Greeting Cards
The greeting card seems to be the second most popular category of postcard collected. (View cards being first). Christmas, Easter, Birthdays and most other holidays and special occasions were well represented and are fairly common. The most desirable cards date from the early 1900s to the early 1920s. Publishers competing for sales, printed cards using intricate embossing techniques, high caliber art work, superior inks, expensive lithographic processes and even novelty additions such as glitter, ribbons, metal, silk and feathers.
Publisher’s marks to look for are John Winsch, Raphael Tuck & Sons and International Art Publishing. Cards drawn by notable artists like Louis Wain, Ellen Clapsaddle, Frances Brundage, Samuel Schmuker along with others are also desirable cards.
Among the most expensive vintage postcards are Halloween examples, which can sell from $20 to several hundred depending on the illustration. However some greetings such as the “Labor Day” cards, are considered scarce. Today most collectors choose a topic within a specific holiday in order to limit their searches. For example some choose Christmas cards depicting Santa in blue robes only.
With this article, I’m beginning a new series of articles on the types of postcards that are collected.
View cards (or topographical postcards) that depict geographical locations like towns, cities, villages.are the most popular form of card that is collected. People collect and trade cards of their home towns and places they have visited. Many view card collecting websites are organized by state or country.
- Linen View Card, Long Beach, California
View cards give a historic reference to buildings, streets, and even towns which may no longer exist or that have changed significantly over time. Even views produced in the chrome era may no longer look the same. The earliest cards offer the social history of the times as early forms of travel and the beginnings of telegraph, telephone and power lines are shown. The messages written on the cards often give an insight to the picture shown or the sentiments of the day.
I’m so very sorry…but eBay has restricted my account so that I won’t be able to list more items until July. I’ve been busy attempting to rectify the conditions that led to the restriction, so haven’t had a chance to post more here. The links to my eBay store will give you my store showing 0 listings. I hope to have the eBay store back up and running in mid-July. When I know more, I’ll post here to let you know.
I’ve communicated with my customers who have orders pending and will be fulfilling existing orders with my usual 5 Star Service!
In the meantime, I’m taking this opportunity to fill out the virtual shelves of my www.rosessundries.com store. I’m moving many of the items that I had stocked in my eBay store to this location so my posts will be simple lists of what I’ve moved…in case you’re looking for a particular listing from the past.
I’ll continue to add articles of interest, so you don’t lose interest.
Please bear with me as I work through this process…I am committed to providing you the best unique and desirable items and to giving you the best service possible. Rose
The book “Linen Postcards: Images of the American Dream
” lists 26 categories of collecting linen postcards. Here’s the list:
- Greetings/Large Letter
- Humor – Comic, Cartoon, & Exaggeration
Comic Card "Old Jack"
- Human Interest – People, Jobs, Crowds
- Special Linen Backs (coupons, etc.)
- Land, Sea & Air
- Sun & Fun
Bathing in the Sea,Santa Monica,California
- Pin Up & Bathing Beauties
- Roadside
- Hotels, Restaurants, Bars & Nightclubs
- Miami Beach Deco
- Glitz – Atlantic City, Hollywood & Las Vegas
- Cities – New York, Chicago & San Francisco
- Deco Building & Monuments
Art Deco Entrance to Hollywood Bowl
- Main Street, Shops & Storefronts
Los Angeles Busy Street
- Amusement & Entertainment
- Sports
- World’s Fairs & Exhibitions
- National Parks & Monuments
- Western
Western Card-Prospector and Burro
- Military/Patriotic
- Progress/Industrial
- Advertising
- Animals
- Frontier & The Pacific Rim
- Night & Light
Los Angeles Oilfields at Night
- Sunrise & Sunset
I’ve included photos of a few of my own recent offerings, but you can see photos of the complete list here.
2 Linen Cards,Long Beach,CA…Roy Rogers Comic Book…Oversize Postcard…2 Issues of Polygraph Journal
Link to My eBay Store to view and bid. These items will post at 6 p.m. PDT.
Scroll down to view my items closing today!
Will relist in July. Link to eBay Store
Will relist in July. Link to eBay Store
Will relist in July.Link to eBay Store
Will relist in July. Link to eBay Store
Will relist in July. Link to eBay Store
Will relist in July. Link to eBay Store
4 Linen Cards,Los Angeles,CA…Bakersfield CA…Hollywood CA
Link to My eBay Store to view and bid.
Will be relisted in July. Link to eBay Store
Will be relisted in July. Link to eBay Store
Will be relisted in July. Link to eBay Store
Will be relisted in July. Link to eBay Store
Will be relisted in July. Link to eBay Store
Will be relisted in July. Link to eBay Store
