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French & Co. of Davenport, Iowa used this card to push their patent piano truck — a wheeled device for moving upright pianos up and down stairs without damage — boasting a gold medal from the Cincinnati Industrial Exposition of 1874 and enthusiastic testimonials from piano dealers and movers across the country.
What makes this card exceptional is the overprint. Someone at French & Co. received enough complaints about the unsolicited mailings that they halted the campaign entirely — then overprinted the existing stock in red ink to acknowledge the complaints and pivot to a direct-response approach. It\'s an early, unscripted case study in advertising ethics, printed directly onto a postal card and mailed anyway.
French & Co. also exhibited their piano truck at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition of 1876, one of only a handful of Iowa manufacturers represented among the exhibitors. The card predates that appearance, catching the company at an earlier, scrappier moment in their marketing history.
Zoom in on photos as they are considered part of the description.
Under $20:Ships via USPS Standard Envelope in rigid mailer.Over $20:USPS Ground Advantage, full tracking, sturdy packaging, you only pay actual shipping costs.International:Untracked service by default for <$20 cards; tracked options for >$20.Options:Buyer can always choose alternative shipping methods at calculated cost.Note: Standard Envelope may showdeliveredat your post office, not your mailbox. Contact me if there\'s a delay of more than 5 business days past expected date.Happy collecting! Thanks for shopping Velvet Moon!
