Wild Postcards

Forget the date? Use this handy calendar!

This embossed card of German manufacture was sent to Great-Grandpa Phil from one “Lila”; it was postmarked at Vanderbilt, Pennsylvania on December 24, 1910 at 5 PM. As fast as the postmen used to be back then, I’m pretty sure that Phil didn’t receive this until the morning of December 26. In case you’re wondering, Lila is not my great-grandmother.

To my readers and fellow collectors: have a very merry Christmas!

Lila wishes you a merry Christmas too!

A Joyful Christmas

This card was given to Great-Grandpa Phil by Ida M. Schobert on “Dec. 17 - 09″, which either means 99 years ago or one year from now, depending on whether or not this card can get up to 88 miles per hour. When I say “given”, I mean it was apparently hand-delivered, given the lack of address or stamp. The “stamp” in this case is a very highly embossed Santa Claus face, cut by hand from something else — perhaps even from another postcard. Ida clearly put some time and thought into this card, but no, she’s not my great-grandmother.

All of the items around the main picture are embossed, though the main picture is not. I’m not sure what the items in the upper left corner are supposed to represent. Any ideas?

Merry Christmas from Ida Schobert

"Leap Frog" by Bernhardt Wall

This card was sent from “James” in Dawson, Pennsylvania to Great-Grandpa Phil on December 4, 1907, or 101 years ago today. On the front of the card, James asks, “Do you like to go too (sic) school? We have lots of fun at school.” On the back, he continues: “Halloo Philip. I am well. How are you the kids are all well. Good bye. James.”

The illustration on this card is signed by the artist, Bernhardt Wall. (Click for other artist signed cards.) According to Jerry Kosanovich and Paul Hageman at their Propaganda Postcards of the Great War website, “Wall, born in 1872, was a Connecticut Yankee. He wintered in La Porte, Texas, his wife’s family home, for many years. (He) was mainly an etcher who illustrated many books…. During the First World War (he) designed a large number of patriotic/comic postcards.”

Halloo Philip!

Thanksgiving Wishes for Great-Grandpa

Here’s an embossed postcard from Great-Grandpa Phil’s collection. The front of the card has a notice reading “Design Copyright 1908, by M.W. Taggart, N.Y.” Note how this design incorporates a farm that apparently sits directly on a beach, complete with seagulls.

The card was mailed to Phil from Dunbar, Pennsylvania on November 22, 1910 (Thanksgiving would have fallen on the 24th that year) and is signed “OWS”. While I’m pretty certain that we had relatives there at the time, and while the “S” suggests another Smith, I am at a loss to recall who OWS might have been.

Thanksgiving Greetings from "OWS"

In the doghouse

Here’s a cute card to Great-Grandpa Phil from someone called Bill, presumably a friend. Postmarked not too far from Phil in Vanderbilt, PA, August 3, 1912.

A card from Bill.