For decades, it was assumed that the namecards were first invented during the industrial revolution of the 20th century. But with the advancement of technology combined with the preservation of history, it can be simply pointed out in this day and age, that that fact was indeed false. One simple search on Google and you can find multiple sources indicating that the use of namecards have been around for almost 4 centuries. Some even stated that the earliest versions of a namecard can be found even earlier; 15th century China to be exact. Now that is 600 years ago!
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On a personal level there wasn’t much in what I can find regarding the 15th century cards from China but let’s go ahead and dip further to what can be backed up. A brief overview can be found of the history can be found on Design Daily which was written by Mirko Humbert, “… in the 17th century in Europe, where they were used to announce the impending arrival of prosperous or aristocratic people to their local town or even their home. They were shaped and sized in a similar way to a playing card and became a staple of the elite by the middle of the century. In time the cards became engrave with gold and exciting typefaces and by the 19th century the cards were a must have by anyone, who was anyone in the middle class circles of the day. Houses even had card trays, ornate in construction, made so those visiting your house could leave their card in.
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By the 18th and the 19th centuries these ‘social cards’ were taken from each lady upon her first visit to a house. People were offered the card tray upon the opening of the door to the door and had to place their card in it as a matter of etiquette. This card was then delivered to the lady of the household, who would examine it – in many ways it created the first impression of the person.”
Now, you might be thinking how does this affect me?
Every day, namecards are being handed around all the time you meet someone new in a business perspective. While many find this as a formality, over the years, there has been a lessening of formality in the world. The purpose of these cards is no longer just visiting cards or trade cards. As a matter of fact, these two were merged into one and handed out even in less formal occasions. The purpose of these cards was more of an essential need to exchange contact information.
While the etiquette of these business cards has changed with time, certain ‘rules’ still exist to this date. For example, Cards should not be handed out by the left hand, should never be written on and should always be translated to the language of the specific country they are being handed out in on the rear of the card. They should never be carried loose and presented in the best condition.
After centuries of use, cards for purposes of introduction and for the exchange of contact information have evolved from the visit cards, to the trade cards, and now to the business cards which are central to the exchange of basic professional data in the international business community. While elaborate ritual attached to the presentation of a piece of paper roughly 3 x 2 inches may seem out of proportion to the object itself, one thing has not changed about the use of such cards. They are a means of introduction and first impressions really do matter.
Credits to Mirko Hubert of Design Daily for the insight of the history of business cards http://www.designer-daily.com/a-history-of-business-cards-20266