Trade card for R Cribb & Son, Publisher and Printmaker 1750 - 1850

This trade card was produced in the late 1700s by Boyne for R. Cribb & Son, a London firm specializing in carving, gilding, and printselling. Its visual impact comes from a printing process called engraving, where an image is incised into a metal plate, inked, and then pressed onto paper. The design is a real mash-up. You have putti, sphinxes, and the Prince of Wales's heraldic badge, all crammed together with a list of services offered. Consider the labor involved here. Not just the engraver's skill, but also the carvers and gilders employed by Cribb & Son. The card speaks to a bustling economy of luxury goods, catering to wealthy clients who desired ornate frames, mirrors and prints. These trade cards were ephemeral objects, advertisements meant to be discarded. Yet, they offer a fascinating window into the commercial landscape of the 18th century. They demonstrate how even the most functional of objects can embody artistry, skill, and social aspiration.