The Advertising NeedlebooksTo my knowledge, there is no definitive source for information about the history of needle books. More facts are known about other items of ephemera such as trade cards. When it comes right down to it, advertising needle books are just trade cards in disguise. It is interesting to note that these needle book advertising “campaigns” were obviously geared toward women. Advertising at its best, evokes emotions. Ads make us happy, make us laugh, make us nostalgic and most importantly, make us remember the product. Advertisers are aware of and exploit this phenomenon. This was as true in 1920 as it is today.
Trade cards are the earliest form of advertising. They were a cost-effective and portable method of expressing the availability of goods and services. In the early days, when illiteracy rates were much higher, the logos appearing on these ads provided the name recognition necessary for mass appeal.
Printers were first able to produce trade cards in color during the 1870’s. Prior to that, cards were only printed in black and white, and shades of gray. By the 1880’s, collecting (and trading!) these lovely advertising gems had become a popular pastime. This practice gave rise to the name “trade cards”. They were lovingly placed in scrapbooks and were in many ways the “beanie babies” of their day. The earliest needle book I've been able to date comes from the Columbian Exposition of the 1890's. We will probably never know who first thought to fold an advertising card and place a packet of needles inside, but in retrospect this was an acknowledgement of the importance of women as consumers.
