Trade card:La Belle Chocolatiere

Printed at the height of trade-card popularity at the end of the 19th century, this Walter Baker & Co. advertisement helped turn the 1744 French painting La Belle Chocolati퀌�re into one of America's first familiar advertising icons. Walter Baker & Co. acquired the rights to the painting of a young woman serving hot cocoa on a tray and used it in all its advertising and packaging. Founded in 1765, America's first chocolate factory helped transform a European luxury food into a staple in American kitchens. At the time of the company's founding, chocolate, grown only in South and Central America, played an important role in the transatlantic trade between European countries and the American colonies. Company founder James Baker reduced costs significantly by processing it in an American factory rather than importing it through Europe. In the 19th century, his grandson, Walter, increased demand for the luxury item through clever advertising, making chocolate one of the first edible luxuries available to average consumers.