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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Top eBay Auctions  Help | Get weekly Postcards email

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Beatles Stunning Autographs On A Beatles Postcard 1963$4,049 Ends Monday 25 bids 58 watchers
Hugo Brehme Signed Vintage Photograph Not A Postcard$799.00 Ends Thursday 1 bid 4 watchers
2009 Topps Wacky Packages Postcard Bonus Card Art 7-pup$710.00 Ends Sunday 11 bids 18 watchers
1911 White Star Line Rms Olympic Silk Woven Postcard$260.00 Ends Sunday 14 bids 28 watchers
Large Old Postcard Album Full Ma Irish Police Family$195.00 Ends Monday 1 bid 5 watchers
Reindeer Pulling Sleigh Norway God Jul Serie Postcard $142.50 Ends Wednesday 4 bids 1 watcher
Tom Puss Marten Toonder Postcard Hungarian Version R!$135.50 Ends in 23 hours 4 bids 1 watcher
Russia Wwii Anti Nazi Germany Patriotic Postcard$124.99 Ends Sunday 1 bid 1 watcher
1952 Ty Cobb Signed Autographed Gpc Postcard$122.50 Ends Tuesday 6 bids 22 watchers
Rare Paris 1900 Champ De Mars Enamel Post Card Charm$116.40 Ends Tuesday 15 bids 13 watchers
2 Rppc Photos 1900's Caroga Lake,ny Market,orange Crush$112.00 Ends Sunday 4 bids 24 watchers
Holiday & Greetings Postcard Album C1915 (75 Cards) $110.03 Ends Tuesday 8 bids 3 watchers
Hand Tinted Rppc Castle Peak New Territories Hong Kong$109.50 Ends in 15 mins 11 bids 5 watchers
China Stationery Postcard Han Hong-kong 1898 Dragon$102.50 Ends Wednesday 10 bids 19 watchers
Andy Warhol Signature Autograph Hand Signed Postcard $102.50 Ends Thursday 5 bids 8 watchers
Cyprus. Panorama Of Limassol. Triple Postcard.$100.99 Ends Thursday 6 bids 5 watchers
Russia Wwii Anti Nazi Germany Patriotic Postcard$99.99 Ends Sunday 1 bid 3 watchers
China 1900 Postcard, Boxer War, Invader And Madarin Rrr$99.06 Ends Wednesday 1 bid 4 watchers
Early Postcard Ti Tai Soldiers Amoy China Mee Cheung$92.00 Ends Monday 7 bids 11 watchers
China Hong Kong Old Photo Postcard Kowloon Ferry Cars$89.88 Ends Tuesday 5 bids 11 watchers
Vintage 11 Rppc 1940's Ft Randall Dam Pickstown Sd $87.00 Ends Monday 7 bids 5 watchers
Tom Puss Marten Toonder Postcard Hungarian Version R!$86.00 Ends in 23 hours 3 bids 1 watcher
Samuel Schmucker Signed Art Nouveau Postcard Manhattan$86.00 Ends Sunday 7 bids 14 watchers
Tom Puss Marten Toonder Postcard Hungarian Version R!$82.50 Ends in 23 hours 4 bids 1 watcher
1911 White Star Rms Olympic Collision Damage Postcard$81.00 Ends Sunday 10 bids 26 watchers
Ferrari 50th Anniversary Special Postcard Album$79.99 Ends Tuesday 1 bid 5 watchers
Russia Wwii Anti Nazi Germany Patriotic Postcard$79.99 Ends Sunday 1 bid 1 watcher
Joe Dimaggio Autographed Perez-steele Postcard$79.99 Ends Wednesday 1 bid 7 watchers
Sam Crawford Jim Elder Postcard Hof Signed D.1968$79.00 Ends Sunday 8 bids 26 watchers
Vintage Antique Wwii Ww2 Postcard And Photo Album$78.07 Ends Sunday 7 bids 19 watchers
Hold To Light Christmas Santa Postcard $76.00 Ends Tuesday 2 bids 4 watchers
Real Photo Postcard Rp Railroad Bridge Independence Wi$75.89 Ends Sunday 4 bids 2 watchers
1912 Turkey Greek Epivati Scene Vintage View Postcard$73.00 Ends Sunday 2 bids 5 watchers
Heinie Manush Jim Elder Postcard Hof Signed D.1971$72.09 Ends in 13 hours 9 bids 24 watchers
Post Card Album - Halloween - 4th Of July - Santas +$71.55 Ends in 16 hours 12 bids 22 watchers
Ireland Scotland Stereoscope 27 B & W Cards Post Card$71.00 Ends Sunday 6 bids 6 watchers
Cyprus. Larnaca. Promenade. Photographic Postcard. 1924$69.99 Ends Thursday 3 bids 2 watchers
1913 Coffeyville Kansas Theater Front Rppc Postcard$69.99 Ends Monday 1 bid 8 watchers
1920s Erotic Rppc French Postcard Topless Trio Of Girls$67.00 Ends Monday 8 bids 11 watchers
Bigwin Inn & Steamer Lake Of Bays Ontario Rppc $66.66 Ends Tuesday 2 bids 4 watchers
China 1900 Postcard, Boxer War, German Prince & Chinese$66.04 Ends Wednesday 1 bid 3 watchers
Rppc Aberdeen Hong Kong Postally Used$66.00 Ends in 28 mins 7 bids 8 watchers
Stamps. Greece - 1896 - Olympic Games Post Card -$62.00 Ends Sunday 18 bids 28 watchers
Benny Bengough Jim Elder Postcard 1923-30 Signed D.1968$61.01 Ends in 12 hours 8 bids 13 watchers
1909 French Line La Provence Interior Postcard Lessieux$61.00 Ends Tuesday 5 bids 5 watchers
China Old Chinese Postcard General Ma Yu Pao Portrait$59.99 Ends Tuesday 1 bid 4 watchers
Germany - 1931 Graf Zeppelin Postcard - Sieger 127 B -$56.00 Ends in 3 hours 13 bids 13 watchers
World's Tallest Man Postcard Signed By Robert Wadlow$56.00 Ends in 7 hours 10 bids 6 watchers
Rare Vintage French Christmas Santa Claus Postcard$55.00 Ends Friday 1 bid 1 watcher
Pottsville Pa State Police Barracks Postcard Old 1915$54.75 Ends Sunday 6 bids 6 watchers
#31 1910 Postcard Railroad Bridge Sp Telluride Colorado$51.00 Ends Tuesday 5 bids 2 watchers
Early Postcard Prisoners At Work Amoy China Mee Cheung$51.00 Ends Monday 5 bids 2 watchers

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Recent News: Postcards

Source: Google News

Incorporate treasures into Lee County home without it looking trashy
The News-Press, November 20th

about a dozen metal coolers displaying soda brands and some antique clocks, orange crate labels, antique postcards and two big Florida tablecloths...Read more

Postcards of Lincoln on Exhibit
UK News, November 19th

Howell is a nationally known postcard collector whose collection contains more than 20000 pre-1920 Kentucky postcards. He is also co-author of three books...Read more

Holiday greetings from the Green Mountain State
BurlingtonFreePress.com, November 19th

Megan Humphrey, owner of Sweet Basil Cards in Burlington, creates unique handmade Christmas cards that are designed to look like a vintage postcard...Read more

Newtown Holiday House Tour not only about houses
Bucks Local News, November 18th

And don't miss the antique postcard exhibit planned for the second floor of the Half-Moon Inn. Here, visitors will have the opportunity to view a large...Read more

All's Not Quiet on the Roman Font
Indian Express, November 17th

The best of these have found their way to a postcard collection cheekily named Times New Roman & Countrymen (Blaft, Rs 295). The collection consists of 25...Read more

Cottone Auctions
Antiques and the Arts Online, November 13th

Toys & Collectibles: Mechanical banks, tin windups, lg. antique postcard collection inc. Campbell Kids, early books, sev. canes, pocket watches,...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

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