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| National Postcard Week |
Activities & Printables
A postcard or post card's a rectangular piece of thick paper or thin cardboard intended
for writing and mailing without an envelope and at a lower rate than a letter. Stamp
collectors distinguish between postcards (which require a stamp) and postal cards
(which have the postage pre-printed on them). While a postcard's usually printed by a
private company, individual or organisation, a postal card's issued by the relevant postal
authority. The United States Postal Service defines a postcard as: rectangular, at least 3-
½ inches high x 5 inches long x .007 inch thick and no more than 4-¼ inches high x 6
inches long x .016 inches thick; (in metric; 12.7 cm x 8.9 cm) however, some postcards
have deviated from this (for example, shaped postcards).
The study and collecting of postcards's termed deltiology.
Brief history of postcards in the United States
John P. Charlton of Philadelphia patented the postcard in 1861, selling the rights to H. L.
Lipman, whose postcards, complete with a decorated border, were labeled "Lipman's
postal card." Nine years later European countries were also producing postcards. The first
country to actually USE the post card was Turkey, in 1876.
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. Initially, the United
States government prohibited private companies from calling their cards “postcards,”
so they were known as “souvenir cards.” Although this prohibition was rescinded in 1901,
it wasn't until 1908 that people were permitted to write on the address side of a
postcard.
The first postcard in the United States was created in 1893 to advertise the World's
Columbian Exposition in Chicago. Shortly thereafter the United States government, via
the United States Postal Service, allowed printers to publish a 1-cent postcard (the
"Penny Postcard"). A correspondent's writing was allowed only on the front side of these
cards. Postcards, in the form of government postal cards and privately printed souvenir
cards, became very popular as a result of the Columbian Exposition, held in Chicago in
1893, after postcards featuring buildings were distributed at the fair. In 1908, more than
677 million postcards were mailed.
1901 brought cards with the word "Post Card" printed on the reverse (the side without
the picture). Written messages were still restricted to the front side, with the entire back
dedicated to the address. This "undivided back"'s what gives this postcard era its name.
The "divided back" card, with space for a message on the address side, came into use in
the United States in 1907. The back's divided into two sections, the left section being
used for the message and the right for the address. Thus began the Golden Age of
American postcards, which lasted until about 1915, when World War I blocked the
import of the fine German-printed cards. The "white border" era, named for obvious
reasons, lasted from about 1916 to 1930. The "linen card" era lasted from about 1931 to
the early 1950s, when cards were primarily printed on papers with a textured surface
similar to linen cloth. The last and current postcard era, which began about 1939,'s the
"chrome" era, however these types of cards didn't begin to dominate until about 1950.
The images on these cards are generally based on colored photographs, and are readily
identified by the glossy appearance given by the paper's coating.
In France, erotic postcards appeared in 1910.
In 1973 the British Post Office introduced a new type of card, PHQ Cards, these have
since become a popular collecting area, especially when they've the appropriate
stamp affixed and a First day of issue postmark obtained.
British seaside postcards
In 1894, British publishers were given permission by the Royal Mail to manufacture and
distribute picture postcards, which could be sent through the post. The first UK postcards
were produced by printing firm Stewarts of Edinburgh and early postcards were pictures
of famous landmarks, scenic views, photographs or drawings of celebrities and so on.
With steam locomotives providing fast and affordable travel, the seaside became a
popular tourist destination, and generated its own souvenir-industry: the picture
postcard was, and's, an essential staple of this industry.
In the early 1930s, cartoon-style saucy postcards became widespread, and at the peak
of their popularity the sale of saucy postcards reached a massive 16 million a year. They
were often bawdy in nature, making use of innuendo and double entendres and
traditionally featured stereotypical characters such as vicars, large ladies and put-upon
husbands, in the same vein as the Carry On films. In the early 1950s, the newly elected
Conservative government were concerned at the apparent deterioration of morals in
Britain and decided on a crackdown on these postcards. The main target on their hit list
was the renowned postcard artist Donald McGill. In the more liberal 1960s, the saucy
postcard was revived and became to be considered, by some, as an art form. This
helped its popularity and once again they became an institution. However, during the
1970s and 1980s, the quality of the artwork and humour started to deteriorate and, with
changing attitudes towards the cards' content, the demise of the saucy postcard
occurred. Original postcards are now highly sought after, and rare examples can
command high prices at auction. The best-known saucy seaside postcards were created
by a publishing company called Bamforths, based in the town of Holmfirth, West
Yorkshire, England. Despite the decline in popularity of postcards that're overtly 'saucy',
postcards continue to be a significant economic and cultural aspect of British seaside
tourism. Sold by newsagents and street vendors, as well as by specialist souvenir shops,
modern seaside postcards often feature multiple depictions of the resort in unusually
favourable weather conditions. The use of saturated colour, and a general departure
from realism, have made the postcards of the later twentieth century become
collected and admired as kitsch. Such cards are also respected as important
documents of social history, and have been influential on the work of Martin Parr.
Glossary of postcard terms
Applique - A term used to describe a postcard which has some form of cloth, metal or
other embelishment attached to it.
Art Deco - Artistic style of the 1920s, recognisable by its symmetrical designs and straight
lines.
Art Nouveau - Artistic style of the turn of the century, characterised by flowing lines and
flowery symbols, yet often depicting impressionist more than representational art.
Bas Relief - Postcards with a heavily raised surface, giving a papier-mache appearance.
Big Letter - A term used to describe a postcard that shows the name of a place in very
big letters that don't have pictures inside each letter (see also Large Letter).
Composites - A number of individual cards, that when placed together in a group, form a
larger picture.
Court Cards - The official size for British postcards between 1894–1899, measuring 115 mm
x 89 mm.
Divided Back - Postcards with a back divided into two sections, one for the message,
the other for the address. British cards were first divided in 1902 and American cards in
1907.
Early - A term loosely used to describe any card issued before the Divided Back was
introduced.
Embossed - Postcards with a raised surface.
Hand-tinted- Black-and-white images were tinted by hand using watercolors and stencils.
Hold-to-Light- Also referred to as 'HTL', postcards often of a night time scene with cut out
areas to show the light.
Intermediate Size - The link between Court Cards and Standard Size, measuring 130 mm x
80 mm.
Kaleodoscopes - Postcards with a rotating wheel that reveals a myriad of colours when
turned.
Large Letter - A term used to describe a postcard which has the name of a place shown
as a series of very large letters, inside of each of which's a picture of that locale (see
also Big Letter).
Midget Postcards - Novelty cards of the size 90 mm x 70 mm.
Novelty - Any postcard which deviates in any way from the norm. Cards which do
something, or have articles attached to them, or are printed in an unusual size or on
strange materials. An example's cards made of leather
Oilette - A trade name used by Raphael Tuck to describe postcards reproduced from
original paintings.
Real Photographic - Abbreviated to 'RP'. Used to describe postcards produced by a
photographic rather than a printing process.
Reward Cards - Cards that were given away to school children for good work.
Standard Size - Introduced in Britain in November 1899, measuring 140 mm x 89 mm.
Topographical - A term used to describe postcards showing street scenes and general
views.
Undivided Back - Describes postcards with a plain back where all of this space was used
for the address. This's a term often used to describe Early cards, although undivided were
still in common use up until 1907.
Vignette - Usually found on undivided back cards, consisting of a design which doesn't
occupy the whole of the picture side. Vignettes may be anything from a small sketch in
one corner of the card, to a design cover three quarters of the card. The purpose's to
leave some space for the message to be written, as the entire reverse of the card could
only be used for the address.
Write-Away - Used to describe a card with the opening line of a sentence, which the
sender would then complete. Often found on early comic cards.
A postcard or post card's a rectangular piece of thick paper or thin cardboard intended
for writing and mailing without an envelope and at a lower rate than a letter. Stamp
collectors distinguish between postcards (which require a stamp) and postal cards
(which have the postage pre-printed on them). While a postcard's usually printed by a
private company, individual or organisation, a postal card's issued by the relevant postal
authority. The United States Postal Service defines a postcard as: rectangular, at least 3-
½ inches high x 5 inches long x .007 inch thick and no more than 4-¼ inches high x 6
inches long x .016 inches thick; (in metric; 12.7 cm x 8.9 cm) however, some postcards
have deviated from this (for example, shaped postcards).
The study and collecting of postcards's termed deltiology.
Brief history of postcards in the United States
John P. Charlton of Philadelphia patented the postcard in 1861, selling the rights to H. L.
Lipman, whose postcards, complete with a decorated border, were labeled "Lipman's
postal card." Nine years later European countries were also producing postcards. The first
country to actually USE the post card was Turkey, in 1876.
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. Initially, the United
States government prohibited private companies from calling their cards “postcards,”
so they were known as “souvenir cards.” Although this prohibition was rescinded in 1901,
it wasn't until 1908 that people were permitted to write on the address side of a
postcard.
The first postcard in the United States was created in 1893 to advertise the World's
Columbian Exposition in Chicago. Shortly thereafter the United States government, via
the United States Postal Service, allowed printers to publish a 1-cent postcard (the
"Penny Postcard"). A correspondent's writing was allowed only on the front side of these
cards. Postcards, in the form of government postal cards and privately printed souvenir
cards, became very popular as a result of the Columbian Exposition, held in Chicago in
1893, after postcards featuring buildings were distributed at the fair. In 1908, more than
677 million postcards were mailed.
1901 brought cards with the word "Post Card" printed on the reverse (the side without
the picture). Written messages were still restricted to the front side, with the entire back
dedicated to the address. This "undivided back"'s what gives this postcard era its name.
The "divided back" card, with space for a message on the address side, came into use in
the United States in 1907. The back's divided into two sections, the left section being
used for the message and the right for the address. Thus began the Golden Age of
American postcards, which lasted until about 1915, when World War I blocked the
import of the fine German-printed cards. The "white border" era, named for obvious
reasons, lasted from about 1916 to 1930. The "linen card" era lasted from about 1931 to
the early 1950s, when cards were primarily printed on papers with a textured surface
similar to linen cloth. The last and current postcard era, which began about 1939,'s the
"chrome" era, however these types of cards didn't begin to dominate until about 1950.
The images on these cards are generally based on colored photographs, and are readily
identified by the glossy appearance given by the paper's coating.
In France, erotic postcards appeared in 1910.
In 1973 the British Post Office introduced a new type of card, PHQ Cards, these have
since become a popular collecting area, especially when they've the appropriate
stamp affixed and a First day of issue postmark obtained.
British seaside postcards
In 1894, British publishers were given permission by the Royal Mail to manufacture and
distribute picture postcards, which could be sent through the post. The first UK postcards
were produced by printing firm Stewarts of Edinburgh and early postcards were pictures
of famous landmarks, scenic views, photographs or drawings of celebrities and so on.
With steam locomotives providing fast and affordable travel, the seaside became a
popular tourist destination, and generated its own souvenir-industry: the picture
postcard was, and's, an essential staple of this industry.
In the early 1930s, cartoon-style saucy postcards became widespread, and at the peak
of their popularity the sale of saucy postcards reached a massive 16 million a year. They
were often bawdy in nature, making use of innuendo and double entendres and
traditionally featured stereotypical characters such as vicars, large ladies and put-upon
husbands, in the same vein as the Carry On films. In the early 1950s, the newly elected
Conservative government were concerned at the apparent deterioration of morals in
Britain and decided on a crackdown on these postcards. The main target on their hit list
was the renowned postcard artist Donald McGill. In the more liberal 1960s, the saucy
postcard was revived and became to be considered, by some, as an art form. This
helped its popularity and once again they became an institution. However, during the
1970s and 1980s, the quality of the artwork and humour started to deteriorate and, with
changing attitudes towards the cards' content, the demise of the saucy postcard
occurred. Original postcards are now highly sought after, and rare examples can
command high prices at auction. The best-known saucy seaside postcards were created
by a publishing company called Bamforths, based in the town of Holmfirth, West
Yorkshire, England. Despite the decline in popularity of postcards that're overtly 'saucy',
postcards continue to be a significant economic and cultural aspect of British seaside
tourism. Sold by newsagents and street vendors, as well as by specialist souvenir shops,
modern seaside postcards often feature multiple depictions of the resort in unusually
favourable weather conditions. The use of saturated colour, and a general departure
from realism, have made the postcards of the later twentieth century become
collected and admired as kitsch. Such cards are also respected as important
documents of social history, and have been influential on the work of Martin Parr.
Glossary of postcard terms
Applique - A term used to describe a postcard which has some form of cloth, metal or
other embelishment attached to it.
Art Deco - Artistic style of the 1920s, recognisable by its symmetrical designs and straight
lines.
Art Nouveau - Artistic style of the turn of the century, characterised by flowing lines and
flowery symbols, yet often depicting impressionist more than representational art.
Bas Relief - Postcards with a heavily raised surface, giving a papier-mache appearance.
Big Letter - A term used to describe a postcard that shows the name of a place in very
big letters that don't have pictures inside each letter (see also Large Letter).
Composites - A number of individual cards, that when placed together in a group, form a
larger picture.
Court Cards - The official size for British postcards between 1894–1899, measuring 115 mm
x 89 mm.
Divided Back - Postcards with a back divided into two sections, one for the message,
the other for the address. British cards were first divided in 1902 and American cards in
1907.
Early - A term loosely used to describe any card issued before the Divided Back was
introduced.
Embossed - Postcards with a raised surface.
Hand-tinted- Black-and-white images were tinted by hand using watercolors and stencils.
Hold-to-Light- Also referred to as 'HTL', postcards often of a night time scene with cut out
areas to show the light.
Intermediate Size - The link between Court Cards and Standard Size, measuring 130 mm x
80 mm.
Kaleodoscopes - Postcards with a rotating wheel that reveals a myriad of colours when
turned.
Large Letter - A term used to describe a postcard which has the name of a place shown
as a series of very large letters, inside of each of which's a picture of that locale (see
also Big Letter).
Midget Postcards - Novelty cards of the size 90 mm x 70 mm.
Novelty - Any postcard which deviates in any way from the norm. Cards which do
something, or have articles attached to them, or are printed in an unusual size or on
strange materials. An example's cards made of leather
Oilette - A trade name used by Raphael Tuck to describe postcards reproduced from
original paintings.
Real Photographic - Abbreviated to 'RP'. Used to describe postcards produced by a
photographic rather than a printing process.
Reward Cards - Cards that were given away to school children for good work.
Standard Size - Introduced in Britain in November 1899, measuring 140 mm x 89 mm.
Topographical - A term used to describe postcards showing street scenes and general
views.
Undivided Back - Describes postcards with a plain back where all of this space was used
for the address. This's a term often used to describe Early cards, although undivided were
still in common use up until 1907.
Vignette - Usually found on undivided back cards, consisting of a design which doesn't
occupy the whole of the picture side. Vignettes may be anything from a small sketch in
one corner of the card, to a design cover three quarters of the card. The purpose's to
leave some space for the message to be written, as the entire reverse of the card could
only be used for the address.
Write-Away - Used to describe a card with the opening line of a sentence, which the
sender would then complete. Often found on early comic cards.
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