Calling cards

[JSFMACLJR]

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

You couldn't be more wrong, my friend! I am an American citizen, and an armiger, bearing arms granted by the Lord Lyon King of Arms...who also granted arms to a certain former Secretary of State not too long ago, one General Colin Powell. Secretary Powell received the Letters Patent in his office, at the hand of Lord Lyon Blair himself. While he was Secretary of State, I might add.

You would do yourself a great service by following the advice of Cajunscot, and reading up on the use of heraldry in the USA.

[macwilkin]

You couldn't be more wrong, my friend! I am an American citizen, and an armiger, bearing arms granted by the Lord Lyon King of Arms...who also granted arms to a certain former Secretary of State not too long ago, one General Colin Powell. Secretary Powell received the Letters Patent in his office, at the hand of Lord Lyon Blair himself. While he was Secretary of State, I might add.

You would do yourself a great service by following the advice of Cajunscot, and reading up on the use of heraldry in the USA.

Not only General Powell, but a number of US Presidents, including Washington, were armigers. While most were not regular users, The General was quite the devotee of heraldry, and his arms may be found all over Mt. Vernon.

T.

[Livingston]

Currently I have semi-personal cards since I am unemployed. They are based on the business card format but do not mention any company. On the cards I have "IT Sales Professional" under my name, a little under that "Server, Storage and Retention Solutions", then my home and mobile numbers and email address along with my LinkedIn site.

For those that would like to have calling cards, I might suggest you look at vistaprint.com where you can get 250 cards for free plus the cost of shipping ($14.95 for expedited 1 week delivery)

[Rex_Tremende]

When I carry my card case with me, I always have it stocked with both business cards and personal cards. I decide which to give based on the nature of the encounter.

Though it may be considered gauche, one version of my personal card carries my photo. I decided to add this element after one day sorting through a stash of cards given to me at social gatherings, and not being able to remember who the [heck] was who. It is disgraceful, I know, but I simply cannot remember most people until after being introduced to them at least three or four times. I have found that photographs help. So, since I feel that it's good manners to put others at ease, I figure other people might have the same problem, so I solved that by giving them something to remember be better by.

When it's called for, that is. . .

Regards,
Rex.

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

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.

This practice is common on business cards in the United Kingdom as it notes the qualifications of the individual concerned. On social cards no such qualifications are needed-- unless one is "showing off", which is the height of bad form.

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.

Here, I am afraid, you are just plain wrong. Many people in the United States are armigers, and there is nothing in the law which prevents a citizen of the United States from having a coat of arms. Actually there is a tradition of arms in the United States reaching back to George Washington, who was careful to use his arms whenever possible. More recent American presidents with arms include John F. Kennedy and William J. Clinton.

Now any lawyer worth his salt will tell you that "ignorance of the law" is no excuse. The same would apply to the lawyer who chooses to use "esquire" on his social cards-- once it was perceived that he was touting his trade he'd be marked down as a parvenu, just another jumped up social climber.

See, the thing is, social cards should be understated. It is assumed that the person you are presenting your card to is your social equal, and that he or she already knows all about you-- or, if they don't, discrete inquiry will be made. But for you to hand someone your card, pump his hand, and say "Howdy! I'm John Smith and I'm a lawyer" is just too vulgar for words.

And that includes the words on one's social cards.

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

I most certainly do have--and use-- social calling cards!

I have two:
1. "Mr. John Sandford Fleming MacLean, junior"
2. "Mr. and Mrs. John Sandford Fleming MacLean, Jr."

Contrary to what my learned friend MacMillan of Rathdown wrote, I use the title "Mr." on my card, as this is the form dictated by Emily Post and Amy Vanderbilt in ages past! It is also an accepted British usage, as well (viz. Manners and Rules of Good Society, or Solecisms to be Avoided, written by "A Member of the Aristocracy" in 1913! I cannot locate my Debretts Correct Usage book at the moment to see a more current British opinion!

M o R is correct, though, from a purely Scottish point of view. Chiefs and lairds most certainly would NOT use Mr.! As an armiger, perhaps I should get a card engraved as simply "Sandford MacLean." Since good engraved cards are not cheap, I can hold off on this little extravagence.

Generally speaking Mr. is usually avoided as it is used for the most junior ranks in the armed services of the United States. (One is Mister John Smith, not Second Lieutenant John Smith.)

And, since you are most definitely an armiger, Sandford MacLean, Esq. would be elegantly correct!

[sydnie7]

I've been following this thread, then opened a catalog this afternoon to find:

these

[Bugbear]

I used to have business cards that had my name at the top, then a subtitle of "Ceramics artist,," then contact information toward one side, and pictures of my work in the lower middle, if I remember correctly. I carried them around, but I also left a few at the displays where my ceramics were being sold.

I don't make finnished pieces anymore, but it was nice to have the card with my name and pictures of my work.

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

What about if the buckle & strap includes the designation An Cìrean Ceann-cinnidh? [

T.

Technically this is the only way in which a clan member may display the buckle and strap on note paper or calling cards. However, I would advise against doing it.

By the time the buckle and strap are reduced to 10mm (about a third of an inch) An Cirean Ceann Cinnidh, which must be displayed immediately adjacent to the buckle and strap, becomes virtually unreadable. One also needs to add "member of clan X" in a second, smaller line, under the buckle and strap.

Now this is fine and dandy if, under one's name, there is a second, smaller, line that reads: "Convenor of Clan X" or "President, Baltimore Clan X Society" or some such. But in this instance the card has become a "business" card, promoting the activity of a clan society, and ceases to be a social card.

A social card needs to supply only three things-- one's name, one's address, and (if one so chooses) a private telephone number.

[RB51]

I'm curious MoR if convention, in the case of my first name, Laurie, could be bent a bit to allow the use of Mr. I often get mail adressed to me as if I am female, and while that is not the end of the earth it does add an explanatory step. On a social card it would be far easier to use Mr. than to introduce if not confusion, at least uncertainty.

Laurie