Clipper Ship Trade Cards

Extract

Arrogant knights, dashing Vikings of the North, wild Indian hunters, and colorful naval battles are a few of the stirring scenes depicted in the picturesque advertisements of the early California clipper ships, found in the Society's collection of trade cards.

Perusal of these yellowed but still gay cards reveals that the illustrations are seldom directly tied up with the shipping trade. More often the scenes are pictorial expressions of the ship's name. Robin Hood and his merry men step right out of history to advertise the sailing of the clipper ship bearing the gallant bandit's name.