Summary

Embroidered postcard featuring large pink flower surrounded by small blue flowers, with the inscription 'A Happy Birthday'. According to hand-written message on the back, this postcard was sent by 'M. J. Wood' to 'Miss Doris Hedges' for her birthday.

According to the Australian War Memorial, the popularity of embroidered postcards (first made for the Paris Exposition in 1900) peaked during World War I. Many were 'embroidered by French women in their homes and then sent to the factories for cutting and mounting on postcards'. Common themes included family, remembrance, liberty, unity and war souvenirs. The provenance of this particular example is unknown.

Physical Description

Embroidered postcard with large pink flower at centre, surrounded by six small blue flowers and green foliage. Inscription in lower half. Embroidery is mounted in a cardboard frame with parallel indents. Reverse has printed instructional text and purple outlines (wavering) to confine hand-writing.

More Information

  • Collecting Areas

    Public Life & Institutions

  • Acquisition Information

    Purchase

  • Date Written

    10 Jun 1917

  • Inscriptions

    Embroidered in blue thread on the front of the postcard: 'A HAPPY BIRTHDAY' Printed in purple ink on the back of the postcard: 'CARTE POSTALE / POST CARD ; POSTKAART' Hand-written in pencil on the back of the postcard, on the top, sideways: '10 (underlined) / 6 (underlined) / 17' Hand-written in pencil on the back of the postcard, on the left, sideways: 'To Dear Doris, / Wishing You Many / Happy Returns of / The Day / From / (illeg.) MJ Wood / "In the Fields"' Hand-written in pencil on the back of the postcard, on the right: 'Miss Doris Hedges / Rosendost / (illeg.) / W Australia'

  • Classification

    Military history, Personal effects, Correspondence

  • Category

    History & Technology

  • Discipline

    History

  • Type of item

    Document

  • Overall Dimensions

    140 mm (Width), 90 mm (Height)

  • References

    'Guide to the Silk Postcard Collection', Australian War Memorial, accessed at [Link 1] on 5 September 2011.

  • Keywords

    Wars & Conflicts, World War I, 1914-1918