Drop me a line...

The last couple of posts in the blog have concerned early advertising postcards and the mysterious artists who produced them. At that time postcards were a popular thing. If people only wanted to drop someone a quick note then a postcard was sent. In the United States early postcards didn't even have an image on the front. It was the address on one side message on the other. 

The Post office had a monopoly on the printing of these cards. In 1907 they allowed the address and message to be written on the same side so the front could be used for an image. This was when when the postcard business took off in a big way. This allied with the booming photography industry lead to something known today as the RPPC.

In 1903, The Kodak company introduced the 3A folding pocket camera. The film this camera took gave postcard sized prints, 5 1/2" x 3 1/2" and so it was a sound business decision in 1907 when the Post office allowed the address and message on the one side that Kodak introduced a service where your images could be printed onto postcard stock. Thus was introduced the Real Photo Post Card.

The Kodak 3A

Though there were many mass produced RRPC's of tourist attractions and important events of the day (some of them none too savoury as well) This was also a popular service among the general populace. If you had a camera, You took some pictures of your travels and adventures had them processed as postcards and sent them out to family and friends, much in the same way as you'd email pictures today. Photography studios and travelling photographers who produced these cards were unknowingly documenting life in everyday America. Everything from marriages and births to new cars, these things were photographed and mailed around the country.

A typical RPPC with what appears to be an ordinary family in their car.

The message on the back gives some context to the image on the front.
"My dear friend I have been looking this long while for a letter from you. Perhaps you are busy - perhaps  you have forgotten us - No I don't believe you have forgotten. Would like so much to see you. Bro J---- took the picture while here holding our meetings. Jana, Paul, Jewel and sister O'neals girl and boy were p-------. Write me when you have time by by"

The rear of this card only states a couple of names. The person in the car might be one of them.

The technology of printing these cards was not without problems for some. Sometimes, as in the first card shared. The image was skewed and also was wrong way up in relation to the rear. 

There were other problems too, the images below are the same card. A Model T by a lake. It was printed as in the small image. However, closer inspection of the car and the registration plate shows it to be printed in reverse. 

The right way round, the image makes sense now.

I have acquired quite a few automobile related postcards since taking on the ownership of my Model T. I expect that I'll share some more of them with you as we go on.