Trade Card for Brass Founders, Birmingham 1800

This anonymous trade card for brass founders in Birmingham pictures the burgeoning industry of the time. Created without a known artist, this print offers insight into the cultural and economic landscape of industrial England. The image captures a pivotal moment where industry reshaped social classes and identities. With factory settings juxtaposed against domestic scenes, the card speaks to an era of enormous change, particularly for the working class, who faced harsh conditions. The brass industry itself had complex ties to colonialism, utilizing resources obtained through exploitative means. The visual marketing of trade activities reflects not just economic exchange, but a social and cultural identity shaped by industrial output. Consider how such images bolstered a sense of commercial pride, even as they obscured the labor and exploitation that fueled the economy. The card functions as a historical artifact, revealing the interwoven stories of labor, identity, and economic ambition.