Panda Prints, Inc. -Rosalind Welcher and Fred Slavic

ca. 1950 Welcher

TENNIS ANYONE?

At a time like this...of course not! ....Best Wishes

 Rosalind Welcher 

is one of the great artists credited with starting the STUDIO card genre. 

 "This is Rosalind Welcher, whose unusual designs have sounded a new note in the greeting card.  She does rhymes as well as artwork for her cards."~1953 The Victoria Advocate

Rosalind and her husband, Fred Slavic founded 
PANDA PRINTS, INC. 1946~1977

When Fred, a former merchant marine and machine designer, and Rosalind married, they thought that printing greeting cards was the perfect job for them so they could travel~
she was quoted in 1952 article,
 "We got so busy right away that we still haven't had the chance to travel!" 

The best thing in our situation

 Her off-beat art cards quickly gained a huge cult-like following.

Is we've no need for sublimation! ....Happy Anniversary, Darling

A Spokane Daily Chronicle 1952 article tells 
how Rosalind received fan mail 
"just like movie stars or baseball players" 
it relates that:

 "one of these fans, lets birthdays (other peoples)
 go by so that she can send a Welcher belated birthday card." 
Other fans admitted buying cards for which they loved 
but had no use and now had to find people to send them to! 
 The same article notes that more cards in the "Welcher style" are showing up in the card shops everyday.

Welcher's signature

"BE HAPPY, BE GAY, but AVOID THE CLICHE" ~ Rosalind Welcher 

"Rosalind said that she feels like cupid after reading some of her fan mail, and that she's immensely heartened by the knowledge that so many young lovers can retain their sense of humor" 
Spokane Daily Chronicle 1952 
~~~~~~~~ 

 

The Perfect pas de duex!

Panda Prints, Inc. utilized artists besides Rosalind. 

This example of an adorable ballet couple is signed, "Burris"

Me and Yeux

you will notice that not only the illustrations signed by various artists but the logo on the backside of the card differs as well. Cards illustrated by Rosalind will read "designed by Rosalind Welcher" whereas cards illustrated by others read "art director Rosalind Welcher"

art director Rosalind Welcher

designed by Rosalind Welcher

ONE CAN'T  ..... BUT TOUCAN

HAVE A LOT OF FUN TOGETHER -  CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR MARRIAGE

This cute example is covered with colorful toucans inside and out; it is signed "am"

excerpt from 1952 article in the Portsmouth Times:

"THRIFT NOTE TO YOUNG LOVERS:

 A 15 cent greeting card with just the

 right touch of sophisticated humor

 can be more effective then a $5 box of candy.  

Building on this principal Rosalind Welcher, 

who looks like a hockey playing teenager, 

but wields a brush with the sophistication of Dali,

 has a has built a business 

which sells $7,000,000 cards a year, 

plus an impressive volume of note paper and napkins"

1960 Rosalind Welcher

Rosalind's cards are noted for their 

"New York Humor" and whimsical animal characters

1960 Panda Prints Inc. N.Y. Logo

personalized with family name Christmas 1960

One lovely description of Rosalind reports, 
"In person, Rosalind Welcher is not given to the snappy retort. She is a cheerful reserved, dainty woman with pretty china blue eyes and tawny hair.  Her face is an open frank one that's delightful in it's fresh, clear coloring" 

 Rosalind's work  was available on her website http://www.rosalindwelcher.com/ into the 2010s 
by the way...Rosalind did eventually find time to travel. The website was selling her Giclee Prints which noted that "Rosalind is an avid sailor and has raced and sailed around the world" Many of her illustrations are from her travels. her website offered stories related to the illustrations and travels.

UPDATE:

Rosalind W Slavic Obituary

Rosalind W. Slavic, 102, died, September 10, 2023,

 in Keene, NH at the Keene Center.

 She was the daughter of the

 late Peter and Ida Welcher (Rubenstein). 

She was born in New York City on October 21, 1920. 

Rosalind was an artist and an author. 

She and her husband Fred Slavic (died 2013)

were residents of Fitzwilliam, NH.

Northeast Wilderness Trust: 

June 14, 2023

"Fitzwilliam, New Hampshire…

Northeast Wilderness Trust is pleased to announce 

the creation of the 300-acre

 Rosalind and Fred Slavic Wilderness Preserve,

 in Fitzwilliam, New Hampshire. Surrounded 

on three sides by the 

Rhododendron State Park in Fitzwilliam, New Hampshire, 

this forever-wild Preserve

 was made possible by the generosity of the

 former landowners

 and fills an important gap in conserved 

land—for the benefit of people and nature.

Fred and Rosalind Slavic had a vision for 

their land’s future 

that began more than 40 years ago

 when they granted the State of New Hampshire a 

conservation easement on 196 acres 

of their forestland. In 1987, working with the

 New Hampshire Audubon Society, 

the Forest Society,

 and the State of New Hampshire,

 the Slavics took the first major step

 to set into motion 

a vision that has now become a reality."

sources:
The Victoria Advocate 1953
Spokane Daily Chronicle 1952, Aug 19
Portsmouth Times Aug 19, 1952