The popularity of advertising trade cards during the 1880s created a fad, and many people sought them out to collect them.

The 1878 Forbes Company advertising trade cards are among the earliest of all baseball related cards issued. This set of six cards copyrighted in 1878 by the Forbes Company of Boston were produced as advertising trade cards for merchants to use to promote their product or service. The cards were sold by agents across the county that would print the advertisement on stock cards provided by the Forbes co.

The colorfully illustrated baseball themed lithograph trade cards measure 3 by 4.75 inches and features the card title at the top with the merchant's advertisement printed a the bottom. Each of the trade card titles at the top in red or black ink are as follows: A Fly, Foul, Home Run, Judgment, Muff, and Twist.
 
  Given the catalog designation H 804-38, these two baseball themed, 19th century trade cards are part of a four card set with the tagline "An Accurate Barometer." The two baseball cards are; "No Base Ball for a week," which illustrates a sad boy watching the rain, and, "Prospect of a good afternoon for Base Ball," depicting a happy boy with the chance to play baseball.

 The other two with non-baseball illustrations: "Cold and clear no let up," depicting the same boy bundled up, "Hot with prospect of being hotter," shows the boy with a fan.

  A similar four card set, suspected to have been issued by the same publisher and illustrator had one baseball themed card. These trade cards feature two cards illustrating girls with the taglone "She May Yet Wed a President,"  and two boys with the tagline He May Yet become President."

The one baseball card illustrates the boy with a 19th century style ring bat behind his back, and smoking a cigarette in a presidential manner. Both sets have similar illustrations, use the same type of font, and also have the same background shading.

  The Baby Talk Series consists of four distinct sets totaling to at least 36 baseball themed trade cards. Depending on the set, the cards range in size from 3" by 4-1/4 to 3" by 4-9/16, and illustrates babies in caricature with enlarged heads. The cards were published and copyrighted in 1889 by M. F. Tobin, N.Y.

The trade card pictured here is from the nine card set given the catalog designation H 804-1B. The cards measure 3"x4-9/16" and feature a red framing line. Each card has a different title and baby name. This card is titled 'Tan "oo" Tetch' with Baby McKee.

  The 1880s Merchant’s Gargling Oil Trade cards features an odd-looking, overweight baseball player wearing a red belt, socks and hat with a white uniform, in a variety of comical poses. The set was given the catalog designation H804-7 American Card Catalog under the Baseball Comics classification.

 The set consists of five, 3.25 by 5.25" with a printed ad for Merchant’s Gargling Oil at the bottom. Although Gargling Oil was the primary sponsor, these cards also featured other advertisers as well. Lithography for the set was done by Gies & Company of Buffalo, NY.

  Designated H804-36 by the Frank Keetz catalog "Baseball Advertising Trade Cards 3rd edition," these "W D" series bi-fold advertising trade cards feature a pair of scorecards on the inside. The back is left blank, reserved for printed adverting. The front depicts colorful illustrations of ballplayers in action. Elaborate designs run across the bottom and left side of each card, and each of the four cards in the set are titled in the lower left column.

 To the right if the title the illustration caption. The four titles and captions include; Official Score - "A High Fly," Home - "Low Ball," 2 B 1st B - "Put It Here," and one with no title depicting a Catchers Mask & Gloves - "Two Out, Two Strikes & Three on Bases." The bottom of the cards are marked with a red "W D" separated by 4 dots or bases forming a diamond.

The H804-2A Vertical Brownies 5 trade card set is part of a series with two other sets illustrated by Palmer Cox. The Brownies in this set feature elves with pointed hats, and are much smaller than the ball depicted in the illustration.

 One of the two other vertical Brownies sets H804-2C feature Brownies with flat hats. The other, H804-2B, identical to the H804-2A set but with a wide yellow border. The 5 cards include; A 'Panic-er!!', Judgment!,  Out on second!, Putting on the 'Curve'!, and Taking a Fly. A set of Horizontal Brownies H804-19 also exists.

  Copyrighted in 1888 by the Buffords Sons Lithographic Company, the 1888 H804-3 Buffords Trade Cards measure a large 3.50″ x 5″. The four card baseball set tittles includes; A Brush with the Ball, Chance for a Kick, A Short Stop, and The Umpires lot is not a Happy One.

 The cards feature classic 19th century baseball games, illustrating players in either red or blue team uniforms.

The H 804-15 red border position series trade cards were published and copyrighted in 1887 by Tobin Lithographs. The cards feature humorous baseball illustrations for each field position, batsman, and the umpire. The 14 cards were broken down into two sets.

H 804 15A has 10 cards, (Pitcher.)Where D'ye Want It? (Catcher.)A Wild Throw. (Third Base.)An Anxious Moment (Short Stop.)A Base Hit (Left Field.)A Fine Catch (Center Field.)Oh What A Snap! (Right Field.)A Daisy Cutter (Batsman.)Shoulder High (Champion Spurter.)A Home Run (Umpire.)Not Out.

The four cards in H 804 15B are; (Short Stop)A Base Hit! (Centre Field.)Oh, What A Snap! (Batsman)Shoulder High! (Umpire)Not Out!, has a different print style, spectators in the background, and no identifying number "9" at the bottom right as set "A" has.

This 1887 copyrighted "C-679" Ball Series comic trade card measures 3" x 4.50" The complete four card set has the catalog designation H 804 24. Each of the cards feature comical illustrations with participants getting hit or tagged with a ball, one a dog running with the ball.

The four cards; 1 - Foul (ball passing the catcher and hitting the umpire) 2- Home Run (Ball player chasing dog with ball in its mouth) Safe (Player on base being tagged on the head with ball) 4- Strike (batter swinging at ball that hits him in face)

The Capadura Cigar series of comic trade cards consists of a five card set measuring 3.25" x 5.25" Given the catalog designation H 804-4  the cards were published by Clay & Richmond, of Buffalo, N.Y.

The red, white and light tan cards strongly resemble the artwork found on the 1880's Merchant’s Gargling Oil Trade cards'. The lithography for that set was done by Gies & Company of Buffalo, NY. The 5 card checklist: Two Men Out and Three on Base, A Short Stop!, Behind the Bat, Judgment!, and Where Will You Have.