70s Happy New Year cards. Postcards
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)
USSR postcards congratulating the country on the New Year are a special layer of the visual culture of our country. Retro postcards drawn in the USSR are not only a collectible, an art object. For many, this is a childhood memory that stays with us for many years. Looking at Soviet New Year's cards is a special pleasure, they are so beautiful, cute, creating a festive mood and children's happiness.
In 1935, after the October Revolution, the New Year began to be celebrated again and small printing houses began to print greeting cards, reviving the traditions of pre-revolutionary Russia. However, if earlier postcards often contained images of Christmas and religious symbols, in the new country all this was banned, and postcards from the USSR were also banned. They did not congratulate them on the New Year; they were only allowed to congratulate their comrades on the first year of the October Revolution, which did not really inspire people, and such cards were not in demand. It was possible to lull the attention of the censors only with children's stories, and even with propaganda postcards with the inscription: “Down with the bourgeois Christmas tree.” However, very few such cards were printed, so cards issued before 1939 are of great value to collectors.
Around 1940, the Izogiz publishing house began printing editions of New Year's cards with images of the Kremlin and chimes, snow-covered trees, and garlands.
Wartime New Year cards
Wartime, naturally, leaves its mark on the postcards of the USSR. They were congratulated with encouraging messages, such as “New Year's greetings from the front,” Father Frost was depicted with a machine gun and a broom, sweeping out the fascists, and the Snow Maiden bandaged the wounds of soldiers. But their main mission was to support the spirit of the people and show that victory is near, and the military is waiting at home.
In 1941, the Art Publishing House released a series of special postcards that were intended to be sent to the front. To speed up printing, they were painted in two colors - black and red; there were many scenes with portraits of war heroes.
You can often find imported postcards from 1945 in collectors' collections and home archives. Soviet soldiers who reached Berlin sent and brought back beautiful foreign Christmas cards.
Post-war 50-60s.
After the war, there was no money in the country; people could not buy New Year's gifts or spoil their children. People were happy about the simplest things, so an inexpensive but touching card became very popular. In addition, the postcard could be sent by mail to loved ones in any corner of the vast country. The plots use symbols of victory over fascism, as well as portraits of Stalin as the father of the people. There are many images of grandfathers with grandchildren, children with mothers - all because in most families the fathers did not return from the front. The main theme is world peace and victory.
In 1953, mass production was established in the USSR. It was considered obligatory to congratulate friends and relatives on the New Year with a postcard. A lot of cards were sold, they were even used to make crafts - boxes and balls. Bright, thick cardboard was perfect for this, but other arts and crafts materials were hard to come by. Goznak printed postcards with drawings by outstanding Russian artists. This period marks the heyday of the miniature genre. The storylines are expanding - artists have something to draw, even despite censorship. In addition to traditional chimes, they paint airplanes and trains, tall buildings, depict fairy-tale characters, winter landscapes, matinees in kindergartens, children with bags of sweets, and parents carrying home a Christmas tree.
In 1956, the film “Carnival Night” with L. Gurchenko was released on Soviet screens. Scenes from the film and the image of the actress become a symbol of the New Year, they are often printed on postcards.
The sixties open with Gagarin's flight into space and, of course, this story could not help but appear on New Year's cards. They depict astronauts in a spacesuit with gifts in their hands, space rockets and lunar rovers with New Year trees.
During this period, the theme of greeting cards generally expands, they become more vibrant and interesting. They depict not only fairy-tale characters and children, but also the life of Soviet people, for example, a rich and plentiful New Year's table with champagne, tangerines, red caviar and the indispensable Olivier salad.
Postcards V.I. Zarubina
When talking about the Soviet New Year's card, it is impossible not to mention the name of the outstanding artist and animator Vladimir Ivanovich Zarubin. Almost all those cute, touching hand-drawn postcards created in the USSR in the 60s and 70s. created by his hand.
The main theme of the cards were fairy-tale characters - cheerful and kind animals, Father Frost and Snow Maiden, rosy-cheeked happy children. Almost all postcards have the following plot: Santa Claus gives gifts to a boy on skis; the hare reaches out with scissors to cut a New Year's gift from the tree; Santa Claus and a boy play hockey; animals decorate the Christmas tree. Today, these old Happy New Year cards are a collector's item. The USSR produced them in large quantities, so there are many of them in philocarty collections (this
But not only Zarubin was an outstanding Soviet artist creating postcards. Besides him, many names remain in the history of fine art and miniatures.
For example, Ivan Yakovlevich Dergilev, called a classic of modern postcards and the founder of staged postcards. He created hundreds of images printed in millions of copies. Among the New Year's ones, one can highlight a postcard from 1987, depicting a balalaika and Christmas tree decorations. This card was released in a record 55 million copies.
Evgeny Nikolaevich Gundobin, Soviet artist, classic of postcard miniatures. His style is reminiscent of Soviet films of the 50s, kind, touching and a little naive. There are no adults in his New Year's cards, only children - on skis, decorating a Christmas tree, receiving gifts, and also children against the backdrop of thriving Soviet industry, flying into space on a rocket. In addition to images of children, Gundobin painted colorful panoramas of New Year's Moscow, iconic architectural signs - the Kremlin, the MGIMO building, a statue of a Worker and a Kolkhoz Woman with New Year's wishes.
Another artist who worked in a style close to Zarubin is Vladimir Ivanovich Chetverikov. His postcards were popular in the USSR and entered literally every home. He depicted cartoon animals and funny stories. For example, Santa Claus, surrounded by animals, plays the balalaika for a cobra; two Santa Clauses shaking hands when meeting.
Postcards from the 70s and 80s
In the 70s, there was a cult of sports in the country, so many cards depict people celebrating the holiday on the ski track or at the skating rink, and Happy New Year sports cards. The USSR hosted the Olympics in the 1980s, which gave a new impetus to the development of postcard subjects. Olympians, fire, rings - all these symbols are woven into New Year's motifs.
In the 80s, the genre of New Year photo cards also became popular. The USSR will very soon cease to exist, and the arrival of a new life can be felt in the works of artists. The photo is replacing the hand-drawn postcard. They usually depict Christmas tree branches, balls and garlands, and glasses of champagne. Images of traditional crafts appear on postcards - Gzhel, Palekh, Khokhloma, as well as new printing technologies - foil stamping, three-dimensional drawings.
At the end of the Soviet period of our history, people learned about the Chinese calendar, and images of the animal symbol of the year appeared on postcards. So, for example, New Year cards from the USSR in the Year of the Dog were greeted with an image of this animal - photographic and drawn.
All the old New Year cards that you will see here are part of my collection. Its replenishment stopped with the advent of the new century, which I sincerely regretted. After all, postcards contain the spirit of the times. You will unmistakably recognize USSR New Year cards. So, let's go back to the last century.
New Year's cards from the 60s
The first Soviet postcards appeared in 1953. I don't have any New Year's cards from the 50s, but I do have a few from the 60s. The most expensive one for me is the one with the snowman. It was addressed to my grandfather, grandmother and father when he was still a student. I once found it in old documents and still treasure it carefully. And the snowman in the earflap hat is very cute. It was drawn by the artist Konstantin Zotov. On the back of the card there is a poem printed in small print in the left corner:
New Year! New Year!
Yawn in a round dance!
Not new to the skating rink,
I invite everyone to the ice,
Let's have a fun round dance!
New Year's cards from the 70s
Among the postcards from this time period, two are perhaps the most valuable. Their author is artist V. Zarubin. Most of Zarubin's postcards that I have were issued in the 80s, and these two are from 69 and 70.
In postcards of the 70s, double art cards appeared, which were issued with an envelope. The envelopes, unfortunately, have not survived. I remember as a child, I really liked one of the double postcards, the one with the black cat. It was drawn by an artist - Vasnetsov, but not the same one, but a relative - Yuri Alekseevich. But also famous. Those born in the USSR are familiar with it from children's books, for example, “The Little Humpbacked Horse,” “The Cat’s House,” and “The Three Bears.”
New Year cards from the 80s
So, the eighties! Years of my childhood. I have a lot of postcards from this time, because I deliberately collected them. There have been collectors at all times. Of my childhood friends, some collected postcards, some calendars, some badges. I'm a little bit of everything. But the collection of postcards is the largest. It’s difficult to put all the New Year’s cards from that time here, I’ll show only a few. Let's start, of course, with the works of the artist Zarubin. Seeing them, many now adults remember their childhood.
Vladimir Ivanovich Zarubin was born in 1925 into the family of an engineer. During the war, together with other teenagers, he ended up in a fascist camp. He was released in 1945. Returning to his homeland, he served in the Army. It was at this time that an interest in drawing appeared. After his service, Vladimir Zarubin got a job at a factory as an artist. Then he entered the animator courses at Soyuzmutfilm, after which he began working there. In addition to creating cartoons, the artist became interested in postal miniatures and began to draw postcards. This occupation became his main one after an illness due to which he could only work at home.
Zarubin’s postcards were in demand; images were copied from them for wall newspapers and store windows, which were painted for the New Year. And now many who lived in the Soviet Union, when they see these postcards, experience warm feelings, as if returning to their childhood or youth.
Another famous postcard artist of that time was Vladimir Ivanovich Chetverikov. He was born in 1943 into a military family. I have been drawing since childhood. His first personal exhibition took place in kindergarten, when the artist was 5 years old. Vladimir Chetverikov attended the fine arts club and graduated from the graphics department of the Stroganov School. Started working in postal miniature in 1978. More than 100 postcards and telegrams were issued by artist Vladimir Chetverikov.
Postcards from the 90s
My collection of Soviet New Year cards ends with the year 1990. Artists were still working on them. Then the Soviet Union disappeared. Imported postcards with glitter appear on sale.
The 2000s are the name given to the years of the first decade of the 21st century. At this time, postcards with ready-made congratulation poems become popular. I remember, wanting to congratulate someone, we chose the appropriate verse, and it wasn’t really important what the card looked like. However, this quickly became boring, because it is much more valuable when the postcard is signed with one’s own hand. I also liked funny cards with funny inscriptions.
