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Birthday Card

1958 (printed)
Artist/Maker
Sharpe's Classic (published)
Place of origin
England (printed)

Jennifer Leaver has kept every single birthday card she ever received and she has given the Museum the first eighteen years worth. Jennifer was born in the mid 1950s and the collection provides a snapshot of the changing designs of cards during this period of change and development in the history of childhood. It is fascinating to observe different trends dependent on the age Jennifer was in each particular year. The cards demonstrate the interests of a girl growing up at this time, from cute and cuddly animals to parties and music.


Object details

Categories
Children & Childhood
Greeting Cards
Object type
Birthday card
Materials and techniques
colour printed card
Brief description
Colour printed birthday card for a 2 year old, depicting a two cartoon mice wrapping a present, published / printed by Sharpe's classics England, given to Jennifer Leaver (née Davies), 1958.
Physical description
Birthday card folded in to four sections, landscape, with a cut out section through front the front of the card to the centre to reveal a gold coloured number 2.. The front on the card has an illustration of two cartoon mice wrapping a present on the front of the card. Inside, the two mice are shown with a wrapped present on a pull along trolley, with the girl mouse also holding a birthday card.. There are printed and hand written messages in the card.
Dimensions
  • Width: 14.6cm
  • When closed and flat height: 15.1cm
Marks and inscriptions
  • HAPPY BIRTHDAY / 2 years old / today (printed on the front of the card)
  • With / LOTS OF LOVE ON / your / BIRTHDAY / "My, my says little Mousie, / You're nice, and you're lucky, too, / Having a Birthday all to yourself, / Here's a big, big wish for you (printed in centre of the card)
  • Love and best wishes Jennifer / Mummy & Daddy / xxxxxx (hand written in blue pen in the inside folded section of the card)
  • C42 / EA /11 (printed on back of card)
  • Sharpe's Classic / MADE IN / ENGLAND
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
Birthday
Summary
Jennifer Leaver has kept every single birthday card she ever received and she has given the Museum the first eighteen years worth. Jennifer was born in the mid 1950s and the collection provides a snapshot of the changing designs of cards during this period of change and development in the history of childhood. It is fascinating to observe different trends dependent on the age Jennifer was in each particular year. The cards demonstrate the interests of a girl growing up at this time, from cute and cuddly animals to parties and music.
Collection
Young V&A Collection
Accession number
B.357-2010

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Record createdFebruary 1, 2011
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1177324/birthday-card-sharpes-classic/
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