Searching Strategies for Trade Cards
Searching in VIA is by keywords. Searches are not case sensitive. On the main search screen you may enter one or more words and choose the field you want to search in. You may also enter more than one word in a search box (the words will be searched using the "and" operator). Do not use quotation marks around search terms. Do not use ampersands, even if they are part of a business name or subject term. See Help in VIA for additional information relating to the system.
To find all records for cataloged trade cards at Baker Library:
To search for all records for trade cards at Baker Library, search trade cards (use the plural) under Subject and limit the search to holdings of Baker Library, Harvard Business School.
Note: searching for trade cards without limiting the search to the holdings of Baker Library will bring up records for trade cards at Baker Library and other repositories. As long as the user is aware these additional records may appear, it is not necessary to take the step of limiting to holdings of Baker Library for all searches.
Narrowing the search:
To narrow the search, combine the above search with the following additional terms:
Specific Product
To search for a product by the specific product name, search under Title.
Example: Philadelphia Mustard
Advertiser
To search for a manufacturer, retailer, wholesaler, proprietor or other advertiser by name, search under Name. Omit ampersands when entering name.
Example: Libby, McNeill & Libby.
Printer
To search for a specific printer, search under Name.
Example: F.G. Bufford, Lith.
Types of trade cards
To search for a particular type of trade card, search under Subject for such terms as clipper ship cards, metamorphic pictures, hidden image works, stock cards, then & now comparisons (omit ampersand when searching), die cut, foldout, puzzles, calendars.
Product or industry
To access cards by product and industry: Several subject terms (displayed in VIA under Topics) have been entered for each trade card. In general, subject terms for a trade card include a term for the specific product type, a general product or service type and an industry type. Search for the specific term(s) under Subject.
Example: shoes.
Browse product and industry subject terms:
Subject terms – industry
Subject terms – general product or service types
Subject terms – specific product types
Subjects in illustrations
To access trade cards by subject terms relating to the illustration on the trade card:
From one to four subject terms were entered for the illustrations on the trade cards. For the illustrations, cataloging was done using the most specific term. Indexing of illustrations was not exhaustive; an attempt was made to capture only the prominent subject(s) with a limited number of terms. Search for the specific term(s) under Subject.
Browse subject terms relating to the trade card illustrations:
Subject terms – people
Subject terms – activities
Subject terms – places
Subject terms – animals
Subject terms – "things"
Subject terms - Genre and Physical Characteristics
Notes on terms relating to illustrations
The term "animals" is used only when animal could not be identified or if more than three kinds of animals are depicted in an image. Otherwise, the specific kind of animal is entered. See also children & animals (omit ampersand when searching).
The term "women" is used when a woman (or women) is the focus of the image, as in a portrait of a woman. Also used when a woman is shown in an unusual activity (such as various sports). Search also under terms such as "domestic life" and "families" or "courtship" for illustrations depicting women.
The term "history" was used for depictions of historical figures and events. The term "nations" was used for trade cards featuring various foreign countries, a popular subject in trade card illustrations.
Also popular in trade card illustration were images of "vegetable" or "flower" people. These images can be searched under the term "vegetables" or "flowers."
The term "ethnic stereotypes" is used for images depicting stereotypical traits of people classed according to shared racial, national, tribal, religious, linguistic, or cultural background.
Geographic locations in illustrations
To access trade cards by geographic locations and sites depicted in trade card illustrations, search city, state or country name under Subject. The sites Brooklyn Bridge, Statue of Liberty, and Cleopatra’s Needle can also be searched under Subject.
Browse names geographical locations and sites depicted in trade card illustrations:
Names in illustrations
To access cards by the names of prominent persons, historical figures, and fictional and legendary characters depicted in trade card illustrations, it is necessary to search under Name.
Browse names of figures depicted in trade card illustrations:
Numerous trade cards were issued for the various worlds fairs and expositions of the late nineteenth century. Search the name of the exhibition under Name for all cards associated with a particular event. For a general search for trade cards illustrating such events, search the terms "exhibition" and "exhibition buildings" under Subject.
Searching Strategies – Subject term and names lists
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agricultural machinery industry beverage industry brewing industry building materials industry canning industry carriage industry chemical industry cleaning compounds industry clothing industry coffee industry flour & meal industry * food industry fur trade furniture industry glass industry hardware industry house furnishings industry & trade * ice industry jewelers leather industry lumber industry machinery industry meat industry medical instruments and apparatus industry metal trade |
mining musical instruments industry office equipment & supplies industry* optical industry pottery industry printing industry publishing industry quarrying refrigerator industry seafood industry seed trade sewing machine industry shipping shoe industry sporting goods industry starch industry stove industry textile industry tobacco industry toilet preparations industry toy industry wallpaper industry watchcase makers wire industry |
*omit ampersand (&) when searching
Subject terms — general product or service types
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agricultural machinery barbers beverages books building materials cleaning compounds clothing & dress* clothing stores confectionaries department stores dressmaking patterns dry goods stores entertainment feeds food furniture glue grocery stores hairdressers hardware hardware stores hotels house furnishings home furnishings stores insurance companies jewelry stores laundries |
magnetic healing medical instruments and apparatus millinery musical instruments newspapers office equipment & supplies* optical devices patent medicines periodicals pharmacists photographers photographic studios quarries recreation resorts restaurants seafood stores seeds sewing equipment & supplies* shoe stores sporting goods tailors tobacco products toilet preparations toy stores toys (recreational artifacts) |
*omit ampersand (&) when searching
Subject terms — specific product types
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baby foods baked products baking powder beds beer bicycles canned meat carbonated beverages carriages chairs chocolate cigarettes cigars circuses (performances) clipper ships coal coconut coffee coin banks collars condiments confections cooking utensils corn products corsets cosmetics dairy products dentifrices dyes enameled ware extracts fireplaces flour furnaces furniture glass glassware gloves hair preparations hairpins |
ham hammocks harvesting machinery hats hops ice cream freezers ink irons jewelry lamps (lighting devices) lawn mowers lightning conductors magnets meat mowing machines nails needles oatmeal opera glasses organs paint parasols patent medicines perfumes pianos pickles pins (fasteners) plows poisons polishes porcelain pottery pumping machinery railroads recreational buildings refrigerators salad dressing sauces scales (weighing devices) seafood |
sewing machines shoe-polish shoes silverware silverwork skating rinks sleighs smokeless tobacco soaps sodium bicarbonate spices starch stationary steam engines steamboats steamships stoves tableware tea terracotta theatrical productions thread tobacco tools typewriters umbrellas underwear varnish vinegar wagons wallpapers watchcases watches windmills window shades wire wire screens wringers yeast |
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actors Afro-Americans angels bands (ensembles) bankers barbers children & adults* children & animals* children Chinese cooks couples cowboys doctors emperors explorers |
families fishermen Indians of North America Japanese Jews kings knights and knighthood mermaids miners musicians police presidents |
queens sales personnel shoemakers sick persons singers soldiers spouses tramps travelers traveling sales personnel warriors witches women |
*omit ampersand (&) when searching
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advertising archery baseball boats and boating children playing city & town life* cookery country life courtship cycling domestic life dreams drinking |
eating farm life farming fishing frontier & pioneer life* gardening horse racing housework international relations interpersonal relationships laundry leisure ocean travel |
parties picnics prayer quarrying reading recreation rescues sewing skating sports woodcutting |
*omit ampersand (&) when searching
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arctic regions beaches cities deserts |
exhibition buildings factories ice houses laundries |
nations states |
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animals in human situations animals birds camels cats cows deer dogs |
donkeys eagles elephants fish frogs goats horses insects lions |
monkeys polar bears rabbits rhinoceros seals (animals) snakes squirrels swine wolves |
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Aesthetic Movement autumn awards battles Biblical events cameras castles celebrations clocks costumes death dreams exhibitions fairies fans |
fire flowers fruit globes harems history holidays industries linens literature months obelisks operas operettas photographs |
pitchers presidential elections shadows shells shipwrecks signal flags skeletons sleds summer teacups vegetables weddings winter |
Subject terms — genre and physical characteristics
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art reproductions botanical illustrations calendars ethnic stereotypes maps paper dolls puzzles then & now comparisons* |
*omit ampersand (&) when searching
Geographic locations and sites appearing as subjects
Cities
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Edinburgh, Scotland London, England Paris, France Poughkeepsie |
Washington, D.C. Melbourne, Australia Havana, Cuba |
States
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Alaska Delaware Louisiana |
New Jersey New Mexico Tennessee |
Countries/Regions
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Algeria Brazil England France Germany India Italy Japan |
Mexico Patagonia Russia Scotland Servia (Yugoslavia) United States Zululand (South Africa) Spain |
Sites
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Brooklyn Bridge Cleopatra's Needle |
Fountain of Youth (legendary place) Statue of Liberty |
Names with subject roles
Personal names
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Akbar Arthur, Chester Alan Audubon, John James Carnot, Sadi Crockett, Davy Franklin, Benjamin Garfield, James A Gilbert, W.S. (William Schwenk) Jackson, Andrew Jumbo (elephant) |
Penn, William Prince Albert Revere, Paul Shakespeare, William Smith, John Stanley, Henry M. Sullivan, Arthur Swift, Jonathan Umberto I King of Italy Wilde, Oscar |
Corporate Names
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Girard College World's Columbian Exposition World's Industrial and Cotton Centennial Exposition Centennial Exhibition |
Nicknames, legendary characters, symbolic figures, etc.
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Columbia Cupid Don Quixote Galatea John Bull Puck (legendary character) Robin Hood (legendary character) Santa Claus Uncle Sam (nickname) |