Wild Postcards

The Memorial Church, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California

“Stanford Memorial Chapel — located on the Campus of Stanford University, is considered one of the most beautiful churches in America. The extensive use of art mosaics for mural decorations combine to make it a structure more than unique in character, worthy of visiting and well remembered. This church was built as a memorial by Mrs. Stanford to her husband Senator Leland Stanford. Dedicated in January 1903. Only non-sectarian services are held.”

This is an obvious Curt Teich card (number 0B-H123, produced in 1940) but is marked only as being copyrighted by the Stanley A. Piltz Company of San Francisco as part of their “Pictorial Wonderland Art-Tone Series”. There is a little wear on the corners, but otherwise this card is in excellent condition. You should definitely click on the picture, so that you can marvel at the painstaking detail of this card’s colorist.

Ski Party, Sun Valley Lodge, Sawtooth Mountains, Idaho

“The magnificent and palatial Sun Valley Lodge is located in the heart of Sawtooth Mountains, south of Galena Pass and near Ketchum, Idaho. The view shown is looking east up Trail Creek Pass. Skiing, skating, tobogganing and dog-sledging (sic) are typical activities attracting international sportsmen. Cost $1,500,000.” I hope they’re referring to the cost of building the Lodge rather than going on a ski vacation.

This Curt Teich card (number 7A-H3945, published in 1937) features a photograph by Wesley Andrews, and was in fact distributed by the Wesley Andrews Company of Portland, Oregon. Andrews started out making real photo postcards early in his career, then apparently outsourced production to the Teich Company later. A beautiful card despite some minor damage in one corner.

Greetings from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

This Curt Teich card (number 0B-H2338, produced in 1940) still has gorgeous colors. It came to me from the collection of Kay Anthony.

According to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park website, “World renowned for its diversity of plant and animal life, the beauty of its ancient mountains, and the quality of its remnants of Southern Appalachian mountain culture, this is America’s most visited national park.” Remnants of Southern Appalachian mountain culture? Paddle faster, I hear banjos!

Rose Garden, Elizabeth Park, Hartford, Connecticut

This Curt Teich “C. T. Art-Colortone” postcard (number 0B-H2159, manufactured in 1940) bears no description. However, according to the Friends of Elizabeth Park, this garden “is the oldest municipally operated rose garden in the country. It is a two and a half acre garden which has about 800 varieties of roses that amount to 15,000 plants.” The photograph on their website is taken from the same angle (albeit farther away), and things look pretty much unchanged.

This card was mailed from Waterbury, Connecticut on October 22, 1952, from one Sam Duncan to Mr. Joseph Bigley, in care of Mr. Messer at the Board of Transportation in Brooklyn, New York. Sam writes: “Hello, Joe: Being always mindful of my association with all you men and it being a delightful pleasure, I, at this time greet you all. Sincerely, Sam. Duncan.”

This message seems rather empty, maybe even glad-handing. My theory is that Sam was some politician or union boss who decided to drop a note from his house in the country out to shop steward Joe, in care of his boss back in Brooklyn. Tell the boys, Joe, that I’m thinking of you all, busting your humps back in the city, while I’m out here smelling the roses.

Hope you're not working too hard!

First Methodist Church, Tulsa, Oklahoma

“One of Tulsa’s beautiful churches, located at 1115 South Boulder.” And it still is, although today they go by the name of First United Methodist Church. A Curt Teich card, number 2C-H1085, manufactured in 1952 and a bit yellowed with age.