Birthday Card thumbnail 1
Not currently on display at the V&A

Birthday Card

1948 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

One of 17 cards donated by Linda Underwood (née Gotts) that were given to her on her 1st birthday from family and friends. Linda turned one in March 1948 and the cards reflect the typography, imagery and graphic styles used for birthday cards in the 1940s.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Colour printed paper
Brief description
Printed 1st birthday card, England, 1948
Physical description
Colour printed birthday card showing a child dressed as royalty, cutting into a large pie on a table. Inside the card is a picture of a pie filled with singing blackbirds and two surprised children along with a verse inspired by the 'Sing a Song of Sixpence' rhyme.
Dimensions
  • Height: 11.7cm
  • Card closed width: 15cm
  • Card open width: 29.1cm
Style
Production typeMass produced
Marks and inscriptions
  • You're 1 / to-day (Printed on outside of card)
  • Sing a song of sixpence / A pocket full of rye - -/ Four and twenty blackbirds / Baked in a pie - - - / Now the pie is opened / All the blackbirds say - / Four and twenty wishes / for your birthday (Printed inside the card)
  • Many Happy / Returns of / the day to / Linda X / from A / Well Wisher (Hand written inside the card)
Credit line
Given by Linda Underwood
Subject depicted
Association
Summary
One of 17 cards donated by Linda Underwood (née Gotts) that were given to her on her 1st birthday from family and friends. Linda turned one in March 1948 and the cards reflect the typography, imagery and graphic styles used for birthday cards in the 1940s.
Associated objects
Collection
Accession number
B.596-2016

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Record createdMarch 2, 2017
Record URL
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