Flowers in Vintage Photos and Ephemera

A hidden name calling card with an illustration of U.S. President Grover Cleveland . Cleveland married Frances Clara Folsom in 1886 during his first term as president, and she was also the subject of a similar calling card :

Caption: "Mrs. Cleveland." Name hidden underneath the printed scrap: "Rue Crounover" (see Explanation of Hidden Name Calling Cards for an illustration showing how these cards work). Grover Cleveland , the 22nd and 24th President of the United States, began his first term in office (1885-1889) as a bachelor, but married Frances Clara Folsom in 1886. She served as First Lady during the remainder of Cleveland's first term and again during his second term (1893-1897). President Cleveland was also featured on a similar calling card :

"J. G. Lutkenhoff, dealer in dry goods & notions, No. 128 Pike Street, Covington, Ky." See also Ask and Ye Shall Receive :

"Compliments of M.M.B. Association of Lancaster, Pa. For unmarried persons." I haven't been able to find any record of the Mutual Marriage Benefit Association of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, but it was probably based on other dubious benefit associations of the late nineteenth century that promised dividends to single men and women when they got married. An announcement in The Spectator: An American Weekly Review of Insurance , July 20, 1893, p. 29, explained how one association was supposed to work: "The Illinois Mutual Marriage Benefit Association is a new incorporation. The purpose of the association, as set forth in the application for a charter, is to 'enable young unmarried persons to enter upon married life with sufficient means to promote happiness and prosperity, and to enable the great mass of young men and young women who are in moderate circumstances to bring about the consummation that is mutually beneficial to themselves, and to establish a dower fund, out of which shall be paid on the marriage of a member in good standing, a sum not exceeding $2000, all funds to be raised by the voluntary contribution of the members.' It is proposed to charge an initiation fee of twelve dollars, and make assessment of one dollar per member every time a marriage occurs."

"James B. Tully, florist, Spring Forest Green Houses, Binghamton, N.Y. Green house and bedding plants. Fall and spring flowering bulbs. Ornamental trees and shrubbery." James B. Tully (1840-1908) "was a florist and sexton of Spring Forest Cemetery in Binghamton, N.Y.," according to his Find A Grave entry. The following advertisement appeared in Horticulture , May 4, 1907, p. 609, the year before Tully's death: "For Sale. Desirable greenhouse plant, directly opposite Spring Forest Cemetery, Binghamton, N.Y. Large and increasing demand for funeral designs and bedding stuff; care of cemetery plots big item in receipts. A dwelling house, 10,000 feet of glass, land comprising twenty city lots. Paying business and open chance for increase. Sold on account of advance in years. Apply to James B. Tully, 47 Spring Forest Ave., Binghamton, N.Y." An American Florist Company's Directory for 1908 listed a different address for Tully's business, although I'm not certain whether it's actually a different location: "Spring Forest Greenhouses (James B. Tully), 48 Mygatt St., Binghamton." It's not clear when or if Tully sold his business, but the following note appeared five years later (and four years after Tully's death) in Horticulture , March 23, 1912, p. 412: "Binghamton, N.Y.--The Spring Forest Greenhouses, Spring Forest avenue, are now owned by the Binghamton Seed Co. The seed store has been moved to 135 Court street from 161 Water street."

"Easter Greeting of P. Fleischner & Co., 1026 Chestnut St., 208 N. 8th St." A flowery Easter bookmark from a Philadelphia company, circa 1880.

"Long may peace attend thee!" A Victorian-era hidden-name calling card with shaking hands, a sailing ship, and the Statue of Liberty, all surrounded by a border of roses and forget-me-nots. The colorful illustration consists of a separate die-cut that lifts up on the right-hand side to reveal the name of "Edward M. Mercer" printed underneath.

A colorful print by Vredenburg & Company, Rochester, N.Y., that appeared in an advertising leaflet from W. P. Rupert & Son, a nursery that was located in Seneca, N.Y. See Nineteenth-Century Rochester Fruit and Flower Plates , by Karl Sanford Kabelac, for more information regarding Vredenburg & Company and other printing firms that supplied illustrations to nursery businesses like W. P. Rupert & Son.

A selection of Victorian-era calling cards.

"I think of thee."

"My wish."

What looks like a calling card for D. B. Landis on the front (above) turns out to be an advertising trade card on the back (see below). David Bachman Landis (1862-1940) operated Pluck Art Printery, a letterpress print shop in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, but he started out as a printer in his hometown of Landisville, which is located about eight miles from Lancaster. For the other side of this card, see The Village Vigil, Landisville, Pa., 1883 (below).

"For sheriff: D. K. Burkholder of Lancaster City, 1887. Subject to Republican rules."

A birthday postcard with an oval inset photo of a woman.

"I pray the New Year be full of delight for thee." See below for the reverse of this Victorian-era advertising trade card: