Welcome back to Part Two of my look at my collection of old postcards, primarily linen ones. For a complete introduction to this two-part series, please visit my previous Snapshot post by clicking here.
Here are ten more classic postcard images, along with some info, including the publisher and excerpts from any pithy and amusing messages on the back … after all, these things were made to be sent to friends and loved ones … not just collect!
Up top we have another big letter “Greetings from” linen postcard, this one featuring Atlantic City, NJ, vacation home of my youth and formative years. This one is another Tichnor Bros. “Quality Views”, manufactured in Boston, MA and is postmarked July 4, 1963. The message reads: “Vacation is fine, weather fair. Ruthie.” I suspect Ruthie views sending postcards as a bit of a chore.
I love this colorful and intricate look at a bygone hotel, the Chapman Park Hotel and Bungalows in Los Angeles, CA, featuring the Zephyr Room, “Where you meet the stars” and lauded by Esquire magazine as “distinguished entertainment.” This is an unsent card and is a “C. T. Art Colortone” by The Allis Press, Kansas City, MO, but I suspect “C. T.” stands for Curt Teich & Company.
Speaking of Los Angeles, here’s another big letter Greetings from card, this one from Hollywood, California, the motion picture capital of the world. You can see the Warner Theater in the first L, the Griffith Observatory in the second O and Graumann’s Chinese Theater in the final O. This card was unsent and, like the one above, is a C. T. Art Colortone card.
Here’s the famous Carthay Circle Theatre, home of many movie premieres, including Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in 1937 and the West Coast premiere of Gone With the Wind in 1939. The theatre was torn down in 1969 to make way for an office building but a replica of it was built at Disney’s California Adventure Park. This scene shows the traditional spotlights for a gala movie premiere, blazing through the night sky. The card is unsent and is also a C. T. Art Colortone card, but listed as published by Western Publishing & Novelty Co., Los Angeles, CA.
I don’t normally collect train stuff, but the colors on this card are so stunning I bought it and have kept it all this time (probably over 30 years now). The back states “… Million Dollar Southern Pacific ‘Daylight’ speeds daily along the magnificent California Coast line between San Francisco and Los Angeles … No rail trip anywhere, unfolds more thrilling scenery—following the very edge of the Pacific Ocean for more than a hundred miles.” The card is unsent and is also a C. T. Art Colortone card but listed as published by Western Publishing & Novelty Co., Los Angeles, CA.
I find myself strangely fascinated by restaurant cards and this colorful example shows why … do places like the W • R Restaurant in Chicago, IL even exist anymore? The back says “There is no better food anywhere at any price!” It’s postmarked March 13, 1945 and reads:
“Dear Jackie, The food here is swell. I have four other cards I have not had a chance to mail. I am not a Brat. I’m a good girl. Love, The Brat”
This card is marked “Genuine Curtteich-Chicago ‘C. T. Colortone’ Post Card”.
This unusual and colorful card showcases the Prom Ballroom in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It’s unsent and there’s no info on the back other than a faded hand-stamp that partially reads ” dancing every night except Monday.” This is also a “Genuine Curtteich-Chicago Colortone’ Post Card”.
Here’s a card that promotes the “four leading libraries” in Chicago. It’s postmarked June 15, 1950. Only a book lover would send a card with libraries on it, I suppose, so this card holds special meaning to me. It’s sender wrote:
“We are having a nice trip. Mrs. Eva Thornburgh” Keep on readin’ Mrs. Eva. This card is marked “Genuine Curtteich-Chicago ‘C. T. Colortone’ Post Card”.
Here’s a card from my hometown, Tamaqua, PA. While it’s from before my time (looks like the late 1940s judging by the cars), I do recognize that bar with the glass block front on the lower left. I think there was a hotel above it. I have a few cards from Tamaqua, including the next one, below. This card was unsent and was published by the Mebane Greeting Card Company, Wilkes-Barre, PA.
This card featuring the movie theatre of my youth, the Victoria Theatre, is a bit older than the ones I like to collect. It looks like it’s postmarked April 15-18, which I take to mean 1918. The theatre itself is minus the familiar marquee … when I went to it in the 1960s, it didn’t have the Victoria sign at the top. The message is long-faded, but one line does remain:
“A beautiful theatre for a town this size. Earl” This card was published by Post Card Distributing Co., Philadelphia, PA. For more on my love of the Victoria Theatre, please click here to read “The Theater of My Mind,” Snapshot 03.
Finally, here’s one from my current hometown, or at least the hometown across the bay, San Diego, CA. This is the scene right up the street from where I used to live and right next to where I used to work, Horton Plaza, back before it was probably called that (it’s just called “the plaza” on the back of the card). This card is postmarked Sept. 11, 1946 and includes a message from Catherine:
“Sunday we got to see (covered by postmark) on our way home. He must have gained five pounds on the ranch. He looks so dear with his sun tan. We both were so happy to have him with us. These are delightful days to travel – cool but clear & sunny. We drove with a full moon until 10 last night. No trouble to find stopping places now. We are eager to get home. Love, Catherine” Home appeared to be a long way off, judging from the recipient’s address: Mount Union, PA.
Pub. by Hopkins News Agency, San Diego, Calif. Natural color post card made in U.S.A. by E. C. Kropp Co., Milwaukee, WI.
That’s it postcard-wise for now. At some point, I may return with a look at the Atlantic City I visited as a kid through old chrome postcards (‘chrome” being the type of card they were, not an Internet browser or bumper finish). Stay tuned and I hope you soon have “delightful days to travel,” like Catherine.
innocent bystander 
Leave a Reply