“Here’s a Pack of Get-Well Wishes”

Greeting Cards with Smoking Themes

This exhibition features highlights from the Center’s collection of dozens of greeting cards for special occasions, including birthdays, anniversaries, Valentine’s Day, and Christmas, which were sent from the 1940s to the 1990s. Images of cigarettes, cigars, and pipes were used to convey a message of love, comfort, and pleasure–even with get-well wishes.

Get Well

“Here’s a Pack of Get-Well Wishes”

Get well soon card (cover)

Circa 1940

“Here’s a Pack of Get-Well Wishes”

Get well soon card (interior)

Circa 1940

“Here’s a Pack of Get-Well Wishes”

Get well soon card (back)

Circa 1940

Father’s Day

“Hi There! Dad…”

Father’s Day card (cover)

Circa 1945

“To my Dad…”

Father’s Day card (cover)

Circa 1950

“To my Dad…”

Father’s Day card (interior)

Circa 1950

Birthday Cards

“Birthday Wishes, Dear Nephew”

Birthday card (cover)
Dreyfuss Art Co. Inc.

Circa 1950

“Birthday Wishes, Dear Nephew”

Birthday card (interior)
Dreyfuss Art Co. Inc.

Circa 1950

“Relative Birthday Four-Fold”

Salesman’s price list by Dreyfuss Art Co. Inc. for its greeting cards

Circa 1950

“Relative Birthday Four-Fold” (reverse side)

Salesman’s price list by Dreyfuss Art Co. Inc. for its greeting cards

1950s

“King Size Wishes”

Birthday Card
(Cover)
1950s

“Light my cigarette and blow out the flame, and with each puff my wish is the same!”

Birthday Card
(Inside)
1950s

Just Plain Happy Birthday

Birthday Card
(Cover)
1950s

Just Plain Happy Birthday

Birthday Card
(Cover)
1950s

On My Husband’s Birthday

Birthday Card
(Cover)
1950s

On My Husband’s Birthday

Birthday Card
(Cover – Feature)
1950s

On My Husband’s Birthday

Birthday Card
(Inside)
1950s

“I just had to get you this birthday card…”

Birthday Card
(Cover)
Benson & Hedges
Hallmark
1960s

“I just had to get you this birthday card…”

Birthday Card
(Inside)
Benson & Hedges
Hallmark
1960s

“I just had to get you this birthday card…”

Birthday Card
(Rear)
Benson & Hedges
Hallmark
1960s

“A happy birthday to my brother…”

Birthday Card
(Cover)
1950s

“We interrupt this program for a very special annoncement”

Birthday Card
(Cover)
Philip Morris
1950s

“We interrupt this program for a very special annoncement”

Birthday Card
(Inside)
Philip Morris
1950s

“We all go together”

Birthday Card
(Cover)
Philip Morris
1960s

“We all go together”

Birthday Card
(Inside)
Philip Morris
1960s

“Reach fo both Luckies an Sweets on yo Birthday”

Birthday Card
(Cover)
Lucky Strike
1940s

Birthday Greetings

Birthday Card
(Cover)
Philip Morris
1950s

Birthday Greetings

Birthday Card
(Signature)
Philip Morris
1950s

Birthday Greetings

Birthday Card
(Poem)
Philip Morris
1950s

Birthday Greetings

Birthday Card
(Poem)
Philip Morris
1950s

Valentines

“A Valentine for my Dizzy Brother!”

Valentine’s Card
(Cover)
1930s

“A Valentine for my Dizzy Brother!”

Valentine’s Card
(Inside)
1930s

“A Valentine for my Dizzy Brother!”

Valentine’s Card
(Inside)
1930s

“I’ll strike it Lucky if you’ll be my Valentine!”

Valentine’s Card
(Cover)
Luck Strike

“What a Lucky Strike you made when you got me”

Valentine’s Card
(Cover)
Luck Strike
1920s

“O Cigaretta I love you better than any other girl.”

Greeting Card
1920s

Click here to add your own text

Valentine Chesterfield You Certainly Satisfy wm

“You ain’t so mild little girl but you certainly satisfy!”

Valentine’s Card
Chesterfield
Liggett & Meyer Tobacco Co.
1950s

New Years

“A Happy New Year! Help Yourself…”

New Year’s Card
(Front)
1909

“A New Year Greeting for You”

New Year’s Card
(Front)
Liggett & Meyers Tobacco Co.

“A New Year Greeting for You”

New Year’s Card
(Inside)
Liggett & Meyers Tobacco Co.

Christmas

Merry Christmas To You

Christmas Card
(Cover)
1950s

Merry Christmas To You

Christmas Card
(Inside)
1950s

“The Season’s Greetings … ‘Passing Show’ cigarettes”

Christmas Cards
(Cover)
1950s

“Merry Christmas”

Christmas Card
(Cover)
1950s

“Merry Christmas”

Christmas Card
(Inside)
1950s

Postcards

Children Smoking

Post Card
1910s

” I couldn’t get any milk at this hour so I put a cigarette in his nipple.”

Postcard
1930s

“Do Your Cigs Taste Different”

Postcard
(Black & White)

“Do Your Cigs Taste Different”

Postcard
(Color)

“And he needed only six more certificates.”

Postcard
1910s

“Thunder! Can’t get this blessed cigar a-burning!”

Postcard
1910s

Migdal Cigarettes

Postcard
(Front)

Migdal Cigarettes

Postcard
(Rear)

“To greet you may your cares disappear into the ashes.”

Postcard

“Did you give him the Woodbine”

Postcard
1910s

“A woman is only a woman, but a good cigar is a smoke”

Postcard
1910s

“Wij willen Wings Cigarettes King Size”

Dutch Postcard
1930s

Smoker’s Kisses

Postcard
1910s

To My Friends the Boys

Postcard
1910s

“Deep in the Heart of Texas”

Postcard
1950s

“I’d walk a mile for you baby!”

Postcard
R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co.
1920s

Trading Cards

Compliments of “Old Judge.”

Trading Card
(Front)
Old Judge Cigarettes
Goodwin & Co.
1890s

Compliments of “Old Judge.”

Trading Card
(Back)
Old Judge Cigarettes
Goodwin & Co.
1890s

“Alabama – Cotton, Iron, Coal and their Manufactures”

Trading Card
(Front)
G.W. Gail & Axs Navy

“Alabama – Cotton, Iron, Coal and their Manufactures”

Trading Card
(Back)
G.W. Gail & Axs Navy

“Mild and Sweet Welcome Ciagrettes”

Trading Card
(Front)
Goodwin & Co.

“Mild and Sweet Welcome Ciagrettes”

Trading Card
Goodwin & Co.
(Back)

Greeting Cards

Curated by Alan Blum, MD

Professor and Endowed Chair in Family Medicine
Department of Family Medicine
Director, Center for the Study of Tobacco and Society
The University of Alabama School of Medicine, Tuscaloosa

“Here’s a Pack of Get-Well Wishes: Greeting Cards with Smoking Themes” is Copyrighted 2023

ALL ITEMS IN THE EXHIBITION ARE FROM THE CENTER’S COLLECTION.

Designed by Kevin Bailey, MA

Collection Manager and Digital Archivist (2018-2022)
Center for the Study of Tobacco and Society
The University of Alabama