Christmas Card

DateLate 19th - early 20th century

Object NameCard

Mediumcard

ClassificationsMuseum General

Dimensions9.8 x 12cm

AcquisitionPresented in 1980 by Miss E Cadenhead.

LocationView by Appointment - Aberdeen Treasure Hub

Object numberABDMS015184.1

Keywords

About MeA single-sided Christmas card featuring a festive message on the front and a winter scene depicting Edinburgh Castle. The card also has a very fine layer of glitter applied in several places.

One of the ways we celebrate Christmas is in the giving and receiving of cards.

The first Christmas card was produced by Henry Cole, founder of the Victoria and Albert Museum, in 1843. It was a hand-coloured lithograph designed by John Calcott Horsley. Although, commercially, it was a failure the popularity of Christmas cards grew and by 1880 the Postmaster General had issued the first 'Post early for Christmas' plea.
More About Me

Collections Wall

First sent in 1843, the humble Christmas card caught on for sending seasonal best wishes without writing too much. This collection includes typical examples showing robins, moonlit scenes...and a machine gun!