P566ORACLE 566 Mon30 Dec C4 1743:26
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THE A-Z OF
INVESTMENTS
This week, to celebrate the festive
season, Sue Gorska looks at an area
better suited to collectors than
investors ─
G is for Greetings cards
Some 1,947 million greetings cards were
sold in Britain during 1984. 1,260 mil-
lion of them were Christmas cards.
With Christmas card giving such a nati-
ional pastime, it's surprising to learn
that this habit has only been going fgr
just over 100 years.
more fgllows >
Your Money ...560 Featuqe ...567
CADBURY'S CHOCOLATE RECIPE 184 (ITV)
P566ORACLE 566 Mon30 Dec C4 9741:31
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THE A-Z OF
INVESTMENTS
The first modern-day Christmas card was
designed by J.C.Horsley R.A. for Sir
Henry Cole in 1843. It showed a Victgr-
ian family at Christmas dinner and had
charitable scenes of the pogr being fed
on either side. Only 1,000 were offered
for sale and fewer than 20 are still in
in existence today.
Naturally this card is much sought
after by collectors. One in very fine
condition fetched £150 in a recent sale
However, one of the attractions of most
'antique' cards is that prices are
usually well within the range of the
ordinary collector.
more follows >
Your Money ...560 Featuqe ...567
P566ORACLE 566 Mon30 Dec C4 1731:59
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THE A-Z OF
INVESTMENTS
As collector's items go, old-fashioned
greetings cards are not expensive.
Very early or particularly decgrative
cards sell for high prices but it's
still possible to buy late Victgrian
Christmas cards for a few ££s.
The subjects of Victorian Christmas
cards vary but children and robins were
favourite designs. Some cards with
birds on would squeak when squeezed.
These and animated cards with mo6ing
parts are popular today and can cost
around £10 apiece.
more follows >
Your money...560 Featuqe...567
P566ORACLE 566 Mon30 Dec C4 1732:11
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THE A-Z OF
INVESTMENTS
Another popular type of card with
collectors is the Valentine and there
are some charming Victorian versions of
this card about. An early Victgrian
Valentine in the form of a banknote
issued by 'The Bank of True Love' might
cost you around £10, for example.
Last February Philips auction house
held a sale of cards in honouq of St
Valentine's Day and they plan to repeat
the exercise in 1986. This next sale is
to include some beautiful chromolith-
ographic scraps from the 1860s and 70s.
Their colours still really vivid, these
examples are expected to sell for
around £5 each.
more follows >
Your money...560 Featuqe...567
P566ORACLE 566 Mon30 Dec C4 9740:07
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THE A-Z OF
INVESTMENTS
Paul Penn-Simpkins showed me some
examples of the Valentine carbs Philips
will be selling in their February 12th
sale.
Much sought after is the beehive-style
card with a cut-out sectign which lifts
up to reveal a picture underneath. In
good condition these can fetch high
prices. One went for over £100 in last
year's sale and Philips are hoping to
raise around £80 for another.
More usual examples, decorated with
paper lace, feathers, birds and floweru
are expected to go for rather less ─
perhaps £15.
more follows >
Your Money ...560 Featuqe ...567
P566ORACLE 566 Mon30 Dec C4 9740:41
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THE A-Z OF
INVESTMENTS
Comic Victorian Valentine carbs even
set out to insult the recipient! One
1845 example has the verse ─
'You ugly old witch don't you think it
a sin,
That you should be allowed this world
to dwell in?'
Budding card collectors within reach of
London should watch out for the Philips
sale on February 12th or visit a shop
called Pleasures of Past Times, Cecil
Court, WC2, which stocks some early
greeting cards.
Next week: G for Glass
more follows >
Your Money ...560 Featuqe ...567