The Putnam Nail Company was located in the Port Norfolk section of Dorchester. In addition to weekly advertisements in magazines, the company put out a series of advertising cards. Many of them featured horses, both pacers and trotters, who had won races. There were other trade cards where the connection to horseshoe nails was a little forced. Today’s example has an illustration with the caption “Raising the old man.” The verse has an interesting use of the phrase: “they are the boss.”
The verse reads:
My milk is spilt, my back is bruised,
I am altogether badly used,
I’d rather ride a cantankerous horse,
Shod with Putnam Nails!
They are the Boss.