Trade Card for Ariosa Coffee, Arbuckle Bros., "District of Columbia," 1883

As color printing gained momentum in the late 19th century, trade cards were a major means of advertising goods and services. Americans enjoyed and often saved the vibrant little advertisements found in product packages or distributed by local merchants. This trade card for Arbuckle Bros. Coffee Company provides information about its Ariosa coffee and features a colorful image in a series depicting the United States and its territories.