1880s - A full set of pristine French illustrated alphabet trade cards used to advertise the sale of clothing by a Massachusetts merchant

Unbound. Very good. This set of 26 French illustrated trade cards features illustrations of bratty children and rude adults. They are printed in color on a gold background. These cards were intended to be used by L. D. Wilbur & Company of Fall River, Massachusetts to advertise his clothing and general merchandise company. J. H. Franklin and Company, a Fall River, Massachusetts, printing firm overprinted the French cards with Wilbur's business information.

"L. D. Wilbur & Co. / Clothing and General Furnishings, &c. / 16 South Main St., Fall River, Mass."

These charmingly humorous cards are in pristine condition and obviously were never distributed by Wilbur. Several examples include:

"Ascension Difficile" ("Difficult Ascent") - One boy stands on a chair to beat another on the head with what appears to be a candlestick as a chamber pot is overturned on the floor

"Baignade Imprevue" ("Unexpected Swim') - One boy overturns a huge washtub that had been resting on a table onto another
"Grotesques Admis L'exposition" ("Grotesque Exhibition") - A girl picks her nose while out walking with her mother.

"Musique Vocale et Instrumentale" ("Vocal and Instrumental Music) - Two boys stand on and bang a piano's keys while shouting and beating a pot with a wooden spoon

"Union fait la Force" ("Unity Makes Strength") - Two drunken men cling to each other in an effort not to fall down.."

. A complete set of this unusual advertising card series in pristine condition. Individual cards or small groups of two or three in used condition, often with glue or scrapbook remnants on their reverse, occasionally appear on .

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