Clara Bull, Music Teacher business card

Clara Bull of Andover, Kansas, used this business card to advertise the music lessons she offered in the early 1880s. Her name appeared in various newspapers during that time.

Clara Bull,
Music Teacher,
Andover, Kansas.
Terms: $10 for Term of Twenty-four Lessons.

The display typefaces were all quite fresh: Herman Ihlenburg’s Ringlet (MacKellar, Smiths & Jordan) is used for the name. It was first released in 1882, just like Program, a hairline slab serif designed by John Graham for Marder, Luse & Co. It’s used in caps with small caps. The star that separates the city name from the state is part of the font.

“Music Teacher” is set in Lady Text, another design by Ihlenburg, issued by Central in 1884. The open card typeface came with nine ornaments that can be combined with the glyphs. It was also carried by several German foundries, including Nies (as Zierschrift Exquisite), Berthold (Zierschrift Graziosa, before 1903), and Ludwig & Mayer (Visitenkartenschrift).