Not currently on display at the V&A

Birthday Card

1968 (printed and published)
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 with an illustration of a girl holding a record, an Academy Card, printed in England, given to Jennifer Leaver (nee Davies) in 1968 on her twelfth birthday
Physical description
Colour printed card showing a blonde-haired girl in a red jacket holding a record on a blue background.
Dimensions
  • Length: 18.4cm
  • Width: 11.7cm
  • Opened width: 23.5cm
Production typeMass produced
Marks and inscriptions
  • Wishing You a / HAPPY BIRTHDAY (Printed on the front of the card.)
  • Here's wishing that / the happiness / You bring to everyone / Will be with you / this Birthday / And on many more / to come! (Printed message inside card.)
  • To Jennifer / With love from . / Mrs Osbourne. (Handwritten message in blue ink inside the card)
  • An ACADEMY Card / TRADE MARK "Illustration of a classical building" (Text printed in red over the illustration. Printed on the back of the card in the centre.)
  • PRINTED IN ENGLAND (Printed on the back of the card.)
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.
Subjects 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.518-2010

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Record createdApril 6, 2011
Record URL
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