Book of the Week: Calling, Cards & Cases

Mitchinson, David: Calling, Cards & Cases.  Geneva: 2012. 432pp., with 314 colour illustrations. Cloth, 31 x 24.5cms.

The etiquette of formal meeting and greeting provides the basis of a Victorian ritual which might seem remote to the present day. However, the rich array of associated material objects in the form of beautifully printed calling cards and exquisitely constructed cases allow special access into this world.

This volume is the most comprehensive survey on the accoutrements of visiting in the 19th century. Lavish illustrated with 400 cards and 600 cases reproduced in actual size, it also includes a detailed study of printing techniques, manufacturers, materials, and social etiquette.

£ 75.00