. What we're seeing is a print, most likely an etching on paper, showcasing typography, ink and some truly beautiful calligraphy. Curator: That emphasis on 'neatest manner' certainly speaks volumes, doesn’t it? Engraving in this period was as much about technical skill as aesthetic grace, crafting both images and status for clients. I find it fascinating how businesses sought to project a specific image. Editor: Precisely. The card acts as a visual signifier. Consider the text; "Seals and Copper Plates" evokes symbols of authority and permanence, implying reliability and tradition in their craft. It's fascinating how such things build brands through culturally embedded cues. It also reveals Birmingham was then, as now, an economic centre. Curator: Yes, this small piece offers insights into 18th-century commerce. It would be fascinating to learn about the engravers, their clientele and workshop practice. How such trade interactions facilitated social networks is what interests me. This small ephemeral object encapsulates cultural and commercial exchanges. Editor: For me it also exemplifies enduring design principles – clarity, elegance, and a strategic use of symbolic imagery. And in itself as an artefact, even now it speaks volumes about what businesses value in communication, it echoes even into our current, digital marketing efforts. Curator: Absolutely! It's a great demonstration that something as commonplace as a trade card serves a significant purpose. Editor: A small but mighty survival from a different time.