early christmas cards

The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs: Print Collection, The New York Public Library. Christmas cards depicting young girls with cats, chicken, and dolls. Retrieved from http://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47db-c102-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99

These are publisher's proofs found in the collection of the New York Public Library.  The publisher, Louis Prang (American; 1824-1909) was the head of the Boston-based firm Louis Prang & Co.; he is credited with being the first publisher of Christmas cards.  No date available on these, but they're considered as being typically Victorian in their idealized portrayal of these flaxen-haired little girls with dolls and pets.  Bet you'd never seen a Christmas chicken before!  

If these were early Christmas cards, no wonder we don't see all the holiday stuff we're used to: holly, Santa, trees, red and green.  I think that had yet to come as expected imagery.  Still pretty cute and full of the giving spirit of the season.