One card is for King's Avenue, Clapham Park and bears the armorial crest of the Needham family (a phoenix in flames) with the motto 'Nunc Aut Nunquam' (Now or Never). Early cards are for 'Dr Joseph Needham, Caius College, Cambridge' and later cards give the address of the Needham Research Institute. Two name cards with different affiliations, written in Chinese characters with no English translation, date from the years 1943-1946 when he worked for the Sino-British Science Cooperation Office (SBSCO).

The lid of a cigar box which held some of the name cards has a word written in Arabic and Joseph Needham's draft versions of his name and appellations written in Chinese characters. The lid of a 'Bismuth Tulasne' box, which held other name cards, has 'Visiting cards 1987' lined through and another handwritten note 'As sorted J.N. name cards' written above. The lids have been preserved but the bases have not been kept.