Trade Card Tuesday: Barbour's Irish Flax Thread

Alas, I have no sewing machine trade cards with adorable Irish lasses or lucky leprechauns.  No St. Patrick's Day greeting postcards, either.  On the other hand (ha!), I do have an Irish card that will teach you palm reading!

(click on the image for a larger view)

Advertising for Barbour's Irish Flax Thread purports to instruct the reader on Character as Indicated by the Hand.  The hand shapes illustrated are (left to right) Square Hand, Square Hand, Pointed Hand and Spatulate Hand.  The card is copyright 1893.  

The reverse of the card explains the character traits associated with each hand shape and describes the qualities of different lines on the hand (see the second Square Hand for a map to the lines).

Barbour's Flax (or Linen) Thread Co. was founded in 1784 in Ireland.  The thread is still available today, although apparently somewhat difficult to obtain.