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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 birthday card for a 9 year old with an illustration of a girl dancing to music, printed in England, given to Jennifer Leaver (née Davies), 1965.
Physical description
Colour printed birthday card folded in four in a portrait format. Depicts a young girl in a red dress dancing to music in the garden. The inside of the card opens up to reveal a pop out image of the same girl relaxing in a deck chair in the garden. A birthday wish is printed at the top of the card along with a large '9', printed in gold. There are printed and hand written messages in the card.
Dimensions
  • Length: 18cm
  • Width: 13cm
Production typeMass produced
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'Birthday Greetings 9 YEARS OLD TO-DAY' (printed on front)
  • 'ROUND AND ROUND / THE RECORD GOES / AND HERE'S THE TUNE IT PLAYS- / HERE'S HOPING THAT YOUR / BIRTHDAY / IS THE HAPPIEST OF DAYS!' (printed inside)
  • 'To Jennifer / From auntie Bessie / Uncle Cyril & Graham / xxx. / no news as regards the Business' (Handwritten inside)
  • 'an ACADEMY card' (printed on back in a logo)
  • '1004 / PRINTED IN ENGLAND / 25'
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.476-2010

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Record createdMarch 22, 2011
Record URL
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