c.1930s-1940s. A very sweet handmade birthday card sent from a sailor to his son for his birthday. It’s not clear if it was sent during the war years, but it’s likely. The design on the cover has been drawn in pencil and hand painted in watercolour with details added in pen. The text and details on the inside are also a combination of watercolour and pen.

The father sending the card has signed his name in pencil. He may have made the card himself but it’s more probable he had some help from an artistic comrade, as was common.

The card is made of two pieces of the same sized paper, folded together. It’s got some faint discolouration and foxing.

Folded closed, the card measures 17.5cm x 12.8cm.