Acorn Stove Trade Cards

The Albany County Historical Association’s collection of Acorn Stove trade cards, distributed during the late 19th century by Rathbone, Sard & Co., were used to advertise Acorn Stoves to potential customers. They are color lithographs and depict images of men, woman, and children. Our collection also includes a trade card printed with an 1881-1882 calendar.

Historic documents and artifacts depicting racist and/or stereotypical imagery or language may be offensive and disturbing. The ACHA maintains them in our collections to present and preserve the historical context in which they were created and used. Artifacts of this type provide an important historical record from which to study and evaluate Albany’s history, including issues related to bias, prejudice, and/or racism.