Postcards
Vintage postcards contain more than just scenic views!
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The earliest known postcard is from 1840 England but the earliest known postcard in the United States is an 1848 advertising postcard. Postcards can be holiday greetings, advertising, family photos, views of landscapes ("See? I'm at the sea!") or photos of monuments. All these examples and more can be seen in the following pages.
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wRPPC With all the old-time historic pomp and pageantry and amid the plaudits of their loyal peoples, Their Gracious Majesties King George VI and Queen Elizabeth were crowned within the Abby of Westminster this 12th day of May 1937, whereof this is a memento." Printed on the bottom front is "Queen Mary's Procession with the Princesses. C.C.A."
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Jun 23, 2013 by: Sharon Hillis
Sharon Hillis
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AZO, Real Photo Postcard of former prisoner William Glyndon and his Attorney, F.A. Heald, taken on the Penitentiary grounds following his pardon by the Governor of Iowa in 1909. Convicted of murder in 1878, Glyndon served 31 years behind bars before his sentence was exonerated due to 'circumstantial evidence'. Prior to his conviction, Glyndon served as a sharpshooter for the Ohio infantry during the Civil War.
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Mar 27, 2013 by: Patty Anderson
Patty Anderson
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Jan 31, 2013 by: Jessica-Gibbs Martin
Jessica-Gibbs Martin
87 favorites
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Joseph & Isadore Schub circa 1912, Chicago, Illinois, in Goat Cart, Post Card: Not positive about the identification of the two boys, but it seems likely from the best recollections available. Isadore & Joseph were the two oldest sons of Morris & Lena Schub of Chicago, IL, USA. Isadore died in a fire in 1917, when he was about 10 years old.
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Jul 5, 2012 by: Linda Schub
Linda Schub
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This is a photo of Cledith Fox added by James Stephen Hoch on September 29, 2020.
People in this photo:
1891 - Unknown
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Sep 29 by: James Stephen Hoch
James Stephen Hoch
57 favorites
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May 15 by: Kat Schwartz
Kat Schwartz
317 favorites
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May 15 by: Kat Schwartz
Kat Schwartz
317 favorites
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May 15 by: Kat Schwartz
Kat Schwartz
317 favorites
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This is a photo of Marion Clapp added by Savannah Brooke on April 14, 2020.
People in this photo:
Unknown - Unknown
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Apr 14 by: Savannah Brooke
Savannah Brooke
131 favorites
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A postcard of a woman wearing the traditional folk costume of Markgräflerland, Germany. The name "Kehl" is written lightly across the bottom in pencil, but that may only be the name of the postcard dealer.
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Jan 4 by: Roxy Triebel
Roxy Triebel
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A Christmas Photo card in 1955? Yes, if your Dad was a commercial photographer! My Dad make several photo Christmas cards with his own photos of me. They may be all the rage now, but they were unique back then. Burbank Studios in Boston, Ken Burbank was my father. Well done, Dad!
People in this photo:
Jul 4, 1916 - Jun 9, 1986
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Dec 23, 2019 by: Wendy Harrington
Wendy Harrington
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A photo of Mildred Jakahi
People in this photo:
Nov 6, 1922 - Sep 28, 1993
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Nov 13, 2019 by: Jill Johnston
Jill Johnston
10 favorites
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A photo of Alger Ervay
People in this photo:
Sep 9, 1893 - Jul 1, 1978
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Nov 13, 2019 by: David Shedlock
David Shedlock
22 favorites
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Found at a central Texas antique store. The photo shows four Finnish children. From left to right: Olli (Olavi) - age 6, baby Ilmo- age 9 months?, Tarmo? - age 5, Marja - age 8.
There are some other words written on the back that I can't quite make out - possibly the family name? I uploaded a scan of the back separately in case someone else wants to try to read it.
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Oct 21, 2019 by: Roxy Triebel
Roxy Triebel
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The YMCA made these postcards available to American troops returning from World War I. The back provided room to put the soldier's name, date of arrival, unit, troopship, camp to which he was headed and mailing address of a family member. This was a way to let loved ones know that the soldier had returned safely to the United States and would soon be writing them a letter.
Well Done Men
America Greets
YOU
YMCA
(beneath statue)
STATUE OF LIBERTY, NEW YORK CITY
Statue of Liberty on Bedloe's Island in New York Bay 1 1/4 miles from the Battery, a colossal figure of Liberty enlightening the World. It lights the harbor with an electric torch held 306 feet above the water, the highest beacon in the world. Was presented to America by the French nation.
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Oct 11, 2019 by: Roxy Triebel
Roxy Triebel
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A "realphoto" postcard apparently made from an aerial reconnaissance photo showing a World War I battlefield. Visible in the central part of the photo are straight lines and corners - the remains of buildings. This may be a whole town or village that was completely destroyed by shelling. A trench system is visible circling the destroyed town and the ground across the whole photo is covered with bomb and shell craters.
There is no writing anywhere on this postcard that would tell where the photo was taken. Wikipedia has a photo that strongly resembles this one in an article about the Belgian municipality of Zonnebeke, but there's no way for me to tell if it really is the same area.
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Oct 5, 2019 by: Roxy Triebel
Roxy Triebel
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The photo shows the bow of a warship plunging into a big wave. Four large guns are visible at the bottom of the photo. The caption reads: "Heavy Seas coming over Foc'sl (forecastle). 12-8-13"
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Oct 5, 2019 by: Roxy Triebel
Roxy Triebel
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Postcard showing a warship in rough seas. The ship's lattice masts are just visible behind a big wave. The caption reads: "Man-O-War -- when the seas are rolling high."
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Oct 5, 2019 by: Roxy Triebel
Roxy Triebel
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A postcard showing an American battleship in rough seas. Caption reads "An American Battle Ship in heavy Sea." The ship's lattice masts are just visible behind a big wave.
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Oct 5, 2019 by: Roxy Triebel
Roxy Triebel
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A "realphoto" postcard showing a howitzer firing a shell. The shell is faintly visible near the upper right corner of the postcard, just about to exit the right edge of the photo.
Caption says "Seven inch -- howitzer in action -- showing projectile"
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Oct 5, 2019 by: Roxy Triebel
Roxy Triebel
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A damaged "realphoto" postcard showing German soldiers and big artillery shell sometime in winter. There is snow on the ground and "30.5" is written on the shell.
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Oct 5, 2019 by: Roxy Triebel
Roxy Triebel
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Oct 5, 2019 by: Roxy Triebel
Roxy Triebel
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Detail of postcard showing American troops (labeled "US") entering Luxembourg City, Luxembourg. This closeup shows a Luxembourg military band as the troops enter the city. The Luxembourg band has either finished playing or is waiting for the Americans to finish before they start.
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Oct 5, 2019 by: Roxy Triebel
Roxy Triebel
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Detail of postcard showing American troops (labeled "US") entering Luxembourg City, Luxembourg. This closeup shows a U.S. Army band playing as the troops enter the city.
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Oct 5, 2019 by: Roxy Triebel
Roxy Triebel
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Detail of postcard showing American soldiers (labeled "US") entering Luxembourg City, Luxembourg. There is a soldier operating what looks like a movie camera on a big sturdy tripod. He may be filming a newsreel.
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Oct 5, 2019 by: Roxy Triebel
Roxy Triebel
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Written across the top: "Luxemburg City Luxbg"
center, on marching troops in road: "U S"
On right near horses: "Luxbg Band" and "Luxbg. Soldiers"
On left above caption: "U.S. Band"
Caption across bottom:
"L'Entrée des Troupes américaines a Luxembourg 21-11-18"
Google translate:
"The Entrance of the American Troops in Luxembourg 21-11-18"
I uploaded enlarged details of this photo separately.
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Oct 5, 2019 by: Roxy Triebel
Roxy Triebel
1.27k+ favorites
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"L'Entrée des Troupes américaines a Luxembourg 21-11-18"
Google translate:
"The Entrance of the American Troops in Luxembourg 21-11-18"
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Oct 5, 2019 by: Roxy Triebel
Roxy Triebel
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"German troops returning to Germany through Mersch (Luxembourg) 1918. An uninterrupted procession of German transport on the Arlon Road."
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Oct 5, 2019 by: Roxy Triebel
Roxy Triebel
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Detail of the postcard showing German troops crossing a bridge on their way out of Luxembourg. There are two small children barely visible behind the bridge railing and the soldiers are smiling at them and talking to them as they cross the bridge.
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Oct 5, 2019 by: Roxy Triebel
Roxy Triebel
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A postcard showing retreating German troops crossing a bridge on their way out of Luxembourg in 1918. The caption in French reads:
"La fuite des Boches
Luxembourg 1918"
Google translate:
"The flight of the Boches
Luxembourg 1918"
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Oct 5, 2019 by: Roxy Triebel
Roxy Triebel
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A photo of the Interior of Reims Cathedral after German shelling. A commercially published mass produced tinted postcard, probably part of a series. Caption reads:
"3. REIMS (1919). -- Interieur de la Cathédral
(au fond, trou causé par un obus de 380)"
Google Translate:
"Interior of the Cathedral
(basically, hole caused by a shell of 380)"
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Oct 5, 2019 by: Roxy Triebel
Roxy Triebel
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A photo of Reims in ruins after the German retreat. A commercially published mass produced postcard, probably part of a series. Written on the back "22 May 1919" (I don't know whether that's the date this photo was actually taken). Caption reads:
"2. REIMS dans les ruines après la retraite des Allemands -- Place d'Erlon vers St. Jacques"
Google Translate:
"REIMS in ruins after the retreat of the Germans -- Place d'Erlon towards St. Jacques"
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Oct 5, 2019 by: Roxy Triebel
Roxy Triebel
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A photo of cattle being loaded aboard a French dreadnought. Caption reads: "French Dreadnought being stocked with live cattle from a transport."
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Oct 5, 2019 by: Roxy Triebel
Roxy Triebel
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Because no scene is exciting enough without various aircraft randomly pasted all over the sky.
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Sep 30, 2019 by: Roxy Triebel
Roxy Triebel
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Postcard of a cathedral in Berlin with a (fake) parade marching past it. Some of the people in this picture were definitely added later. I'm actually not sure whether any of them are real.
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Sep 30, 2019 by: Roxy Triebel
Roxy Triebel
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This would be a rather ordinary postcard of a scene in Berlin, except that someone must have decided it was too boring and randomly pasted people all over the picture. The only people that appear to belong in the photo are the small group near the steps to the left of the statue (they're the only ones that have shadows). The picture reminds me of the animated cut scenes in "Monty Python's Flying Circus."
Bismarkdenkmal und Siegessäule auf dem Königplat
(Bismarck Monument and Victory Column on the Königsplatz)
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Sep 30, 2019 by: Roxy Triebel
Roxy Triebel
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A "realphoto" postcard showing an armored car. Along the bottom is written: "HILL PHOTO SHOP, LYNCHVILLE. MACHINE GUN ARMORED CAR"
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Sep 28, 2019 by: Roxy Triebel
Roxy Triebel
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A "realphoto" postcard showing three British tanks in a forest during World War I. I don't know whether the scene really was that hazy or the photograph was just fogged.
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Sep 28, 2019 by: Roxy Triebel
Roxy Triebel
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This is a commercially published, mass produced postcard. The verse at the bottom reads:
Le devoir a son temps, l'amour égalemant:
Acceptez ce bouquet d'un parfait combattant.
(Translation by Google)
Duty has its time, love also:
Accept this bouquet of a perfect fighter.
A soldier evidently bought this as a souvenir and mailed it home. Handwritten on the back: "A good picture of a French soldier as they appear while on furlough."
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Sep 28, 2019 by: Roxy Triebel
Roxy Triebel
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A postcard showing YMCA volunteers decorating American graves in France after World War I. Written on the back "Decoration Day American Y girls decorating soldiers graves". 2nd grave from the left is Private, First Class George S. Kerr. Center grave is Private Michael Borczynski. I can't make out the names on the other crosses.
This photo was likely taken in May of either 1919 or 1920.
rank blurred and difficult to read (PVT. W1?)
KERR, GEORGE S.
165TH AERO SQDN
DIED MAR. 11th 1919
service number 1148694
rank - PVT
BORCZYNSKI, MICHAEL
CO. I 347th INF.
DIED OCT. 25th 1918
service number 2950991
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Sep 28, 2019 by: Roxy Triebel
Roxy Triebel
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A "real photo" postcard found in an antique store. Unfortunately there is no identifying information on it anywhere. The two girls have dolls and the boy has a toy gun.
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Sep 1, 2019 by: Roxy Triebel
Roxy Triebel
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A "real photo" postcard found in an antique store in Texas. Unfortunately, there's no information on it anywhere so I don't know who this is or where it was taken.
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Sep 1, 2019 by: Roxy Triebel
Roxy Triebel
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A photo postcard of Eldon Albert and Alice McCarty "from Albert Fox". Eldon doesn't look very happy to have his picture taken.
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Aug 24, 2019 by: Roxy Triebel
Roxy Triebel
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Postcard found at an antique show. Handwriting on the back is addressed to Mr. Floyd Ball, 810 W. Pine St., Independence, Kansas. "Dear Brother, I will send you a picture we had taken the 22 of Oct. Is it very cold there now and do you go very much in your chair or is it to [sic] cold roll over and see me some day. Bye Bye now." Very annoying that none of the people IN the photo are named. They sure are proud of that nice car.
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Aug 24, 2019 by: Roxy Triebel
Roxy Triebel
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