This is a postcard from Great Grandpa Phil’s collection; it was sent to him and Great Grandma Lottie by the Hodinka family, John, Helen, and daughter Charlene, from a vacation in Minnesota. It’s postmarked Rochester, MN, August 27, 1966. John Hodinka — “Sonny” — was my grandmother’s cousin; he passed away last Wednesday, September 22 at the age of 81.

Charlene tells me that her grandfather on Helen’s side had a cousin there. Her mother’s aunt corresponded regularly with the folks in Rochester, but they had never met, so this trip was part vacation, part family reunion.

At one point during the vacation, Sonny somehow wound up on a horse, with explicit instructions not to let up on the reins. Of course, he did, and the horse wound up riding in circles, with Sonny unable to get the horse to stop. Another rider had to sidle up to them to bring Sonny and his mount to a stop. Bear in mind that we’re talking about a man who made sixteen jumps into Italy with the 82nd Airborne Division.

For young Charlene, the highlight of the trip was a tour of the Hormel plant, where she was able to observe how ham is made. “Poor little piggies,” she says. “They hung them upside down (on hooks) and a knife stabbed each one in the stomach. The things you remember…. I got pig blood on my white sneaker.” She didn’t remember if Sonny had anything to say about it, but I think he would have found the humor in the situation.

So long, Sonny. I miss you already.

Since there’s no worded suggestion, one must assume that it’s the illustration that is meant to impart some guidance. What I’m getting out of it is that you should take your lover to a quiet spot in the moonlight, stick out your tongue, and see what happens.

This card didn’t go through the postal system and appears to have been hand-delivered to Great-Grandpa Phil, presumably by some young lass who was making her intentions clear. Looks like Phil had a happy Valentine’s Day; I hope you do the same.

This is a postcard sent to my Great-Grandpa Phil by his cousin, James, on February 25 of either 1908 or 1909; the postmark isn’t clear. (Also, somebody did a poor job of filching the stamp.) What’s odd is that it’s postmarked at Helen, Pennsylvania. James lived in Dawson, Pennsylvania, about 10 miles from Phil, but he mailed it from Helen, which was only about two miles away. James and Phil were both pre-teens at the time; James and family might have been visiting friends. I don’t recall any that any relatives lived in the very tiny hamlet of Helen.

James writes: “Dear Philip: I rec’d your card. Glad to hear from you. Mamma (Phil’s Aunt Kate) will answer your card you sent her soon. Good-by, James.”

Over at Girls Go Postal! today, I posted another of Phil’s cards, a postcard sent to him by my great-great-great-grandmother. Check it out, then take a look at the other folks celebrating Postcard Friendship Friday today!

Some vintage humor for Postcard Friendship Friday: a deacon goes to town and discovers that they make postcards of pretty girls! (You can click on the extreme closeup at right and see for yourself what makes this deacon smile.)

Moreover, he seems pleased as punch at the discovery. And why shouldn’t he be? I know that I was pretty excited when I found out about it.

Looks like my Great-Grandpa Phil received this postcard, oh, a little over a hundred years ago; the postmark is a little obscured, but it looks like January 9, 1909.

Yesterday over on Postcrossing I sent my hundredth “official” card (in this case, it was an envelope filled with five or six cards; my way of helping a young Dutch girl reach her goal of collecting cards representing all 50 U.S. States) was reported as having been received.  The first hundred cards traveled a combined 437,139 miles.

Since I’ve hit the century mark, let me go back to the man who started my collection for me: my great-grandfather, Philip Nelson Smith.  This “Phillip” postcard (spelled differently on the card than he spelled it) was part of his collection.  It’s unused and is almost certainly 100 years old, and might have been manufactured as early as 1907, based on the format of the postcard back.

You can’t see it on the scan, but the stuff surrounding each letter, while mostly dark in color, is speckled with silver glitter!  A great deal of it still remains on the card; I try to handle this card as little as possible.  The flowers and four-leaf clovers are embossed into the card.  The card was probably made in Germany (most cards from this time frame were); the pre-printed address lines on the back are aligned similarly to most European cards, and the word “postcard” appears on the back in a dozen different languages.

“La Fayette Memorial Park on National ‘Old Trails’ Road, Route 40 between Uniontown and Brownsville is rapidly becoming the choice of those living in S.W. Pennsylvania.”  Or, more precisely, the choice of those dying in southwest Pennsylvania.  But I digress. “Wide driveways will lead visitors past lakes, waterfalls and shaded retreats. Tombstones are prohibited, but names will live forever in imperishable bronze.”

This is certainly an odd postcard to find among the collection of Great Grandpa Phil.  He was born in this area and lived there until he and Great Grandma Lottie followed my grandmother to South Jersey. I’m sure he had occasion to visit the cemetery pictured; a quick search of surnames of the “residents” of LaFayette Memorial Park at Find A Grave shows more than a handful of my distant relatives.  Phil and Lottie aren’t buried here themselves, however; while I can’t recall the exact location, I feel certain that they were buried in their church graveyard back home in Fayette County, Pennsylvania.  In any case, I distinctly remember that they had a gravestone, which places them somewhere besides LaFayette Memorial Park.

This card is difficult to date; it’s a photochrome postcard, but with a deckled edge, a white border, a space between “La” and “Fayette” that has fallen out of fashion, and an image that one would expect to find on a linen postcard.  Judging solely from the fonts used on the back, I am going to guess early- to mid-1950s.  This is likely a design that was in use for decades, and migrated through different manufacturing techniques as times changed.  Probably they intended for visitors to the cemetery to send out status reports to other relatives who couldn’t visit personally.

True to their word, so far they have continued to provide perpetual care.

“Loading cotton at the Port of Corpus Christi, for ports throughout the world. For many years cotton was the main export commodity; however, in recent years, petroleum, petroleum products, chemicals and agricultural products have become major export commodities. In 1949 the Corpus Christi Waterway ranked 9th in tonnage among U.S. ports.”

This card is a bit of conundrum.  The Curt Teich serial number (4A-H2018) is unequivocal proof that this card was manufactured in 1934.  However, the description makes reference to events of 1949.  Obviously, therefore, this is a reprint and, according to the manufacturer’s procedure, should have received a reprint serial number, but did not.  Somebody was being lazy.

As far as lazy goes, the coloring on this card isn’t up to the usual Curt Teich standards either.  This image started out as a black-and-white photo, and the colorist simply failed to color the ship names on the bows, preferring instead to leave a rectangular non-colorized shape around the names.  The masts of the ships in the foreground, and the entire ship in the background, remain in black-and-white as well.

This is a card from Great-Grandpa Phil’s collection, sent to him and the missus from Corpus Christi on 23 June 1953 from “The Moyers”: “Hi folks. We are having a swell time, but sure is hot in Texas.”  Hot?  In Texas?  In June?  Seriously?

A trifecta today in honor of Thomas Jefferson, who was born on this date in 1743.  It’s also a fine entry for Postcardy’s Scavenger Hunt #2: Spring.  First, a couple of cards from a group which I call, just for fun, the Wart Collection:

“Shown are, The Washington Monument, The White House, The Jefferson Memorial.”  The description on this postcard, published by Capsco, Inc. of Washington DC, might be no-frills, but it really is a nice montage.  Probably published between 1963-1970. 

“The blossoming of the Japanese Cherry Trees gives the Thomas Jefferson Memorial its most beautiful setting. This work of John Russell Pope was dedicated April 13, 1943 on the 200th anniversary of the birth of Jefferson. South side of the Tidal Basin.  This card was published by Silberne Souvenir Sales, Inc., also of Washington DC and probably around the same time.

Lastly, a card sent to Great-Grandma Lottie:

“The Thomas Jefferson Memorial is located on the Tidal Basin in West Potomac Park. It is construted of Danby Vermont marble for the exterior and Georgia white marble for its interior. This Historic Shrine with its setting of Cherry Blossoms is one of the most beautiful sights in Springtime, and is visited by thousands each year.”

“Glenn” sent this card from Washington DC on 26 September 1965, using a 3-cent postage stamp from 1948.  Remember how there used to be decades between postal rate increases, and now they occur almost annually?  Glenn writes: “Hi everyone. Went in to Pa. for brother’s funeral. All O.K. Got your card and letter. Will write later on. Kind of (illegible) up yet. Hard on the nerves. Write too.”

This is another Capsco card, but the postal code in the notation “Washington 4, D.C.” places the manufacture prior to 1963.  The “Youth Month 1948″ stamp is cancelled with the notation “Ability Counts”, a sentiment that Jefferson probably would have agreed with, but it seems to me that it’s an American value that has fallen by the wayside.

Those old Easter postcards with anthropomorphic chicks and rabbits give me nightmares.  Instead, I bring you this lovely Spring scene, courtesy of Great-Grandpa Phil.  Happy Easter!

Here’s a card that Great-Grandpa Phil received 101 years ago from his teacher, Florence M. Fortney, who praises his “punctual attendance, correct deportment, and diligent attention to studies.” This card is much thinner than a postcard, but thicker than paper; I estimate that it’s about half as thick as typical photo paper of today.

As a blogger, you too can have correct deportment: sign up for Postcard Friendship Friday, a brilliant idea from the brilliant Marie (whom henceforth I shall refer to as “my girl Friday”) over at Cpaphil Vintage Postcards. It doesn’t matter if your blog isn’t dedicated to postcards. And if you don’t have a blog, keep checking out my blog, her blog and all the cool blogs that sign up!

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!

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?

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.”

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.

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.

“The Engineer is often praised / By passengers and crew. / He always makes his record runs, / When he needs “Happy Thought” to chew.”

Clearly someone needs to stage an intervention. He doesn’t just want some chewing tobacco, he needs it, and is willing to risk the lives of his passengers in order to get it more quickly.

Someone called “FCT” gave this to Great-Grandpa Phil, probably not later than around 1905. She writes, “Hello honey suckle.” I don’t know who FCT is, but she is not my great-grandmother.

Courtesy of Great-Grandpa Phil, here are two “Hershey Bar Cards.” According to the Hershey – Derry Township Historical Society, “Bar cards were inserted into the 5 cent milk chocolate and almond milk chocolate bars (from 1909 to 1918). These advertisements extolled the virtues and offerings of the chocolate factory, town, park, and school through their national distribution system.”

The cards are approximately 5-3/4″ by 2-1/2″ in dimension; Hershey bars apparently aren’t as big as they used to be. Based on the postcard backs (which are identical), these would seem to be two of the earlier ones. I’m guessing that, since both cards are creased, they probably spent some time in young Phil’s pocket before being added to his collection. I don’t know if it’s my imagination but, near some of the darker smudges on the cards, I could swear I can smell chocolate.

“Bridge Spanning Cuyahoga River on Ohio Turnpike.” I don’t want to be too technical, but it appears that the bridge pictured is spanning the Ohio Turnpike. Unless, of course, they built the turnpike on the riverbed. Hope they don’t get a lot of rain! Actually, what I think is happening in this picture is that, once one reaches the rise in the distance, there be the bridge — making this card woefully mislabeled. Blame our old friends the Tichnor Bros. of Boston 15, Mass., who manufactured this “Lusterchrome” card. (What, it doesn’t look lustrous to you?)

Great Aunt Esther sent this card off to Great-Grandma Lottie on November 17, 1958: “We are on our way to Peninsula on this side of Akron Ohio, to see a man that did work for Bill. He is not able to work anymore.” Come on, Esther; I’m not looking for a full biography or anything, but did you have to leave us hanging like that? Did the man lose a leg or something?

This is a large-letter linen postcard, another personal message from Daisy Boyd to Great-Grandma Lottie. It was posted from Spartanburg, South Carolina on May 24, 1953. Daisy writes (typos in the original): “Dear Mrs. Smith. Hope your both feeling fine. We feel some better Mr. Boyd just had to get away with his folks. Haveing nice time picnicks & fishing eaten big ones. Will see you all some time this summer. Mrs. H. Boyd.”

From these postcards from Daisy Boyd, it sounds as if Homer (Mr. Boyd) used to love to leave Pennsylvania on a moment’s notice and go see the old folks down in South Cackalacky.

This is a Christmas postcard sent to my great-grandfather, in care of his father, James Henry Smith. It was sent perhaps as early as (but no earlier than) 1907. The sender is unknown, and there is no message.

This card has some unique features. For one thing, there is no indication (that I can see, even after close examination of the high-resolution scan) that there was ever a stamp placed on this card. There is a cancellation mark over the stampbox itself, with the number “1″ breaking one of the lines of the mark. Did this number denote that the one-penny postage had been paid? I have not seen another instance like it among my collection.

There is also the publisher’s mark: the notation “SL & CO” within a circle, and the circle with angel’s wings on either side. This is the mark of S. Langsdorf and Company, of New York and Germany. The card, like most pre-World War I cards, was printed in Germany and presumably exported to the New York office for sale in the United States.

There are several cards without messages in the collection (which will be posted, eventually), and many of those were apparently hand-delivered — probably similar to the way that the younger kids exchange Valentines today.