Today I got a bit of an education on postcards as I talked with a client who happens to be a librarian at the local university and is in charge of that institutions historical collections. I had found a card at the thrift store that I though he might like and he started to tell me several things I did not know.
1) Postcards started in the late 1800's
2) The only thing allowed on the address side of postcards was the address until March 1, 1907, when they introduced the divided back.
3) Most of the really early postcards were of pictures people took of each other. But mostly only the upper incomes could afford such luxuries.
4) Once people were allowed to write on the postcards they often only wrote a few words. And in his opinion they were often cryptic at best in their wording. I've seen and own a few of these really old cards and I agree they can be nonsensical at best. Maybe they were worried about people reading the cards? Or maybe randomness was a prized commodity back in the day? The cards still talk but who knows what they originally meant.
Things that make you go hum!
1) Postcards started in the late 1800's
2) The only thing allowed on the address side of postcards was the address until March 1, 1907, when they introduced the divided back.
3) Most of the really early postcards were of pictures people took of each other. But mostly only the upper incomes could afford such luxuries.
4) Once people were allowed to write on the postcards they often only wrote a few words. And in his opinion they were often cryptic at best in their wording. I've seen and own a few of these really old cards and I agree they can be nonsensical at best. Maybe they were worried about people reading the cards? Or maybe randomness was a prized commodity back in the day? The cards still talk but who knows what they originally meant.
Things that make you go hum!
Ooh, I love fun facts like these! Thank you for sharing :)
ReplyDeleteThat's really interesting, I hadn't known that to start with you could only write your address on one side. I would love to find a stash of old postcards!
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