Object of the Day: Singer Sewing Machines Presents “Edinburgh”

Click image to see an old lady.

This card is another of the varied series of informational trade cards which were issued by Singer Sewing Machines in the late Nineteenth and early Twentieth Centuries. Beyond the usual collectible trade cards, these strove to be educational as well as attractive—so much so that the advertising references to Singer were kept to a minimum. Singer issued cards about places around the world, famous and historical people, flowers, wonders of the world, animals and plants among other subjects. This particular one, copyrighted 1894, tells us about Edinburgh, Scotland. Instead of overtly singing the praises of Singer, it subtly shows us some Scotch girls engaged in their needlework, conveniently using a singer sewing machine.

The reverse reads (and, I’m not going to reproduce this in all caps as it really is):
EDINBURGH.

The capital of Scotland and county town of the Shire of Midlothian,
is situated in 55° 57’ North Latitiude, and 8° 11’ West Longitude.
By rail, it is 393 miles North North-West of London and 47 ½ miles
East of Glasgow. Edinburgh occupies a peculiarly high place in the
regard of the civilized world, and draws to herself the devoted attachment
of Scotsmen, partly on account of the charm of her situation, but even more so
by reason of the many tragic events of Scottish history enacted within her walls,
which have been made of world-wide interest by the genius of her great
townsman, Sir Walter Scott. Edinburgh is particularly noted for the high order
of its educational universities, libraries and museums. This picture represents what are
called “Newhaven Fish-wives,;” that is fisherwomen of Newhaven, a fishing village
within three miles of Edinburgh. The woman standing to the right of the machine and
behind the baskets wears the costume of a married woman; and the woman to the left
of the machine wears the costume of an unmarried woman; while as may be seen
the operator at the machine is an old lady.
________________________________
THE SINGER MANUFACTURING CO. 

Well—that was perhaps the most tragically dull description of Edinburgh I’ve ever read. It’s perhaps one of the dullest descriptions of anything I’ve ever read! But, thank God they decided to remind us that the operator of the machine was an “old lady.” That’s a relief!