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Ephemera > Christmas cards

+ 2004/90/1 Christmas card, coloured inks ...
+ 2004/90/3 Christmas card, sent to the Si...
+ 2004/90/4 Christmas card, sent to the Si...
+ 2004/90/5 Christmas card, sent to the Si...
+ 85/1782 Card & envelope, Christmas, Amal...
+ 2007/30/1-28/1 Christmas card, 'Donna, D...
+ 2007/30/1-29/21 Christmas card, Phoebe, ...
+ 2007/30/1-29/23 Christmas card, Chips an...
+ 2007/30/1-29/25 Christmas card, Vi and B...
+ 2007/30/1-29/38 Christmas card, Wilfrid,...
+ 2007/30/1-29/57 Christmas card, Leiceste...
+ 2007/30/1-29/58 Christmas card, Elspeth ...
+ 2007/30/1-29/64 Christmas card, Alistair...
+ 2007/30/1-29/70 Christmas card, Alistair...
+ 2007/30/1-29/181 Christmas card, Alistai...
+ 2007/30/1-29/184 Christmas card, Mary an...
+ 2007/30/1-29/304 Christmas card, Donald ...
+ 2007/30/1-29/378 Christmas card, Juliet ...
+ 2007/30/1-29/385 Christmas card, Elaine ...
+ 2007/30/1-29/515 Christmas card, Kym and...
+ 2007/30/1-29/543 Christmas card, Kym and...
+ 90/502 Trade mark, Christmas card and br...
+ 92/750 Wrapping paper and card sets, Chr...
+ 92/751 Greeting cards, Christmas 1991, A...
+ H8141-3 Christmas card, with girl holdin...
+ A6946 Two paper Christmas cards in postc...
+ H9295 Embossing plate and Specimens (LC)...
+ 94/59/4 Scrapbook with cards and postcar...
+ A7437-14/6 Christmas card, Wunderlich Li...
+ A7497 Two Victorian Christmas cards.(AD)...
+ 98/2/30-1/1/6 Greeting card, memorabilia...
+ 98/2/30-1/1/7 Greeting card, memorabilia...
+ 98/29/1-4/2 Christmas card, 'Lord' Georg...
+ 98/189/1-40 Hand-made cards (11), receiv...
+ 2002/118/1 Christmas card, 'With complim...
+ P3270 Cards, Christmas/Invitation/Visit,...



Christmas card sent to the Sing family, 1930 - 1960
This image is not currently available as a higher resolution full colour zoom. This may be because this object has not been moved from storage and re-photographed in recent times.

Object statement
Christmas card, sent to the Sing family, Surry Hills, paper, New South Wales, Australia, 1930 - 1960
The Christmas card is said to have been invented by Sir Henry Cole in London in 1843. He commissioned the artist, J.C. Horsley, RA, to design the first card. However the expense of postage meant that it was not until the 1860s that the idea of sending a card as a simple token of friendship at Christmas caught on. It is significant that the new 'Christmas' cards had few religious references. Most depicted holly, mistletoe, Santa Claus, bells, robins and narrative scenes of snow-clad festivities and children opening their presents. In Australia, the same symbolism was adopted despite the difference in climate. However in the 1880s two Sydney printers -- John Sands and Gibbs, Shallard & Co -- began to produce 'thoroughly Australian cards'. Although these images of kangaroos, Aborigines and gum trees enjoyed some popularity European images persisted as is very evident in this collection. Of the five cards one depicts a snow covered doorway, another a fountain and swallows, a home made one has an American Indian tee-pee and a fir tree, a fourth features chickens and the Chinese card has a lantern supported by a dragon.
It is not known who produced this Christmas card however it was probably produced between 1930 and 1960.
The card was sent to the Sing family who lived at 10 Smith Street, Surry Hills. The donor discovered the cards when they bought the house and wrote 'the family were obviously wealthy at the turn of the century [1900] and ran a business of some sorts.'

 This text content licensed under CC BY-NC.

Description
Christmas card, sent to the Sing family, Surry Hills, paper, New South Wales, Australia, 1930 - 1960

Folded printed card with design of bird bath surrounded by flowers and swallows swooping down. Inscription: 'Christmas Greetings'. Interior has printed inscription: 'Christmas Greetings and ALL GOOD WISHES FOR YOUR HAPPINESS IN THE COMING YEAR'. Handwritten (twice) is message: 'To Grandma and Aunt Irene from Mervyn & Yvonne'. In pencil on the back is a stylised clock face.

Made: Australia; 1930 - 1960


Owned: Surry Hills, New South Wales; 1930 - 1960
Marks
'Christmas Greetings'. Interior has printed inscription: 'Christmas Greetings and ALL GOOD WISHES FOR YOUR HAPPINESS IN THE COMING YEAR'. Handwritten (twice) is message: 'To Grandma and Aunt Irene from Mervyn & Yvonne'.
2004/90/2
Production date
1930 - 1960
Height
116 mm
Width
165 mm

 This text content licensed under CC BY-SA.
Acquisition credit line
Gift of Helen Hayden, 2004
Subjects
+ Christmas
+ Religious holidays
+ Birds
Short persistent URL
Concise link back to this object: http://from.ph/343668
Cite this object in Wikipedia
Copy and paste this wiki-markup:

{{cite web |url=http://from.ph/343668 |title=Christmas card sent to the Sing family |author=Powerhouse Museum |accessdate=20 June 2013 |publisher=Powerhouse Museum, Australia}}


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Object viewed 5643 times. Parent IRN: 2129. Master IRN: 2129 Img: 63697 Flv: H:918px W:669px SMO:0 RIGHTS:.