Sunday, December 20, 2009

Antique English Christmas - New Year's Card

I bought a desk out of a house 25 or 30 years ago and it was full of antique cards, letters, postcards, etc. kept by the family for generations. They did not want anything in the drawers and some of the ephemera was wonderful.

I framed my favorite card and photographed it through the glass to share with you. I preserved the inside of the card by affixing it to the back of the framed artwork.


The scene on the front is a small hand-colored lithograph of an old woman smoking a pipe and walking a pig through the snow. She is wrapped in a red shawl and has a basket of something on her back. There is a small cottage in the background with smoke coming out of the chimney. Maybe that is more firewood in the basket. The leash for the pet pig is nothing but a string tied in a bow around its hind leg.
Signed lower left:
Ethel Parkinson

The caption hand lettered in gold says,
"MAY YE NIVER WANT AUGHT NOR A FRIEND TO SHARE IT WI YE"

The card is small, measuring 4.5" x 2.75" ~ see inside greeting below.

To: All Readers of my Blog

MY WISH
May God's twin stars of Hope and Happiness
Your Christmas brighten
And your New Year will bless.

From: Rosemary and Webster
Content in their Cottage!




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9 comments:

Susan McShannon-Monteith said...

Perhaps it is firewood and a new little piglet bestowed upon her by a neighbor as a Yuletide gift.She will travel back to her cottage and there shall be warmth once again.
From my humble cottage to yours have a wonderful New Year and the best for 2009.
Susan

Joanne said...

I just love the sentiment of yore. What a beautiful wish, hoping for the same for you in 2009.

Mary said...

I love this post - that you found these treasures - that you were sensitive enough to frame this - the whole package !! I have been awed by your blog
HAPPY NEW YEAR

Stacey Snacks said...

I love treasures found in a drawer......and the little piglet!
Happy New Year!!!

ANDREW RITCHIE said...

Happy New Year, Rosemary! Your blog is beautiful and inspiring! All the best to you and yours in 2009!

Tracy Watier said...

What a lovely (and lucky!) find. A whole desk full of old paper?! I'd be beside myself! Thanks for sharing this one and its sentiments with us. Have yourself a Very Happy New Year. (and "woof" to Webster!)
BTW: Loved your little Christmas tree from a few posts back (but was TOO busy at the time to say so) and everything about that photo... the desk, the art, the wall, the ornaments, the scarf-as-a-skirt. Warm and happy and very pretty.

Gal Friday said...

Catching up with your blog today and enjoying all that you have *discovered* to share with readers here.
As to the ephemera filled desk--what a find!! An antique desk full of unwanted paper and photos and cards! I wonder which was the more treasured--the desk itself, or what was inside it?
Guess what I have in my house right now? "The River" from Netflix and I hope to watch it either tonight or Sat.

Millie said...

I love the lithograph as much as you Rosemary & the sentiments are delightful. Thank you dear for another year of wonderful posts, always fun & informative. You always make me feel so welcome here at The Cottage.
Millie ^_^

Anonymous said...

Maybe what she is carrying is peat, for the fire. That was used a lot, back in the day. Glad she has a little friend to keep her company.
Lovely post, as always.