Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Object of the Day: Another Trade Card for J. & P. Coats Thread

from the collection of Joseph Crisallu



Here’s another Victorian trade card advertising J. & P. Coats Thread.  This one stood out from the lot today because I have birds on my mind.  A dove has made a nest on my back porch.  Of course, I’ve given her a name—Clementina.  She’s going to be a mama and Bertie and I have enjoyed having her take residence on our property.  So, today’s posts are in honor of Clementina and her growing family.

As is typical of these cards, this one depicts a scene of a happy child which really has nothing to do with the product being sold.  Here, a nicely dressed young lady is surrounded by pigeons.  I assume she’s feeding them.  Either that or they’re about to eat her.  One can never be sure.  In usual J. & P. Coats style, an enormous spool of white thread looms ominously in the foreground—perhaps egging on the birds in their murderous spree.

I got a little carried away there.  Sorry.

The reverse is the standard Coats ad:

J&P. Coats’ Best Six Chord Thread
White, Black and Colors for Hand and Machine.



No comments: