Item #3708 Petit atlas van Houten en vingt feuilles. Rare Trade Card Atlas., Cacao van Houten.
Petit atlas van Houten en vingt feuilles.
Petit atlas van Houten en vingt feuilles.

Petit atlas van Houten en vingt feuilles.

[Amsterdam?]: Cacao van Houten. [1910.]. Twenty (20) loose maps (each about 3 ¼ x 4”) on stiff paper in stiff paper pouch with printed title. Good, with a few cards having small brown stains (cocoa?). Some loss to printed title. Item #3708

The Dutch chocolatier Conraad van Houten was a pioneer in the mass production of finely ground cocoa; his groundbreaking process was introduced in 1828. In the mid-1870s, colorful trade cards became a major marketing tool. Chocolate makers around the world, including van Houten, embraced the trade card trend.

This atlas takes trade cards to a much higher level than the often schmaltzy subjects. The atlas consists of twenty maps: one of the world, six of continents and 13 of countries or regions of Europe. The reverse of each card presents a variety of geographic and demographic data on the continent, country or region – with a prominent heading: “Cacao van Houten se consomme partout au monde.”

A scarce atlas in a very unusual format. Not in OCLC at time of cataloguing. Reference: Koeman, Atlantes Neerlandici, Vol VI: Houv A1. [ICN 7649.].

Price: $450.00

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