Lot #748: Two Vintage Canada Christmas Postcards - 1927 "Holly Tree" (Gibson Art Company, Cincinnati) - "Poinsettia" ("Series 1632 B" )

This lot features two Vintage Christmas Postcards: (1) First, one 1927 Vintage Canada Christmas Topical Postcard, used, showing a bird on a holly tree in a Christmas scene with the message "A Hearty Greeting... Yuletide". This coloured postcard is a "Gibson Lines" card "Published by the Gibson Art Company, Cincinnati, Ohio." Stamped with Green Two-Cent "King George V Admiral" stamp. Postmarked in "Elmvale" in 1927. Addressed to "Mrs. W. Ansley, Elmvale, Ont." The Gibson Art Company of Cincinnati was one of the "Big Three" greeting card giants (alongside Hallmark and American Greetings). By 1927, Gibson was famous for their refined, illustrative style. Elmvale (located in Springwater Township, Simcoe County) was a thriving agricultural and railway village in 1927. The fact that the card is addressed to a Mrs. W. Ansley in the same town where it was postmarked highlights the card's role as a local holiday greeting. In an era before everyone had a telephone, mailing a Christmas card to a neighbor was the standard way to participate in the "Yuletide" social fabric. (2) Second, one undated Vintage Canada Christmas Topical Postcard, used, showing a poinsettia with the message "Christmas Wishes". This coloured postcard does not indicate a publisher, but bears the number "Series 1632 B". No Stamp. No Postmark. But Ink Message "Best Xmas Wishes to Olive. From Annie and Norman Yates" By the early 20th century, the Poinsettia had become a dominant symbol of Christmas in North America. The "Series 1632 B" numbering format is highly characteristic of large-scale European lithographers (often German or Austrian) who produced "blank" holiday cards in massive quantities for the North American market. These publishers would often leave their company name off the card, providing only a series number to help wholesalers track stock. The "Christmas Wishes" message on this card used a silver ink wash, a hallmark of the "richly coloured" style that sought to give an impression of luxury and festive warmth. Dimensions: 9 mm x 14 mm Pickup category timeslot {A}