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Postscripts from The Postcard Emporium

February 25, 2010 By Tom Murphy Leave a Comment

What a terrific title for a blog!

A woman in Texas named Joyce Lindner runs the Postcard Emporium and is an active seller on eCrater. Per her blog:

Often postcards have just a bit more story to tell than what their fronts and backs reveal. I love researching their history and providing more interest to the already fascinating hobby of collecting postcards known as deltiology.

I know that there are a number of Post Card collectors who follow my blog.. so I wanted to introduce you to Joyce. Over in her eCrater store you will find a large selection of US view post cards including publishers such as Raphael Tuck & Sons, Edward H Mitchell and Curt Teich.

The postcard at the left from “Old Wyoming” and the one on the right were two that caught my eye. The one on the right dates way back to 1910 when California was admitted to the Union.  Her eCrater listing shows both the front and the back of this relatively well preserved piece of Ephemera.. and I was particularly interested in the wonderful handwriting of the author Pat who sent the card to her friend Constance in Pennylvania. I wonder how long it took to make its way from San Francisco to Redburn? Despite being 100 years old, it still holds up well.

If vintage advertising is your area of interest, Joyce even has a section of her store dedicated to advertising postcards.  It was fun to see so many corporate names that have bit the dust over the years.  Take a moment and visit Joyce’s shop, I am sure you will be pleasantly surprised.

If perhaps one of your other hobbies is reading well done blogs, I suggest you visit Joyce’s Blog.  In addition to great information about vintage postcards, Joyce has some wonderful graphics.  How about this one that accompanies a blog about male gossip?   As Joyce says “The stereotype of women being the only gender who enjoys a bit of gossip is one of the reasons I just love this postcard.”  This postcard was reproduced from the October Cover of the Successful Farming Publishing Company of Des Moines, Iowa It dates back to 1914.

So if you are either a postcard lover/collector, or a fan of well done blogs, I’ve given you what I think are some good spots to peruse.

 

I’m Tom Murphy and thanks for helping me give Ephemera the Encore it deserves.

Have a look at my eBay Ephemera store
or at my Bonanzle Booth
or at my Zen Cart

I’ve even got an eBay Auction site for collectibles

Technorati tags: Encore Ephemera, Ephemera, Ephemera Network

 

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Postcard Paradise

February 11, 2010 By Tom Murphy Leave a Comment

I think this is particularly well said:

I love antique postcards because they preserve evidence of everyday life as well as celebrations and sad events. Looking at an old postcard is like holding a single piece of a puzzle; we have to imagine the rest.

This quote comes from the About Me section of the “Daily Postcard” a blogspot page that I ran across recently. The author of the blog, a lady named Christine Heycke from the Pacific Northwest has put together a terrific site with some great vintage postcards. For each one she tells a little of what she knows about the card, and in some instances does a bit of research on either the sender… or more often the recipient of the card.

Here is a card that is appropriate at this time of year.. a lovely Valentine card dating back to 1913. As Christine says, “It’s quite lovely and romantic, but I’m not sure how the pipe fits in.” But then again, smoking a pipe in 1913 was probably the in thing to do.

As you page through Christine’s site you will find many many wonderful old postcards, not all from the US either. There are a number from France, South Africa, Monaco, Sweden, Korea and who knows where all else.

There are also a number of humorous postcards.. how do you like this one? The wording is what got me… “Having the time of my life…enjoying every minute. P.S. Have behaved myself up to now”.  Up to now?  What does that say of the future??

You will also probably want to take a look at the one marked “The Whole Dam Family“… if you are in to humor that is.

And finally, let me mention the “Streetcar” collection of cards. This appears to be the largest set in the collection and she has many from around the world. Reading through her narrative you will find that she devotes Sundays to the Streetcar collection dubbing it “Streetcar Sunday”.

So if postcards fall into your area of ephemeral interest.. and even if they don’t… give The Daily Postcard a look… You’ll enjoy the visit.

 

I’m Tom Murphy and thanks for helping me give Ephemera the Encore it deserves.

Have a look at my eBay Ephemera store
or have a look at my eBay Auction site
(Due to travel, there may not be any items listed at this point in time)

Technorati tags: Encore Ephemera, Ephemera, Ephemera Network, Daily Postcard

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What makes a vintage postcard valuable?

January 31, 2010 By Tom Murphy 1 Comment

One of the many sub-categories of Ephemera of course is Vintage Postcards.

I have only recently started to explore these.. and the websites that discuss them, but today found one that I thought was well done and worth pointing my readers to. More specifically it answers the question that is the topic of this article… “What makes a vintage postcard valuable?”

Their answer to that question comes in five specifics:

  • Age
  • Condition
  • Subject Matter
  • Photo vs. Printed
  • Postmark

Each of these is explained in more detail on the about page of “the old postcard” website. Have a look.

You will also learn from this site that a deltiologist is a postcard collector, i.e. a person who collects postcards as a hobby.

Perhaps an even more interesting item from the Old Postcard website is this…

The Old Post Office (pictured on the left) is actually just that, a beautiful and majestic three story building constructed of Indiana Limestone and completed in 1916. The building was originally home to the Western Nebraska Federal Court and Post Office for McCook, Nebraska. The Federal Court was moved to North Platte, NE in the 1950s when other State and Government agencies took up office space in the building. In the 1980s a new post office was built several blocks to the West of the original building. The building sat vacant for a number of years before being purchased by Nathan’s parents, David and Sharon Huegel. It is now our residence as well as our Antique and Postcard Shop.

If you are a postcard collector.. or simply interested in this very interesting hobby, I suggest you give the Old Post Office a visit

I’m Tom Murphy and thanks for helping me give Ephemera the Encore it deserves.

Have a look at my eBay Ephemera store
or have a look at my eBay Auction site
(Due to travel, there may not be any items listed at this point in time)

Technorati tags: Encore Ephemera, Ephemera, Ephemera Network, The Old Post Office

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