Victorian Thanksgiving Greeting Card with Turkey | 1890s
Text on Card
A Peaceful Thanksgiving Thanksgiving comes but once a year, And may it bring you best of cheer.
Description
Sporting iridescent plumage rendered in deep blues, blacks, and bronze hues, a magnificent tom turkey dominates the center composition of this exquisite Victorian Thanksgiving greeting card in fine chromolithographic detail with rich jewel tones and gold accents. A decorative garland featuring ears of corn/maize, grapes, and fruit cascades elegantly down the right margin, while a sophisticated Art Nouveau-influenced border features ornamental turkeys and geometric patterns in muted greens and golds, framing the sentiment beautifully. The greeting reads 'A Peaceful Thanksgiving' in ornamental script, accompanied by the verse 'Thanksgiving comes but once a year, And may it bring you best of cheer.' This combination of naturalistic wildlife illustration with decorative typography exemplifies the aesthetic sensibility of late Victorian greeting card design, representing a period when holiday greetings were treasured keepsakes displaying technical printing artistry.
Subjects
turkey, corn/maize, autumn grapes, fruit, decorative borders
Printing Notes
Multi-color chromolithographic process with embossed details and gilt accents typical of premium Victorian greeting card production.
