The Postcard Show!

I set up for the first time at a postcard show this past weekend, and had a lot of fun! Not only did I make a decent number of sales, I met some knowledgeable and informative dealers as well. You have to start somewhere and the only way to learn is through trial and error. A special thank-you to Frank at Paige Auction for taking me under his wing and helping me out with the table. Of course, I couldn't let my earnings sit in my pocket for too long, and I did pick up a few choice cards. A couple made it in under the wire for last minute additions to my book. It should be on schedule for an April release. I may sell a few of these to finance future acquisitions, but it's hard to let such great postcards go.

I am guessing these guys were in Portland for one of the early 1900s Elks Conventions. Notice the elks on their jackets and ties?

There are so many fun things about this one. The cranes are hand painted, it's a beautiful scene, it passed through Siberia, and it has a great cancel commemorating the arrival of the U.S. Great White Fleet in 1908.

There's another show sponsored by the Webfooters Postcard Club April 20-21 from 10-4. I just might be there...

Roswell Auto Parade

One of the funny things about postcards is that the message on the back sometimes seems to have very little to do with the image on the front. This is a good example. Rather than discussing the obviously entertaining and interesting Roswell Auto Parade, the sender writes this, "...Have not see any men that looks very good to me." I guess the automobiles were prettier than the men in Roswell.

 

Norwegian Dress

I recently acquired a large lot of very random postcards, from many different decades and countries. These are the most interesting to me, because they represent a true treasure hunt. I unearthed this postcard from Norway, and it's a great example of how postcards often become art. Someone has hand-colored the black and white card, a not uncommon practice. While this one is actually sent from Norway, many American postcards from the Midwest are written in Norwegian, Swedish, etc., reflecting our immigrant past. I have also found a number of early 1900s American photo postcards with people wearing similar things as this woman. This is probably from the early 1900s, although the postmark is impossible to make out.

This item is for sale here until February 7th: Norwegian Postcard on Ebay

Jamaica

I found this great old postcard from the Hamburg-American ship line. It shows a Jamaican family in the early 1900s. The amazing variety of postcards still fascinates me.

Cranberries!

Sent from Harwich, Mass. in 1913

This time of year is cranberry season! My aunt and uncle have experience working with cranberries in Massachusetts, and I always love seeing pictures of the harvesting machines moving through the bog. This postcard shows an African-American worker screening the berries.

Fun facts about cranberries:

1. The cranberry is one of only a few major fruits native to North America.

2. Cranberries were often carried on ships because of their Vitamin C content to prevent scurvy. Yarr!

3. Cranberries were used extensively by Native Americans, and were probably served at the first Thanksgiving.

4. America produces about 75% of the world's cranberries.

5. Americans eat 400 million pounds of cranberries per year, and Ocean Spray sells 7 out of every 10 cranberries.

Find more interesting cranberry facts here: Cranberry Facts