Tanners January newsletter, 2023 schedule, A History of Greeting Cards

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HAPPY NEW YEAR!

The Next Tanners Antiques Retro and Crafts show is

February 18th and 19th

Registration is Open

A Big Happy New Year to all of you!

We're looking forward to another Fun Year of

shopping and seeing everyone at the shows.

(I was going to send this on the first but I got sick so it's a bit late :-)

Tanners 2023 Schedule

Feb 18,19

May 20,21

July 22,23 tentative

Sept 16,17

Nov 18,19

Magic of Santa Crafts

Dec 2,3

Local Craft Shows info can be found at RenoCrafters - Click Here

The Events Center has almost doubled my rent for the building for 2024. They are stepping up the increase, so for 2023 it's only a modest increase. I've only had to increase each booth about $20

Click the link below to go to the website for more information.

Click Here for the Tanne rs Marketplace Website

Click Here for the Magic of Santa Website

We look forward to seeing everyone at the shows!

Click here for the Vendor Info Page

Click for Downloadable Vendor Signup Application

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A History of Greeting Cards

The tradition of sending greetings can be traced far back in history. A couple of examples are the early Egyptians who used papyrus scrolls to send letters and the Ancient Chinese exchanged messages of good will at New Years.

In 1400's Germany, greetings were made using woodcuts. This was a time consuming printing process, where the design was hand carved into a block of wood which was then inked to create a print on paper. In Italy, more delicate handmade cards were used, especially for Valentines, when intricate lace effect filigrees were applied to the cards. The techniques at the time made the cards expensive and cards were used predominantly by the elite.

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Wood Cut Greeting Card

From the 14th to 17th centuries, there was a tremendous growth in the production of art and literature in Europe. This was the Renaissance period. Artists who are now household names such as Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo lived during this time and were an inspiration to others.

In the 15th century, Valentines and Christmas cards were the cards most often exchanged. Although New Year's cards appear to have been sent during this time period, they were not widely used until two centuries later in the 1700s.

A RISE IN POPULARITY

The rise in popularity of the greetings card came through a variety of factors. Advances in printing and mechanization meant that cards could be created far cheaper and with less effort than the intricate handmade cards.

Second was the introduction of a widespread postal service. Some form of mail delivery has been available throughout history. However, the implementation of a formal system accessible to everyone did not happen until much later. By the mid-1800s, mail delivery improved again with the introduction of postage stamps that people across Britain, Europe and North America began using to send greeting cards.

The "Penny Black" was the World's first postage stamp. When this was originally produced in 1840, removing the need for hand delivery, the greetings card was set to gain mass popularity.

In fact, only 3 years later in 1843, Sir Henry Cole decided to create the first commercial Christmas card. As a member of the higher society in Victorian England, Cole had a very long Christmas list, and found this grew longer by the year.

Why not just mass produce one message that could be sent out en masse? He thought. And thus, he approached the artist John Callcott Horsley (1817 - 1903), and commissioned him to design a card that would contain the usual season's greetings and which could then be posted out to eager recipients.

The card depicted three scenes; a family gathered celebrating Christmas, and the charitable acts of clothing the poor and of feeding the hungry. 1000 copies of the card were printed in black and white before being hand painted. Cole used all he needed and then sold the rest, making it the first commercially available Christmas card. However, the price of six pence each, did mean these were still a luxury item which the working class could not afford.

THE MODERN GREETINGS CARD

By far the greatest influence on the greeting card industry was the Industrial Revolution and the mechanization of the printing press. The hand printing press had been used since the late 14th century. The Industrial Revolution in the 1860's led to huge improvements on earlier production methods. Greeting cards that could be produced incredibly quickly at a much lower cost made them more affordable and attractive for the general public. The introduction of color printing in the 1930’s and humorous cards (sometimes known as Studio cards) in the 1940’s and 50’s saw their popularity grow ever further.

Today, greetings cards are used the world over for every conceivable occasion. The industry is worth an estimated $7.5 billion worldwide and the average person sends an amazing 55 cards a year. In recent years, there has been a move by many to use cards made by smaller companies, or handmade items which show a little more thought. How about following the trend and making your own cards this World Card Making Day (The first Saturday in October)? And don’t forget to make it beautiful.

Next time you pick out that perfect card for someone or receive a card in the mail, take a few moments to think about the rich background of greeting cards and wonder at the piece of history you hold in your hand.

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Another fun show coming up is the Lodi Antique Show. It's next weekend - January 13th through the 15th in Lodi Ca. In the Grape Pavilion at the Lodi Grape Festival Grounds. Paula and I have done it several times and it's lots of fun with cool antiques. If you are in the area, check it out.

JOKES

Youth is when you're allowed to stay up for New Year's. Middle age is when you're forced to.

What is a New Year's resolution? Something that goes in one year and out the other.

What's the worst part of jogging on New Year's Eve? The ice falling out of your drink!

My New Year's resolution was to drop my bad habits, but no one likes a quitter.

What was Dr. Frankenstein’s new year’s resolution? To make new friends.

A man asks his buddy for a cigarette. His friend quips, “I thought you made a New Year's resolution and that you don’t smoke.” The man replied, “I'm in phase one of quitting." Confused, his friend asked, "Phase one?" The man laughed, "Yes. I've quit buying."

May all your troubles last as long as your New Year's resolutions.

An optimist stays up until midnight to see the New Year in. A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves.

A man who had too much to drink decides to walk home on New Year's Eve. A policeman stopped the man and asked where he was going. "I'm on my way to a lecture," the man replied. The cop scoffed, "Who gives lectures on New Year's Eve?" The man answered: "My wife."

I made a New Year's resolution to stop procrastinating, but I'm going to wait until next year to start.

Why should you stand on just your left foot during the New Year's Eve countdown? So you start the New Year on the right foot.

This New Year’s, I’m going to make a resolution I can keep: no dieting all year long.

Why was 6 afraid of 9 on New Year's Eve?

Because 9, 8, 7 ...

This new year i resolve to be less awsome since that's really the only thing i do in excess

At the beginning of this year I made a New Year's resolution to lose 10 pounds ...

... Only 15 more to go!

My New Year's resolution is to break my New Year's resolutions.

That way I succeed at something!

Every New Year's Eve, I look forward to a good show at Time's Square ...

... and year after year, they drop the ball.

You can also get your antiques fix at one of our fun local antique stores and The Nevada Marketplace in Reno Town Mall.

Somewhere In Time Antique Mall

1313 S. Virginia

775-323-1515

Antiques and Treasures ROCK antique mall

540 S Rock Blvd, Sparks, NV - FB

775-327-4131

Junkee Clothing Exch. antique mall

960 S. Virginia St.

775-322-5865

Buy Nevada First Marketplace

Reno Town Mall

775-384-3153

"That was a GREAT yard sale!"

Tanners Marketplace | Website