Trade Card for Frazer, Army Printer and Stationer 1800 - 1900

This is a trade card for Frazer, an army printer, stationer, and bookseller, of Dublin, created by an anonymous artist. Cards such as these were the commercial lifeblood of the 18th and 19th centuries. Frazer’s identity as an “Army Printer” highlights the intersection of commerce and military power of the period. Books form an architectural structure framing the textual information about the business, visually representing the intellectual and material commodities Frazer offered. In Dublin, a city marked by British colonial presence, Frazer’s trade card subtly navigates cultural identity. The inclusion of “English & Irish Papers” suggests a dual allegiance or perhaps an attempt to appeal to a diverse clientele. The card visually encapsulates the complex negotiations of identity, commerce, and colonial power that shaped the cultural landscape of 19th-century Dublin. It reminds us that even the most ephemeral objects can offer insights into the intricacies of history and identity.