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20 Vintage Business Cards for Your Inspiration

June 18, 2013 NextDayFlyers

Recently updated on October 4th, 2017 at 02:06 am

In this postmodern age where all design ideas from the past and present are plundered for their artistic merits, vintage style is king! This is particularly true of business cards that often suit a retro look that harks back to a time before full-color printing and gaudy graphics. In this post, we have gathered together 20 vintage business cards for your design inspiration.

Here are some truly amazing retro business cards for all you discerning ladies and gentlemen with superior breeding and taste:

frank_matson_business_card
This business card promotes Citizen Pictures (a Denver production company) and looks like it’s straight out of 1930’s golden age of pictures. Love the retro cool picture stub re-invention.

Original source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dailypoetics/126896586/
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felix_Auer_business card

These “old timey” boxing business cards are a knockout! Felix Auer’s graphic design work packs a heck of a punch!

Original source: http://www.felixauer.at/
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laura_cler_business_card

This business card that represents Linneas Lights Soy Candle Shop is so elegant – reflecting their retro Edwardian graphical brand.

Original source: http://www.felixauer.at/
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joakim_meihack_business_card

Love this provocative business card from designer Joakim Meihack – a graphical wallop that’s reminiscent of a 50’s boxing program.

Original source: http://www.behance.net/gallery/PERSONAL-IRONIC-GO-CARDBUSINESS-CARD/8736557

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alicia_blair_business_card

Graphic designer, Alicia Blair has scored a touchdown with these vintage football business cards  – perfect for hustling clients!

Original source: http://www.behance.net/gallery/Retro-Football-Themed-Business-Card/5216017

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mike_james_business_card

Don’t be so square! How about this for a beautifully polished, circular business card by design master, Mike James (a.k.a Mike Galore).

Original source: http://ownbusinesscards.net/round-retro-business-card/

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j_K_Wright_business card

Genuine vintage business card from the sheaff-ephemera.com site (specialists in vintage ephemera and design sourcing). This is a design style that still holds up today as modern and sophisticated.

Original source: http://sheaff-ephemera.com./list/printing-inks-rollers/

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P_Vuccino_business_card

This typographic masterpiece is another genuine vintage card from sheaff-ephemera.com. It’s what was known as a cabinet card and advertised photographic portraiture in the 1800’s.

Original source: http://sheaff-ephemera.com./list/backmarks_album/p_vuccino_company.html

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jameson_morse_business_card

The last of our examples from the sheaff-ephemera.com site shows another piece of typographic genius. This level of hand-crafted typography and print work is a lost art!

Original source: http://sheaff-ephemera.com./list/printing-inks-rollers/

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wine_vineyard_cork_business_card

These retro illustrated business cards for the Confiance Garantie Winery are printed on cork from recycled wine bottles! What a simply “hic”…brilliant… “hic”…idea!!! (More wine please, bartender!)

Original source: http://cardobserver.com/gallery/cork-business-cards

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hatmaker_retro_business_card

Hats off to Damien Monaghan, the designer who created these retro-sophisticated milliner business card designs. Classy cards to say the least!

Original source: http://cardobserver.com/gallery/rounded-classy-design

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s_f_eight_business_card

This business card from Urban Decay in the UK is a great example of true retro style. It looks like it came straight out of a music hall in the roaring twenties!

Original source: http://theurbandecay.deviantart.com/art/S-F-Eighty-Vintage-Style-Business-Cards-272798473

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nintendo_controller_business_card

Although not strictly “vintage”, I couldn’t resist this super 80’s retro card!  This is a down, down-right, right, fist punch, “hadouken” of a business card holder and card combo!

Original source: http://moresay.com/2009/07/banpresto-japan-nes-controller-business-card-holder/

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paul_johns_business_card

These elegant vintage cards from designer, Paul Johns are a lesson to us all in how to create color contrast  – a black and white treatment with a massive “pop” of red to make the cards eye-catching.

Original source: http://cardobserver.com/gallery/unique-business-card-6

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furniture_shop_business_card

I love these vintage business cards that mimic old-school price tags. They suit this high-end furniture store to a tee!

Original source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dailypoetics/126898353/

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black_and_white_retro_business_cards

Black and white business cards with a genius type composition. We adore this understated yet complex design by Print & Grain Design.

Original source: http://cardobserver.com/gallery/black-white-letterpress-2

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photographer_30's_vintage_business_card

This 1930’s deco design for photographer, Nancy LeVine reflects the beauty and style of the day.

Original source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dailypoetics/126897980/

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tom_thomson_business_card

Another  original vintage business card design for an engraver in the early 1900’s – a bold and powerful visual and typographic treatment.

Original source: http://tomthomsonart.ca/geography/seattle-washington-1900-1904

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gold_business_card

These decadent business cards by Paper View Graphic Design are the perfect complement to a delicious gastropub.

Original source: http://www.socialh.com/vintage-business-cards/

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foxy_business_card

These “foxy” business cards from Anomali Jewelry Designers are the height of retro and contemporary design all rolled into one! Seriously cool branding!

Original source: http://anomali.co.za/

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abraham_lincoln_business_card

You don’t get more vintage than this! To finish of our list, here’s Abe Lincoln’s business card – proving that beautiful typography is timeless

Original source: http://flavorwire.com/364847/the-fascinating-business-cards-of-20-famous-people/2

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Published in Uncategorized

8 thoughts on “20 Vintage Business Cards for Your Inspiration”

  2. Great, low-cost way for a small business to stand out. Very nice designs.

  3. As a retired designer and magazine art director turned fine art painter with western subject matter, much of which has an Old West flare, this has stirred fresh ideas for my next business card. (Wanted posters? Saloon signs? Vintage newspaper ads?) Thanks for a great article, and congrats to the designers who created these.

  6. Thanks Michael. These designers are brilliant at what they do and so inspirational.

  7. I can really appreciate the creative talent that went into this terrific collection of business cards having spent almost 50 years as a pinstriping artist creating designs in paint and gold/silver leaf on vintage, custom and late model autos, motorcycles, trucks and hotrods. These are examples of why it is so important to create a card that people want to keep.

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