We live in a rapidly changing world where technological developments have sounded the death knell for many professions. The grinder, the clog maker and the lamplighter are just some of the lost professions. Postcards enable us to rediscover these forgotten jobs that were carried out by talented craftsmen.
There are many postcard collectors and their collections are extremely varied and specialised. If you are thinking about starting a collection, where should you begin. Here are a few ideas to help you choose a topic around which to start nd base your collection.Before SMS messages, email and similar, communication was by letter or postcard sent by post. As a direct consequence, stamp collecting became popular, fun and educational. With the decline in physical mail and the increased use of franking machines, the availability of postage stamps declined. Postcards to some extent have replaced stamp collecting, although purist stamp collectors and postcard collectors would probably not agree.
Collecting postcards, especially vintage postcards or those from another country can be fun, educational, and financially rewarding. Some of the places that collectable postcards may be found never ceases to amaze. The most valuable of these are those that were made before 1930 that are called “pre-linen”. Cards from that time to the mid 1940’s are also in demand. One place to find postcards like these is art auctions.
Colour or Black & White
This is an important consideration, because it will determine whether you will collect old, semi-modern or modern postcards. Based on what you decide, you will have more or less postcards available for you to collect.
Places Of Interest
Most collectors start by collecting postcards that show a place the way it used to be. It may be a village they have visited or the town where they grew up or their favourite holiday destination. Many postcard collectors began with places with which they are familiar. Later they may choose places they do not know but have a direct link or connection to the place: related to their family name or their first name for example. The place does not matter, as long as it has some meaning for you and leads to discoveries.Subjects
Postcard collecting is not limited to places since there are many other possibilities: forgotten trades, famous people, means of transport, a period, science, cooking and sports related cards. It is up to you to find the subject in which you have the greatest interest.
Illustrators & Artists
Some postcard collectors choose an illustrator or artist. There are quite a few big-names from which to choose such as Kirchner, Mucha, Peynet etc whose postcard illustrations are loved by many collectors. Once again, it is a matter of preference so it is up to you to choose a subject you really like. If you choose a known illustrator, remember to consider your budget, which will quickly take off, because many postcards are issued in very limited series, which makes them rare, and hence expensive.
Events
Many collectors also choose postcards depicting events. Again, there are many options available but we recommend you limit the subjects of your collection from the start, based on your preferences and your budget.
Printers
A few postcard collectors start with this topic and many come to it sooner or later when they start to specialise. Many small printers have produced little jewels in the past that have become desirable to modern day collectors.
Professions
Many everyday professions have been lost in our modern day throw away society. As resources become more rare or even totally exhausted, repair and longevity may eventually see a return of some of these skilled professions.
Lamplighter
This is a profession that is no longer relevant today but which never-the-less had its heyday at the end of the 1700's and the beginning of the 1800's. A profession that is unlikely to come back, but we none of us know what the future may hold.When Saint-Exupéry depicts this astonishing character on the fifth planet in his book “The Little Prince”, he writes poetically: “When he lights his street lamp, it is as if he brought one more star to life, or one flower. When he puts out his lamp, he sends the flower, or the star, to sleep. That is a beautiful occupation. And since it is beautiful, it is truly useful.”
The lamplighter appeared during the industrial revolution at the end of the 1600's. The function was initially to light lanterns with candles. Street lamps appeared in Paris in 1766, a century later. They would be the invention of the abbot Matherot de Preigny and Mr Bourgeois de Châteaublanc. At the beginning, the streetlight was initially lit with oil, before switching to gas lighting around 1820.
The job of street lighter, although demanding because it was subject to bad weather and was exhausting, was generally a complementary activity. Indeed, the tours, at dawn and at dusk, did not take up a full day.
This old-time trade died out with the advent of electric lighting. As early as 1878, on the occasion of the Universal Exhibition in Paris, several locations were equipped with this new type of lighting, which gradually replaced gas and thus lamplighters. The trade was permanently abandoned in the first half of the 1900's.
Lamplighter
Clog Maker
Up until the 1900's, it was not uncommon in the countryside to wear clogs. Before the introduction of clog-making machines, from 1919 onwards, a craftsman called the clog maker carried out this task. There were two types of clog makers: those who made the outside shape and those who carved the inside of the clog.
The clog maker started by cutting the wood into logs of the size intended for the clog. Then, with an axe, he cut the wood into the shape of the clog. Afterwards, the clog was carved without being damaged.
When a pair of clogs was regularly worn, they wore out in a maximum of two months. To make them last longer, the soles were often reinforced.
Currently, there are still a few clog makers, but it is a disappearing craft as clogs have been replaced by shoes.
Clog Makers
Grinder
This is a very old trade that is said to date back to the 1300's. The work of the grinder consisted in sharpening knives, scissors, swords and daggers using a grinding wheel. The grinder travelled from village to village with his equipment in order to sharpen cutting utensils.Initially carrying his grindstone on his back, he then switched to the wheelbarrow and then to the cart to facilitate transportation.
The guild of grinders was recognised in the 1400's, and a few years later, it was joined by the guild of cutlers and their patron saint is Saint Catherine.
The profession of grinder lived on until the 1900's, when knives started to be made of better quality steel, that no longer requiring regular sharpening.
Thus, their cries and the noise of the metal on the grindstone which animated the villages as they passed through, became a thing of the past.
Old Postcard Drawing – Grinder
As a witness to the past, postcards present us with these trades that have been completely forgotten nowadays. Clog makers, grinders and lamplighters are only three of many trades that no longer exist.
Timeline
In 1870 the first British Postcard was issued by the General Post Office. It was designed to take the address on one side and a picture on the other where you were able to put a small message along side it. This came with a printed halfpenny stamp.
A little later in 1893 the United States Government had cards printed in a similiar format called Pioneer Cards, but they had a one cent stamp already printed on. At that time privately printed souvenir cards, had to have a two cent stamp stuck on them.
1898, saw private printers in the USA being granted permission, by an act of congress, to print and sell cards with the inscription Private Mailing Card. Today, these are called PMC's.
The word POST CARD was granted by the US government to private printers in December, 1901. During this period people began to take black and white photographs and have them printed on paper with post card backs. Writing was still not permitted on the address side. This came on March 1st 1907 when cards were printed with a divided back, that is a black line was printed down the middle. The address to be written on the right hand side and message on the left. At this point most cards were printed in Germany until World War 1, when they were printed in Britain and supplied to the US.
It was in 1894, that independent companies in Britain issued postcards for use with adhesive stamps. In 1902 an act of parliament allowed the message and address to be written on the same side leaving the other to contain the picture, the way we know it today.
The 1950's and 1960's is a period for relatively valuable collectable postcards, many of which were very brightly coloured and the first to make use of what was known of as the “chrome technology” printing. Surfing was really popular during the latter part of this period and one can find a diverse collection of postcards from Hawaii, California and other surfing centres.
Another great category of postcards are those that were sent for holidays which were made back in the early 1900's. These old cards that depicted things like Santa Claus for Christmas and romantic depictions for the celebration of Valentine’s Day. These old postcards often have very detailed and colourful artwork which is why they are in demand as collectibles.
There are no limits to the catorgaries and themes you can have to build up your collection. Interest like Transport, Events, Countryside, Towns ( how they have changed ) Famous People, etc. They are a history of the past and some of the messages tell us of how people enjoyed themselves in those times and how they felt.
Beware of reproductions, obviously, a used and stamped postcard is the best guarantee of authenticity.
Some collectors prefer to collect postcards from around the world. Collecting items from around the world does not necessarily require the collector to travel to those countries. Online auctions, art auctions and similar are all places where postcards can be found. You may also be lucky enough to find some at estate sales or even car boot sales.
Unless one is very well versed and trained in the art of collecting postcards it is difficult to know how valuable the items may be and in the case of buying them at art auctions as they are usually not even announced as part of the available items for sale. This is good if you are knowledgeable since the postcards may actually be valuable and bought for a low price.
If you want to get into an underrated but fun and very educational hobby then collecting postcards may be for you and if you have children they may find it fun and interesting as well.
This is an important consideration, because it will determine whether you will collect old, semi-modern or modern postcards. Based on what you decide, you will have more or less postcards available for you to collect.