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"RARE ART DECO CHRISTMAS TREASURE - DISAPPEARING PIECE OF GOLDEN AGE HOLIDAY EPHEMERA!
You're viewing an extraordinary example of early Art Deco Christmas artistry - a stunning 1910-1915 unused postcard with genuine gold metallic ink that still shimmers after more than a century! These modernist Christmas treasures are rapidly vanishing from the collector market!
This breathtaking card showcases the bold innovative graphic design that emerged in the early 20th century when traditional Victorian excess gave way to the clean dramatic aesthetics that would soon define the Art Deco movement. This may be your ONLY CHANCE to own this pristine example of early modernist Christmas ephemera!
Description
This stunning Christmas postcard features a dramatically stylized winter night scene rendered in a sophisticated limited palette of deep royal blue stark black crisp white and luminous gold.
A snow-covered village with silhouetted buildings includes a distinctive church or chapel with a bell tower and dome topped with a cross creating a striking architectural focal point against the cobalt blue night sky.
The card's most breathtaking feature is the shimmering gold/bronze metallic moon that still catches the light with its original luster - a premium printing technique rarely seen on postcards of this era.
The stark silhouettes of evergreen trees and bare winter trees create a dramatic contrast against the deep blue background in a boldly modern composition that breaks from the fussy detailed imagery of earlier Christmas cards.
The simple greeting 'A Jolly Xmas' in elegant brown/gold serif type completes this masterpiece of early 20th century graphic design without cluttering the dramatic visual impact.
The minimalist approach to this Christmas scene with its strong contrasts and geometric simplicity showcases the emerging Arts and Crafts and early Art Deco influences that would soon transform American visual culture.
Historical Significance
This card dates to a pivotal transition period in American design history approximately 1910-1915 when Victorian excess was giving way to modernist simplicity.
The use of stylized almost abstract forms and dramatic color contrasts places this card at the fascinating intersection of Arts & Crafts influence and emerging Art Deco aesthetics.
The card's striking midnight blue palette was an innovative departure from traditional red and green Christmas imagery representing the bold experimentation of early 20th century commercial artists.
The term 'Xmas' rather than 'Christmas' reflects the common shorthand of the era before this abbreviation became controversial in later decades.
This card was produced during the 'Golden Age of Postcards' (1907-1915) when postcard collecting reached unprecedented popularity and publishers produced their highest quality work before WWI disrupted the industry.
The use of genuine metallic inks for the moon demonstrates the premium printing techniques available during this golden age when no expense was spared to create holiday cards of exceptional quality.
Condition
This century-old Christmas card remains in remarkably good vintage condition preserved in its original unused state with no writing or postmarks.
The divided back shows expected age-related toning and some foxing spots but remains clean and crisp with clearly visible 'POST CARD.' text and printer markings.
The front image has retained its vibrant colors remarkably well particularly the stunning deep blue background that gives this card its dramatic nighttime effect.
Most importantly the gold/bronze metallic ink of the moon still maintains its original reflective quality - an exceptional feature as metallic inks from this era typically oxidize and lose their luster over decades.
A slight crease is visible in the top right area but does not significantly detract from the card's striking visual impact or collectible value.
The edges show minor wear consistent with a card of this age but overall the preservation is exceptional for a delicate paper item over 110 years old.
Age/Era
This Christmas card dates precisely to 1910-1915 based on multiple distinctive elements that place it firmly in the early divided back period.
The early divided back format with 'POST CARD.' (with period) and minimal text layout was characteristic of postcards produced in the early 1910s.
The printer marking in the corner reading 'LOPE ENGRG.' helps authenticate this card as a genuine early 20th century production rather than a later reproduction.
The distinctive modernist artistic style with its simplified forms and dramatic contrasts represents the innovative graphic design emerging in the 1910-1915 period.
The card's card number 'C-78' with copyright mark suggests it was part of a commercially produced Christmas series from a major publisher during the golden age of postcard production.
Rarity
Genuine Art Deco-influenced Christmas postcards from this transitional period are becoming increasingly scarce as these delicate paper treasures succumb to time or remain locked in permanent collections.
The combination of the gold metallic ink (a premium feature) modernist design aesthetic and excellent preservation makes this example particularly desirable for serious Christmas and design history collectors.
Most surviving Christmas postcards from this era feature conventional imagery rather than this bold innovative graphical approach that anticipated the Art Deco movement.
The card's unused condition significantly enhances its collector value as most postcards from this period were used and bear postmarks address information and message text.
This may be your ONLY OPPORTUNITY to acquire this specific early Art Deco Christmas design in such remarkable condition - once it's gone it's gone forever!
Collector's Note
This card represents a perfect convergence of multiple collecting interests - vintage Christmas early Art Deco design Arts & Crafts influence metallic ink printing techniques and the golden age of postcard production.
The card makes an extraordinary addition to collections focused on the evolution of graphic design modernist Christmas imagery or the distinctive artistic styles emerging in the early 20th century.
The stunning midnight blue color scheme with gold metallic accents creates a spectacular display piece for holiday collections standing out dramatically among conventional red and green Christmas ephemera.
As digital holiday greetings replace physical cards in modern times these authentic vintage examples become increasingly significant as vanishing ephemera from the golden age of American Christmas traditions.
This card's minimalist almost abstract approach to the Christmas village scene represents an important transition in American visual culture - the moment when traditional Victorian excess began yielding to the clean geometric aesthetics that would soon define the Art Deco movement.
Shipping Information
Your rare Art Deco Christmas postcard will be carefully packaged in an archival sleeve inside a rigid mailer to ensure its continued preservation for future generations.
Buy multiple postcards and pay only ONE low shipping cost!
Don't miss this rare opportunity to own a piece of vanishing Christmas history! This extraordinary early Art Deco holiday postcard represents a pivotal moment in American design history and a rapidly disappearing era when holiday greetings were produced with exceptional artistic quality and genuine metallic inks."
_gsrx_vers_1715 (GS 9.9.2 (1715))
Offered by Gosla Antiques & Collectibles, purveyors of antiquities, curiosities and collectible wares. Dispatched from Pennsylvania, United States, with tracking.
Gosla Antiques & Collectibles