[Printed item a black and white steel engraving by John Thompson, from a design by W. Harvey, described by Buday as a candidate for 'The First Christmas Card']

8vo, 1 p. Image clear on aged paper, with the leaf loosely attached to the letterpress title of the work whence it comes (see below), that title being laid down in a folder with a window cut into the front for viewing the card through. The dimensions of the engraved illustration are roughly 12.5 x 8 cm, with the main feature of the elaborate design being contained in a circle 8 cm in diameter. George Buday, in his 'The History of the Christmas Card' (London: 1964), describes the design as follows, under the heading 'THE FIRST CHRISTMAS CARD': 'The date 1829 is clearly incorporated in the pattern [...] blank spaces for he insertion of names of the addressee and the sender [...] The twelve letters of ANNIVERSARIE are cleverly interlaced with tiny scenes and figures representing the twelve months of the year, including, between the final E and the sign of the Cross, scenes of the Nativity and the Adoration of the Magi. [...] In spite of its prior date it cannot really claim to be "the first" Christmas card as it was apparently designed to be used for other anniversaries as well; it is, however, a very close forerunner for that coveted title.' Buday does not appear to have been aware that the item was placed at the beginning of the gift book 'The Anniversary; or, Poetry and Prose for MDCCCXXIX (London: John Sharpe, 1829), edited by Allan Cunningham, and that it was intended to be filled in when presenting the book as a gift..