[MR] calling cards

[Scribe0002 at aol.com]

The history of the calling card . . . who'da thunk? But Google is your  
friend, read, compare, discern. 

 

Most of the information I find on-line agrees the European practice  began in 
France, mid to late 1600s (though some say London) using playing  cards. 
China seems to have beaten us to the punch, as is so often the case,  but I can 
find very little by way of detail. 
 
The following links are to a stationary company's history, Wikipedia's  entry 
and the sales link for a book titled, "Visiting Cards and Cases" which  
discusses the history.
 
~gise
 
_http://www.belightsoft.com/products/composer/historyfr.php_ 
(http://www.belightsoft.com/products/composer/historyfr.php) 
 
_http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business_card_ 
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business_card) 
 
_http://www.rarebookstore.net/cgi-bin/schuyler/1306.html_ 
(http://www.rarebookstore.net/cgi-bin/schuyler/1306.html) 
 
 
 
In a message dated 6/29/2007 11:51:18 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
cbt at ib-ent.com writes:

I  would love to know how far back the custom goes in Europe.  I  remember
reading somewhere that there was an elaborate set of signals  that you could
leave by bending certain corners of the card.   Everything from "the coast is
clear-come on over" to "I've fled for my  life."  Rather like the elaborate
signals one could send with a  fan.



Charles




 



************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com.