The collection consists of over 2,000 pieces of original artwork used by greeting card and calendar companies, and spans the approximate years 1930-1990. Many of the pieces within the collection are labeled with a Norcross stamp or specifications sticker. The Norcross Greeting Card Company was founded in 1914 by Arthur Norcross and his sister, Jane, in New York City. They published greeting cards, and also sold wrapping papers and parchments. After Arthur Norcross' death in 1969, the business floundered and was sold for the first time in 1974. Subsequent sales saw Norcross combined with Rust Craft Company, but this venture was unsuccessful and what remained of Norcross was later sold at auction. Tempo Graphic Arts, Inc., Miquon Greetings, and Quality Art Novelty Company are stamped or written on some of the works, as well. A few pieces of artwork are accompanied by the partial or final version of the greeting card. Well-known artists with work in the collection include: Joseph Rudolph "Rudy" Nappi, Marjorie Cooper, Ferd Sondern, and Joseph Giordano.
The digitized items here do not represent the entirety of the Dr. and Mrs. Daniel Sharkey Greeting Card Collection, 1930-1990. To view what other materials are in this collection but not yet digitized and available online, search the guide to the Dr. and Mrs. Daniel Sharkey Greeting Card Collection, 1930-1990.
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Dog with scrapbook
Greeting card art, Dog gluing photographs into scrap book, Norcross Art Specifications sticker on back of art with 2/14/81 date, watercolor, pastels, or acrylic, color
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Moose kissing chipmunk
Oversize; Christmas card art; Moose in pants, sweater, and Santa hat with ornaments and garland in its antlers leaning in to kiss chipmunk, also dressed in hat, shoes, scarf, and shirt; "1981 Xmas Counter- Corp. Des." written on bottom front of art; watercolor, acrylic, or pastels; color
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Mother with destructive children
Oversize; cartoon drawing with mother figure in foreground, while background contains house and children various dangerous or destructive things; Norcross Art Specifications sticker on back of art which contians 2/20/81 date and labels "Mth. Hum" and "Wife Hum"; watercolor, acrylic, or pastels; color
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1930 Touring Sedan
Greeting card art, yellow and white 1930's touring sedan on pink and white background with heart; " '82 Val." written at bottom of art; Norcross Art Specifications sticker on back of art, along with date 9/17/80 written on back of art; watercolor, pastels, or acrylic, color
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Cinderella
Greeting card art, Friendship humor card, Cinderella scrubbing floor in front of fire while her step-sisters and step-mother look on, Norcross Art Specifications sticker on back of art with date 10/23/80, watercolor, pastels, or acrylic, color This collection consists of original art work for greeting card companies. This box contains art from various artists, many from unknown dates. The card company is identified in some cases.
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Cowboys and horses at stream
Oversize; Landscape scene with two people on horses, which are drinking from a stream as pine trees tower overhead; "B'Day Dad" written on bottom of art; Norcross Art Specifications sticker on back of art with date of 11/14/80 and "B'dy Dad Fr. Both" written under "classification"; watercolor, acrylic, or pastels; color
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Cowboys by stream with mountains
Oversize; Outdoor scene with cowboys and horses by stream with mountains in background; "B'Day Son" written on bottom of art; Norcross Art Specifications sticker on back of art with date of 11/14/80; watercolor, acrylic, or pastels; color
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Ducks with baby things
Oversize; gift wrap art; various scenes of yellow ducks with pastel colored baby toys including presents, dolls, blocks, knitted garments, and diapers; "1980 Rust Line Giftwrap E'day" written on bottom front of art; watercolor, acrylic, or pastels; color
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Elves with poinsettias
Greeting card art, Christmas card art; Group of elves tending and repotting house plants, surrounded by greenery and poinsettias; Norcross Art Specifications sticker on back of art, along with 1980 date; watercolor, pastels, or acrylic, color
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Five sailboats and lighthouse
Oversize; ocean scene of five (5) individually-manned sailboats seen against backdrop of lighthouse on jetty or pier; Norcross Art Specifications sticker on back of art with date 3/19/80; watercolor, acrylic, or pastels; color
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Girl in hot air balloon
Greeting card art, Birthday card art, stylized hot air balloon decorated with ribbons, bows, flowers, and guilding; blonde woman/girl in the basket of balloon looking through a hand held telescope, "B.Day Sister" printed at bottom of art; Norcross Art Specifications sticker on back of art with date 8/1/80, watercolor, pastels, or acrylic, color
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Great Grandmother and child squirrels
Greeting card art, Squirrels, one older female in dress and the other smaller child, in kitchen; woman squirrel is making "Acorn Pie" while another pie cools in windowsill and basket of acorns sits on the floor near the child-squirrel; Norcross Inc. stamp on right front side of art; Norcross Art Specifications sticker on back of art with date of "80", along with "Great Gandma fr child" written in classification section; watercolor, pastels, or acrylic, color
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Ice skating girl with animals
Greeting card art, Primitive-style, young girl ice-skating as squirrel, chipmonk, rabbit, and birds look on; house in background with pine trees, animals have holly with berries and pine boughs around them; Norcross Art Speicifications sticker on back of art with date 7/18/80 crossed out and replaced by "charted 7/29/80"; watercolor, pastels, or acrylic, color
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Lemon calendar page
Oversize; Calendar art; branch with leaves and three (3) hanging yellow lemons; "Bountiful Orchard" written on front of art; Norcross Art Specifications sticker on back of art with "Fruit Calendar" written under classification catagory and 8/20/80 under date; watercolor, acrylic, or pastels; color
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Mouse church
Greeting card art, Mouse dressed as a preacher stands in front of a tree in which has been carved a church and cross, a mother mouse sends her small son to the church, "Religious" and "Mother Religious" written on bottom of art, Norcross Art Specifications sticker on back of art, along with date of 12/17/80, watercolor, pastels, or acrylic, color This collection consists of original art work for greeting card companies. This box contains art from various artists, many from unknown dates. The card company is identified in some cases.
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Orange and yellow flower panels
Oversize; Gift wrap art; panels of different orange and yellow flowers divided by orange border; flowers include lilies, petunias, daffodils, irises, dahlias, poppies, and possibly carnations, plus other types; "1980 Rust E'day Line 2 Giftwrap" written on bottom front of artwork; watercolor, acrylic, or pastels; color
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Orangutan blowing bubbles
Greeting card art, Birthday card art; Orange orangutan sitting on long blowing bubbles; below orangutan are flowers, leaves, and grasses with bird perched among them; Norcross Art Specifications sticker on back of art with date of 12-16-80; watercolor, pastels, or acrylic, color
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Pilgrims with fall border
Oversize; Thanksgiving card art; boy and girl dressed as pilgrims carrying cornucopia, basket, and flowers; children are surrounded by border made of gourds, leaves, acorns, pumpkins, and animals; "House Deco" written on bottom of art; Norcross Art Specifications sticker on back of art with date of 7/30/80; watercolor, acrylic, or pastels; color
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Pine with cardinals and sparrows
Greeting card art, large pine tree with cardinals and sparrows in the branches, along with nests; Norcross Art Specifications sticker on back of art with date 6/6/80; watercolor, pastels, or acrylic, color
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Queen of hearts
Greeting card art, playing card design with cartoon queen of hearts, date of 10/22/80 written on back of art in "Art Specifications" sticker, which also says "Property of Norcross" at bottom, watercolor, pastels, or acrylic, color This collection consists of original art work for greeting card companies. This box contains art from various artists, many from unknown dates. The card company is identified in some cases.
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Rabbit with vegetables
Greeting card art, Birthday card art; brown and white bunny with bow around its neck holding a cake stand with radishes, lettuce, carrots, and peas; empty bordered space is in upper right-hand corner; "Birthday Niece Juvenile" is hand-written on bottom of art; Norcross Art Specifications sticker is on back of art with date 6/18/80; watercolor, pastels, or acrylic, color
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Rainbowland Calendar April
Oversize, Calendar art, Four children with goat-pulled cart and other farm animals, labeled "Rainbowland Cal." and "April" at bottom, watercolor, acrylic, or pastels, color.
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Rainbowland Calendar December Rainbowland Calendar December
Oversize, Calendar art, Seven children with Christmas tree and decorations, labeled "Rainbowland Cal." and "Dec" at bottom, watercolor, acrylic or pastels, color.
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Red barn with daisies
Greeting card art, scene of red barn with two silos seen through daisies in the foreground, "Father's Day" and "Dad from both" written at bottom of art, date of 3/24/80 written on back of art in "Art Specifications" sticker, which also says "Property of Norcross" at bottom, watercolor, pastels, or acrylic, color This collection consists of original art work for greeting card companies. This box contains art from various artists, many from unknown dates. The card company is identified in some cases.
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Red outline Valentine
Greeting card art, Valentine's Day card art; red blocked outline of hearts, leaves, flowers, and plants in pots; Norcross Art Specifications sticker on back of art with date 10/14/80; watercolor, pastels, or acrylic, color
