Welcome to Patty's Antique and Collectible Postcards

Postcard collecting (deltiology) is one of the most popular collectible hobbies in the world. Vintage and antique post cards are great historical tools for researching our past.  Antique and Vintage Postcard's can teach us about our Ancestry, our industrial history, important political events or social norms of the past century.   Vintage and antique postcards have been collectibles since the 1890’s, with millions produced, purchased and mailed during the Golden Age of Postcards. 

Antique Collectible postcards can be valuable depending on rarity, subject, topic, Artist signed, stamp, Postal cancellation, publisher, Real Photograph, Social and cultural History or family genealogy.

We offer vintage postcards and old antique postcards for postcard collectors and postcard collecting.  Antique collectors and photography historians are particularly interested in old postcards and RPPC's, in particular, are highly valued by deltiologists.  Historians and genealogists use postcards to research and document historic events.

Do you have any old postcards or Real Photos its that you want appraised or would like to sell?  Contact us for Free appraisals!

We upload old collectible postcards daily.  If you are collecting postcards as a hobby or would just like to find a few collectible postcards that cover a particular interest, check out our Site.  If you are new to postcard collecting, we invite you to send us an email and ask any questions about old postcards, or click on our "all about postcards" tab at the top of the page.

Professors and Teachers will find antique postcard sites a valuable source of information that can turn students into historical investigators.  

Pick up an old postcard and see where it takes you!

In 1907, France alone produced 300 million postcards, and over seven billion were sold worldwide. Germany was producing a billion a year, England over 600 million, and the United States nearly 800 million.

Ancestry & Genealogical Research:

Are you searching for your Relatives or Family members? Did you know that old postcards are a great Ancestry Research Tool that can help you re-connect with your past? We've included Family Sur-names, Cities and other pertinent information from our selections that will make it easier for you to research!

Famous Families and Famous People:

We've found many antique postcards from the famous families of: Wilbur Wright (Aviator), Butterfield Family (Pony Express), A.T. Still (Founder of  Osteopathy), Cyrus B. Hall McCormick (Thresher inventor) and Myron Floren Family (Long time Accordionist with the Lawrence Welk Show).

Stamp Collecting:

Many postcards still have the original stamp affixed. Most are common, (Ben Franklin, George Washington, Liberty, etc.,) but some stamps (even though cancelled), are very collectible, especially Foreign, because many countries and provinces have changed names several times throughout the century. A 3 cent George Washington red stamp from the early 1900's recently sold for $250.00!

Real Photo Post Cards (RPPC's):

The rarest and most valuable category of collecting old postcards is Real Photo's.

Real photo postcards are actual photographs that were taken and processed from a 'clean' negative plate and printed in a darkroom on postcard paper. Unlike printing and copying methods used today, these photo's do not contain 'pixel's or 'dots' when viewed closely. Void of the 'middle-man', these images are clean and crisp. Cards that are based on real photos but are printed by lithography or other methods aren't classified as 'RPPC's, or real photo postcards.

Brief history of Eastman Kodak Company:

The Eastman Kodak Company introduced 'Velox'photo paper printing paper in 1903 and soon offered the Folding Pocket Kodak, which allowed the general public to produce, print and mail their personal images of family and daily life.
                                                    
A small "door" located in the back of the camera allowed the user to write a caption on their photo with an attached scribe. Young, eager photographers, hired by Photo Publishing Companies, traveled America capturing and documenting one-of-a-kind memories of our Nations (and World) developments. These 'traveling photographers’ played  a crucial role in documenting rural and city life,  history of the Industrial Revolution, Social Reform and historical Foreign, Political and World Wide events. Early century Photos of lumberjacks in Oregon, American Indians and natural disasters are rare and highly sought after.

Unfortunately, due to new cost saving measures  and new photo technologies, most real photo post card publishers quit producing Real Photo’s by the 1950’s. “Fuji” is the only company today that still supplies Real Photograph paper, equipment and development supplies.

No more Leathers!  Production stopped in 1909:

Leather postcards were one of the first types to be produced. All are unique and most were hand made. Antique leather postcards were produced between 1903 and 1910; however, they were banned in 1907 by the Postal system because they were too bulky and tended to jam the automated cancel machines. They were produced from mainly deer hide and designed using a process called Pyrography. Kits could be purchased for the family to create their own to send, much like the wood burning kits popular in the 1950’s.

W.S. Heal Company was a large manufacturer of comic leather, often poking fun at ‘old maid’s and mean ‘mothers-in-law’. Some antique leather postcards had hole ‘templates’ marked around the edges for receivers to punch out and thread together with short leather tassels.  The stitched postcards could then be stuffed to make pillows and given to college students as ‘comforting’ (and durable) send-off gifts.

One of a Kind Leather Finds!

A few years ago we found a very unusual and rare, square (hand cut) antique Leather postcard that was hand made from cow hide, showing a Pueblo Indian on a horse. The 1906 cancel confirms the one half inch thick card was mailed. After some research, we discovered that it was sent from a saddle maker in Pueblo, Colorado, an area known for fine saddles during the early turn of the century. Ancestry research on the sender confirmed that he was related to the family in Iowa, and was employed at the time by a large saddle making company in Pueblo. The family still resides at this rural address.

Another example of unusual leather postcards discovered is made out of fine leather, sewn and folded to form a small decorative coin purse, with a tight 'snap' button riveted to the front for closing.  It bears the 1905 cancel and 105 year old stamp!


Artist Signed and Hand Painted:

Artist Signed postcards are considered very collectible and included known and unknown artists. Some recognized artist include: E. Clapsaddle (Halloween & Holidays), C. Shinn (Comic), H.B. Griggs (Comic & Satire), C. Klein (Flowers & Greetings), Flugo (Mexican bull fights) and M. McMein (Humphrey Bogart’s Mother who went on to work for McCall’s Magazine).

Many unknown artists began their career designing postcards, moved on to bigger and better opportunities and eventually, onto recognition and fame. Unknown artists are still emerging from this category today and are gaining notoriety. Unfortunately, many post cards do not include the artist's signature or logo. If you can help collector's identify them, please contact us and we'll update our Artist's information. We appreciate your help!

During the War years, many unknown artists from Europe sold their 'post card' artwork to American Soldiers for extra income. Although not signed, many are very fine in detail, one-of-a-kind, and definitely worth researching. Check out our Artist Signed and Hand Drawn categories for more examples of these post cards.

To learn more about the hobby of Antique, Vintage and Real Photo postcards, visit our 'ALL-ABOUT-POSTCARDS'  Tab, located at the top of the page. This page is updated frequently, so be sure to check back often for more information about Antique and Vintage Postcards.

Our Store is updated daily and is a continuing project dedicated to Antique Postcard Collectors, Genealogists and Historical Researchers

Please stay tuned for more!