I began collecting postcards of the state of Missouri about 30 years ago. Two years later, I found a postcard portraying a veterinary clinic in Springfield, Mo. This set me to wondering as to how many other cards I could find related to veterinary medicine. In the beginning it was difficult as the postcard vendors gave me blank stares when I asked for veterinary postcards. They had never heard of such a topic. I would come away from a large postcard fair (2-3 million postcards available for sale) with only 5-10 cards in tow and those having been found after much diligent searching. However, as the vendors began to watch for cards on my behalf things improved. Now I might come away from a major postcard show with 20 cards. At the present time I have about 4,000 postcards related to veterinary medicine and another 2,000 concerning animal welfare.

Since it is difficult to find postcards about veterinary medicine, I have interpreted the subject very, very broadly. Generally, most of the cards I have found can be filed under the following subtopics:

Veterinary Colleges

Veterinary Practices

Veterinary Associations

Veterinary Reminders

Veterinary Museums

Veterinarians in the Military

Veterinarians in Action

Christmas Cards from Veterinarians

Veterinary Medicine & Scouting

Teratology (animal freaks)

Advertising of Veterinary Products

Pet Cemeteries

Anthropomorphic

Meat Packing

Comics

Based on my collection, I can make some general observations.

1) The United States and France seemed to have produced the most veterinary postcards with the United Kingdom being third.

2) The majority of the cards issued in France are related to the veterinary schools. As an example there are over 260 documented postcards of the Ecole Veterinaire in Maisons-Alfort. To contrast this, I have found only 6 postcards total of the six veterinary schools in the United Kingdom!

3) It is relatively common to find postcards of veterinary practices in the United States, but I have found only two examples from the United Kingdom. Could the fact that the laws in the UK prohibiting veterinarians from advertising been the inhibiting factor? Perhaps, veterinary surgeons felt a postcard portraying their surgery could be misconstrued as advertising.

4) The United Kingdom was the leader in producing military veterinary postcards. I have a sizable group of cards portraying the Royal Army Veterinary Corps, the majority of which are real photographs. There are also some very nice silk postcards representing the RAVC.

5) The largest category in my collection is the advertisement of veterinary and/or animal care products.

6) Like most other subject categories the majority of the postcards were produced during the Golden Age of postcards which is generally considered to be from ca1900 to ca1920. However, there has been a very noticeable trend within the last ten years of a resurgence in the use of postcards and this also applies to the veterinary profession.

Finally, I would like to say that collecting postcards gives one pleasure in two ways. The first is that postcards document, through visual images, the history of veterinary medicine for the past 100 years. Historic preservationists have learned that postcards can be an invaluable resource. The second is the thrill of the hunt. The great fun of collecting postcards is that there is very little documentation of what actually exists; therefore one can never say he has all of the cards that exist of a particular topic. Almost every time one attends a postcard show, he/she will find a card that he/she never knew had been published.

Indeed, because of the popularity of the postcard camera, there are many real photo postcards of which only one copy exists. Many of these kinds of cards are still tuck away in family collections stored in attics, trunks, etc.

For further information about veterinary postcards, I highly recommend the book Veterinaires a la Carte. Veterinarians in Cards by Dr. Michel Pierre. It was published in 1990 by Editions de la Buffa, Nice France. The text is bilingual (French/English). ISBN 2-9504240-1-5

Sacramento Veterinary card. This practice was unique for the time

period as the veterinarian also accepted Japanese & Chinese clients as

indicated on the signs around the door.

Questions? Comments? Trenton Boyd

E-Mail: BoydT@missouri.edu

WANTED "HALL PHOTO CO." CARDS

1. Ebay, Ralph Bowman, thousands of listings, click on thepapergallery2 05.06
2. Playle, Ebay, Skurfan Postcards, state views by the thousands, click on /SKURFAN/ or seach seller id "skurfan" on ebay 05.06
3. Ebay, Hal Ottaway, Ebay , great postcards and other fabulous collectibles, click on taos 05.06
4. Ebay Ron from Holland, click on GLOBALHISTORY Views and Topicals Worldwide, every month 1000 plus cards in auction. Email EURODELTIOLOGY@wanadoo.nl 05.06
5. Ebay, sebagopaper great real photo postcards and other paper 05.06

Our friend Jim Mehrer conducts bimonthly Postal History Mail Bid Sales containing thousands of individually described covers and postcards. Jim also offers a wide selection of reference literature titles and storage supplies for collectors and dealers. To visit Jim Mehrer's Postal History, click HERE.

--

Dear Postcard Dealers and Collectors,I invite you to advertise in Postcard Collector, the best monthly publication, for 23 years, dedicated to your postcard business and collecting. I have all kinds of advertising options to fit your budget. Call or Email me at 1-800-482-7151 or Lenore.Howard@fwpubs.com , Postcard Collector

--

 Are you looking for a postcard show or stamp show near you? Visit Jim Mehrer's Show Calendar for Collectors of Stamps, Postal History and Postcards by clicking HERE.

-----

Looking for a series of Santa Fe, New Mexico postcards made with woodcut printing technique and identified by Gustave Baumann on the reverse side of the postcard. Hal Ottaway, PO Box 780282, Wichita KS 67278. hottaway@cox.net ... 06.06

-----

I'm always buying better U.S. Postal History material. What do you have for sale? Email Jim Mehrer at mehrer@postal-history.com ... 06.06

-----

WANTED TO BUY: PRE-1950 VINITA OKLAHOMA POSTCARDS AND OTHER ITEMS. Jim, jmtaylor@ipa.net....05.06

------

WANTED TO BUY: TEXANA, OLD EARLY TEXAS HISTORICAL ITEMS PHOTOS AND POSTCARDS. Wallace, rebltexn@comcast.net 05.06

----

FOR SALE: Newsletter Classifieds, see below, or email for details Classifieds@CourthouseSquare.net, Newsletter is Free, Classifieds are inexpensive. 05.06

----

WANTED TO BUY -  Veterinary Related Postcards & Trade Cards including the topics of animal freaks, animal welfare,  antivivisectionists, pet cemeteries, rendering, lice, insecticides, pesticides and parasitology.   Trenton Boyd:    BoydT@missouri.edu 07.06

---

BUYER: We are always buying collections and accumulations, all state views and topical postcards, also travel, photos, brochures, movie, Hollywood, props, costumes, stills, call Ralph, Paper Gallery, 1-760-749-9737, ralph@papergallery.com 05.06

----

WANTED "HALL PHOTO CO." CARDS

I am working on a book about the postcard photographer George E. Hall. He was in business from 1906-1918 and worked exclusively in Stone and Taney Counties, Missouri. He made approximately 900 real photo view cards of the Shepherd of the Hills area which includes the towns of Branson, Hollister, Galena and Reeds Spring. I am seeking examples of his work and would like to purchase what you have. If you have something and do not wish to sell then I would appreciate having a scan or a photocopy of the image. This would help document our checklist of his output. Contact: C. Trenton Boyd 09.06

 ---

>

Classifed Ad Introductory Offer:

$15 for 12 issues,. Maximum: 30 words. Ads and announcements should be related to postcards and other collectibles. Text is subject to our approval. Paypal payment is preferred. Want ads, For sale ads, announcements, etc. We reserve the right to refund and/or refuse ads. Email your ad to Classifieds@courthousesquare.net. To pay by Paypal use "Pay Now" button, or mail to Classifieds@CourthouseSquare, PO Box 399, Neosho MO 64850. We will confirm your ad before placing it (via email.) It will then appear in next 12 issues of the free newsletter "Postcard News from Courthouse Square," both in the email text and on the web page.

 Show Listings, Introductory Offer

$15 for 12 issues or until show dates, which ever is first. Text is subject to our approval. Paypal payment preferred. We reserve right to refund and/r refuse ads. Email your ad to ShowListing@Courthousesquare.net. To pay by paypal use "Pay Now" button on website or mail payment to showlisting@CourthouseSquare, PO Box 399, Neosho MO 64850. We will confirm your listing before placement. It will then appear in next 12 issues of the free newsletter "Postcard News from Courthouse Square," both in the email text and on the web page.

Before reproducing or quoting from Postcard News from Courthouse Square, credit and permissions will be required. Email us at PostcardNews@courthouseSquare.net with request. Thanks, Jim

 

 

 

Jim Taylor

Courthouse Square Antique Cards

PO Box 399

Neosho MO 64850

Member APS IFPD

Specializing in Mail Approvals, Sales, and Shows, of Antique Postcards,

Historical Photographs Paper Americana and Archival Supplies

Visit the front page of our Web site at:

http://www.CourthouseSquare.net

email: Postcards@CourthouseSquare.net

 

Welcome to Courthouse Square.......

Helping build great postcard collections is our speciality...

• Postcard/Paper Show Schedule
• Postcard News from Courthouse Square, the Newsletter
• Rick Geary Check List/Order Form
• Mail Approval Order Form
• Credit Card Charge Authorization
• Postcard Net Price Sale
• What We Want To Buy
• Reference Materials, Books, Price Guides
• Archival Postcard/Paper Supplies for Sale
• Some Helpful Postcard Collector Information 
• Click here to go to our ORDER PAGE, and type in or copy/paste your order or inquiry

Email: jmtaylor@ipa.net.

Jim Taylor

PO Box 399

Neosho MO 64850

Visit our pages at Jim Mehrer's 'deltiology.com' site just click here

 ©2001-2005 JMT Enterprises. REPRODUCTION OF THE CONTENTS OF THIS PAGE, IN PART OR WHOLE, IS EXPRESSLY PROHIBITED.

This site was created and launched by Jim Taylor. For information email me at jmtaylor@ipa.net