Whether you’re collecting tractors or postcards, a complete set in a hard-to-find series is a true prize. This complete set of Sunbonnet babies cards (with a 1906 copyright date) captures a day in the life of an idyllic farm setting.
The series is referred to as Sunbonnet Girls and Overall Boys. Each card celebrates the daily life of the American farmer, and includes the time of day, a title and a whimsical graphic. Sunbonnet babies illustrations were in vogue around the turn of the century, and among the artists was Bernhardt Wall, whose cards appear here.
The set is part of the collection of Ed Bezanson, well-known himself as author of the “The Yankee” column in Antique Power magazine. Ed admits to being addicted to farm-related ephemera: anything printed on paper about tractors or farm machinery. “My main collection is focused on photographs, postcards, sales brochures, posters, manuals and anything else that falls into those categories,” he says.
Illustrations such as these, Ed notes, remind us of a simpler time and bring memories of the past to life. At the same time, the artist unveils his fondness for another era, one we revisit more than 100 years later.
To submit a vintage advertisement for possible publication, send it to: Iron Age Ads, Farm Collector, 1503 S.W. 42nd St., Topeka, KS 66609; or submit high-quality digital images by e-mail: editor@farmcollector.com
