Oldest Christmas Card
Mass production of Christmas cards ramped up in the 1860s in Britain, although this hand-colored beauty from 1843 is believed to be the oldest example of a commercial card. It's at the Bridwell Library at SMU's Perkins School of Theology. Here's what they say about it:
Approximately 1,000 copies of the card were printed but only 10 have survived to modern times. Bridwell Library acquired its copy in 1982. The card was designed for Henry Cole by his friend, the English painter John Calcott Horsley (1808-1882). Cole wanted a ready-to-mail greeting card because he was too busy to engage in the traditional English custom of writing notes with Christmas and New Year's greetings to friends and family....[More]
