Trade Card for J. Throsby, printer, stationer and printseller 1700 - 1800

This is a trade card printed for J. Throsby, a printer, stationer, and printseller in Leicester, England. Trade cards like these were the business cards of their day, and this one speaks volumes about the culture of print and commerce in its time. The card’s design is rich with visual cues, from the depiction of a printing press to the stacks of neatly bound books, underscoring the value placed on craftsmanship and literacy. Leicester, as an emerging urban center during this period, would have seen a rise in demand for printed materials, reflecting broader trends in education and civic engagement. The card gives us a view of the social and economic landscape of the time. Understanding the history of print culture and the growth of institutions that supported it helps us contextualize this card. Resources such as period directories, local histories, and printing trade records would help us understand the significance of J. Throsby.