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 Museum. Th… [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 Madison… [more]

An Interview With Postcard Collector Andreas Praefcke

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

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


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Heron Twice As Nice D/lp 1971 Dawn 1st + Postcard!!!!!!$465.50 Ends in 6 hours 16 bids 70 watchers
1913s Motorcycle Motordrome Cage Of Fate Rppc Postcard $405.00 Ends Monday 19 bids 22 watchers
Vintage Halloween Postcard- Bergman$255.00 Ends in 1 hour 17 bids 31 watchers
1898 Singapore Postcard Straits Settlements Harbor$202.49 Ends Wednesday 22 bids 14 watchers
Huge Postcard Album 480 Cards Cover Indian Native Am $175.00 Ends in 3 hours 1 bid 8 watchers
Vintage Halloween Postcard- Gibson Art Co.$153.25 Ends in 1 hour 7 bids 16 watchers
C.p.r. Station, Cooksville, Ontario, Old Postcard Rppc$152.50 Ends in 2 hours 9 bids 9 watchers
1910 Tibet The Potalla Postcard Himalayas$152.11 Ends in 2 hours 11 bids 11 watchers
Post Card Nude Woman Stanhope Antique Viewer Bellboy$124.00 Ends Tuesday 8 bids 6 watchers
New Zealand All Golds 1907 Rugby League Postcard Messen$122.34 Ends Tuesday 10 bids 9 watchers
1905 Photo Postcard Railroad Crossing Fakenham Uk Pc$114.50 Ends Monday 16 bids 12 watchers
Homes, Folk @ Beach Santa Monica Ca Vintage Postcard$102.53 Ends Monday 4 bids 2 watchers
No Dakota, Streeter - Street View- C 1912 Rppc Postcard$102.50 Ends in 7 hours 21 bids 5 watchers
Incredible 1909 Rppc Race Track Streetcar Seattle Wa !!$96.00 Ends Thursday 9 bids 6 watchers
1950's Hong Kong Queens Road Real Photo Postcard$90.10 Ends Monday 12 bids 18 watchers
Rppc Marquette Michigan Train Depot Train To Calumet $87.99 Ends in 3 hours 3 bids 3 watchers
Bobby Allison Signed 1970 Dodge Daytona Nascar Postcard$86.23 Ends in 5 hours 12 bids 7 watchers
Old Postcard / Arcade Card Vending Machine$85.00 Ends Monday 1 bid 9 watchers
Viola,wi,richland,cm&stp Railway,railroad Depot,rppc $81.99 Ends in 7 hours 7 bids 3 watchers
Santa Postcard Hold To Light Htl Red Robe Snowy Village$79.99 Ends Wednesday 10 bids 10 watchers
White Star Liner Titanic Real Photo Postcard$78.77 Ends in 5 hours 7 bids 26 watchers
Erotic French Rppc Postcard Art Deco Nude Sepia Pearls$78.77 Ends Wednesday 19 bids 34 watchers
Josephine Baker Black Dancer Paris Original Rppc 1934 $78.00 Ends in 1 hour 7 bids 11 watchers
Santa Postcard Christmas Green Robe Children *great Art$77.00 Ends in 1 hour 10 bids 5 watchers
Postcard Ireland Sinn Fein Priests Asked To Produce --$76.58 Ends in 34 mins 7 bids 8 watchers
Andy Cohen Autographed Giants Postcard Baseball Photo$76.00 Ends in 9 hours 9 bids 3 watchers
Kuk German Ww1 Postcard Album+71pc+iron Cross Medal$76.00 Ends in 10 hours 15 bids 13 watchers
Winchester Vintage Fish Post Card (3 Card Set) $75.00 Ends in 3 hours 1 bid 7 watchers
Pennsylvania Hotel Clyde Auto Repair Mont Alto Pa Rppc$73.00 Ends in 7 hours 3 bids 5 watchers
30's China Shanghai Actress Photo Postcard Pan Wan Xia$72.00 Ends Thursday 5 bids 1 watcher
30's China Shanghai Actress Photo Postcard Lu Chui Lan$72.00 Ends Thursday 3 bids 1 watcher
Indonesia Bali, Beautiful Native Nude Girl (1930s) Rppc$69.99 Ends Wednesday 1 bid 3 watchers
Real Photo Postcard Rppc Ice Cream African American Man$69.99 Ends in 4 hours 1 bid 4 watchers
Polaire In Dressing Room Scarce 1900s Postcard$69.07 Ends in 30 mins 4 bids 3 watchers
Antique Postcard Album With 175+ Lovely Postcards$68.00 Ends Wednesday 7 bids 12 watchers
Alfred Mainzer 6 Cat Families Postcard$67.00 Ends Wednesday 11 bids 1 watcher
Syd Cohen Autographed Senators Postcard Baseball Photo$66.00 Ends in 9 hours 9 bids 6 watchers
Hutchinson Kansas Fire Wagon Early Motorized Rppc 1908$65.00 Ends in 5 hours 8 bids 8 watchers
Marie Lloyd Lovely Ful Length Autograph 1909 Postcard$63.59 Ends Monday 8 bids 13 watchers
Us Wwi Medals And Military Items With Post Card$62.99 Ends in 1 hour 17 bids 21 watchers
Schmucker Winsch Vintage Halloween Postcard, Fairies$61.55 Ends Monday 4 bids 4 watchers
Real Photo Postcard Old Mill, Bridge- Windsor Nj C1910 $56.67 Ends Thursday 5 bids 2 watchers
Real Photo Postcard Of Public School In Windsor Nj 1911$56.67 Ends Thursday 6 bids 2 watchers
Antique Postcard Album - 200 Cards - 1907$56.00 Ends in 7 hours 5 bids 11 watchers
Vintage Real Photo Tonawanda North Buffalo Ny Postcard$56.00 Ends in 6 hours 3 bids 5 watchers
1960s Disneyland Jumbo Panoramic Postcard Mailer Photos$56.00 Ends Tuesday 7 bids 9 watchers
Saigon-central Cochinchine Postcard To Basle 1899$55.00 Ends Thursday 1 bid 1 watcher
1910s Postcard Estes Park Hotel Estes Park Colorado$53.27 Ends Saturday 4 bids 2 watchers
Bloomfield Nj - Erie Railroad & Morris Canal - Postcard$52.98 Ends in 3 hours 3 bids 5 watchers
Jack Benny 3.5 X 5.5 Autograph Postcard Signature $52.00 Ends in 7 hours 9 bids 6 watchers
East Pepperell, Ma - Rppc - Grainger Stable, Signs$50.50 Ends Wednesday 4 bids 2 watchers
Disney Auctions Jack Nightmare Postcard Le 100 Pin$50.00 Ends Tuesday 3 bids 13 watchers
Rare George Sisler Signed Hall Of Fame Plaque Postcard$50.00 Ends in 6 hours 9 bids 13 watchers
1913 Rock Island Independents Pro Football Team Rppc$49.99 Ends Tuesday 1 bid 8 watchers
Rppc Old Ihc Hit Miss Gas Engine Famous Titan Virginia$49.99 Ends in 5 hours 1 bid 14 watchers

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Recent News: Postcards

Source: Google News

Finding motivated buyer for your postcards is key
Arizona Daily Star, March 21st

A Florida site, www.vintagepostcards.com, buys and sells postcards. Local postcard clubs have shows where the public can buy and sell...Read more

Watertown museum hosts 'Armenians in Turkey 100 Years Ago'
Watertown TAB & Press, March 19th

Köker originally intended to write a book about Armenian life in the Ottoman Empire, but with the discovery of the postcard collection, the scope of the...Read more

'SEW FOR FUN' OFFERS FREE ART PROJECTS IN MARCH
Fitchburg pride, March 18th

This special program will feature guest speaker Peter Capodagli presenting an extensive Historic Fitchburg postcard collection. Free...Read more

A look back in time with free historic photographs of Ireland
Irish Central, March 17th

Since then, the library staff have added another 12000 photographs from the Eason postcard collection, Stereo Pair, Clarke, Tempest and Keogh...Read more

Student Spotlight: Jared Welle
The Dieline (blog), March 16th

Therefore I incorporated vintage postcard imagery and road sign iconography into the design of the catalog, bags, hangtags, and boxes...Read more

Newly released books with local ties include 'Kiss'em Goodbye' and 'Out of Body'
Seattle Times, March 15th

A photo-history of the Washington state capital, featuring more than 200 vintage postcard images. "In for a Penny" by Rose Lerner (Leisure Books/Dorchester,...Read more

Events in Connecticut
New York Times, March 12th

WATERBURY Mattatuck Museum Arts and History Center “Our Beautiful City: Vintage Postcards and Photographs of Waterbury.” Through May 30...Read more

Books as Art: David Montgomery's Travelogues
Baltimore Sun (blog), March 12th

He says his Travelogues "are constructed of wood and plastic, with resin miniature books and birds, and a vintage postcard as the interior image...Read more