Sunday, July 6, 2014

Thrift Store: "A Select Card"

I'm the Official Card & Stationery Sorter at the Thrift Store––because I like to do it and because no one had been staying on top of it for a while. 
 Most of the donated paper goods originated with charities that reward donors with sets of cards. People donate good new cards too, and then there are the best: 
the random vintage cards, often in boxes leftover, I imagine, from the lives of women like my late Auntie Mary whose dedication to sending birthday cards to everyone, every year, was mentioned in her obituary.

I have to pay full price (25 cents/card), but I get first pick of the goods. I got these three unused cards yesterday. They're a little demented, I think--those acid colors, and they're textured too: the wavy lines you see are raised. 

What do you think, are they from the 1970s? 

 I can't find any information about the company that printed them, A Select Card: 

7 comments:

Zhoen said...

Dunno, but they look a lot like the ones Granny sent, except all her's were religious. Another lady who send a card to every child/grandchild/greatgrandchild/ & spouse-of, in the family, with a rolodex to keep track.

Fresca said...

I admire the people––usually women–– who did that kind of work.
I read that it's still 80% women who buy greeting cards.

The Crow said...

I think they might be an experimental line from Gibson. I'm thinking late 60s to early- or mid-70s.

There was an artist of that time period who drew little girls in prairie-style dresses...I'll see if I can find her and get back to you.

These cards trigger memories from my youth-ish days.

deanna said...

I sold greeting cards for Olympia (or Olympic) Cards when in 5th or 6th grade. These remind me of the ones in the all-occasion assortment.

I loved the round, red transistor radio I earned for selling those cards. :)

The Crow said...

http://www.joanwalshanglund.com/about.htm

Joan Walsh Anglund is the artist whose works your cards (a couple of them) remind of from mid-1960s to mid-1980s. Haven't noticed her stuff lately. I received her book titled "A Friend is Someone Who Likes You." Tossed it out several years ago when moving.

I don't think she drew any of the art on your cards.

Fresca said...

CROW: I had forgotten JWA, though I loved her when I was a kid. Thanks for the reminder!

DEANNA: You revivie another half-forgotten memory! I remember selling some wrapping paper one year... I was terrible at sales and envious of the girls who did win cool prizes, like your radio!

deanna said...

I think I only got enough sales for a prize because sweet little old ladies from our church and neighborhood bought from me.