CHARLES
GOODALL & SON, LONDON- 1860
Charles Goodall & Son, a British publisher of visiting cards was one of the
first to mass produce Christmas greeting cards and visiting cards. In 1866 Mr. Josiah
Goodall commissioned Messrs. Marcus Ward & Co., of Belfast, to lithograph,
for his firm, a set of four designs by C. H. Bennett, and in the following
year another set by the same artist. These, together with Luke Limner's
border design of Holly, Mistletoe, and Robins, may be taken as the
fore-runners of the real Christmas greeting card. |
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C. H. BENNETT (1866-67)
CHRISTMAS GREETING CARDS |
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C. H. BENNETT (1866-67) CHRISTMAS GREETING CARDS
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MARCUS
WARD & CO., BELFAST, LONDON, NEW YORK- 1866-1895
This firm monopolized the Christmas greeting card trade for many years. They began
with the home manufacturing of cards using German "chromos" mounted on cards
with lithographed borders in gold and colors. They soon issued reproductions
of original designs by noteworthy artists of the day such as Kate Greenaway,
H. Stacy Marks, Walter Crane, and Thomas Crane. |
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KATE
GREENAWAY CHRISTMAS GREETING CARDS
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KATE
GREENAWAY CHRISTMAS GREETING CARDS
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H. STACY MARKS, R.A. CHRISTMAS GREETING CARDS |
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H. STACY MARKS, R.A. CHRISTMAS GREETING CARDS
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| MARCUS
WARD & CO. |
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| WALTER CRANE CHRISTMAS GREETING CARDS
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| THOMAS CRANE CHRISTMAS GREETING CARDS |
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DE LA RUE & CO., LONDON- 1875-1885
De
La Rue & Company's work is distinguished by a high degree of mechanical
excellence. They are also noted for departing from the typical holiday
designs with their introduction of classical figures of nude children.
Prominent artists William Coleman, Rebecca Coleman and R. Dudley were
employed by this publisher. |
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R. DUDLEY CHRISTMAS GREETING CARDS |
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WILLIAM COLEMAN CHRISTMAS GREETING CARDS |
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WILLIAM COLEMAN CHRISTMAS GREETING CARDS |
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S. HILDESHEIMER & CO., LONDON, MANCHESTER,
NEW YORK- 1876-1890s
S. Hildesheimer & Company introduced "The Penny
Basket" set in 1879. They developed a design competition and exhibition at
St. James's Hall, London, in 1881. The firm began reproducing etchings and
water-colors by artist Wilfrid Ball, a member of the Society of Paint
Etchers in 1881.
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WILFRID BALL CHRISTMAS GREETING CARDS |
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WILFRID BALL CHRISTMAS GREETING CARDS |
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Hildesheimer & Faulkner
This company was started by Albert Hildesheimer and C. W. Faulkner; and
later became C. W. Faulkner & Co. In 1882 they instituted a Prize
Competition in which artist Alice Havers took first prize for her A Dream
of Patience card.
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ALICE HAVERS CHRISTMAS GREETING CARDS
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| ALICE HAVERS CHRISTMAS GREETING CARDS |
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FRED
HINES CHRISTMAS GREETING CARDS
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LOUIS PRANG & CO., BOSTON- 1874
"The Father of the American Christmas Card."
Prang Christmas greeting cards often cost as much as $1 over a hundred years ago.
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L.
B. HUMPHREYS CHRISTMAS GREETING CARDS
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DORA
WHEELER CHRISTMAS GREETING CARDS
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ELIHU VEDDER CHRISTMAS GREETING CARDS |
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RAPHAEL TUCK & CO./ RAPHAEL TUCK & SONS
LONDON: 1870s, NEW
YORK: 1885
One
of the best known and collectible of 19th century Christmas greeting cards publishers,
they had prize competitions in 1880 and the "Royal Academy" series in 1882.
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| RAPHAEL TUCK & SONS |
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W.F.
YEAMES CHRISTMAS GREETING CARDS |
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| RAPHAEL TUCK & SONS |
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R.
J. ABRAHAM CHRISTMAS GREETING CARDS |
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Today,
the most collectible Christmas greeting cards are those printed between 1860 and the
1890s in England and America. During this time period, Christmas greeting cards were
printed in lithography, a process which beautifully
reproduced the colorful paintings created by the
popular artists of the second half of the 19th century. 
