I just love this Victorian Trade Card for Metropolitan Life Insurance. Dating to about 1890, it shows the enduring Victorian love (both in England and in the U.S.) for the parrot. Parrots not only figured prominently in art of the era but they were often kept in the home as living accessories. Unluckier parrots had a place in many homes as taxidermy.
I confess I want a parrot. The trouble is threefold. First, I’m a little afraid of them (and birds in general). Second, I fear I wouldn’t know how to care for it properly. They’re not like dogs. Dogs tell you what they want. Dogs are easy. And, speaking of dogs, we come to my third issue. Bertie. I’m fairly certain Bertie would not only try to eat a parrot, he would succeed. And, then, I’d feel really, really bad.
So, I amuse myself with parrots that won’t die and can’t be eaten by my four-footed charge.
This is a particularly handsome parrot. It’s technically probably a conure—they’re a little smaller.
The reverse of the card contains all sorts of information about Metropolitan Insurance. Let’s see if I really want to type it all out…
Nope.
The reverse describes the terms of their life insurance, lists their board of directors and states the costs of policies. It also seeks the employ active and experienced agents. It’s just a lot of text in very small type, and, frankly, it’s not as much fun as the medicine trade cards which make all sorts of interesting claims.
No comments:
Post a Comment