Wild Postcards

A Curt Teich card (number 2DK-1520), published in 1962; it was actually made in the USA and distributed by an outfit in Buffalo, NY. “One of the world’s most spectacular observation points, the tower stands 670 feet above the base of the Niagara River and gives an unsurpassed view of both the American and Canadian Falls as well as a breathtaking 5,000 square mile panorama of the entire area. The seven-story crown building offers both open and glass enclosed observation decks plus several outstanding restaurants.”

The varnish on the front of this unused card has yellowed quite a bit over the years; the (unvarnished) back of the card is still pretty close to the original white. Not visible on the scan and only barely visible on the original is the fact that the varnish has cracked along most of its surface, resembling fine wood grains that run in various directions.

A Curt Teich card (number 2DK-1520), published in 1962; it was actually made in the USA and distributed by an outfit in Buffalo, NY. “One of the world’s most spectacular observation points, the tower stands 670 feet above the base of the Niagara River and gives an unsurpassed view of both the American and Canadian [...]

“Located in Southern Utah and is easily accessible by boat from Wahweap Marina. 309 feet high and 278 foot span.”

This card is postmarked August 11, 1970. Shirley, Sinker and Bonzo write: “On our way back home. Left Las Vegas yesterday morning. We stopped to see Grand Canyon. See you in a few day(s).”

“Located in Southern Utah and is easily accessible by boat from Wahweap Marina. 309 feet high and 278 foot span.” This card is postmarked August 11, 1970. Shirley, Sinker and Bonzo write: “On our way back home. Left Las Vegas yesterday morning. We stopped to see Grand Canyon. See you in a few day(s).”

Byron Harmon left Tacoma, Washington in 1903 to photograph mountains and, realizing that there were no photography studios in the Canadian Rockies, settled in Banff, Alberta. The surviving collection of photos numbers over 6,000.

On this card, barely visible near the bottom center, is the legend “Lake Louise. 118.”, scratched into the negative by the photographer. An identical real photo postcard with a more visible legend can be seen in Toni McLaughlin’s collection of Harmon RPPCs (look for #118). Toni also has images of a dozen white border postcards of Harmon’s published in the early 1920′s, the first of which is Lake Louise taken from an ever so slightly different angle.

The back of the card reads “Along the Line of the Canadian Pacific Railway. Photographed and Copyrighted by Byron Harmon, Banff, Canada.”

Byron Harmon left Tacoma, Washington in 1903 to photograph mountains and, realizing that there were no photography studios in the Canadian Rockies, settled in Banff, Alberta. The surviving collection of photos numbers over 6,000. On this card, barely visible near the bottom center, is the legend “Lake Louise. 118.”, scratched into the negative by the [...]