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As
people caught on to the usefulness of this cheap and fast method of sending messages, the poor man’s telegram - remember
the telephone did not yet exist - national postal services authorised the sending of postcards through their postal systems. - Date when postcards were first mailed:
- 1870 - Switzerland, Britain
1871 - Belgium
1872 - Russia, France
1873 - U.S.A. (government-issued
pre-stamped), Romania, Japan
1874 - Germany
Postcards
started to be sent internationally in 1875, after the first meeting of the General Postal Union in Berne.
During
the 1914 - 1918 First World War millions of postcards were sent home by troops with the embroidered silk postcard being particularly
favoured by both sender and recipient. Those sending the cards saw them as something out of the ordinary, as a special
and beautiful thing to send home at a time of hardship and horror. Recipients treasured and preserved the cards as memories
of their loved ones fighting for King and Country.
WW1 embroidered silk postcards have always had an enthusiastic
following among collectors and recent years have seen something of a boom in their popularity. There are many types
available; sentimental, romantic, seasonal, patriotic, regimental badges, images of war destruction, and more, all avidly
collected.
The example displayed above is a scarce example featuring the badge of those serving with the R.S.P.C.A
Auxiliary to the Army Veterinary Corps.
The First World War was the final 'fighting' war for the military
horse. At the beginning of the war horses were used in battle but the inevitable devastating outcome was such that their
role was then limited to the burden of moving munitions, supplies, men and artillery to the front line. Conditions were
horrific. Sick and wounded horses were patched up and returned for duty through to the point at which they were deemed
unfit and were despatched. MIllions of horses served and died, by 1915 some 5000 horses were being put 'out of action'
every day.
Deltiology, the official name for postcard collecting, is thought to be one of the three largest collectable hobbies
in the world, along with coin and stamp collecting. Postcards are popular because of the wide range of subjects, with just
about every subject imaginable being at some time, portrayed on a postcard. History itself can be tracked on postcards, be
it historical buildings, famous people, art, holidays, streets, etc.1 A
postcard or post card is a rectangular piece of thick paper or thin cardboard intended for writing and mailing without an
envelope and at a lower rate than a letter. The United States Postal Service defines a postcard as: rectangular, at least
3.5 inches high by 5 inches long and .007 inch thick and no more than 4.25 inches high by 6 inches long and .016 inch thick.2 For the purpose
of clarification, the term "Postal Card" refers to cards that were printed and sold by a governmental body on which
postage paid indicia were preprinted on the cards themselves. The term "Postcard" refers to cards which were privately
produced and were not sold with postage prepaid.
Most
pre-1898 postcards share a few common traits. First, the postcard is characterized by an undivided back (no line going down
the center of the back of the postcard). Second, many contain printed lines on the back for the name of the addressee and
his address only. As indicated earlier, most were from big Eastern cities. It is also noteworthy that during this time only
the government was allowed to use the word "Postcard" (one word) on the back of the postcard. Privately published
postcards of this era will have the titles "Souvenir Card," "Correspondence Card," or "Mail Card"
on the back. Government cards will also have an imprinted U.S. Grant or Thomas Jefferson head
On December 24, 1901, the U.S. Government granted
the use of the words "Post Card" to be printed on the undivided back of privately printed cards and allowed publishers
to drop the authorization inscription previously required. Writing was still not permitted on the address side. The publishing
of printed postcards during this time frame doubled almost every six months. European publishers opened offices in the U.S.
and imported millions of high quality postcards. By 1907, European publishers accounted for over 75% of all postcards sold
in the U.S.
Great
Britain was slower than its continental neighbours to latch on to the possibilities of picture postcards, and it was 1894
before the Post Office gave the green light to their private publication for use through the mail with an adhesive stamp.
Plain postcards were introduced in 1870, and some illustrated and advertising cards were used with pre-printed stamps, but
their use and popularity were limited.Even after 1894, picture postcards did not immediately become a big success. Early examples
showed seaside and city views rather than subjects or themes. By
1902, however, things were moving: subject cards had been published featuring the Boer War and royal events, and in that year,
the Post Office allowed both address and message to be written on one side of the card, freeing up the whole of the other
for the picture. Britain thus became the first country to introduce the 'divided back' postcard format we are familiar
with today. By this time, too, the size of cards had been largely standardised.
As
of December 24, 1901, printers were allowed to use "Post Card" on the backs of their cards. All of these cards had
undivided backs (Writing was still not permitted on the address side). For Undivided Back Era postcards, writing on the front
is acceptable, not usually decreasing the condition grade of these cards but there are exceptions to every rule. The publishing
of printed postcards during this time doubled almost every six months!
In addition, European publishers opened
offices in the U.S. and imported millions of high-quality postcards. By 1907, European publishers accounted for over 75% of
all postcards sold in the U.S.
The popularity of lithographed cards caught Eastman-Kodak's attention as well.
His company issued an affordable "Folding Pocket Kodak" camera around 1906. This enabled the mass public to take
black & white photographs and have them printed directly onto paper with postcard backs.
Various other models
of Kodak "postcard" cameras followed, resulting in an explosion in the real photo postcard era. These cameras shared
two unique features: their negatives were postcard size (the major reason why so many of these images are so clear) and they
had a small thin door at the back that, when lifted, enabled the photographer to write an identifying caption or comment on
the negative itself with an attached metal scribe.
Also interesting to note is at the end of this period in time,
the picture postcard hobby became the greatest collectible hobby that the world has ever known and today it is still the third
most popular collectible hobby.
The official figures from the U.S. Post Office for the fiscal year ending June
30, 1908, cite 677,777,798 postcards were mailed. That was at a time when the total population of the U.S. was 88,700,000!
By
the 1930's the first of the saucy seaside postcards were being produced. You know the sort of stuff. Red faced fat man
on the beach with his handkerchief knotted at the corners, hears his wife say, 'You know Wilf, I feel like a new woman'.
As the dolly bird in tiny red spotted bikini wanders past, Wilf retorts (to himself, naturally), 'So do I.' Priceless. At their peak, upwards of 16 million of these treasures were produced. However,
by the 1950's the Conservative government, in their infinite wisdom, decided that they contributed greatly to the apparent
deterioration in public morals and they were cracked down on. The renowned artist Donald McGill was the main target on their
hitlist. However, the more liberal attitudes of the 1960's saw a return to popularity. It was the 1970's and 80's
which saw the demise of this great British institution. A reduction in the quality of both humour and artwork, coupled with
the rise of alternative humour saw to this. Originals are now
greatly sought after and can reach high prices at auction. Perhaps the best known saucy seaside cards were produced inland
at Holmfirth in West Yorkshire, by a company called Bamforths.
Until
the middle of the 19th century, people around the world mailed messages to each other via the privacy of sealed letters. The
direct ancestor of the picture postcard seems to be the envelopes printed with pictures on them. The envelopes were often
printed with pictures of comics, valentines, New Years and Christmas. Thousands of patriotic pictures appeared on United States
envelopes during the Civil War period of 1861-1865, these are now known as Patriotic Covers. This beginning of decorative
items to be mailed led to the development of the picture postcard. The
early mass-printed postcards had no pictures on them. They were designed to carry a stamp and the “mail to” address
on one side. The other side was used for the sender’s message. In 1861 (in Philadelphia, U.S.), John P. Charlton obtained
a copyright on a private postal card in 1861. However, his patent application was declined. Charlton sold his copyright to
H. L. Lipman, who produced and sold the Lipman’s Postal Card. It was a non-pictorial message card with a stamp box and
address line on one side and a blank message space on the other. Advertisers used Lipman cards to print messages and illustrations.
He is considered the father of the modern postcard. These cards were used until 1873 when the United States issued the government
postal card. Starting in 1898, American publishers were allowed
to print and sell cards bearing the inscription, “Private Mailing Card, Authorized by Act of Congress on May 19, 1898”.
These private mailing cards were to be posted with one-cent stamps (the same rate a government postals). This was perhaps
the most significant event to enhance the use of private postals. As with government postal cards and previous pioneer cards,
writing was still reserved for the front (picture side) of the cards only. In 1901, the U.S. Government granted the use of the words “Post Card” to be printed on the undivided
back of privately printed cards and allowed publishers to drop the authorization inscription previously required. As in earlier
eras, writing was still limited to the front. However, during this time, other countries began to permit the use of a divided
back. This enabled the front to be used exclusively for the design, while the back was divided so that the left side was for
writing messages and the right side for the address. England was the first to permit the divided back in 1902, France followed
in 1904, Germany in 1905 and finally the U.S. in 1907. These changes ushered in the “Golden Age” of postcards
as millions were sold and used. By this period, divided backs
were almost universal, except in a few monopolistic governments. Previous to and during this period, a majority of U.S. postcards
were printed in Europe, especially in Germany whose printing methods were regarded as the best in the world. However the trying
years of this period, the rising import tariffs and the threats of war, caused a swift decline in the cards imported. The
advent of WWI caused the supply of postcards from Germany to end. Poorer quality postcards came from English and U.S. publishers.
The lowered quality of the printed postcard, recurrent influenza epidemics, and WWI war shortages killed the American postcard
hobby. During the war years the telephone replaced the postcard as a fast, reliable means to keep in touch. Thus the
political strains of the day brought about the end of the “Golden Age”.
Many
postcards were, and still are, made from photographs. Photographs can depict social history without words. They can show change
over time in a certain area. Aerial views can be used to show the urbanization of a town into a city, or any other type of
developmental, or demographic change. Photographs can also show the change in the styles of buildings, clothing, and transportation
in different societies. Postcards can be an outstanding source of social history, because they show what was popular or seen
as important in the area in which the postcard depicts. The photographs on the postcards themselves can show the changes of
an area over time. Postcards are a good source of local history and can tell a story of a specific area. The postcards of
Weirs Beach reveal the social history of the city over time. The collection of postcards includes those of landscapes,
buildings, street scenes, people, the beach, and other important scenes of Weirs Beach. With the collection
on this website, one will be able to see a glimpse into the life in Weirs Beach, past and present. The picture postcard was not invented as much as it evolved from other sorts of
cards. Playing cards were used as visiting cards during the 18th century in Europe. They were usually the size of a playing
card and had pictures printed on them. Also, there was a space for the name to be printed on the front. Occasionally, messages
were written on the back. In 1777, a suggestion was made by a French engraver to publish and send engraved cards through the
post for a penny. However, this idea was not well-liked because servants or those who handled the card could read the message.
Trade cards were also used in order to advertise a business. Towards
the end of the century and into the 19th century, the style of visiting cards changed. They became smaller, no longer had
pictures, and had the names boldly engraved on them. As visiting cards went out of style, more and more people began decorating
their writing paper and envelopes. The picture engraved as a heading for the letter would depict the area from where the author
was writing. These pictures, which were extremely realistic, evolved into the first postcard. The German government in 1865 initiated the thought of the first postcard. However the first postcard wasn't
sent until Dr. Emanuel Herrmann wrote and published an article about the use of postcards. The Austrian Post Office was impressed
enough to issue the first postcard on October 1, 1869. It was yellow and on the front had a two-kreuzer stamp on the upper
right hand corner. Also on the card were three lines printed for the address. The message was written on the backside of the
card. The postcards became extremely popular, as close to three million cards were sold in the first three months of sale
in Austria-Hungary. The use of the post card spread to Belgium and Holland in January of 1871, and then onto Denmark, Norway,
and Sweden. Then the postcard appeared in Canada, followed by Russia in 1872, and France in 1873. The first postcard was issued by the United States Post Office Department on May 13, 1873. The marks for mailing
on the card depicted the bust of Liberty and a circle with the postage amount of one cent. Most cards were used widely as
advertisement in the U.S., until they were in general use after the World Columbian Exposition in 1893. Colored cards of the
Exposition went on sale and they became extremely popular. On May 19, 1898, an Act of Congress was passed so that privately
published postcards were given the same message privileges and rates as government issued cards. All those privately published
had to be labeled as such. This marked the start of the Golden Age of postcards in the U. S., which lasted until about 1920,
when popular use of the telephone began. The reason why postcards
became so popular is because of the price. Postcards cost less to send in the mail than a sealed envelope. When first issued
and all through the Golden Age, postcards could be sent for one cent. Post cards were also popular because they were an easy
way to keep in touch while someone was away from home or on vacation. Many postcards took the place of family albums with
pictures of families on vacations.
The
dynamics of postcards have evolved greatly over time, changing their overall look. There are some postcards that look much
different then those from the time of their creation. The sizes, shapes materials, and the overall set up have all varied
over time. Some of these changes affected Weirs Beach, while others didn't. Weirs Beach had its own
dynamics of postcards as many other places did. Postcards as
you may already know are not very large. They have always been rather small since their creation. Early on in the life span
of the postcard there was a standard size widely used in the United States of 3 1⁄2 inches by 5 1⁄2 inches. Almost
as large as the majority of modern cards which are approximately 4 inches by 6 inches. Deleted. Not all postcards
have to follow these size restrictions, and there are many exceptions to these rules, but for the most part these are the
sizes of postcards. There are many differences on the front
and back of the Weirs Beach postcards. One thing that was always the same on the back of the postcard was the area
for the stamp in the top right hand corner. It remained in this spot throughout all the changes and remains the same to this
day. The earlier cards used the entire back of the card only for the address only, reading "This Side For Address Only".
To compensate for this lack of room to write on the back, the majority of these postcards had an area to write on the front,
this area was blank could be found on any edge of the card. These cards could be of anything deleted. Some, however,
did not have any space to write which left people scribbling over the picture, or writing in the empty sky. As time went on
the law restricting writing on the backs of postcards was lifted and a new appearance of the back was introduced. This new
appearance had a line splitting the left and right sides so that the right side could be used for the address and the left
for the message. After this happened the percent of cards with a space on the front dropped greatly. A rather small number
of cards had lines or the address, the non-divided had the least percent, but it seemed that more of the more recent, divided
back cards had them. Older postcards had no color when the photo
was originally taken. The only way to have color postcards was to ship them overseas and have them colorized. For this reason,
many were just left black and white or an odd shade of brown. The ones that did have color seemed rather phony, and the color
schemes were unrealistic deleted. Many don't just look unrealistic but they look almost hand drawn. They are
of streets in Weirs Beach and other places of interest such as the gas station or post office. The more
modern cards can be, and are taken in color. There are a few that are black and white, maybe to give a more authentic look.
The most recent cards have the best color and have views that were not obtainable at earlier times. This comes with the invention
of the helicopter. There are many pictures of the waterfront and other spots that can easily catch a person's eye.
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