Fuzzy Bear Novelty Postcards the Golden Age of Postcards

The  Golden Age of postcards was 1898 - 1918.  Postcards were very popular and it became quite a competitive business for publishers.  They needed to be more creative so novelty postcards became popular.  You could feel the 3D effect with your fingers.  These two postcards were bears glued on a background using a velvet type material.  At first you could mail these novelty cards right through the mail.  After 1907 if there were glassine beads attached or lots of glitter they were suppose to be mailed in an envelope.

Notes taken from a great book Teddy Bears on Paper by Susan Brown Nicholson.

New Years Postcard, locomotive Engine with elf and children

This train looks good enough to eat.  In an earlier post I mentioned I bought a box of 400

plus postcards many of them trains.  This was the only card that the engine was made out of a yule

log and cookie wheels

Forth Bridge Edinburgh Scotland 1902 Postcard

Forth Railway Bridge

Work began on this enormous cantilever construction in 1882.  Designed by Sir John Fowler and Sir Benjamin Baker with main spans of  1700 feet a world record for many years.  The bridge is about 5300 feet long altogether and 360 feet above high water was opened March 1890 connecting Edinburh Scotland to the north of Scotland over the Forth River.

Flea market find Big box of postcards.

I just downloaded an eBlogger app on my tablet and giving it a try 
I just took a picture using Samsung tablet of my great flea market find 450 postcards  Many are modern train postcards from the 1980s but there are some sleepers in the box .  the trains are from Europe and very nice and in mint condition   Some USA cards too.  Cost of the box the $5.00. 

 Picture would not download from tablet to blog so had to email it to myself then download.  A little blurry.  I will have many train postcards available from the 1980s.  Will share some samples later.

Lists lists and more lists, I got to start writing things down Organization is my goal.

Today I went through my clutter, well actually bins of stuff.  I found my clip board, notepads, scraps of paper etc and a few pens.  So I put a tablet in each room, the clipboard by my recliner with an attached pencil.  I seem to be able to write grocery lists so maybe it will work for all my other activities.  I know you are suppose to put away every item in its proper place after you use it.  It is time for bed and hopefully I will write a list in the morning.

But wait there is a big Lions club Flea Market at the Fairgrounds.  Hmm just more clutter, but maybe I will find something good like postcards.

Cat Postcard by Rotograph Co New York and my cute kitty

Please don't scold! 1906 postcard

This postcard was printed by the Rotograph Co N.Y.

There is a website that I just discovered about Rotograph postcards.  Here is the link.

http://www.rotograph.org/

And here is my kitten.

What is he saying?  He needs a name.  Any suggestions?

Dating a Real Photo Postcard and other tidbits.

You can date this RPPC (real photo postcard) by studying the stamp box.  This will not work if the postcard has been mailed and the stamp box is covered.  This particular postcard is an AZO postcard produced by Eastman Kodak.  They had many styles of stamp boxes.  The triangles, diamonds indicate years of printing.  4 Triangles pointing up (corners) helps you date the card which is from 1904 to 1918.

This postcard also uses the mask system where a template is placed on top of the photo.  I am not sure how they got the fuzzy edges.
 
The Post Office did require a few rules as to the printing of these personal family postcards.  You had to have the words Post Card printed on message side, no specific rule on style of lettering or size so you do see some interesting letters.  Also required were the words Correspondence Here and Address Here.

Fashion helps indicate the date of a postcard.  I have observed in this postcard 3 ladies dressed quite nicely but the man appears to be wearing an apron.  That could call for many conclusions.  Maybe it is a family outing and the brother is doing the cooking.

I got this information from Real Photo Postcards KwikGuide by Gary W. Clark