Rochester Public Library Local History Division Vertical File Collection

The bulk of this collection consists of advertising and trade cards. The availability of inexpensive lithography and multi-color printing from the mid-19th century made these colorful cards into a popular marketing medium of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Their creative and colorful nature also led to many people collecting the cards. While radio and television largely killed off advertising and trade cards by the middle of the 20th century, they remain a valuable insight into the businesses that operated during their heyday.