| People today collect pre-owned picture postcards because they provide a unique, first-hand perspective of our social history that is not readily available from any other single collectible source. Equally important, these 100-year-old cards have frozen in time historic scenes, various structures, and streetscapes that for the most part have given way to the wrecker’s chain and ball, and to a different lifestyle. We no longer dress the same way or laugh at the same jokes although a look at a turn-of-the-century humour card may still bring a hint of a smile to our faces.
Specialization is the name of the post card collecting game. But, to specialize in a meaningful way, it is necessary to have at least a superficial knowledge of the different types of cards produced since the first ones were introduced by Austria in 1869. Switzerland released its pioneer postcards in 1870, and Great Britain followed on October 1 of that year.
Those cards were quite different from what most people today imagine when they think of postcards. Instead of featuring a colourful depiction of some of the thousands of different scenes depicted on later cards, the pioneer postcards looked more like today’s official postal stationery that post offices still produce. That is, they had only printing on them and a postage stamp imprinted on the address side of the card.
Canada’s first cards, measuring 3 by 4 5/8 inches, were printed in a monochrome of blue hues on both light and pale buff cardboard stock. The printer was the British America Bank Note Company, Ottawa and Montreal. Queen Victoria’s likeness, based on a design by Charles Henry Jeens, is depicted on the 1-cent stamp imprinted on the card.
The postcard became an overnight success with a population eager to take advantage of the substantially lower postage rate than that in effect for letter-mail and by late 1876 the Canadian Post Office Department had introduced a somewhat smaller card. It measured 3 x 3 inches and is readily distinguishable from its predecessor. For example, the reference to Ottawa is dropped and the official imprint on the new card reads British America Bank Note Co., Montreal. Collectors should also note that the Post Office used only the pale buff-coloured cardboard for this second printing.
Although the cost to mail those pioneer cards was generally only 1 penny, there were restrictive regulations that mitigated, to some extent, their use. Until the 1880s, government regulations did not permit any illustrations on the face side of post cards and no written message was permitted on the reverse side other than the address. It was not until 1894 that the government somewhat relaxed its restrictive rules and permitted the issue of privately produced cards. Although the definition of postcards was expanded to include cards other than those printed only by the government, these cards had to be clearly marked "Private Post Card" and needed to have an adhesive stamp affixed to prepay the postage. Still, for the first time, postcards could now be printed with an illustration on the face side of the card.
This relaxation opened new possibilities for business people who immediately saw the advertising potential of these cards. Businesses, more than ever, appreciated the cards’ effectiveness in communicating with their customers; private individuals took advantage of these cards, many of which were artistically designed, to stay in touch with family and friends. Had post cards not been invented much of our social history, a frequently colourful past, unusual events, or simply the day-to-day activities of ordinary people, would be lost to history.
For example, a writer paints a vivid word picture on a postcard in which she describes a family trip home following an evening visit with friends. She describes her experience as follows: "It was so black and the rain so heavy that we could no longer see the road. Father had to slog through the mud on foot ahead of the team to lead the horses by hand. Although we were thoroughly drenched and cold, we arrived home safely."
The real collecting craze came with the introduction of illustrated cards. Much as we might today casually ask people we meet for the first time where they work, or what they do for a living, Edwardian ladies and gentlemen would inquire how their post card collection was coming along. We are fortunate that our great-great-grandparents indulged their postcard collecting passions because it is those cards that have allowed us to form many of today’s outstanding thematic collections.
In 1904 for the first time, the address, message, and postage stamp could all be placed on the reverse side of the card leaving the obverse free for an illustration. These cards are generally referred to as "divided backs" because of the line down the middle of the card along with instructions that the address is to be shown to the right of the line and the message to its left. And, did contemporary artists ever take advantage of this further relaxation by the Post Office Department. Sending greeting cards for birthdays, at Christmas and Easter, but also on other occasions such as Valentine’s Day and St. Patrick’s Day, became a fashionable trend like wearing high-buttoned shoes or riding bicycles built for two. Nearly every village, town, and city had its "Greeting from…" or "Welcome to …" series of postcards. All these cards have their following with today's collectors.
In discussions about postcards with dealers, one frequently hears the term "better cards." But other than seeing a price tag that will take them a step closer to the poor house, beginner collectors are frequently hard pressed to see much difference between a $2.00 and a $20.00 card. As is often the case, the laws of supply and demand dictate the price of cards but that begs the question: what factors set in motion the demand for a particular card or a series of cards? To glean even a rudimentary understanding of postcard economics it is useful to know something about what in the trade is referred to as the Seven Postcard Periods devised by Tonie and Valmai Holt that have been used in the compilation of the Stanley Gibbons catalogue for the last 20-plus years
Period 1 covers the span from the first cards in 1869 to 1899. This is the so-called "Pioneer" period along with cards for the earlier years, in particular sometime before 1894, resembled postal stationery rather than what we think of as postcards today. But change during this period was rapid and printing companies were quick to depict, as soon as the production of private postcards was permitted in 1904, all manner of topics they thought would appeal to clients. Some of the better known companies that produced an attractive array of cards during this period included the Toronto Lithographing Company, and the J.C. Wilson Company of Montreal.
Period 2 includes the years from 1900 to 1914. It is also known as "The Golden Age" of postcards. Some of the most beautiful cards ever produced date from this period. As might be expected, these cards also tend to be among the most popular with collectors particularly the earlier ones as interest in post cards during the later years began to wane.
Period 3 covers the war years of World War I from 1914 to 1918. The war brought a renewed interest in postcards because they were excellent propaganda vehicles. Many of the so-called "Patriotic Postcards" were born during this period and soldiers found them useful for sending home quick messages from the war front. Many of these cards depict Canadian patriotic scenes such as the maple leaf, flag, beaver, and the Canadian coat-of-arms.
Period 4 spans the inter-war years from 1918 to 1939. Patriotism in Canada subsided after the war ended with a concomitant reduction in the production of these types of cards. Print quality also deteriorated noticeably. The linen-type postcard came into vogue and publishers also began churning out pictorial postcards but many were of rather poor quality.
Period 5 covers the six World War II years from 1939 to 1945. It is a period marked by the production of propaganda cards. Canada, not surprisingly got into the act. "Join the Army" and similar-themed cards began to appear in an effort to recruit young men and women into the armed services. The period is not known for its high quality cards as printers focussed on other areas of their business.
Period 6 spans the years following World War II to 1969, the centenary of the postcard. It was not a noteworthy period for postcard collectors as few cards of exceptional quality were produced. Tourists had to be content with sending home cards depicting some unremarkable landscape or a comic beach scene reproduced on a cheap card. Not until the latter part of this period bracketing Canada’s Centennial in 1967 did a gradual improvement in the quality of postcards begin.
Period 7, from 1969 to the present, is remarkable because the centenary of the postcard brought about a revived interest for a collectible that was now a true antique: the age of postcards had reached that magic number of 100. And prices escalated accordingly. Ten-cent cards jumped to a dollar and dollar cards jumped to ten dollars. Scarce cards seemed to disappear altogether.
It appears clear that expertly produced cards by the top printers with a message such as patriotism or relevant social history are more desirable than run-of-the-mill cards produced with little thought for quality or subject matter. Although modern cards, which incidentally are again being produced in official format with imprinted postage stamps, are attractive, colourful, and expertly produced, do not command the prices of antique cards from the postcard Golden Age. With the supply of antique cards fixed, and an ever greater number of collectors vying for a limited supply, there is only way for prices to go: up.
Although we can guess at the age of old cards, dating them correctly is not always easy. Only a very small proportion of antique cards show their date of production. That leaves us to make educated guesses for the vast majority of cards that have been produced over a 100-plus-year-period. Although used cards are easier to date in some respects than mint ones their postmarked dates can be quite misleading.
Simply because a postcard was mailed on a certain date does not mean that the card dates from that era. It may have lain in a drawer for many years before someone decided to use it. The best we can say is that such a card is at least as old as its postmark. But it might be much older.
Ultimately, the value of any object is in the eye of the beholder. That cliché is certainly true for postcards although there are certain guidelines that help novice collectors from going off the rails.
In general, cards that are cracked, creased, torn, or trimmed, have bent or missing corners, are covered with grime, have excessive writing on the face side, or depict a bland or uninspiring subject, are worth much less than cards without these faults. A removed postage stamp from an obviously used card also detracts from its value. Alternatively, cards with interesting views such as street scenes, a railway station, a post office, or a military or aeronautics topic will enhance their value as will cards depicting small or Western towns with their correspondingly smaller populations.
Cards postmarked at small post offices add to their value if for no reason other than that stamp collectors and postal historians both desire these cards for their collections. The paths of deltiologists, stamp collectors, postal and other historians cross when it comes to postmarked cards. Their varied interests overlap as they all may want the same card. For example, a postcard collector is interested in a particular card because of its street scene whereas the philatelist may desire the same card for its postage stamp or postmark. Should the card’s postmark have some historically postal significance, postal historians will want the card for that reason. Dealers know that collectors with varied interests quite often pursue the same card.
There is even competition between philatelists and deltiologists for unused cards. For instance, mail cars, known as railway post offices (RPO's) attached to trains historically formed an integral part of the post office and philatelists keenly pursue postcards that depict these mail cars regardless of whether or not the card went through the mail. These individuals also collect postcards picturing post offices, mail trucks, street letter boxes, and similar postal topics.
One of the most dedicated groups of collectors is the coterie of patriotic postcard enthusiasts. These cards are exceptionally colourful with their patriotic themes designed to appeal to the emotions of collectors. The vast majority of patriotic cards were produced in the twenty-five years between 1890 and 1915 and have again captured the attention of significant numbers of collectors during the last thirty-odd years.
Thanks to the postcard collecting mania of our 19th-century ancestors, a rich part of our heritage has been preserved. Postcards offer collectors a wide variety of topics to chose from. The uncounted thousands of cards that have survived give us a glimpse back in time into the lives, social customs, and daily activities of ordinary people. >From their brief notes, messages, greetings, best wishes, expressions of sympathy, congratulations, or just an inquiry into a friend's health, we have gained a little better insight into the lives of individuals of bygone generations. We have learned that their aspirations, dreams and hopes were not all that different from ours.
Just as used cars and pre-owned designer clothes are finding new homes, today's collectors have given antique postcards a new lease on life. Although we collect postcards differently from our Edwardian predecessors who were not as concerned with theme, topic, era, printer, or any of the other criteria established by formally organized postcard associations, the reasons we collect them have remained much the same. Because of their enduring appeal, postcards have come full circle the second time around.
|