Ephemera - Labels, Ads, Business Cards
Free Printable Ephemera: Vintage Labels, Advertisements, and Business Cards
Quick Look:
I’m sharing a free printable collage sheet featuring 19th-century labels, trade ads, and antique business cards.
Includes detailed engravings of old typography, decorative borders, and vintage product advertisements.
Perfect for junk journals, heritage scrapbooks, and mixed media projects with a nostalgic industrial vibe.
Why I Love Using Vintage Labels and Advertisements in Journals
I’ve always been fascinated by vintage advertising ephemera. These old labels and business cards are little time capsules from the 19th century, full of ornate typography and beautifully engraved illustrations. They tell the story of an era when design was highly detailed and often hand-drawn, whether it was an ad for honey, a stove catalog card, or an elegantly scripted jeweler’s business card. I love using these in junk journals and collages because they instantly add historical depth and visual interest to any page.
What’s Included in This Free Printable
This printable features a curated collection of authentic 19th-century business advertisements and trade cards. Here’s what you’ll find:
Antique labels featuring ornate Victorian typography and flourishes
Old-fashioned product ads, including stoves, hats, honey, and more
Vintage business cards with decorative borders and engraved illustrations
Black-and-white designs that print beautifully and layer seamlessly into journal spreads
How I Use These Printable Labels and Ads
I like to use these vintage advertisements in several ways:
Junk journal spreads: They work well as focal elements, page headers, or side embellishments.
Scrapbooking layouts: Perfect for heritage albums or pages about family history and old trades.
Mixed media art: Combine them with aged or tea-dyed paper for an antiqued look.
Layering with other printables: Pair them with my vintage ornamental frames or vintage envelopes ephemera to create textured backgrounds.
The History Behind Vintage Labels and Trade Ads
These designs come from a late 19th-century printer’s sample book featuring trade cards, catalog engravings, and product advertisements. Businesses often invested in beautifully crafted stationery and printed pieces, using intricate fonts and illustrations to convey trustworthiness and quality. Today, they not only make striking visual elements for crafts but also offer a glimpse into the typography and graphic design of their time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What size is the printable?
The collage sheet features a variety of labels and card sizes ranging from small tag-sized ads to larger statement pieces. It is formatted to print on 8 1/2” x 11” paper.
What kind of paper should I print these on?
I recommend matte paper.
Are these designs in the Public Domain?
Yes. These images are from 19th-century publications and are in the public domain. I’ve formatted them for easy printing.
Related Printables for Antique Typography Lovers
If you enjoy the intricate lettering and historic charm of old advertisements and trade cards, you might also love these free printables:
Free Vintage Typography Printables – A collection of antique lettering and decorative text elements perfect for journal titles and headers.
Vintage Store Ephemera – Shop labels, tags, and merchant ephemera that pair beautifully with historic ads.
Vintage Ads Printable Collage Sheet – A set of charming 19th-century advertisements showcasing ornate typography and product engravings.
Love These Printables? Support The Art Scavenger!
I love sharing free vintage printables, and if you enjoy them, there are easy ways to support my work so I can continue creating and offering more free designs:
You may also enjoy these free collage sheets.
Terms of use:
Free to use for personal or commercial projects. You may print the collage sheets as many times as you wish for your personal crafts or in your projects to sell, including: scrapbooks, junk journals, collage art, etc. You may not redistribute or sell the collage sheets “as is" in either print or digital form.
If you wish to share the files on your own website, please do not make the files available for download directly from your site. Instead, include an image with a link back to this site.
To the best of my knowledge, these are all royalty free images that are in the Public Domain in the US. However, you should always do your own research if you plan to use them commercially.
