Hogarth’s own (dated) trade card is said by Samuel Ireland (in Graphic Illustrations) to be his earliest work. It is now thought the benefit ticket for Spiller might possibly pre-date it. The card is dismissed by Heal as ‘a dismal failure, a weak and characterless piece of work’. It shows History and Art (the latter gesturing to Hogarth’s name).

The example in the John Johnson Collection is curious. It may simply be a forgery or just possibly a (rejected) proof. Beneath the printed text can be discerned ‘W. Hogarth, engraver, Cranbourn Alley’ as if the plate had been imperfectly altered. However, this is not the full address which did appear on one of Hogarth’s trade cards (‘at ye Golden Ball, ye Corner of Cranbone Alley, little Newport Street’). Neither of the Hogarth cards reproduced and described by Heal (in The trade-cards of engravers or in London tradesmen’s cards of the XVIII century) has the imprint W. Hogarth delt. Sam. Ireland sc., although one has W. Hogarth delt. S.I. sc.