Trade Card for Henry Stephens

This object is housed in an album of British trade cards from the collections of Bella C. Landauer, Ambrose Heal, and others. The term “trade card” is of nineteenth-century origin and refers to a card that advertises the services of an individual or business. Eighteenth-century trade cards were often printed on thin sheets of paper and referred to as “tradesmen’s cards,” “tradesmen’s bills,” or “shopkeeper’s bills.” During the Victorian era, trade cards were often reinforced on pasteboard and closely resemble business cards today.




In 1832, doctor, chemist, writer, and entrepreneur Henry Stephens developed a fluid blue-black ink that led to the founding of Stephens’ Ink, which is advertised by this trade card. The ink, which Dr. Stephens patented in 1837, became commonplace in the clerical workplace due to its resistance to fading and ease of use, as opposed to powdered inks that necessitated excessive mixing. Soon after the ink was issued, the British government mandated its use for legal documents and ship log books. The company expanded into a global operation as early as the 1850s, as evidenced by Australian-based advertisements from the period. Following Dr. Henry Stephens’ death in 1864, his son, Henry Stephens, gained control of the company.