Two advertisements for Armstrong's metallic band sleigh bell straps. These all-metal bell straps are sometimes called "Sunday bells" by modern collectors. The name comes from their fragile construction -- legend has it that the bells were often used only for sedate drives to and from church.
Ad 1: Advertising card, printed about 1877, from the William P. Sargent & Co. of Boston, Massachusetts.
The front of the card features a color engraving of a pair of energetic trotters pulling a sleigh. The horses are wearing Armstrong's sleigh bells. The title "Metallic Band Sleigh Bells" makes an elegant Victorian swoop over the driver's head.
The back of the card, printed in black and white, has a retail price list and a detailed view of a metallic-band sleigh bell strap.
Original card size is 2 3/4" high by 4 3/4" wide.
Ad 2: Page 591 from the January 8, 1881, edition of The Spirit of the Times: The American Gentleman's Newspaper.
Published from 1831 to 1901, the weekly Spirit of the Times was one of the first newspapers in the United States to focus on sports as a primary topic. In a sense, it was the Sports Illustrated of its time.
The upper left advertisement on this black-and-white sheet is for "Armstrong's Patent Metal Strap Sleigh Bells." Other ads on this page are for racing sulkies, coaches, harness, pocket watches, "anti snow-ball" pads for horse shoes, fast trotting horses, and billiard tables.
Original sheet size is 15 1/2" high by 10 1/4" wide.
What you will get: Two high-resolution images in PDF format -- one of both sides of the advertising card and one of the entire newspaper sheet. Each will print beautifully on an 8 1/2" by 11" sheet. The free Adobe Reader is required to view or print these files.
This item is sold as a digital download only -- no shipping charges apply.
Sold per each.
