The Russellville Democrat., 1881-05-26
THE COLLECTORS OF CARDS.
An Epidemic that Spares Neither old Nor young, Estheuc Nor simple
 

"It seems to have first broken out in Boston," said a scrap book and album manufacturer, speaking to a reporter of the Sun about the card collecting mania. "At least, 1t was from that city that the great increase in the demand for books first came. New York soon followed; it has broken out with great violence in Philadelphia, and is moving westward like the epizooty. It does not yet seem to have penetrated the South to any extent, but it looks as if It would sweep the country. Our house manufactures 200 different styles of card albums, and turns out a thousand a day. We are behind our orders, and yet we are only one house among dozen here in the business"
 The books manufactured by this house for the use of card collectors range in price from 25 cents to $l0 apiece, and in quality from common cardboard backs to full morocco, with pages of fine card- board on which to mount the cards. All sorts of designs embellish the covers Japanese, arabesque, Eastlake, and non. descript. On some, silver paroquets sit on gold boughs; some display red palms, blue flowers and birds of gorgeous plum. age sailing Tn golden skies; some dis play groupings of cards in various colors; but the most expensive and durable are in plain morocco and gilt.
 We always have had more or less ap- plications for our cards" said member of firm that uses large variety of picture cards for advertising purposes,
 but they used to come mostly from school children, and Saturday was the day for the chidren's visits. But during the last six months card collecting seems to have become fashionable pursuit with all classes of people,. understand | that one of the finest collections in the city has been made by the wife of one ! of the vice presidents of the Erie rail. road. Another fine collection has been made by the wife of leading officer ol 1 the New York Central road. One of the l finest collections l have ever seen was made by an uptown doctor. Al first we used to give the cards freely to callers, but the pressure became so great that we had to stop the practice. Now we make collec- tions of cards which we sell for postage stamps from three cents upward. We pay as much as S400 thousand for some i fine large oleographs, which are in de- mand as centres for album pages. When d person comes in for cards, we
 
 | terms and stating that we can attend to applications received by mail only. We still receive many office applications, but the bulk now come by mail. During the past year we have sent out about | S6,000 worth of cards. There has beena small profit to us on them, while at the same time they bear our advertisements. We buy our cards 50 large quantities that we can dispose of them to collectors at small profit to ourselves, and yet supply them cheaply."
 Every mall brings many letters, en- closing stamps, to this house. Most come from New York, Boston and Philadelphia, but some from as far west as Chicago and as far south as Charleston. The firm have cards put up incollections ranging from three cents to $100 set.
 Some inv shops put up notice of sNo cards given away, in order to keep of collectors, but most of them are making use of the mania for advertising purposes, and give away cards to draw trade. The cards of invitation issued by many uptown retail stores for their Openings" this spring were beautifully illuminated. A millinery house got up beautiful card in the shape of two birds of gorgeous plumage, whose wings when opened displayed pictures of the latest styles in bonnets. Drug stores receive innumerable applications, but 'hese are mostly from children.
 Seekers for the beautiful in art cards have learned that really fine cards are not 10 De procured fy the mere asking. A sort O reciprocity system has sprung up among houses which get ou' fine cards. In order to give variety to the collections which they send out they make exchanges of cards among them selves, each house thus getting the ad- vantage of the connections of the others in sending out advertisements. Care is taken not to disfgure the cards in prlnt- ing advertisements upon them.
 Great taste is displayed in the making of fine collections. In mounting cards on all album page a large, fine card must be had for a center, and small cards are arranged around on the borders. Pains are taken to mount the cards SO that they will harmonize in color and design, and be symmetrical in their ar- engagement on the page. Collectors be- come very expert in judging of the quail ity of carls, and can promptly tell whether a card IS German or French, or whether 1t is an American imitation; how many impressions of color 1t has received, and what quality of colors has been used. Some of the best collections have as genuine an artistic value in their display of the varities and excellencies of color priting as collections of prints have in their exhibition of the graver's art. While dealers do not expect the present mania to last, they gay that 1t has dcne great good by stimulating de- signers and color printers to do their best work. and by creating q demand for fine art cards that will be permanent.
 The clerks at the postoffice say that last year not over 5,000 Easter cards passed through the mails; this year there were 60000.
 "Pm all Played Out"
 is a common complaint. If you feel so, get a box or bottle of Kidney Wort and take it, and you will at once feel its tonic power It renews the healthy action of the kid neys. bowels and liver, and restores natu- ral life and strength to the weary body. -Tilues