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Arbuckle Bros. Coffee Co. Trade Cards
of Sports & Pastimes

Sports and pastimes trade cards by the Arbuckle Bros. Coffee Company. New York, ca. 1890. Ca. 3 x 5. Chromolithographs by Donaldson Brothers. Some with creases and minor edge chips; overall condition very good. Call for specific condition report.

A series of delightful trade cards showing sports and pastimes around the world. They were issued about 1890 by the Arbuckle Bros. Coffee Company. This firm was founded by John and Charles Arbuckle of Pittsburgh, PA. They developed a machine to weigh, fill, seal and label coffee in paper packages, which allowed them to become the largest importer and seller of coffee in the world. Their most famous promotional program involved issuing several series of small, colorful trading cards, one of which was included in every package of Arbuckles' Coffee. These cards included a series of maps, a series with historical themes and a series that showed sports and pastimes around the world. They are a delight, containing informative images and interesting text of the regions concerned.