Front side of a New Year’s Day greeting card sent to Frances Glessner around 1890 by “Miss Pomeroy.” The stylized foliage across the card aligns the design with the Aesthetic Movement. Of particular interest are the four corner medallions, each depicting a different type of flower, such as clover, shown at upper right.
In the latter part of the 19th century, the sending of cards for New Year’s Day was as popular as the sending of cards for Christmas. Frances Glessner may have received more than the normal share of New Year’s Day cards, as January 1 was also her birthday.