We don’t have an image of this object online yet. V&A Images may have a photograph that we can’t show online, but it may be possible to supply one to you. Email us at vaimages@vam.ac.uk for guidance about fees and timescales, quoting the accession number: B.528-2010
Find out about our images

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 postcard with an illustration of a Golden Oriole bird by Roland Green, probably printed in England, 1968. Given to Jennifer Leaver (nee Davies) on her twelfth birthday.
Physical description
Postcard showing an illustration of a golden yellow bird with black wings and an orange beak.
Dimensions
  • Length: 13.8cm
  • Width: 8.7cm
Production typeMass produced
Marks and inscriptions
  • Roland Green (Artist's name in the bottom right-hand corner on the front of the postcard.)
  • POST "printed stamp showing a R and an S" CARD GOLDEN ORIOLE. / This beautiful bird is a regular summer visitor to / the south-western parts of England, but its conspic - / uous colour makes it an easy victim of those who / shoot so many of our rare birds. Its winter home is / Africa and it is common in many parts of Europe. / Woods, gardens and shrubberies are its chief haunts. / The female is olive green with dark streaks on the / lighter underparts. (Printed description of the bird on the card.)
  • SOUTHEND ON SEA "picture of a building and another mark" MODERN CENTRE FOR / BUSINESS & INDUSTRY (Stamp printed in black ink on the back of the postcard.)
  • "Circlular postmark with the words SOUTHEND-ON-SEA / ESSEX / 2 -PM / 19 JAN / 1968" (Printed in the top right-hand corner of the postcard.)
  • "Purple postage stamp, showing an illustration of Queen Elizabeth II" (Postage stamp affixed to top right-hand corner of the postcard.)
  • Happy Birthday! / Love from / Captain Miss Jennifer Davies, / 66 Glendale Gardens, / Leighton-on-Sea. / Local. (Handwritten message on the back of the postcard.)
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.528-2010

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdApril 7, 2011
Record URL
Download as: JSON