A complete line of holiday goods!

E.C. Patton album, cards 4-7

First up of today’s cards–one that could serve as a trade card. The sender managed to combine quite a few purposes in this! It’s an announcement of a sales call, a sample of the firm’s work, and an advertisement.

Behrendt evidently made quite a run of these cards to serve as introductions. At least one of his sales force (presumptively male given the “Our Mr.”) got a stamp made with his name to save writing it everywhere. Although that doesn’t mean that S.L. Kayser wrote the card–perhaps the firm had clerks with good handwriting for that part. Certainly the few written words on the card (the dates and the addressee and address on the reverse) are well-inscribed.

And I admit it was only on third glance that I realized the building portrayed served double-duty as an example of Behrendt’s work–and an advertisement. Note the sign painted on the side of the building!

Then it’s also interesting to take into consideration the dates. The card was sent in early-mid April announcing an anticipated sales visit a month later. The visit is in particular to showcase “HOLIDAY GOODS”–but what holidays? All? Probably, but likely Christmas in particular given the explicit reference. A good long lead time on orders would ensure they arrived in a timely fashion.

Then there’s this card with a very brief message.

We’ll have to see whether any other cards from E.A. Patterson show up to give more of a context to this one. If nothing else, however, it speaks to the range of Patton’s correspondents–business and/or personal.

One of last week’s cards mentioned Miss Stoddard of Massachusetts. This next card is, I believe, from Mrs. E.A. Stoddard of Weymouth, Massachusetts. The same person? We’ll see if there are any other Stoddard correspondents who show up. As I recall from glancing over these, there are quite a few from the same Stoddard (Mrs or Miss) who sent this one.

Mrs. Stoddard is one of the correspondents who may have been exchanging views with Patton, perhaps through a post card club, rather than ordering or selling post cards. The message here centers on providing additional context to the view, after all:

“There are 5 Weymouths. This is the sq. I pass through every time I go out. This is about 5 min. walk, + looking toward my house”

Mrs. E.A. Stoddard to E.C. Patton, 8 August 1906

Last but not least for the day, another card from a likely candidate for post card exchanges (and potential post card club member).

This sender, Mrs. J.F. Baumgartner, is a collector offering details about how she handles her collection and its extent.

“Your cards were fine. I have about 1100 cards. How will you ever manage so large an album? I have 4 that hold 300 each and three smaller ones.”

Mrs. J.F. Baumgartner to E.C. Patton, 12 April 1907

One wonders how large Baumgartner’s collection grew, since her albums left her growth potential. Patton, of course, had ample scope to collect given his production and sales.

It is not coincidental that Baumgartner and Stoddard sent cards showing local highlights. Some people joined post card clubs or participated in exchanges to gather images of faraway places in return for images of their home. Some collectors wanted to gather very specific types, such as images of all 50 state capitols (not unlike other collectors before and after).

And that’s all for today. Return next week for another 4 cards, including two from rather further afield.

“A complete line of holiday goods!”, copyright 2021, Alea Henle.