The times., 1899-12-31
ANCIENT VISITING CARDS
Interesting Development Of the
PaSteb0ards Used Nowadays.
styled Tickets in the OIdcn Time and
Presented Many Unique Iilustra-
ferred ny DUchcSscs and Othcr
Great Dnmes-Fn>l,ions Repeated.


Great DEMONSTRATIONS Repeated.
Although Jne modern visiting card is IN
ordinary and uninteresting item in the
social life Of the day it has an entertain
ing history. It is said that the visiting
card originated in The custom Of writing
| the name, or sometimes a message, on the
back of a playing card. At times the send
err of a card selected particular oBc for
its Significance, and, til Ntory goes, thar
the Duchess Of Dorset received an apt cpl
rTam in return for the one she sent 70
well-kuown clergyman; the verses con
cluded as follows
"Yeu soUt me Ten hearts the tithes only
nine so give me one heart and burn
l'other nine
II the latter part of The eighteenth CEN
tuTy the visiting cards used by the upper
classes We're works Of art and through
them have survived many interesting types
Of engraving.
They were of varying sizes, but the ma
j0rity not larger than about two and a half
inches, while today those used by gentle
men are two inches by one and q half
inches, and By ladies four inches by two
and a half inches There We're many square
ones used about 1850 TO 1870. One belong
| ing TO an English society leader OF cen
tury ago dates from Hole Street, Caven-
dish Square. d spot associated with Lord
Byron. Her husbands card is smaller and
has a sketch of the family home in one
corner, which still remains in the posses
sion CT their collateral descendants. The
notion is so good ii deserves to be followed
for it would certainly add to the interest o.
the cards exchanged today il they bore the
semblance Of friends homes as well as
their names.
Eighteenth Century Cards.
Another example shows that history re-
peats itself for, though issued in the eight
| eenth century. the lady was AT home on
Monday AS many modish danes are now.
Visiting en- blac. IS il was called-uamely
by leaving Card-Was a novelty then,
and on many which come from Italy, in
persona is written. showing that they
had bsen left and not sent by a servant
These are the simpler class Of cards. A
vast number Of others in use at this time
show the ruling powers in decoration.
Hundreds OF the decorative designs bear
nc names of contemporary duchesses. or,
rather, according 10 the ancient spelling
"dutchesse'' st. Adams. Bolton and
Grafton among the number. The latter
according to Horace Walpoie saved her
life by playing loo when in Rome, instead
OF going to party at palace where the
roof fell in.
Many of the "dckets," as visiting cards
were called in those days. were engraved
with architectural buildings in Rome
Berlin, and elsewhere and long in fashion
They were sold in packets The names
even when they were printed. 1t was rare
that one particular pattern was kept for
any special person. The head OF a we'll
known Warwickshire family, during a vis-
il TO Rome, In 1888. kept, and has handed
down. those left by his acquaintance. On
these figure the Arch Of Titus, St. Peters.
the Castle Of ST. Angelo, and many ether
lions Of Rome.
Not a few Of the visiting cards OF this
period recall nothing so much as the fu-
neral monuments Of those days. Some
times the names appear on well-engrayed
vases. sometimes on chimney pieces. Some
are square, with supporting columns,
scrolls, and curtains; some display fes-
toons Of flowers and variety OF animals.
The best artists Of the day designed them.
odd Devices Employed.
The cognomens OF naval officers emerge
from The midst of spikes. anchors, ropes,
flags. and other naval insignias, while mill
tary officers appear surrounded by helmets
cannon, tents and soldiers. Artists figure
amid paIettes, brushes, and other adiuncts
Of their art, mostly accompanied by
graceful female form. and every kind OF
musical instrument has been called into
play-lyres, harPs, trumpets, and harpsi-
Chords-for musicians Birds of many
kinds hold scrolls bearing the names in
their beaks. or they are written on their
breasts or outstretched wings. Animals
often play a double part The name OF
Hare, for example. is represented as a re-
bus, by that little animal running at full q
speed while goat figured on the fashion
able designs Of 1T65. Archery. agriculture,
and sport generally left heir impress Oh
the visiting card.
About 1916 pure white cards with en-
bossed borders and large embossed letter
ings were the prevalent mode. History
again repeats itself. the daughters name
appeared then with her mothers. az it does
now. II very often happened that the
lady's cards and the gentleman's were Of
the same size. but not always
For her ticket" the Duchess OF Leeds
Ia 1854 favored a very pretty engraving
Of a Chinese figure looking over n low
doorway with an Anglicised pagod2 at the
side. On another card bearing a famous
lord g name HBuftS d powerful engraving
Of the Sphinx. with the Egyptian pyramids
ia the rear. His wife's card shows another
style aitogetheT-a deep conventional bor-
der Of hoDeysuclde. heavily printed in
black Sometimes this was combined with
red; and small. yellow cards were often
used. the embossed cards being OCCASION
ally green or pink.
Cnrds of Great DANES.
Many a great dame OF those days had
her name on her visiting card surrounded
by a framework held by cupids. These
were far prettier than the sombre-Iooking
cards covered with ciOse-set. engraved,
horizontal lines. and a very deep border
Monograms and corOnets figured on some
Of them. and have left to posterity fine
specimens Of steel engraving, but the most
elaborate Of heraldic cards were generally
foreign, and some Of the foreign embassies
employed colored crests occasionally intro
duced in the centre.
Among the interesting collection of old
visiting tickets" in the British Museum
there Is a group appertaining to the Maids
OF Honor OF Queen Charlotte. They are
all small and delicate some OF them with
colored borders, and date from St James
Palace.
An original visiting card from the last
century is printed on thin layer of wood
Every sort of type would seem to have had
It's day ere in time it came to be consid-