Ellen Clapsaddle Artist Signed Birthday Postcard 1918 Many Happy Birthdays More For Sale

Antique artist-signed birthday postcard illustrated by Ellen H. Clapsaddle, the most prolific American postcard artist of the golden age, published by the International Art Publishing Company of New York and Philadelphia.
The chromolithographed front is captioned "MANY HAPPY BIRTHDAYS MORE." in deep blue lettering and depicts two little girls at a tiny tea table — one in a ruffled white mob cap and fringed shawl holding a cup and saucer, the other in a blue pinafore and white apron serving from a covered dish. A four-line verse fills the right side: "If I came to your Birthday feast / Do you know what I would say? / 'I wish you, dear, For every Year / Many Happy Returns of the Day.'" The artist's cursive signature appears at lower left within the image, and the copyright line "© INT. ART PUB. CO." is printed at lower right.
The reverse is a divided back bearing the International Art Publ. Co. eagle-and-globe trademark with the "NEW YORK-PHILA." imprint. Because German printing was cut off during the First World War, this is a domestically produced example rather than one of the earlier German-printed Clapsaddles.
Postally used, with a clean and fully legible MEDFORD, MASS. APR 7, 1918 circular cancel and a flag-style killer bar strike. Addressed in pencil to Mrs. Fred Field, Box 145, Wakefield, Mass. The pencil message reads: "We all wish you many happy returns of the day. With love, Lil and all."
Approximately 5.4 x 3.4 inches — essentially the standard vintage postcard format. Please treat this as a close approximation and confirm in hand if exact dimensions matter for your project.
A charming, quietly sentimental Clapsaddle in a subject area collectors love, with the added interest of a dated WWI-era Massachusetts postal history connection.
Condition:Good used antique condition with honest age-appropriate wear. Colors remain fresh and well-saturated, blue caption lettering and printed verse are crisp and fully legible.• A soft diagonal crease runs across the upper-left corner of the front, about one inch long, through the blank field. Surface crease, not a tear; shows faintly through to the reverse.• The postage stamp has been removed. A lighter rectangular area and light surface skinning are present in the stamp box on the reverse. Card is not thinned, front is unaffected.• Light overall edge and corner wear, with mild softening at the corners.• Faint scattered handling marks and light age toning to the card stock.• No tears, no chips, no water damage, no pen or ink writing on the image side, no mounting residue. Card lies flat.Sold as-is per photos. They all ship in a protective sleeve, reinforced with cardboard, in a rigid mailer.
Specifics:• Artist: Ellen H. Clapsaddle• Signed: Yes (artist signature printed within image)• Brand / Publisher: International Art Publishing Co. (IAPC)• Occasion: Birthday• Theme: Children, Tea Party, Greetings• Type: Printed (Chromolithograph)• Era: Divided Back (1907–1915)• Features: Divided Back, Artist Signed• Postage Condition: Posted / Used• Postmark: Medford, Massachusetts — April 7, 1918• Original / Reproduction: Original• Size: Standard (approx. 5.4 x 3.4 in)• Material: Paper / Cardstock• Time Period Manufactured: 1900–1919• Country of Manufacture: United States• Unit of Sale: Single Unit• Number of Items: 1• Personalize: No
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