A Lincoln Christmas Card from 1924
This has been a week of addressing and signing LOTS of holiday cards. My personal list and helping out at work. Honestly, I just love it! It’s a part of keeping a good piece of the past alive and cherishing the joy of the written word. Every year I take a ridiculous amount of delight (for something so small) in choosing favorite sets of cards and buying cheery stamps.
Browsing through Library of Congress’s online archive, another favorite hobby of mine, I found this Christmas card, featuring the Civil War president. Check it out…
Created by the Buzza Company and printed in 1924, the original artwork has an interesting little history of its own. Artist Adrian Gil Spear crafted the original painting, though it appears that his name was mis-spelled in the back credits of the card. Born in 1885, Spear painted posters and other public art, particularly movie post art and patriotic war posters during the World Wars. He also wrote movie scripts for the early films. According to the back of the holiday card, Spear’s Lincoln art had won second place in the “World Peace Christmas Card Contest” hosted by the National League of Women Voters.
And here’s the printing on the back of the card, cropped for easier reading.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! And perhaps the sentiments from this Lincoln-inspired 1924 card still ring true this year.
Sources:
War Posters and Artists from the Oklahoma Historical Society: https://www.okhistory.org/learn/WWIp6
Library of Congress – Christmas card with Portrait of Lincoln. https://www.loc.gov/item/scsm001042/
I’m not a Christmas card person, but I can certainly endorse the sentiments on this lovely antique card. Thanks for sharing it.
I am with you in enjoying the choosing and writing and sending of Christmas Cards. I even like to choose special stamps ! This greeting would be so appropriate for this year in particular.
My Craftsman sensibilities are all a’glow! I wonder what it would take to get Vistaprint to repro these? Just a lovely find!! If I had cards this cool I’d send them!
Very appropriate to reduce today’s divisiveness