Old Postcards

[wendy177]

Dean a little info on the Humorous Dressed Cats - The cards were most popular from the 1940's through the 1960's and it is possible to date them by the imprinting on the backs, or sometime by the appearance of the image itself. The original cards were brilliantly colored and finished with a deckled edge (an uneven scalloped cut) .  While the postcards are commonly known as Mainzer dressed cats, they are named after the publisher, not the artist.  The artist was a European graphic artist by the name of  Eugen Hartung (or Hurtong) who lived from 1897 - 1973.  His signature logo was a little heart with a loop or "tongue" in the center.  That symbol should appear in one of the bottom corners on the front of the postcards. The cats were, by far the most popular and most plentiful cards.  The smaller series of dressed animals included dressed dogs, dressed mice and dressed hedgehogs.

[hosman321]

I just wanted to tell somethin' funny about my postcards really quick. About that one I posted earlier in this thread, "The Oldest Church Tower in America." Well, I have since purchased several more of that same post card, in several different colors and from different companies. It wasn't exactly the oldest church tower in America. It was simply a 300 year-old tree that they cut the top off of and put a bell on! That's cheating! I was wondering how it could be the oldest church tower in this country but the church was only 30 years old! Slick, eh?
http://oldstpeters.org/About_Old_St_Peters

[talesofthesevenseas]

I'm curious how much you guys typically spend when buying a postcard. I suspect finding them in boxes at flea markets is the way to get them cheap, but it would take a whole lot of searching to find ones that are interesting or significant to your area. Looking on Ebay,

I do see ones of my town I live in that are interesting, prices have ranged from about $4 to $39. There is one guy who is buying up the originals and selling reprints of them as "art prints", which is an interesting concept. I wonder how many of these he actually sells?

[regularjoe2]

I'll buy photographic 'post-cards' , typically European , when researching artworks (if the photograph is of the original artwork) & I'll pay up to $50.00 USD for a pristine one (if there is no other 'accurate' option) .

I use them for photo comparison/ authentication purposes ; I've uncovered some very good copies & fakes of original art using this (& other) methods .

Every few years , I buy a box full of old postcards , and usually look for around 50 to 100-ish cards for around $25 to $50 .... have a friend who collects & I just turn them over to her for what I paid .

[Miss Platnum]

I also have old postcards, but I will keep them and give them to my child. I consider my postcards as a treasure.

http://www.antiquescanr.com

[Dean Perdue]

I consider my postcards as a treasure.

Me too.

TOT7S- Regarding how much is typically spend when buying a postcard.
Guess you have to take into consideration rarity and if you'll ever get another chance to purchase the same card again.
On the other hand if it's a common card and it will come back around then you can afford to wait for the best possible price.
The more you look at the for sale area your buying in, the better you'll be aware what is a good deal and what is truly a rarity.

IMO 5-20 dollars would be a price that I wouldn't hesitate on if I was really into the image but I have gotten some for as low as $0.15 that I would have paid over $20 for.
Also let me tell you these small amounts add up really quick if you can't stop yourself (I'm addicted and try to stop).lol

I agree with Regularjoe that if it's a card that is tough and the art moves me I might possibly go to $50 but not with thinking I could make that money back.
I'm not quite as concerned with prestine condition though as much as rarity.Comic book collecting has really turned me off to condition collecting when it becomes about collecting condition rather than about the significance of the item.
To each their own though and it's probably only human to want the best.

Generally I see a lot of great cards selling in the 3-10 dollar range but every now and then you can make a great score for under that.

Obviously,like anything art oriented, what appeals to one will not appeal to all.But this is an affordable and fun area of collecting if you don't go overboard.

[Dean Perdue]

I just wanted to tell somethin' funny about my postcards really quick. About that one I posted earlier in this thread, "The Oldest Church Tower in America." Well, I have since purchased several more of that same post card, in several different colors and from different companies. It wasn't exactly the oldest church tower in America. It was simply a 300 year-old tree that they cut the top off of and put a bell on! That's cheating! I was wondering how it could be the oldest church tower in this country but the church was only 30 years old! Slick, eh?
http://oldstpeters.org/About_Old_St_Peters

I know what you mean Hosman321 about deceipt.
You would think that over the years and years of being conned with BS from politicians,media,some school teachers,'special offers',sales promotions,guarantees,even religion at high levels we would all be more cynical and should be experts at catching this sort of thing immediately but as long as government stands to make a red cent on a sale anything goes so long as Uncle Sam gets his even at the cost of total degradation of our society.Blame the game not the players IMO.

[Dean Perdue]

A intresting card just in.How about Satan's feet.

[fancypants]

Yes Dean , strange feet indeed .

Kinda makes Hell look like more fun than I suspected !

Who'da thunk there's free goat rides !?!?

I think I see some of my friends !

[Dean Perdue]

That's an intresting take on it Fancypants.

I love getting different interpretations on art and feel it's very mind expanding and opens up new trains of thoughts.

I looked at this card and saw Satan thriving with joy at seeing the mortal sins of witchcraft alive and well on this earth.
Almost like he's thinking have a good time now because your a-- is mine in the after life.

Thanks for adding your take and concepts.

[ironlord1963]

Wow for sure a intresting Card for sure. Looks like who ever the artist is was not in the main stream of religion for sure.  Really cool card.

[regularjoe2]

Dean , about your lastest-posted post card ;

It's a depiction of "Walpurgis' Night" ...
Brocken was/has been/is considered the center for 'revelry' for witches on Walpurgisnacht (April 30th) , a tradition that still happens there .

Goethe , in his "Faust" (1808) -

"Now to the Brocken the witches ride ;
The stubble is gold and the corn is green
There is the carnival crew to be seen ,
And Squire Urianus will come to preside ,
So over the valleys our company floats ,
With witches a-farting on old stinking goats "

The main structure in the image (in your card) was destroyed by allied bombing during WW2 .

[Dean Perdue]

Thanks Ironlord & Regularjoe2 for the excellent input and info.I'm still getting a laugh out of Fancypants seeing a few of her freinds in the mix.lol.
I didn't even think about the building in the background till it was mentioned.Any idea what the building was?
I thought it was just an artist concept.Good eye.

[fancypants]

Here's a 1904 image of the hotel @ Brocken .

This historic mountain-top locale has had many things atop it , including an East German Stasi/Soviet cold-war era listening post .

Also an image of Brocken today .

[talesofthesevenseas]

Whoa! Interesting card!