Trade Card for Emden & Co, Picture Dealer 1800 - 1900

C. Cole made this trade card for Emden & Co, picture dealers, at an unknown date in the 1800s. Trade cards like this offer us a glimpse into the world of commerce and consumption in 19th century London. Emden & Co, located on the Strand, were not just picture dealers, but also importers of 'French and German fancy goods, alabaster figures &c'. This suggests a market for continental European luxury items among the British middle and upper classes. Notice the phrase 'Pictures cleaned, lined, & restored' in the top left, hinting at the emergence of art restoration as a specialized service and growing art market. The card’s design, with its elaborate script, also speaks to the importance of visual appeal in attracting customers. The Metropolitan Museum, as an institution dedicated to preserving and interpreting art, provides a context for us to understand the historical significance of this everyday object. By studying trade cards and other ephemera, alongside more traditional art historical sources, we can gain a richer understanding of the social and cultural world in which art was made, bought, and sold.