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.422-2010
Find out about our images

Not currently on display at the V&A

Birthday Card

1962 (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 with a photograph of a girl in a gingham dress watering the garden, a Sharpe's Classic card, England. Given to Jennifer Leaver (nee Davies) on her sixth birthday.
Physical description
Colour printed birthday card. Image on the front depicts a photographic picture of a young girl watering a flower bed with a red watering can, there is a greeting printed in silver above her head. Other greeting is printed inside, with a hand written greeting underneath. One sheet of card folded into four.
Dimensions
  • Height: 15.3cm
  • Closed width: 14.6cm
  • Open width: 29.3cm
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'WISHING YOU FUN / ON YOUR / Birthday' (printed on front of card)
  • 'To someone very special / Comes this jolly wish to-day, / For lots of nice surprises / And happy games to play. / MANY HAPPY RETURNS / of the Day,Dear' (printed inside card)
  • 'To a dear sister / Love Jill / xxxxx' (hand written inside 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.
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.422-2010

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 createdJune 24, 2011
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1223845/birthday-card-sharpes-classic/
Download as: JSON