Cheeky 19th-Century 'Pickup Line' Calling Cards

image credit: SU Professional & Technical Writing

Calling cards (also know as Acquaintance cards and Introduction cards) were used in the United States during the 1870s and 1880s. They were used by the 'less formal male in approaches to the less formal female.'

We think of 19th century courtship as being impossibly straight-laced and buttoned-down, and certainly a printed card inquiring for permission to accompany a young miss to her door is consistent with that, but the eager men found plenty of ways to work clever jokes and insinuations into their calling cards.