Victorian New Year - H.M. Crider

A Joyful New Year 

 do you have your Easter card order ready?!

this great little New Year's Victorian

 trade card wishes to remind

 shopkeepers, Sunday school teachers,

 and others to do so!

Easter Cards. By Mail

50 Cards were sold per each box; the card advises,

 "If you cannot use the 50 cards, you can club with two or three others who may want a supply of cards.  

The offer is liberal and your order should be given as early as possible."

cards were available in multiple formats, fringed and not, booklet or flats and with a choice of messages, including: blank, Scripture, Day School, or Christmas.

 The back of another trade card tells more,

 "Having completed my arrangements to manufacture cards in immense quantities, at the lowest rates, you will find it to your advantage to always deal with H.M. Crider....."  

Henry M. Crider 

born 1839 in Pennsylvania.

 There are many words to describe H.M. Crider including:  poet, essayist, minister (licensed to preach in 1861), author, teacher, Cottage Hill College, Penn. faculty member,  publisher, bookseller, stationer, newspaper founder and editor, inventor, businessman,  husband and father.
He really lead such an interesting life, in such a fascinating time period~would make a great movie!

The Crider Brothers were publishers, booksellers and stationers during the Victorian era, in York, Pennsylvania. They became known for their marriage booklets and certificates for which they gained many copyrights and sold world wide, as well as, photographic memorial certificates, scripture cards, silk fringed greeting cards and fringed booklets, books and much more.

1866 H.M. Crider "originated and published the

 "photograph marriage certificate"

 which he and his brother eventually produced in several varieties including "Orange Blossom", "Rose" , the "Oak and Vine" and "Cedar and Vine"  selling nearly 2 MILLION by 1885!

you can see a trade card for the marriage certificates in the Philadelphia Library digital archives  HERE (check out the picture on the left side/click to enlarge) 

Patents were attained for the marriage certificates which featured cut windows for photos of the bride and groom and sometimes even the minister.

Henry also patented a FRUIT PICKER! you can read about that on UniversalYork HERE

 H.M. Crider wrote "Pedagogics" in 1866 which was sterotyped by L. Johnson & Company, Philadelphia and printed by Sherman & Co.

An interesting little book in which HM talks to teachers about the teaching profession in "olden times". These are teachers who taught in log cabins and disciplined their students with hickory switches! Henry himself began teaching at age 16 in rural Pennsylvania and at one point ran a night college for men through Cottage Hill College. 

you can read and/or listen to his book,

 PEDAGOGICS for free on archive.org HERE

     Henry M. Crider lived until 1903. 

Hope you are all enjoying the New Year! 

My friend Mary has been working hard on a new blog sharing her wonderful collection!

 check it out HERE >> NOSTALGIC GREETINGS

http://www.etsy.com/shop/vintagerecycling
sources:

Biographical History of York County, Pennsylvania 1885;  edited by John Gibson 

various trade cards and advertisements 
archive.org