Calling cards

[RB51]

In days of old gentlemen would often having calling cards that were used to announce themsleves, or to leave their name with various establishments and people. Today, the business card is ubiquitous and fills that role. Alas, being retired, I no longer have a business card and find myself patting down my pockets for a pen and looking for a scrap of paper if I want to leave my name and number.

Which leads to my question - are calling cards still appropriate/accepted in society today? I'd appreciate hearing if anyone still uses them.

Laurie

[Arlen]

I still use them simply because I prefer to have something for personal contacts.
My wife and I designed our own and are happy to give them to people. We've never had anyone even look twice.

But then, I still write letters bay hand and seal them with my personalised wax seal.

[Heming]

I don't have one myself, but they are at least quite common here, and can even be purchased from vending machines!

[Galician]

One of the main purposes for calling cards was that they would be left when one dropped by for a visit, only to learn that the party you intended to visit was not home or was unavailable. This was due to the fact that the (illiterate?) maids could not be counted on to pass the message properly.
Oh, I forgot that there was also the matter of the Victorian preference for extravagence, when given the chance.

[sydnie7]

I use a variety of cards including full business (with complete contact info), casual business (name and services or web site only), and personal (name without any business info). When I had three businesses running, that got complicated!

I either get them "free" from Vista Print (low cost) or make them myself using ink-jet printer and sheets of business card stock, available from any office supply store. Avery supplies free design templates if you need that level of help.

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

I have two kinds of cards. Those I use for business and those I use socially. My social cards (45mm x 75mm) are slightly smaller than my business cards (50mm x 90mm).

The social card is plain white, and has my name centered in the middle of the card. In the lower left hand corner is my address on three lines. In the lower right hand corner is my telephone number, and below that, my personal email address. (I detest this addition-- a concession to modernity-- but is saves having to write it out for the numpties who refuse to write a proper letter.)

"Mister" (Mr.) is never used on a social card:

Mr. Jock McDoodlesack is wrong;

Jock McDoodlesack is correct.

Esquire (Esq.) is only properly used by armigers:

Jock McDoodlesack, Esq.

Those with territorial designations use them in place of Esquire:

Jock McDoodlesack of Gracenote.

Clanfolk do not display the buckle and strap on their social cards as the cards are not the property of their Chief.

There are separate conventions for those in the military, or who are retired from the military, and a check with the appropriate source ("The Officer's Guide", or similar) will steer you in the right direction regarding the customs of your branch of service.

[Galician]

Since Esq. is the accepted designation for attorneys here, I would think that in this country it would be perfectly acceptable for them to use that.

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Since Esq. is the accepted designation for attorneys here, I would think that in this country it would be perfectly acceptable for them to use that.

On a business card, yes. On a social card, no.

The professional exceptions for social cards are Reverend, Father, & Rabbi preceding the name. Using Esq. after one's name (despite it's professional use by lawyers) implies one is an armiger (ie: possesses a personal coat of arms). While it is accepted practice in the United States that a lawyer will append Esq. after his name on a business card, it is gauche, in the extreme, to advertise, or put forward, one's trade, profession, or academic standing on a social card.

[Galician]

On a business card, yes. On a social card, no.

The professional exceptions for social cards are Reverend, Father, & Rabbi preceding the name. Using Esq. after one's name (despite it's professional use by lawyers) implies one is an armiger (ie: possesses a personal coat of arms). While it is accepted practice in the United States that a lawyer will append Esq. after his name on a business card, it is gauche, in the extreme, to advertise, or put forward, one's trade, profession, or academic standing on a social card.

I shall grant that use of a professional designation for a personal card might not be the best form. I have noticed over the years, though, that the English frequently list their academic degrees in ways we here would never do.

As regards the Esquire, however, this nation is a Republic, so no one here legitimately has a personal coat of arms. Thus there can be no such implication.

[Old Hippie]

I have both formal and informal business cards. The informal ones serve the purpose of calling cards for me (though we can discuss whether that is appropriate to the use or not).

My two main informal card designs are quite simple, created in Word and printed on the Avery laser printer forms available for business cards. I print them as I need them.

One says, "Dr. Charles A. Hays. Gentleman, Swordsman, Philosopher. Will Think for Food."

The other says, "Old Hippie Tractor Repair. Chuck Hays (and my phone number). Peace, Love and Old Tractors."

As I tend to be somewhat sardonic in the best of times, I occasionally print a limited run of cards for a special occasion or just because I'm feeling like it. There are people I know who are trying to collect the set.

Clearly my life's not too formal, but still it's nice to have a card to hand out or leave wedged in a door if I've been by. I don't carry a cell phone, neither do I text nor tweet. I can be reached (seriously) by telegraph, either at home or office where I have working hookups.

:ootd: