Antique J Raymond Howe Chicago Birthday Greeting Card Unused with Envelope Glassine Wrapper Floral Landscape

This charming antique birthday greeting card was produced by The J. Raymond Howe Company of Chicago during the late 1920s to early 1930s and reflects the refined simplicity that made Howe greeting cards so popular during the period. The front features a delicate floral bouquet beside a peaceful landscape vignette above the greeting "A Happy Birthday," creating an elegant design that bridges the Arts & Crafts and early Art Deco eras. Inside is a thoughtfully printed birthday sentiment presented in an attractive Gothic-style typeface, while the reverse bears the distinctive J. Raymond Howe trademark and company motto, "Not What Nor When But Howe," a detail appreciated by collectors of early American greeting cards.

This card comes from my paternal grandfather's long-preserved collection and has remained together as originally acquired, preserving its integrity as a complete salesman sample group. It remains unused and is accompanied by its original matching envelope and original glassine protective sleeve, presentation elements that are increasingly difficult to find together after nearly a century. The card measures approximately 5 1/8 inches by 3 inches.

The card, envelope, and glassine sleeve remain in excellent vintage condition with only the lightest evidence of age and careful storage. The colors remain fresh, the paper is clean, and the complete presentation has survived remarkably well.

An excellent addition for collectors of antique greeting cards, J. Raymond Howe paper ephemera, Chicago publishers, Art Deco and Arts & Crafts design, vintage birthday cards, and early American stationery. Complete unused examples retaining their original envelope, glassine wrapper, and documented family provenance are becoming increasingly scarce and are especially desirable for collectors seeking well-preserved period paper ephemera.