Louis Prang, Father of American Christmas Cards
Pioneer in Development of Color Printing
Nov 26, 2008
The Christmas card as a hand-made object probably first appeared in Germany. In 1843, England’s Sir Henry Cole was responsible for having Christmas cards mass produced.
Americans First Used British Christmas Cards
England’s first Christmas cards were printed, then hand colored. For nearly 30 years, Americans used these Christmas cards from England.
Prang (1824-1909) was born in Breslau to a French Huguenot father and German mother. He learned to dye print calico in his father’s shop. Never heralded as a significant accomplishment, it had a big impact on the development of color printing.
After his arrival in Boston, Prang became a wood engraver, then, in stages, a lithographer, color printer and publisher. By 1860, Louis Prang had set up his own business in Boston and started perfecting a method of color printing with a series of metal plates rather than lithographic stone.
The result was a richly hued image that far surpassed the hand tinted black and white engravings and lithographs produced by such companies as Currier & Ives or Kellogg. Better yet, what worked for ordinary printed products would also work for the Christmas card.
Prang Produces First Color Card
Prang’s first modern, color printed Christmas card was produced in 1875. The print quality was superb. The designs were exquisite portrayals of flora and fauna, children, angels, fruit and other symbols of the season.
Prang’s new color cards became almost instantly popular. Prang kept his product quality high by holding annual contests with cash prizes for new artistic designs. Such well known artists as Elihu Vedder, Will H. Low and Thomas Moran eagerly submitted designs to Prang. These cards have become valuable collectibles. The reverse side of the card notes that it is a prize-winning entry and states the artist's name.
Description of Early Christmas Card
Prang has received justifiable credit for the growth of Christmas cards in the United States, but he did have competitors. The New York lithography firm of R. H. Pease came out with what may be the first Christmas card printed in the United States. It was described by George Buday like this:
“The design includes the features of a small, rather elf-like Santa Claus with fur trimmed cap, sleigh and reindeer. A ballroom of dancers, the building marked ‘Temple of Fancy,’ an array of Christmas presents, and Christmas dishes and drinks, decorate the four corners of the card, while in the center, we see a young couple with three children visibly delighted with their presents. In addition to the central ‘A Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year,’ the ornamented lettering includes ‘To’ and ‘From” with spaces to be filled by the sender.”
Prang’s firm made both expensive cards of true artistry as well as more inexpensive ones for the broader market. All were attractive. His card line also expanded its range of holiday season images to include decorated trees, versatile portraiture of Santa, children playing with toys, carolers, snow scenes and themes that have become traditional.
By 1881, Prang was producing more than five million Christmas cards each year.
The Prang Story’s Sad Ending
By 1890 the market Louis Prang was instrumental in developing was flooded with cheap imitations of the fine products created by Prang, Raphael Tuck, Marcus Ward and other members of the initial group of American and European card makers.
Imports from Germany became a fad. They had components that folded, jumped up or out and often swayed from left to right by use of a paper tab. Prang used rich layers of mellowed gold ink. His competitors applied glue and sparkling glitter.
Prang decided that he would not compete in this market. Refusing to lower his standards, he quit producing Christmas cards soon after 1890. He did, however, continue high quality artistic printing.
In 1975, the U. S. Postal Service issued a stamp showing one of Prang’s early Christmas cards.
A companion article discusses Sir Henry Cole’s invention of the first commercial Christmas card in England.
SOURCES: Online Greeting Card Museum; Buday, George, The History of the Christmas Card (1964: London); Chemung Valley History Museum, Elmira, NY. (Special thanks to Vivian Krug at Emotions Greeting Cards for assistance around content and illustrations.)
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