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Birthday Card

1965 (printed)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This birthday card, one of a group of 269, was given to and kept by Jennifer Leaver (née Davies). The cards were given to her by a range of relatives and friends and span from 1957 to1975 - the dates of her first to her eighteenth birthday.
Jennifer was born in 1957 and the cards reflect progression of typography, imagery and graphic styles for birthday cards, spanning over three decades.

The cards also reflect the changing and age appropriate imagery chosen by greetings card companies as well as the choices made by those who selected and sent the cards to Jennifer as she grew older.
Some of the earlier younger cards commonly show childish scenes often including illustrated baby animal characters, whereas later cards reflect perceived changes of interest for a growing girl such as images of flowers, fashions and music.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Colour printed card
Brief description
Colour printed card for a 9 year old with an image of a puppy with flowers, printed and published in England by Academy, given to Jennifer Leaver (née Davies), 1965.
Physical description
Colour printed birthday card folded in four in a portrait format depicting an image of a black puppy on a pink background surrounded by roses and a broken lamp. A birthday wish is printed at the top of the card. There is an image of the dog standing up inside the card with a rose in its mouth. There are printed and hand written messages in the card.
Dimensions
  • Length: 16cm
  • Width: 11cm
Production typeMass produced
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'Best Wishes ON YOUR Birthday' (printed on the front of the card)
  • 'Here's hoping that your Birthday / Is a happy one all through - / Because that's just how it should be / For someone nice as you; / May it bring you everything / That makes you gay and glad / So that it's sure to be for you / The best you've ever had!' (printed inside the card)
  • 'Many Happy Returns of the / Day. / From all at 1 Woodham / xxxxxx' (Handwritten inside the card)
  • 'An ACADEMY Card' (printed on back in a symbol)
  • '1002 / PRINTED IN ENGLAND / 88'
Credit line
Given by Jennifer Leaver
Object history
One of 269 cards donated by Jennifer Leaver (née Davies) that have been given to her on her birthdays from 1-18 from family and friends.
Subject depicted
Summary
This birthday card, one of a group of 269, was given to and kept by Jennifer Leaver (née Davies). The cards were given to her by a range of relatives and friends and span from 1957 to1975 - the dates of her first to her eighteenth birthday.
Jennifer was born in 1957 and the cards reflect progression of typography, imagery and graphic styles for birthday cards, spanning over three decades.

The cards also reflect the changing and age appropriate imagery chosen by greetings card companies as well as the choices made by those who selected and sent the cards to Jennifer as she grew older.
Some of the earlier younger cards commonly show childish scenes often including illustrated baby animal characters, whereas later cards reflect perceived changes of interest for a growing girl such as images of flowers, fashions and music.
Collection
Accession number
B.471-2010

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Record createdMarch 22, 2011
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