About Postcards

A postcard is a snapshot of history, capturing nearly every human experience, from the family fishing trips to congressional campaigns, from the birth of a baby to the end of a World War.

There are postcard collectors of churches, department stores, main streets, ’57 Chevys,  owls, globes, hanging street lights, Woody Station Wagons, comic puns, colleges, amusement parks, just to name a few.

 

Want some ideas on what kind of postcard to start collecting?

1. Your hometown: Post Office, Main Streets, Neighborhoods, Schools, Courthouse, City Hall, Library, Theatres, & Parks
2. Artist Signed: Lovely Ladies, Fantasy, Dressed Animals, Romance
3. Foreign Countries of your ancestors, or places you’ve been.
4. Interiors of Restaurants, Barber Shops, Stores, Hotel Lobbies
5. Cultures: Black or Native Americana, Gypsies
6. Churches: Seventh Day, Baptist, Methodist, Mormon, Catholic, Lutheran, Wesleyan, Assembly of God, Church of Christ, Reformed, Presbyterian.
7. Agricultural Themes: Farm Equipment, Crops in the Field.
8. Transportation: Station Wagons, Woodies, Trucks, Planes, Ships, Steamers, Motorcycles, Buses, Bridges, Ports, Car Dealerships, Airports
9. Holidays: Valentine’s Day, Easter, St Patrick’s Day, Halloween, Christmas, New Year’s, Mother’s Day, 4th of July, Thanksgiving.
10. Music: Sousaphones, Bands & Orchestras, Conductors, Radio Personalities, Banjos
11. Western Themes: Cowboys and Cowgirls, Dude Larsen, Ranches
12. Military: Camps or Forts, Wars, Weapons, Generals, Battles, Tanks, Civil War, Ships
13. Sports: Tennis, Football Stadiums, Basketball, Golf Courses, Badminton, Baseball, Martial Arts, Ice Skating, Harness Racing, Indianapolis 500, Kentucky Derby
14. Comics: Vacations, Soldiers, Puns, Cartoon Characters, Dutch Pennants
15. Roadside America: Route 66, World’s Largest Attractions, Neon & Googie Signs, Motels, Drive-Thru’s, Cafes & Diners.
16. Amusement Parks, Circuses, World’s Fairs, Roller Coasters, Carnivals, Chautauquas
17. Objects: Phone Booths, Lampposts, Globes, Candlestick Phones, Fire Hydrants
18. Nature’s Wonders: Rock Formations, National & State Parks
19. Advertising: Postals, Appliances, Airlines, Buster Brown, Car Repair
20. Architecture: Beaux Arts, Art Deco, 2nd Empire, Italianate, Spanish Revival
21. Disasters: Tornadoes, Earthquakes, Fires, Crime Scenes, Scandals
22. Jails, Prisons, Cemeteries, Insane Asylums, Funeral Homes, Fire Stations
23. Entertainment: Actors, Wax Museums, Plays, Musicians, Midgets, Casinos, Band Shells
24. Historical Figures, Document Signings, Famous People, Inventions
25. Animals: Horses, Cats, Dogs, Owls, Elephants, EAGLES, Farms & Zoos
26. Specialty Postcards: Leather, Embossed, Wood, Metal, Handcolored
27. Series: Large Letter Linens, Cars, State Maps, Flowers, & Birds; Playing Cards
28. Real Photo Postcards (RPPC): Studio Shots, Families & Homes, Factory Workers, Fishing & Hunting, Kids w/Toys
29. Franchises: Walgreens, A&P, Ice Cream Shoppes, Department Stores, Gas Stations
30. Patriotic, Political & Social Movements: Local Candidates, Prohibition, Suffrage, Judges, President’s Homes, Flags, Lincoln & Washington
31. Fraternal Organizations: Masonic Lodge, IOOF, Elks, College Frats, Lions Club,
32. Publishers: TUCK, CU Williams, CR Childs, PFB, Winsch, Detroit Publishing