The Billhead evolved from what was known as a "Trade Card," and
in the twentieth Century, became known as letterhead. It was
created by printing a heading at the top of a sheet of paper,
usually from an engraved copper plate. The lower part of the
sheet was used for writing a list, a note, or a bill. The
standard billhead measured seven to eight inches wide, and four
inches or more in length, depending on the need for space for
writing the bill. The printed heading usually included an
illustration, and sometimes a street address or location of the
business. They also included space to write the date and town
where the business transaction took place. They were printed on
durable rag paper up until the 1860's and 1870's, after which
they were printed on thinner woodpulp paper. In general,
billheads of this style were in use and remained relatively the
same for approximately a 150 year time frame, over three
centuries. As historical artifacts, billheads are useful for
providing information about tradesmen's pro