Material in the trade catalogues ephemera collection covers significant information on Australian companies, businesses, industries, manufacturers, retailers and trades, describing their services and products. This promotional literature includes catalogues, advertisements, announcements, brochures, calendars, cards, coupons, directories, flyers, handbills, labels, notices, novelty advertising, pamphlets, price lists, tokens.
Trade cards (also known as advertising cards) are small cards, that in times past businesses would distribute to clients and potential customers to advertise their business and wares. They have been described as early examples of business cards, and first became popular at the beginning of the 17th Century in London, and were similar to the visiting cards exchanged in social circles. They are different from trading cards or sports cards which were produced in sets and designed to collectible, although some cards, particularly those produced by tobacco companies featuring baseball players, later developed into collectibles and lost their function as a business advertisement.
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