"I began collecting business cards back in the early 1970s," Gurner said. "Over the years it has become, well, an

David Orlic (right) selects cards for Simon Hernadi (left) to scan while Johan Wilde, art director, matches paper stocks and ink colors. (Photo by Jack Gurner)

obsession. To me it is something like collecting people." The collection has grown from the early 1970s to include somewhere in the neighborhood 70,000 cards, from all time periods - the earliest dating "from the late 1700s."

"What you get when you look at and study [business cards] throughout history, is an example of how the simplest advertising tool has evolved over the years. It also reflects how graphic design and photography has changed over the years," Gurner added.

Garbergs, in serving one of its clients, Swedish pulp factory Sodra, produces offbeat books with authentic examples of paper and its many uses. "We try to think outside of the mold of your regular ad agency," said Johan Wilde of Garbergs. "At the end of the day, we'e businessmen. But also we are passionate about what we do and come at things from an intense angle."

The last item "put together" was a book of concert posters. Bound together and opened in 'fold-out' style, the book shows potential customers many creative ways to utilize paper. Gurner's collection of business cards will be the subject of the next book Garbergs puts together.

The three Swedes spent roughly three days with Gurner at his office to document the collection. Their documentation covered cards from the 1830s up through the present day. The Swedes brought with them one laptop computer, one scanner, camera gear and books of paper and ink samples so that after documenting the card collection, they will be able to reproduce the cards for the book exactly as they found them in Gurner's collection.

"Obviously, this is a bit of an ego-trip for me," Gurner said. "But to have a premier European ad agency contact me and want to use my collection in one of

Jack Gurner displays a card from “Bunny” Ellison who was an artist for the Oswald cartoon series of the 1930’s. (Photo by Simon Hernadi of Garbergs/Stockholm)

their productions, it's a project that I am honored to be a part of."

The book, when it is completed in September, will be created in four languages. The last page in each book created will consist of an envelope addressed to Jack Gurner that asks anyone who wishes to mail their business card to Gurner's Photography.

What follows is a timeline of Johan Wilde, art director; David Orlic, copywriter; and Simon Hernadi's visit to Water Valley.

Sunday
• Arrive in Memphis International Airport.
  
• Detained by Memphis Border Protection when it was discovered that Hernadi had visited Beurit and Syria in the past six months.
  
• Gurner receives phone call at residence from Border Protection inquiring as to whether or not he is expecting three Swedes to visit him. Gurner responds that he is.
  
• Get hotel room near Memphis' Beale Street. Enjoy barbeque at restaurant on Beale Street for dinner.
  

Monday

• Rent silver Buick Regal for drive to Water Valley.
  
• Arrive in Water Valley around 11 a.m.; begin work at Gurner's Photography offices.
  "I brought - not all of my cards - but a big chunk of them down to my office and let them do their work there," Gurner said. "It took me a couple of trips to get the cards down there. I loaded [the cards] into 12 bankers' boxes."
  
• Present Gurner with three examples of past work.
  
• Have barbeque plates from Lawler's Grocery. All three agreed it was "wonderful."
  
• Get hotel in Oxford (Holiday Inn Express) and for dinner dine at Old Venice on Oxford's Square.
  

Tuesday

• Arrive at Gurner's Photography and begin work around 9 a.m.
  
• Travel to Taylor Grocery for lunch; all three enjoy catfish, French fries and hushpuppies. ("What is this?" one of them asks when eating a hushpuppy.. "It is good.")
  
• Spend the afternoon working.
  
• Finish work and travel back to Oxford. For dinner eat shrimp and grits at City Grocery on Square. Ask Gurner the next day, "What is grits? Are they a delicacy?"
  
• Looking to enjoy nightlife in Oxford, the Swedes visit The Levee and The Library. However, Hernadi did not bring his identification and is abruptly turned away at The Library's entrance.
  

Wednesday
• Begin work at 10 a.m. at Gurner's Photography.
  
• For lunch have El Charrito. Most cars in Europe are of the 'compact' variety. While touring Water Valley, the Swedes discovered a fully loaded, "jacked up," four wheel drive pickup truck and insisted they have pictures made as they stood beside it.
  
• Finish up work on project. Drive Buick Regal back to Memphis. Planned on visiting Graceland before flying back to Stockholm via Amsterdam.