454 - Greeting Cards—A collection of 21 pop-up folding cards in multiple layers. Chromolithographed and, in some cases, gilded or silver-plated, elaborately die-cut, embossed, and occasionally with colored backgrounds. Mostly from Germany, circa 1900. 8 x 12 x 2 cm to 12 x 20 x 8 cm.

Greeting Cards—A collection of 21 pop-up folding cards in multiple layers. Chromolithographed and, in some cases, gilded or silver-plated, elaborately die-cut, embossed, and occasionally with colored backgrounds. Mostly from Germany, circa 1900. 8 x 12 x 2 cm to 12 x 20 x 8 cm. A rich collection of magnificent greeting cards, primarily for Christmas, but also for births, birthdays, confirmations, and First Communions. Between the cover image and the background image, figurative and symbolic decorations with pull-out mechanisms are incorporated; the Christmas cards are particularly richly adorned with gold-colored architectural elements such as altar wings, choir screens, balustrades, etc. Some of the visible pull mechanisms consist not of paper tabs but of colored accordion-folded strips. The card edges are usually not straight but die-cut into decorative shapes, such as a Christmas nativity scene, Christmas angels, chapels, flowering arbors and gardens, and a pond landscape with a stork. - Included: Two English greeting cards: a lace frame with 4 wafer cards, a second one hidden beneath one of them. - A tunnel view with a steam train against a red fabric background. - Also included is a “Merry Christmas” locomotive made of colored, plastic-like relief cast material. - The locomotive has some chipped paint and a small break; otherwise, only minor signs of wear, with isolated repairs to the train mechanism; overall, it is in very good condition.