Postcard Collection

Postcards capture a moment in history both through their imagery and their accompanying correspondence. The messages on the postcards are significant in that they give a brief look into the lives of individuals from times past. Postcard collecting or deltiology is a popular hobby. Postcards are noted for their images, correspondence, and stamps.

The man credited with having invented the postcard was the postmaster general of Germany, Heinrich von Stephan ( circa 1865). Heinrich von Stephan believed that changing times necessitated shorter messages. The invention of this new format was both threatening and controversial due to the fact that the communication was open and available for anyone to read. The World's Fairs and Expositions and a lower postage rate were integral in popularizing picture postcard during the latter half of the 19th Century.

About 1900, postcards began gaining popularity as a means of mass communication and as a collectible. It is from this time until the First World War that was considered postcard's golden age. During this time the production of postcards became a major industry in Europe. The postcard's popularity increased due to the invention of the divide on the back of the card, which occurred in the early 1900's, this allowed for more room for message writing.

The Smithsonian Institute categorizes the history of the postcard into the following six periods:

1) Private Mailing Cards Period, 1898 - 1901: 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. 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" indicating that messages could 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.

2) Undivided Back Period, 1901-1907: In December 1901, the United States Post Office issued Post Office Order No. 1447 which allowed the words "Post Card" instead of the longer Postal Mailing Card. Messages were still not allowed on the back of cards.

3) Divided Back Period, 1907-1914: On 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.

4) White Border Period, 1915-1930: 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.

5) Linen Period, 1930-1944: 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. Most postcards also retained the white border, but some were printed to the edge of the card. The back remained virtually the same.

6) Modem Photochrome-style Period, 1939 - to date: Modem Photochrome-style postcards first appeared in 1939 with the Union Oil Company carrying them in their western service stations. Production of the postcards was slowed during World War II because of supply shortages, but after the war, they dominated the postcard market. The photochrome postcards are in color, are the closest to real photographs, and are the ones most familiar to most people today.