Trade Card for Josh Cross, Engraver & Printer 1800 - 1900

This is an anonymous trade card for Josh Cross, an engraver and printer in London. It’s made of paper, printed with what looks like engraved lines. The card itself serves as a demonstration of Cross's skillful engraving. Note how the density of the lines creates tone, and the incredibly fine detail of the lettering and flourishes. The text tells us he is capable of engraving on a variety of hard materials - stone, steel, silver, and brass. So, we get a sense of the range of his technical capabilities. It is a beautiful object in its own right, but it also speaks to the growing commercial culture of the time. The trade card was a means of advertising and self-promotion, a small, portable demonstration of one’s wares and services. It speaks of the rise of a middle class, eager to participate in a consumer economy.