Postcards

About Vintage Postcards

Postcards became popular at the turn of the 20th Century, especially for sending short messages to friends and relatives. They were collected right from the start, and are still sought after today by collectors of pop culture, photography, advertising, wartime memorabilia, local history, and many other categories.

Postcards were an international craze, published all over the world. The Detroit Publishing Co. and Curt-Teich were two of the major publishers in the U.S, and sometimes individuals printed their own postcards as well...

There are many types of collectible vintage postcards. Hold-to-light postcards were made with tissue paper surrounded by two pieces of regular paper, so light would shine through. Fold-out postcards, popular in the 1950s, had multiple postcards attached in a long strip. Real photograph postcards (RPPCs) are photographs with a postcard backing.

Novelty postcards were made using wood, aluminum, copper, and cork. Silk postcards – often embroidered or with a printed image – were wrapped around cardboard and sent in see-through glassine paper envelopes, and were especially popular during WW1. In the 1930s and 1940s, postcards were printed on brightly colored paper designed to look like linen.

Most vintage postcard collectors focus on themes, like Christmas, Halloween, portraits of movie stars, European royalty and U.S. presidents, wartime imagery, and photos of natural disasters. Not to mention cards featuring colorful pictures by famous artists like Alphonse Mucha, Harrison Fisher, Ellen Clapsaddle, and Francis Brundage.

With vintage postcards, subject matter, condition, and rarity, plus general desirability and demand, determine value.

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Interviews & Articles

An Interview With Metropolitan Museum Curator Jeff Rosenheim On The Postcard Collection Of Walker Evans

In 1994, I had the great pleasure of acquiring the complete archive of Walker Evans for the Metropolitan Muse… [more]

An Interview With Vintage Postcard Collector Ann Waidelich

I worked for 35 years as a reference librarian with the Madison Public Library and I just got interested in M… [more]

An Interview With Postcard Collector Andreas Praefcke

Andreas Praefcke (Ravensburg, Germany) collects postcards of old and new theatre buildings worldwide. His com… [more]



Best of the Web (“Hall of Fame”)

U. Delaware Postcard Collection

U. Delaware Postcard Collection

This collection of over 2000 postcards provides a peek at life in and around Delaware in the early 1900s. Browse g… [read review or visit site]

Carthalia

Carthalia

Andreas Praefcke's postcard collection of theatres and concert halls worldwide. Showcases 3700 images of over 1810 … [read review or visit site]

Digital Past

Digital Past

Digital Past, a group effort by dozens of Chicago-area institutions, boasts one of the world's largest online colle… [read review or visit site]

Stevengraphs Bookmarks and Postcards

Stevengraphs Bookmarks and Postcards

Malcolm Roebuck's tribute to the ornate silk picture bookmarks and postcards ('Stevengraphs') produced by Thomas St… [read review or visit site]

Tall Tale Postcards

Tall Tale Postcards

Don't let this one get away from you. This 'unbelievable' collection, from the Wisconsin Historical Society, featur… [read review or visit site]

Penny Postcards

Penny Postcards

Great collection of American penny postcards from the early 1900s, organized by state and then county. Includes a n… [read review or visit site]

Old Tokyo

Old Tokyo

This beautiful site features a collection of tinted postcards, woodblock prints, and early maps of Tokyo. The image… [read review or visit site]

Postcardy.com

Postcardy.com

Lynne Appel's reference site contains useful information for postcard collectors such as such as a Postcard Collect… [read review or visit site]


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Clubs & Associations: Postcards


Other Great Reference Sites: Postcards

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2009 Topps Wacky Packages Postcard Card Art Bugweiser$637.79 Ends Wednesday 7 bids 23 watchers
New Gucci Canvas "1950s Postcard" Exclusive Bag Handbag$325.00 Ends Tuesday 19 bids 59 watchers
Orange Juice *falling And Laughing* Postcard Mint-$305.00 Ends in 14 hours 23 bids 51 watchers
Liechtenstein Classic Postcard E2330$182.50 Ends Tuesday 12 bids 2 watchers
Postcard Profits &27 Ready To Go Products-work From Hom$175.00 Ends Thursday 0 bids 2 watchers
China-post Card (china-germany)1904used$152.50 Ends in 20 hours 12 bids 26 watchers
* Perez Steele Kirby Puckett Autographed Postcard Jsa *$150.33 Ends in 14 hours 10 bids 24 watchers
President Ronald Reagan Signed Postcard Psa/dna$128.17 Ends in 19 hours 11 bids 20 watchers
1939 New York Worlds Fair Children's World Postcard Set$103.50 Ends Monday 4 bids 9 watchers
China 1917 Used Kuling Postcard Due Postage Shanghai $102.50 Ends in 8 hours 17 bids 16 watchers
Old Postcard-kismet Beach,fire Island,long Island,ny$101.00 Ends Thursday 5 bids 5 watchers
1907 Postcard Album W/ 204 Cards, Christmas, Easter$99.99 Ends in 19 hours 1 bid 8 watchers
Rare 1910 Express Postcard To Belguim$83.05 Ends in 10 hours 1 bid 3 watchers
4 Japan Japanese Postcard Art Deco Cigarette Smoking $79.99 Ends in 17 hours 1 bid 6 watchers
1910 Colorado & Northwestern Railway Rpo Postcard$78.75 Ends Monday 8 bids 4 watchers
1921 Postcard A Glimpse Through Trees, Mohegan Lake Ny$78.00 Ends Wednesday 18 bids 2 watchers
1907 Cunard Line Rms Lusitania Silk Woven Mv Postcard$77.00 Ends Thursday 5 bids 15 watchers
1912 Real Photo Postcard Album Native American '15 Expo$76.00 Ends Saturday 4 bids 8 watchers
2 Old Rppc Midland Michigan Chicory Factory & Downtown$75.99 Ends Tuesday 13 bids 3 watchers
Early 1900's Postcard Album~134~ Postcards~santa Claus~$75.99 Ends Monday 7 bids 15 watchers
1899 Gb Qv Malaya Singapore Postcard To Germany Scarce$74.54 Ends in 6 hours 10 bids 12 watchers
Mickey Mantle Perez Steele Autograph Baseball Postcard$72.25 Ends Wednesday 7 bids 16 watchers
2 B & W Post Card Of Johnstown,west Virginia Band$69.99 Ends in 17 hours 1 bid 3 watchers
Sanke Boelcke Oddity, Private Postcard Must See$69.00 Ends in 11 hours 7 bids 8 watchers
Dave Winfield Autographed Perez Steele Postcard$68.76 Ends in 16 hours 7 bids 6 watchers
Biederer Lesbian Butt French Nude C1920s Photo Postcard$67.95 Ends Wednesday 1 bid 7 watchers
Mike Schmidt Autographed Perez Steele Postcard$61.00 Ends in 16 hours 6 bids 5 watchers
Rare Hms Olympic Postcard White Star H.m.s Olympic Nr$61.00 Ends in 18 hours 2 bids 7 watchers
Standard Brg Factory Scene Postcard Rare Mankato Mn Rp$60.99 Ends Wednesday 5 bids 13 watchers
Odom/wu Gene Doll "postcard From Cannes" Nude Le300$60.00 Ends Monday 1 bid 10 watchers
Hold-to-light Christmas Postcard - Children$58.97 Ends in 6 hours 15 bids 13 watchers
1911 Kalamazoo Michigan Burdick St. Pesha Rppc Postcard$58.77 Ends in 10 hours 2 bids 5 watchers
6 Great Most Street Scene Rppc's Altadena California$58.00 Ends in 17 hours 3 bids 4 watchers
1957 Roger Maris Signed Rookie Postcard Indians/yankees$56.00 Ends Wednesday 8 bids 25 watchers
Rare 1912 Winsch Halloween Postcard Witch & Goblins$56.00 Ends Friday 6 bids 11 watchers
Real Photo Postcard~hong Kong-vehicular Ferry$56.00 Ends Monday 4 bids 10 watchers
Autographed Government Postcard - "kid" Nichols-beauty!$56.00 Ends Wednesday 4 bids 16 watchers
Deutsches Reich Stamp 1944 Postcard From Sangerhausen$55.00 Ends Thursday 2 bids 2 watchers
C1904 Postcard Trams/tramway Powerhouse Brisbane Qld$53.14 Ends in 20 hours 3 bids 11 watchers
Lozier Motor Car,plattsburgh,n.y.,rppc,1906-1909$52.53 Ends in 15 hours 6 bids 12 watchers
Earl Averill Signed Perez Steele Postcard$51.00 Ends in 17 hours 3 bids 17 watchers
1909 Marshall Tx Railroad T & P Car Shops Postcard $51.00 Ends in 19 hours 5 bids 7 watchers
George Sisler Auto Mlb Hall Of Fame Postcard - Psa/dna$51.00 Ends in 16 hours 2 bids 13 watchers
1921 Exhibits Postcard - Jack Johnson - Sgc 40$50.55 Ends Wednesday 6 bids 7 watchers
Langsdorf Alligator Border Postcard S654 Cotton Field$50.00 Ends Wednesday 1 bid 4 watchers
German Ace Lothar Von Richthofen Sanke Postcard$50.00 Ends Monday 1 bid 1 watcher
German Ace Oskar Von Boenigk Sanke Postcard$50.00 Ends Monday 1 bid 4 watchers
1937 Zeppelin Hindenburg Last Flight Postcard !!!!!!!!!$50.00 Ends in 9 hours 17 bids 16 watchers
Fillmore Double Postcard Bg 99/100-d Six Days Of Sound$49.99 Ends in 20 hours 1 bid 1 watcher
4 Japan Japanese Art Deco Postcard Sports Festival 29$49.99 Ends in 17 hours 1 bid 3 watchers
Halloween Postcard Witch On Broom Wth Black Cat$49.99 Ends in 13 hours 1 bid 2 watchers
Alton Ny Railroad Depot Rppc Nyc&hr Rw&o Rr Wayne Co$49.99 Ends in 19 hours 1 bid 1 watcher
Studio Real Photo Postcard Rppc - Man And Whirligig$49.99 Ends in 18 hours 1 bid 2 watchers
Gambia Nice Postcard, Bathurst To Switzerland 1909$49.99 Ends Thursday 1 bid 1 watcher
Gambia Nice Postcard, Bathurst To Switzerland 1916$49.99 Ends Thursday 1 bid 1 watcher

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Recent News: Postcards

Source: Google News

Postcard history
Alton Telegraph, November 6th

She was made aware of the postcard collection from longtime Edwardsville resident June Nealy by members of the Edwardsville Historic Preservation Commission...Read more

The way it was
Malaysia Star, November 6th

Avid postcard collector, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah of Selangor, can attest to this. “Postcards fascinate me. It gives the sender and receiver great joy...Read more

Branchburg Woman's Club Craft Fair is November 14 at Whiton School
Somerset Reporter - NJ.com, November 6th

Some of her work incorporates the clever use of unusual elements, such as Depression glass, vintage postcards, or crystal chandelier prisms...Read more

Postcard Collection Tells Canyon History
PRLog.Org (press release), November 3rd

PRLog (Press Release) – Nov 03, 2009 – Arizona is proud to have one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World—the Grand Canyon...Read more

St. Louis County courthouse turns 100 today
Duluth News Tribune (registration), November 2nd

A vintage postcard shows an early view of the St. Louis County Courthouse (right). (Submitted photo) St. Louis County will mark the 100th anniversary of its...Read more

1890s Ybor City: Green and sustainable (plus vintage postcards)
Creative Loafing Tampa, November 2nd

The Ybor City I admire is the community pre “urban renewal”: that pathetic time in the 1960s when vast stretches of this remarkable multi-lingual and...Read more

'Wish You Were Here' highlights vintage postcards
Savage Pacer, October 26th

Scott County's Vintage Postcards” includes many of the penny postcards that were produced to show off local scenes and people around 1900...Read more

A look through the museum's Halloween postcard collection
Albert Lea Tribune, October 24th

By Ed Shannon | Albert Lea Tribune Among the sometimes odd items to be found in the archives of the Freeborn County Historical Museum is a shoe box filled...Read more

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