I bring to your attention a selection of postcards "HAPPY NEW YEAR!" 50-60s.
My favorite is a postcard by the artist L. Aristov, where belated passers-by are rushing home. I always look at her with such pleasure!
Be careful, there are already 54 scans under the cut!
(“Soviet artist”, artists Yu. Prytkov, T. Sazonova)
("Izogiz", 196o, artist Yu. Prytkov, T. Sazonova)
(“Leningrad Artist”, 1957, artists N. Stroganova, M. Alekseev)
("Soviet Artist", 1958, artist V. Andrievich)
(“Izogiz”, 1959, artist N. Antokolskaya)
V. Arbekov, G. Renkov)
(“Izogiz”, 1961, artists V. Arbekov, G. Renkov)
(Published by the USSR Ministry of Communications, 1966, artist L. Aristov)
BEAR - SANTA CLAUS.
The bears behaved modestly, decently,
They were polite, they studied well,
That's why they have forest Santa Claus
I gladly brought a Christmas tree as a gift
A. Bazhenov, poetry M. Ruttera)
RECEPTION OF NEW YEAR'S TELEGRAMS.
On the edge, under a pine tree,
The forest telegraph is knocking,
Bunnies send telegrams:
"Happy New Year, dads, moms!"
(“Izogiz”, 1957, artist A. Bazhenov, poetry M. Ruttera)
(“Izogiz”, 1957, artist S.Bialkovskaya)
S.Bialkovskaya)
(“Izogiz”, 1957, artist S.Bialkovskaya)
(Map factory "Riga", 1957, artist E.Pikk)
(Published by the USSR Ministry of Communications, 1965, artist E. Pozdnev)
(“Izogiz”, 1955, artist V. Govorkov)
(“Izogiz”, 1960, artist N. Golts)
(“Izogiz”, 1956, artist V. Gorodetsky)
("Leningrad Artist", 1957, artist M. Grigoriev)
("Rosglavkniga. Philately", 1962, artist E. Gundobin)
(Published by the USSR Ministry of Communications, 1954, artist E. Gundobin)
(Published by the USSR Ministry of Communications, 1964, artist D. Denisov)
("Soviet Artist", 1963, artist I. Znamensky)
I. Znamensky
(Published by the USSR Ministry of Communications, 1961, artist I. Znamensky)
(Published by the USSR Ministry of Communications, 1959, artist I. Znamensky)
(“Izogiz”, 1956, artist I. Znamensky)
("Soviet Artist", 1961, artist K.Zotov)
New Year! New Year!
Start a round dance!
It's me, Snowman,
Not new to the skating rink,
I invite everyone to the ice,
Let's have a fun round dance!
(“Izogiz”, 1963, artist K.Zotov, poetry Yu.Postnikova)
V.Ivanov)
(“Izogiz”, 1957, artist I. Kominarets)
(“Izogiz”, 1956, artist K. Lebedev)
("Soviet Artist", 1960, artist K. Lebedev) 
("Artist of the RSFSR", 1967, artist V.Lebedev)
("The State's vision of image-creative mysteries and musical literature of the Ukrainian Socialist Republic", 1957, artist V.Melnichenko)
("Soviet Artist", 1962, artist K.Rotov)
S. Rusakov)
(“Izogiz”, 1962, artist S. Rusakov)
(“Izogiz”, 1953, artist L. Rybchenkova)
(“Izogiz”, 1954, artist L. Rybchenkova)
(“Izogiz”, 1958, artist A. Sazonov)
(“Izogiz”, 1956, artists Yu. Severin, V. Chernukha)
In this collection we have collected the best Soviet New Year cards from the 50s and 60s, and a little later - New Year cards from the 70s. This is what you need to create a festive mood for the New Year. We'll also tell you fascinating story about how the tradition of giving such beauty appeared in the country.
History remembers the case when Sir Henry Cole sent holiday greetings to friends in the form of a small drawing on cardboard. This happened in 1843. Since then, the tradition has taken hold throughout Europe and gradually reached Russia.
We immediately liked the postcards - they are accessible, pleasant and beautiful. The most famous artists had a hand in creating postcards. It is believed that the first Russian New Year's card was drawn by Nikolai Karazin in 1901, but there is another version - the first could have been Fyodor Berenstam, a librarian from the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts.
Europeans mainly used biblical stories, and on Russian postcards one could see both landscapes and everyday scenes, and animals. There were also expensive copies - they were made with embossing or with gold dust, but they were produced in limited quantities.
As soon as it died down October Revolution, Christmas symbols were banned. Now you could only see postcards with communist themes or with a children's story, but under strict censorship. By the way, postcards issued before 1939 have hardly survived.
Before the Great Patriotic War Postcards often depicted the Kremlin chimes and stars. During the war years, postcards appeared with support for the defenders of the Motherland, who were thus conveyed greetings to the front. It was in the 40s that one could get a postcard with a picture of Father Frost sweeping out the Nazis, or the Snow Maiden bandaging the wounded.
After the war, postcards became even more popular - this affordable way congratulate a relative or friend by sending him a message. Many Soviet families collected entire collections of postcards. Eventually, there were so many of them that the cards were used for crafts or collages.
Postcards became popular in 1953. Then Gosznak produced huge quantities using drawings Soviet artists. Still remaining under strict censorship, the subject matter of the postcards expanded: fairy tales, new buildings, airplanes, results of labor and scientific progress.
Anyone who looks at these cards will feel nostalgic. At one time, they were bought in packs to send to their acquaintances and friends throughout the USSR in different cities. There were also true connoisseurs of illustrations by Zarubin and Chetverikova - famous authors Soviet greeting cards Happy New Year.
Enthusiasts enjoyed learning from professionals, redrawing their favorite characters on wall newspapers and albums. Our grandmothers and mothers keep stacks of these cards on the top shelves of their closets.
In the 60s and 70s, postcards with athletes skiing or sledding on New Year's Day were popular.
They also often depicted couples and groups of young people who celebrated new year holidays in restaurants. On the postcards of this era one could already see wonders - television, champagne, mechanical toys, exotic fruits.
The theme of space also quickly spread in the 70s, but until recently the most popular were postcards with chimes and Kremlin stars - the most recognizable symbols of the USSR.
And after some time, the industry produced a wide range of postcards, pleasantly pleasing to the eye in the windows of newsstands filled with traditionally discreet printed products.
And let the quality of printing and brightness of colors Soviet postcards inferior to imported ones, these shortcomings were made up for by the originality of the plots and the high professionalism of the artists.
The real heyday of the Soviet New Year's card came in the 60s. The number of subjects has increased: motives such as space exploration and the struggle for peace appear. Winter landscapes were crowned with wishes: “May the New Year bring success in sports!”
There was a variegated variety of styles and methods in the creation of postcards. Although, of course, it could not do without interweaving the content of newspaper editorials into the New Year's theme.
As the famous collector Evgeny Ivanov jokingly notes, on the postcards “the Soviet Father Frost actively participates in social and industrial life Soviet people: he is a railway worker at BAM, flies into space, melts metal, works on a computer, delivers mail, etc.
His hands are constantly busy with work - perhaps that’s why Santa Claus carries a bag of gifts much less often...” By the way, E. Ivanov’s book “New Year and Christmas in Postcards”, which seriously analyzes the plots of postcards from the point of view of their special symbolism, proves that there is much more meaning hidden in an ordinary postcard than it might seem at first glance...
1966
1968
1970
1971
1972
1973
1977
1979
1980
1981
1984
And after some time, the industry produced a wide range of postcards, pleasantly pleasing to the eye in the windows of newsstands filled with traditionally discreet printed products.
And even though the quality of printing and the brightness of the colors of Soviet postcards were inferior to imported ones, these shortcomings were made up for by the originality of the subjects and the high professionalism of the artists.
The real heyday of the Soviet New Year's card came in the 60s. The number of subjects has increased: motives such as space exploration and the struggle for peace appear. Winter landscapes were crowned with wishes: “May the New Year bring success in sports!”
There was a variegated variety of styles and methods in the creation of postcards. Although, of course, it could not do without interweaving the content of newspaper editorials into the New Year's theme.
As the famous collector Evgeniy Ivanov jokingly notes, on the postcards “the Soviet Father Frost actively participates in the social and industrial life of the Soviet people: he is a railway worker on the BAM, flies into space, melts metal, works on a computer, delivers mail, etc.
His hands are constantly busy with work - perhaps that’s why Santa Claus carries a bag of gifts much less often...” By the way, E. Ivanov’s book “New Year and Christmas in Postcards”, which seriously analyzes the plots of postcards from the point of view of their special symbolism, proves that there is much more meaning hidden in an ordinary postcard than it might seem at first glance...
1966
1968
1970
1971
1972
1973
1977
1979
1980
1981
1984
