Object of the Day: A Trade Card for J.P. Coats Best Six Chord Thread

The flowers that bloom in the spring, Tra La,

Breathe promise of merry sunshine.

As we merrily dance and we sing, Tra La,

We welcome the hope that they bring, Tra La,

Of a Summer of roses and wine.

And, so, Coats’ Spool Cotton is always a Thing

As we welcome as flowers that bloom in the spring.

This colorful Victorian trade card depicts the character of Nanki Poo from Gilbert and Sullivan’s 1885 comic opera, “The Mikado.”  In the play, Nanki Poo is the son of the Mikado who disguises himself as a wandering minstrel (we all know the song) and who is in love with the beautiful “Yum-Yum.” 

When this card was printed (around 1885-90), “The Mikado” was extremely popular and manufacturers often referred to it to sell their wares—almost always without compensating the writers of the opera.  In this case, the J.P. Coats company is using Nanki Poo along with a very Gilbert and Sullivan-esque slogan to sell their Six Chord Thread.

The J.P. Coats Company was founded in 1802 and was a major producer of thread.  They merged with Clark Thread Company in 1952, becoming Coats and Clark.  Today, they operate as Coats, PLC.