The First Christmas Card

[captclearance]

THE FIRST CHRISTMAS CARD
by Joanne Haug

The sending of greeting cards at Christmas began in the Victorian era. Though wood engravers produced prints with religious themes in the European Middle Ages, the first commercial Christmas and New Year's card is believed to have been designed and printed in London, England in 1843.
John Callcott Horsley (born 1817-- died 1903), a British narrative painter and a Royal Academician, designed the very first Christmas and New Year's card at the suggestion and request of his friend Sir Henry Cole (the first director of the Victoria and Albert Museum). In 1843 an edition of 1,000 of these Christmas cards was placed on sale in London. They were printed in lithography by Jobbins of Warwick Court, Holborn, London, and hand-colored by a professional "colourer" named Mason. The Christmas card was lithographed on stiff cardboard, 5 1/8 by 3 1/4 inches, in dark sepia, and shows a family party in progress, beneath which is the greeting, "A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to You." It also states that is was "Published at Summerly's Home Treasury Office, 12 Old Bond Street, London." The price was 1s. each. An original copy of this card is considered very rare, but copies of a facsimile reprint issued in 1955 can still be found today

[Michelle]

wow cool

[heaven]

you are so full of information. no wonder i like you i learn so much. LOL> we do lub you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[captclearance]

My family says I am a wealth of USELESS information.......

[SewCrafty]

I don't think that is useless, I thought it was very interesting!
I think it is wonderful of you to take the time to look up all these facts for us. I love them!