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ACEO stands for "Artists Cards - Editions, and Originals". These are also know as ATCs or "Artists Trading Cards". Art cards have a been around for many centuries and have an interesting history. Art cards or miniatures where very popular in the 1500's, and were mostly portraits. They were the first wallet pictures. The same artist that would paint the large family portraits would often also paint nude minatures for the husband's mistresses. Minature portraits would be used to review prospective marriage partners in arranged marriages. Artists in France were the first to put advertising on art cards. In the mid-1700's the English started using the art cards for advertising.The Impressionists traded art cards among themselves, as well as bartering and selling them. The first baseball cards appeared in 1887, and were not mass produced. During the golden years of baseball in the early 20th century cards were sold with bubble gum, chewing tobacco or cracker jacks. Because they were marketed with different products their sizes were not standardized to 2.5 x 3.5 inches until the 1960s. Today there is a reawakening in the collection of hand-made art cards. It's a fun and affordable way to collect artists' works. |
