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The Card Case Forum, 2009
Card cases
For carrying visiting cards, a card case was usually considered ‘neater and more convenient than a pocket book’; whilst the habit by ‘some barbarians’ of using a pocket in a cigar case was dismissed as ‘execrable’ by the author of 'Etiquette for Gentleman'. Whilst some small hinged cases were made with separate divisions for a notebook, pencil and visiting cards - most notably on the Continent - throughout the 19th century, and particularly in Britain, cases were used which were designed for no other purpose than the carrying of cards.
Cases were always basically rectangular but came in many outline shapes, materials and designs; cases for gentlemen were always smaller than those for ladies.
For carrying visiting cards, a card case was usually considered ‘neater and more convenient than a pocket book’; whilst the habit by ‘some barbarians’ of using a pocket in a cigar case was dismissed as ‘execrable’ by the author of 'Etiquette for Gentleman'. Whilst some small hinged cases were made with separate divisions for a notebook, pencil and visiting cards -
Cases were always basically rectangular but came in many outline shapes, materials and designs; cases for gentlemen were always smaller than those for ladies.
Coming full circle
Whilst the carrying of visiting card cases persisted well into the 20th century, the rituals that had been fiercely upheld died out. Ladies began to carry multi-purpose receptacles until visiting card cases, as their grandmothers had known them, faded into memory.
But that is not the end of the story; in the latter part of the 20th century, the card case evolved and found a new lease of life: as a holder for business cards. Although with the advent of the electronic age, it seems that even this usage may be short lived.
Whilst the carrying of visiting card cases persisted well into the 20th century, the rituals that had been fiercely upheld died out. Ladies began to carry multi-
But that is not the end of the story; in the latter part of the 20th century, the card case evolved and found a new lease of life: as a holder for business cards. Although with the advent of the electronic age, it seems that even this usage may be short lived.