Memorial Card
1861 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Object Type
This card is a memorial card. It has the black painted border which commonly occurred on a wide range of stationary during a period of mourning. The relief images have been created by embossing and piercing the paper, that is die-stamping the dampened paper.
Design & Designing
J.T. Wood & Co was one of the leading makers of lace paper from the 1840s to 1870s, and issued a large number of greetings cards and memorial cards. After 1850 some manufacturers, such as George Meek, J.T. Wood and Millord Brothers began making cards with 'cameo embossing', that is with larger figurative scenes embossed on to the paper. Here the card takes the shape of a sarcophagus, with the lettering taking the form of a carved inscription. Another impression of this card, unpierced, is E.1506-1987. Another memorial card for Prince Albert by the same maker but a different pierced design is E.1505-1987.
Subjects Depicted
Queen Victoria was devoted to her husband and when Prince Albert died young, at the age of 42, the Queen's long and deep mourning affected the general public. This memorial card contains the symbols of mourning in the figures of angels and symbolic plants. The later 19th century books of 'The Language of Flowers' were widely used for cards. In this case, however, the symbolism was particularly pertinent to the feelings of the widow Queen. Here ivy symbolises fidelity and mourning while the dog rose symbolises love, in particular the pleasure and pain that love brings, as well as the more general patriotic significance of the Rose of England, the Queen.
This card is a memorial card. It has the black painted border which commonly occurred on a wide range of stationary during a period of mourning. The relief images have been created by embossing and piercing the paper, that is die-stamping the dampened paper.
Design & Designing
J.T. Wood & Co was one of the leading makers of lace paper from the 1840s to 1870s, and issued a large number of greetings cards and memorial cards. After 1850 some manufacturers, such as George Meek, J.T. Wood and Millord Brothers began making cards with 'cameo embossing', that is with larger figurative scenes embossed on to the paper. Here the card takes the shape of a sarcophagus, with the lettering taking the form of a carved inscription. Another impression of this card, unpierced, is E.1506-1987. Another memorial card for Prince Albert by the same maker but a different pierced design is E.1505-1987.
Subjects Depicted
Queen Victoria was devoted to her husband and when Prince Albert died young, at the age of 42, the Queen's long and deep mourning affected the general public. This memorial card contains the symbols of mourning in the figures of angels and symbolic plants. The later 19th century books of 'The Language of Flowers' were widely used for cards. In this case, however, the symbolism was particularly pertinent to the feelings of the widow Queen. Here ivy symbolises fidelity and mourning while the dog rose symbolises love, in particular the pleasure and pain that love brings, as well as the more general patriotic significance of the Rose of England, the Queen.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Embossed and pierced card, with letterpress and lithography. |
| Brief description | Memorial card for Prince Albert. Sacred to the memory of H. R. H. Prince Albert |
| Physical description | Embossed and pierced cream card featuring a pitched roof with trefoil decoration in the eaves, draped with garlands, and at the base, leaf (ivy) and wreath decoration. Top left and right are cherubs heads above clouds and a cherub is holding a wreath bottom right. The embossing at the bottom stands out against the black, while the upper part is set against a pale blue background. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions |
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| Gallery label | British Galleries:
MEMORIAL CARDS Embossed mourning cards were produced in quantity from the 1860s. They were sent by the family to friends and relatives in memory of the deceased. It took great skill to create the fine detail and three-dimensional effect required for the designs. Larger cards often included photographs of the deceased and were framed and mounted on the wall.(27/03/2003) |
| Credit line | Given by Miss P. Parr |
| Object history | Printed and published by J.T. Wood, London. R.P. No. 92/2405 |
| Production | Dated 1861 |
| Summary | Object Type This card is a memorial card. It has the black painted border which commonly occurred on a wide range of stationary during a period of mourning. The relief images have been created by embossing and piercing the paper, that is die-stamping the dampened paper. Design & Designing J.T. Wood & Co was one of the leading makers of lace paper from the 1840s to 1870s, and issued a large number of greetings cards and memorial cards. After 1850 some manufacturers, such as George Meek, J.T. Wood and Millord Brothers began making cards with 'cameo embossing', that is with larger figurative scenes embossed on to the paper. Here the card takes the shape of a sarcophagus, with the lettering taking the form of a carved inscription. Another impression of this card, unpierced, is E.1506-1987. Another memorial card for Prince Albert by the same maker but a different pierced design is E.1505-1987. Subjects Depicted Queen Victoria was devoted to her husband and when Prince Albert died young, at the age of 42, the Queen's long and deep mourning affected the general public. This memorial card contains the symbols of mourning in the figures of angels and symbolic plants. The later 19th century books of 'The Language of Flowers' were widely used for cards. In this case, however, the symbolism was particularly pertinent to the feelings of the widow Queen. Here ivy symbolises fidelity and mourning while the dog rose symbolises love, in particular the pleasure and pain that love brings, as well as the more general patriotic significance of the Rose of England, the Queen. |
| Associated object | E.1506-1987 (Version) |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | E.427-1993 |
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| Record created | March 27, 2003 |
| Record URL |
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