Birthday Card

Date1940s

Object NameCard

Mediumcard, manmade, paper

ClassificationsMuseum General

DimensionsLength: 15.2cm
Width: 12.4cm

AcquisitionPresented in 2006 by Mr Eric Crockart & Mrs Lorna Crawford.

LocationView by Appointment - Aberdeen Treasure Hub

Object numberABDMS076109

Keywords

Celebration

About MeBirthday card featuring a printed design of a lady in a crinoline dress. The front of the card also has a decorative edge and a blue ribbon tied in a bow at the folded edge of the card. The inside of the card features a printed verse on both sides of the paper insert.

The tradition of sending greeting cards to friends and family goes back to at least the early 19th century. These early cards were hand-made, often featuring a painting or drawing. The first commercial cards were produced in the 1840s for Christmas and were one sided with no folds and no envelopes.

The penny post introduced in England a few years earlier made this new form of communication popular very quickly, especially when cheaper colour printing meant just about everyone could afford to send cards. This combination encouraged card manufacturers to expand their ranges to include cards for other occasions such as Valentine's Day, Easter and Birthdays.
More About Me

Collections Wall

The design of this 1940s birthday card harks back to the mid-19th century, when the introduction of the “penny post” made sending greetings cheap and reliable.