[Christmas toys and presents in Victorian Banbury.] Handbill advertisement for 'Christmas and New Year's Presents', by J. H. Ludwig of Banbury. With engraved illustration.

Printed in brown on one side of a 20.5 x 25.5 cm piece of grey paper. In very good condition, lightly aged. An attractive production, with the text in a variety of fonts and point sizes. Beneath the heading 'Christmas Season, 1890.', the left-hand side of the page carries an engraving of eighteenth-century party-goers descending a staircase into a room in which is the sign 'Ludwig's Showroom for Xmas & New Year Presents.' On the right of the page the text reads: '84, High Street, Banbury. | J. H. Ludwig | Calls attention to his Season's Novelties in every Department | Showroom is now ready. | A magnificent Selection of Goods suitable for | Christmas and New Year's Presents. | Albums, Bags, Purses, Jewel Cases, Companions, Scent Cases, Photo Frames, Inkstands, Writing Desks, Workboxes, &c. | New Toys and Dolls in great variety. | Games, Playing Cards, Bon-Bons, &c. | All kinds of fancy & commercial stationery. | Wools and Knitting Yarns, Art Needlework and Materials. | Christmas & New Year's Cards. | An early inspection solicited.' Printers' slug at foot of engraving. From the archive of Cheney & Sons, 'General, Commercial & Artistic Printers, Banbury'. The calling card of partner John Cheney describes him as a 'Printer in Gold, Silver, and Colours', with 'Specialities in the best class of work', and the company's high standards attracted clients from London's West End. For more about the firm see 'John Cheney and his descendants, printers in Banbury since 1767' (1936), and the Victoria County History volume for the County of Oxford, Banbury Hundred.