On the 170th anniversary of the first Christmas Cards being sent, courtesy of Sir Henry Cole, one of the world’s first individual Christmas greetings has been sold for over £4,000
One of the first Christmas cards ever produced was sold over the weekend by British auctioneers Henry Aldridge & Son, from an anonymous bidder who paid a grand total of £4,200 for the festive greeting pictured here.
Designed in 1843, the card formed part of the world’s first Christmas card range. The black and white image depicts a family in Victorian England enjoying a festive dinner, and is inscribed with the message: “A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to You.” 1,000 copies of the cards were produced, which Cole either sold or sent to friends and family.
Two versions of the card were made, one in black and white and the other in color. The color cards sold for six pence while the black-and-white ones went for five pence. There are only 14 or 15 known examples of the black-and-white cards remaining in the world. The card sold on Saturday is addressed to a Marinda Cundy of London from an unknown sender with the initials JCJ.
“There is no documented use of a Christmas card before then,” Henry Aldridge said. “It’s the genesis of the Christmas card industry that we see today.”
A renowned greeting card entrepreneur Henry Cole, also came up with the idea for the world’s first postage stamp, the Penny Black, which together with his inspired festive message must make him one of the brightest sparks in the world of greetings!
