Shute & Merchant
advertising
more trade cards
Tradecards, such as those shown here, were a popular item for people to collect. Each time one went to the store more could be found and added to a collection, and it is likely that many people worked hard to find all the variations of a particular card type.
Codfish were essential to the livelihood of a fish business, and to other types of businesses. Firms outside of fish curing and packing also used codfish for their products. Glues, like those produced by the well-known LePages brand made by the Russia Cement Company were produced from the skins and other scrap parts not needed by the fish companies. Burnett's Coffee Clearer used codskins mixed with eggs for their product ... a product that, when mixed with the grounds, meant less coffee needed to be used to brew a good cup of coffee.
Some tradecards went beyond just having images and information printed on the front and back, some were designed to be opened like a book. This bank book trade card measures 8" x 8", which is probably the correct scale for the actual items of this period in time. Anotehr item used by Shute & Merchant to encourage people to use their wonderful fish products was a small cookbook, which is mentioned here.
Other advertising items did not use fish or Shute & Merchant product images as the main art on the piece. Some pieces used art from popular artists or cultural themes of the day. The fan, which has a blade that is 10" tall, uses a Sunbonnet Babies illustration by B. L. Corbett. Seems likely that the side with the Shute & Merchant product information would have constantly faced a person when the fan was in use. Part of the information on the back notes that "visitors are always welcome at the factory, and that Wednesdays are a special visiting day.
The oriental child has the Shute & Merchant name printed on it, but it is unclear exactly what type of advertising item it might have been as the piece has been cut out of a larger item.