Marian holy cards collection

This collection contains approximately 10,000 holy cards and printed ephemera depicting the Blessed Virgin Mary, Madonna and Child, events in the life of Jesus and Mary, titles associated with Mary, and shrines and churches associated with Mary.

Materials in this collection primarily include holy cards. The collection also includes some prayer cards and leaflets, novenas, funeral cards, souvenir cards, ordination cards, photographs, small calendars, membership cards, clippings, handmade devotional materials, handwritten notes, brochures, pamphlets, and other realia and ephemera.

Some materials may have been used by Catholics in private devotion, purchased as souvenirs (typically from Marian shrines or during pilgrimage to Catholic holy sites), or distributed to commemorate a Catholic sacrament or occasion.

The holy cards in this collection are approximately 2.5" x 4.5", and include a variety of styles, such as rectangular cards with a straight edges, die-cut lace bordered cards, and cards with decorative or scalloped edges. The majority of the cards are printed on paper, but some have been printed on cloth or vellum. Many cards contain text or a prayer on the verso and some cards include handwritten notes. Many cards were created to commemorate a Catholic sacrament, in which case information about the individual and occasion is printed on the verso. The majority of holy cards in the collection were printed in Europe from circa 1860 through circa 1950.

The collection includes both popular, mass-produced materials as well as early printing (circa 1700), and unique or rare materials. Some materials in the collection appear to have been made by hand, and include textile work, illustration, and collage.