1865...
Origin
Post
cards originated in Europe, originally proposed
at the Austro-German Postal Conference in
Karlsruhe in 1865, Dr. Heinrich von Stephen
suggested the use of open correspondence
cards. It was not until 4 years later that
Dr. Emanuel Herrmann persuaded the Austrian
post office to issue the first official
postcard; he sent the first post card from
Schloss Seefels, now a 5 star hotel, on
the 1st of October 1869. They were government
issued and were meant for brief communications.
The idea was that they would be cheaper
than mailing letters. European Countries
quickly adopted post cards.
1873...
US Introduction Pre
Printed stamp
The
United States Postal Service began issuing
pre-stamped postal cards in 1873. The postal
cards came about because the public was
looking for an easier way to send quick
notes. The USPS was the only establishment
allowed to print postcards, and it held
its monopoly until May 19, 1898. , when
Congress passed the Private Mailing Card
Act which allowed private publishers and
printers to produce postcards.
1894...Stamps
On Post Cards
In the UK, it was only in 1894 that the
Post Office allowed the use of adhesive
stamps, making a real photographic postcard
possible. Publishers could now print postcards
by any method and sell them without the
printed stamp, reducing their cost. People
were paying for the card and ot for the
stamp, so there was a great incentive to
produce cards that the public wanted to
buy.
1898...
US Card Act
May
19, 1898. , when Congress passed the Private
Mailing Card Act which allowed private publishers
and printers to produce postcards. The public
could mail the private mailing cards for
1¢ instead of the letter rate of 2¢.
The words "Private Mailing Card"
were printed on the back of cards along
with the statement "Authorized by Act
of Congress of May 19, 1898" and "This
side is exclusively for the Address"
Postcards went through many phases when
particular design features were popular,
so even if a postcard is not dated or was
never mailed, it is still possible to determine
an approximate time when it was printed.
Though
writing was not allowed on the address side
or back of these cards. The term "Postcard"
was not allowed until December 24, 1901
to private printers .
During
the Private Mailing Card era, messages were
not allowed on the back of the cards, so
a small space was left on the front, for
notes from the sender. The sender had to
purchase a 1¢ stamp for the Private
Mailing Card. indicating that messages could
be only be written on the front. Also found
on many of them was "Postal Card -
Carte Postale" which indicated it was
allowed to enter the international mail
system.
1902...Undivided
Back
From
1902-1907Undivided Back postcards were most
common. The back or address side was limited
to only the address. Any message or greeting
had to be on the front. the United States
Post Office issued Post Office Order No.
1447 which allowed the words "Post
Card" instead of the longer Postal
Mailing Card.
1907...Divided Back
March
1, 1907 divided back postcards were permitted.
This allowed messages to be written on the
address side. An easy way to date cards
is by looking at the type, and on which
side the writing was on. After March 1,
1907, a major change on the backs of postcards
occurred. The left side of the back of the
card was allowed for messages, while the
right side was for the address. During this
era, the blank space on the front of post
cards, which previously was for messages,
disappeared.
1915.. A German Industry
1915-1930
Prior to World War 1 many postcards were
printed in Germany. Up to that time, Germans
led the world in postcard production. They
used a lithography processes to create images
of photographic quality. This German industry
never recovered after the war Until this
period German printers dominated the market
in postcard printing.
With the beginning of World War I, postcards
were supplied mostly by printers in the
United States. During these years printers
saved ink by not printing to the edge of
the card and leaving a white border around
the image. Also during this time, the pictures
on postcards were described in more detail
on the back.
This
extra white space on the front of cards
saved ink, and gave senders more room for
messages. These cards were usually mass
produced and of inferior quality.
1930...
The Vintage Card
Linen
Period, 1930-1952:
With the development of new printing processes,
postcards could be printed with high rag
content, which gave them a look of being
printed on cloth or linen. This period is
also characterized by the use of bright
colors. Artwork and the printing process
where as most postcards also retained the
white border, but some were printed to the
edge of the card. The back remained virtually
the same.
This period lasted until after World War
II when the Kodachrome film process was
perfected.
1952...
Through Today Chrome
A
Photograph quality postcard with a full
bleed to the edge. Since 1952 post card
mailing rates have steadily increased from
2¢ to 23¢. The Chrome process
of reproduction is the most popular type.
It is very simaler to creating and processing
photographs, thus allowing full color pictures,
Post cards are still a great value and always
a fond way to send a heartfelt memory.
Deltiology
In America, postcard collecting is sometimes
known as Deltiology, a modern word coined
from the ancient Greek for a writing tablet,
and collectors may be referred to as deltiologist's.
Although 'postcarditis' is not the fad it
was a hundred years ago, it is still claimed
to be the third largest collecting hobby
after philately and coin collecting.
Postcards, even actual photographic ones,
are generally very cheap to collect compared
with collecting larger images, and can be
of great interest
White Hat Company
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