The Royal Art: series of private Christmas greeting cards. British manufacture throughout. Salesman sample catalogue.
1915ref. 64006Bradford West Yorkshire UK: W.N. Sharpe Ltd. 1915. Thick oblong Folio. 13 x 10.5 x 2.5 in. 72 pp unpaginated. on thick tanned-gray card stock w/ 93 greeting cards envelopes calendar greeting cards folding cards embossed examples most of them colour printed some w/ die-cut decorations and features many w/ hand-coloured Bromide photo illustrations hand-coloured photogravure many raised gilt ornamental decorations monograms and all could be ordered w/ gilt embossed Regimental badges or ornaments. Publisher’s fish-scale scalloped ivory-silver cloth embossed gilt lettering & ornament on front cover some toning scuffing minor bumping to spine edgewear light uniform interior toning slightly shaken 1 small closed tear rear joint at head of spine still a VG- copy w/ Regimental Badges order sheet tipped-in on pricing and ordering instructions on endpapers including specific pricing for Welsh customers. First edition of this scarce World War I-era greeting card and advertising promotions salesman’s sample catalogue filled with beautifully executed printer’s samples to help raise morale during the brutal second year of the Great War. 1915 opened with the disheartening Neuve Chapelle offensive by General Haig and subsequent political fallout battles of Aubers Ridge Festubert Loos as well as Zeppelin bombings and U-Boat blockade transformed the War and Great Britain into an all out effort and grinding stalemate of trench warfare. With millions of men separated from their families and homes W.N. Sharpe and other publisher’s quickly expanded and adapted ensuring that postcards and greeting cards were supplied so that people far from loved ones could exchange morale-boosting messages. These greeting cards were available to be embossed with regimental badges flags of the allies patriotic messages and would prove to be wildly popular during the opening years of the War. When initially prepared for printing in late 1914 there were only 25 Regimental badges but this quickly grew to 62 and here Sharpe has included the updated list. The greeting cards and Christmas cards feature Bromide photos of English Bulldogs with British Empire flags; soft-focus images of idyllic rural scenes mothers & children; Naval scenes; flower arrangements and even King George V. By the early 20th-Century W.N. Sharpe was one of the largest greeting card and postcard colour printing companies in the World on par with Raphael Tuck and were well known for their famed “Patent FAB Patchwork Card” which featured a decorative square of silk that could be cut out and worked into a pin cushion or tea cozy. Following World War I they would continue to expand into producing stationery wedding cards and stationery birthday cards along with calendars postcards and many other paper ephemera. In 1937 they would built the historic 76000 square foot Hallmark House in Bradford and later in 1984 was acquired by Hallmark Cards of the United States. No copies in Worldcat; See: Graham Hall Classic Cards’ Bradford: The History of W.N. Sharpe Ltd. The Bradford Antiquary Series 3 Vol. 11 2007. W.N. Sharpe Ltd., hardcover
Zephyr Used & Rare Books · Estados Unidos1450,00 US$≈ 1295,45 €
