A greeting card is an illustrated, folded card featuring an expression of friendship or other sentiment. Although greeting cards are usually given on special occasions such as birthdays, Christmas or other holidays, they are also sent to convey thanks or express other feeling. Greeting cards, usually packaged with an envelope, come in a variety of styles. There are both mass-produced as well as handmade versions that are distributed by hundreds of companies large and small. While typically inexpensive, more elaborate cards with die-cuts or glued-on decorations may be more expensive.

History

The custom of sending greeting cards can be traced back to the ancient Chinese, who exchanged messages of good will to celebrate the New Year, and to the early Egyptians, who conveyed their greetings on papyrus scrolls. By the early 15th century, handmade paper greeting cards were being exchanged in Europe. The Germans are known to have printed New Year's greetings from woodcuts as early as 1400, and handmade paper Valentines were being exchanged in various parts of Europe in the early to mid-15th century, with the oldest Valentine in existence being in the British Museum.

By the 1850s, the greeting card had been transformed from a relatively expensive, handmade and hand-delivered gift to a popular and affordable means of personal communication, due largely to advances in printing, mechanization, and a reduction in postal rates with the introduction of the postage stamp. This was followed by new trends like Christmas cards, the first of which appeared in published form in London in 1843 when Sir Henry Cole hired artist John Calcott Horsley to design a holiday card that he could send to his friends and acquaintances. In the 1860s, companies like Marcus Ward & Co, Goodall and Charles Bennett began the mass production of greeting cards. They employed well known artists such as Kate Greenaway and Walter Crane as illustrators and card designers.

Technical developments like color lithography in 1930 propelled the manufactured greeting card industry forward. Humorous greeting cards, known as studio cards, became popular in the late 1940s and 1950s.

In the 1970s Recycled Paper Greetings, a small company needing to establish a competing identity against the large companies like Hallmark Cards, began publishing humorous "whimsical" card designs with the artist's name credited on the back. This was away from what was known as the standard look (sometimes called the Hallmark look.)[citation needed] By the 1980s there was a thriving market for what were now called "alternative" greeting cards, and the name stuck even though these "alternative" cards changed the look of the entire industry.

The largest recorded number of greeting cards sent to a single person went to Craig Shergold, an early beneficiary/victim of an Internet chain mail.

Browsing table of 46 Vintage Greeting Card Items
This table is sortable, just click on any heading.

Code	Description	Condition	Notes	View	Buy
GC-29	(TOP) - Greeting Card - Valentine - (Child) - 1 Sweetheart Special, Girl sering a bowl of hearts to boy seated at table - folds open to show two line poem	Nice - slightly bent corner upper left	stand up Keywords:	View Rear Image View Front Image	Price: $7.00 Check out now
GC-2	(TOP) - Greeting Card - Valentine - (Child) - Be My Purr'ty Valentine - Cat / Kitten w/paw on gift box	Nice	Stand Up - lower half of card folds out from middle Keywords:	View Front Image	Price: $7.00 Check out now
GC-7	(TOP) - Greeting Card - Valentine - (Child) - Be My Valentine - Girl in green dress holding a flower	Nice	single side Keywords:	View Front Image	Price: $5.00 Check out now
GC-18	(TOP) - Greeting Card - Valentine - (Child) - Best Wishes - Floral bouquet in front of house	Nice - loop strip detached from bottom of pop up	Stand Up - Pop Up - Two layer fold out Keywords:	View Front Image	Price: $9.00 Check out now
GC-16	(TOP) - Greeting Card - Valentine - (Child) - Boy and girl kissing on front, poem on rear	Nice	stand up w/folding end tabs Keywords:	View Rear Image View Front Image	Price: $5.00 Check out now
GC-12	(TOP) - Greeting Card - Valentine - (Child) - Boy kneeling w/big red hear background	Nice	horizontal fold open w/short poem inside Keywords:	View Rear Image View Front Image	Price: $6.00 Check out now
GC-33	(TOP) - Greeting Card - Valentine - (Child) - Boy w/big bow tie on front, girl w/cat and poem inside	Nice	fold open - Carrington Co. Keywords:	View Rear Image View Front Image	Price: $5.00 Check out now
GC-34	(TOP) - Greeting Card - Valentine - (Child) - For The One I Love, girl in gold dress holding a card on front, boy holding a card on rear - Sailing ship w/poem inside	Nice	fold open Keywords:	View Rear Image View Front Image	Price: $5.00 Check out now
GC-4	(TOP) - Greeting Card - Valentine - (Child) - Girl handing a boy a heart on front, boy holding a heart on rear, boy looking through telescope w/poem underneath inside	Nice	fold open Keywords:	View Rear Image View Front Image	Price: $5.00 Check out now
GC-8	(TOP) - Greeting Card - Valentine - (Child) - Girl holding valentine on front, boy holding valentine on rear, sailing ship w/poem inside	Nice	fold open Keywords:	View Rear Image View Front Image	Price: $5.00 Check out now
GC-21	(TOP) - Greeting Card - Valentine - (Child) - Girl in big hat and red bathing suit wading in water carrying a green pail on outside, 4 line poem and girl holding flowers standing next to a dog holding a heart inside	Nice	fold open - Whitney Made Keywords:	View Front Image	Price: $6.00 Check out now
GC-22	(TOP) - Greeting Card - Valentine - (Child) - Girl in blue dress on front, boy in sailor suit on rear, I love You in heart w/poem inside	Nice	fold open Keywords:	View Rear Image View Front Image	Price: $5.00 Check out now
GC-14	(TOP) - Greeting Card - Valentine - (Child) - Girl in floppy hat and stole outside, boy in field w/short poem inside	Nice	fold open Keywords:	View Rear Image View Front Image	Price: $5.00 Check out now
GC-6	(TOP) - Greeting Card - Valentine - (Child) - Girl in floppy hat and stole outside, boy in field w/short poem inside	Nice	fold open Keywords:	View Rear Image View Front Image	Price: $5.00 Check out now
GC-24	(TOP) - Greeting Card - Valentine - (Child) - Girl in orange dress on front, birds flying around flowers w/poem inside	Nice	fold open Keywords:	View Rear Image View Front Image	Price: $5.00 Check out now
GC-35	(TOP) - Greeting Card - Valentine - (Child) - Girl in pink dress on front - House amongst trees w/poem inside	Nice	fold open - Whitney Made Keywords:	View Rear Image View Front Image	Price: $5.00 Check out now
GC-28	(TOP) - Greeting Card - Valentine - (Child) - Girl sitting amongst containers of Molasses, Sugar, Jam, eating a peppermint stick, butterflies around on front - Boy in heart w/2 line poem inside	Nice	fold open Keywords:	View Rear Image View Front Image	Price: $5.00 Check out now
GC-26	(TOP) - Greeting Card - Valentine - (Child) - Heart shaped pretzel cut out w/flower (Rose) design - Love has its Ups and Downs, With all my Heart to my Valentine	Nice	stand up w/folding middle tab Keywords:	View Front Image	Price: $8.00 Check out now
GC-25	(TOP) - Greeting Card - Valentine - (Child) - Heart shaped pretzel cut out w/flower design - Sweet Thoughts With my heart's best Love	Nice	stand up w/folding middle tab Keywords:	View Front Image	Price: $8.00 Check out now
GC-3	(TOP) - Greeting Card - Valentine - (Child) - I Loe You, Be Mine, A Heart for You - 8 line poem inside	Nice	Fold open w/8 line poem inside Keywords:	View Rear Image View Front Image	Price: $5.00 Check out now
GC-20	(TOP) - Greeting Card - Valentine - (Child) - I want to Round you up for my Valentine - Boy riding horse	Nice	Stand Up - lower half of card folds out from middle Keywords: (western), (cowboy),	View Front Image	Price: $8.00 Check out now
GC-31	(TOP) - Greeting Card - Valentine - (Child) - I'd Like To Drive You Into Being My Valentine - Boy and girl in old car	Nice	Stand Up - lower half of card folds out from middle Keywords:	View Front Image	Price: $7.00 Check out now
GC-27	(TOP) - Greeting Card - Valentine - (Child) - Just say The Word And I'll Jet Propel Myself Your Way! On Valentine's Day - Boy in space suit	Nice - one small album glue spot on rear	single side Keywords:	View Front Image	Price: $5.00 Check out now
GC-5	(TOP) - Greeting Card - Valentine - (Child) - Lace overlay surrounding boy and girl	Nice	fold open Keywords:	View Rear Image View Front Image	Price: $8.00 Check out now
GC-23	(TOP) - Greeting Card - Valentine - (Child) - Postcard - Through Thick And Thin, I'll Be Your Valentine - Girl in big red hat sitting on top of huge heart	Nice	postcard - Whitney Made Keywords:	View Front Image	Price: $5.00 Check out now
GC-32	(TOP) - Greeting Card - Valentine - (Child) - To Loveland - Boy on four weeled motorcycle w/girl in sidecar on front - 4 line poem inside	Nice	fold open Keywords:	View Rear Image View Front Image	Price: $7.00 Check out now
GC-19	(TOP) - Greeting Card - Valentine - (Child) - To My Love, Valentine Greeting w/Boy and girl skating on front - Let's Be each other's Valentine w/skating scene inside	Nice	fold open - Series No. 1263 Keywords:	View Rear Image View Front Image	Price: $5.00 Check out now
GC-30	(TOP) - Greeting Card - Valentine - (Child) - To My Valentine - Boy and girl holding flowers together	Nice	Stand Up - Pop Up - Two layer fold out - Printed In Germany Keywords:	View Front Image	Price: $10.00 Check out now
GC-11	(TOP) - Greeting Card - Valentine - (Child) - To My Valentine - Boy holding flowers sitting on bench alongside girl	Nice	fold open - front heart shaped cut out showing inside red background Keywords:	View Front Image	Price: $5.00 Check out now
GC-13	(TOP) - Greeting Card - Valentine - (Child) - To My Valentine - Boy in sailor suit in small sailboat on front - 4 line poem inside	Nice	fold open Keywords:	View Rear Image View Front Image	Price: $5.00 Check out now
GC-1	(TOP) - Greeting Card - Valentine - (Child) - To My Valentine - Girl holding flower bouquets	Nice	Stand Up - Pop Up - Two layer fold out Keywords:	View Front Image	Price: $10.00 Check out now
GC-15	(TOP) - Greeting Card - Valentine - (Child) - To My Valentine - Girl in blue dress w/printed lace background on front - Girl walking down path w/poem underneath inside	Nice	fold open Keywords:	View Rear Image View Front Image	Price: $5.00 Check out now
GC-17	(TOP) - Greeting Card - Valentine - (Child) - To My Valentine I'm Playing For Your Heart - Boy playing fife for dancing girl	Nice	single side Keywords:	View Front Image	Price: $5.00 Check out now
GC-10	(TOP) - Greeting Card - Valentine - (Child) - Wont You Be My Rain Beau - Boy and girl standing under an umbrella together w/rainbow above	Nice	Stand Up - lower half of card folds out from middle Keywords:	View Front Image	Price: $5.00 Check out now
GC-9	(TOP) - Greeting Card - Valentine - (Child) - You Suit Me To A Tee! - Girl w/golf bag	Nice	single side Keywords:	View Front Image	Price: $5.00 Check out now
HALLOW-12	(TOP) - Halloween - Greeting Card - Witch w/black hat and broom, owl, moon WWII era item from Oct 1942 (topbox_5)	Nice	Child's party place tag w/name written: Pearl S. Keywords:	View Front Image	Price: $4.00 Check out now
HALLOW-13	(TOP) - Halloween - Greeting Card - Witch w/black hat and broom, owl, moon WWII era item from Oct 1942 (topbox_5)	Nice	Child's party place tag w/name written: Frank Keywords:	View Front Image	Price: $4.00 Check out now
HALLOW-14	(TOP) - Halloween - Greeting Card - Witch w/black hat and broom, owl, moon WWII era item from Oct 1942 (topbox_5)	Nice	Child's party place tag w/name written: Erna Keywords:	View Front Image	Price: $4.00 Check out now
HALLOW-15	(TOP) - Halloween - Greeting Card - Witch w/black hat and broom, owl, moon WWII era item from Oct 1942 (topbox_5)	Nice	Child's party place tag w/name written: Georgie Keywords:	View Front Image	Price: $4.00 Check out now
HALLOW-16	(TOP) - Halloween - Greeting Card - Witch w/black hat and broom, owl, moon WWII era item from Oct 1942 (topbox_5)	Nice	Child's party place tag w/name written: Lib Keywords:	View Front Image	Price: $4.00 Check out now
HALLOW-17	(TOP) - Halloween - Greeting Card - Witch w/black hat and broom, owl, moon WWII era item from Oct 1942 (topbox_5)	Nice w/minor bend lower right corner	Child's party place tag w/name written: Dalne Keywords:	View Front Image	Price: $3.00 Check out now
HALLOW-18	(TOP) - Halloween - Greeting Card - Witch w/black hat and broom, owl, moon WWII era item from Oct 1942 (topbox_5)	Nice	Child's party place tag w/name written: Mabel Keywords:	View Front Image	Price: $4.00 Check out now
HALLOW-19	(TOP) - Halloween - Greeting Card - Witch w/black hat and broom, owl, moon WWII era item from Oct 1942 (topbox_5)	Nice	Child's party place tag w/name written: Trauta Keywords:	View Front Image	Price: $4.00 Check out now
HALLOW-20	(TOP) - Halloween - Greeting Card - Witch w/black hat and broom, owl, moon WWII era item from Oct 1942 (topbox_5)	Nice	Child's party place tag w/name written: Bobbie Keywords:	View Front Image	Price: $4.00 Check out now
HALLOW-21	(TOP) - Halloween - Greeting Card - Witch w/black hat and broom, owl, moon WWII era item from Oct 1942 (topbox_5)	Nice	Child's party place tag w/name written: George B. Keywords:	View Front Image	Price: $4.00 Check out now
HALLOW-22	(TOP) - Halloween - Greeting Card - Witch w/black hat and broom, owl, moon WWII era item from Oct 1942 (topbox_5)	Nice	Child's party place tag w/name written: Norman Keywords:	View Front Image	Price: $4.00 Check out now

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