Trade Card for New Street., Birmingham 1800

Francis Eginton created this trade card for New Street, Birmingham using etching and engraving. Note the cherubic figures, classical motifs common during the late 18th and early 19th centuries, framing a list of merchants, drapers, and public buildings. These cherubs, reminiscent of classical putti, are visual descendants of ancient Cupid and Psyche figures. They symbolize commerce and divine favor, their presence meant to elevate the mundane act of trade to a realm of higher aspiration. The scroll they hold, listing the city’s merchants, echoes the Roman practice of public inscriptions, linking Birmingham’s commercial vitality to the grandeur of past empires. Such symbols remind us that even in trade, humanity seeks to imbue its activities with deeper meaning, connecting the present to a rich tapestry of cultural memory and aspiration. This card becomes not just an advertisement, but a testament to the enduring power of symbols to transcend time.