Vol. 2, No. 8, Oct - Nov - Dec 2006 

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Postcard News From Courthouse Square

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UPCOMING SHOW - EVENT INFORMATION

(Show Promoters, see info below for listings in our Postcard News from Courthouse Square -Show Calendar, $15 for 12 issues or until show date)

Get out to a Postcard Show....it'll do you good!

Advertising Postcards, Keen Kutter Brand, Simmons Hardware Company of St Louis

by Tom Basore, Newton Kansas

Simmons Hardware Company of St. Louis began promoting their own brand of the highest grade tools and cutlery under the Keen Kutter brand in 1873. This was the first time a full line wholesale hardware company promoted their own brand of tools and cutlery on the national level. By the turn of the century Keen Kutter was one of the most recognized brands, of any kind, in the U.S. Simmons Hardware was a very prolific advertiser through the teens, and as a prominent part of their advertising of Keen Kutter goods were Keen Kutter Postcards. Some of their more recognized advertising postcards are :"The Dog Doesn't Mind ", and "The Lawn Mower Girl ".

This variation of the "Lawn Mower Girl " is MUCH more difficult to find. In fact this is the only example I have ever seen.

Dealers of Keen Kutter goods were encouraged to promote their store using the Keen Kutter brand in their signage and advertising. Simmons Hardware made a lot of point of sale advertising items available for minimum order requirements or free. The result from a postcard collectors standpoint was a lot of real photo cards with the Keen Kutter logo in the image. Some dealers were more active promoters than others. One of the most active dealers had to be J. Bowman of Flora Illinois. Some of my favorite cards are issued by Bowman.

Other dealers went all out with their advertising too. This dealer had an exaggeration made to promote Keen Kutter safety razors.

Another way dealers promoted their store with the Keen Kutter name was with parade floats.

In 1940 Simmons Hardware Company sold out to long time rival Shapleigh Hardware Company. Shapleigh also produced some postal cards with the Keen Kutter name.

When I first began asking postcard dealers for Keen Kutter postcards about 15 years ago I was often met with a blank look. Since that time many dealers have become aware of this forgotten brand name. Now I am often met with, "I have one but it's expensive " . 

It all started in December 1990 when I went to work as a salesman for Colladay Hardware Company, a wholesale distributor. Colladay Hardware was associated with a buyers group called Val-Test. Val-Test distributed a partial line of merchandise bearing the Keen Kutter name. I guess I was a collector looking for a collection. Within a couple of months I was haunting antique stores, flea markets, auctions, and garage sales for anything Keen Kutter. 

One of my accounts while selling hardware was Lee and Doris Carlson of McPherson Kansas. The Carlsons have been postcard collectors for years. Lee took time to teach me the basics of postcard collecting. He went out of his way to help me get started collecting not only Keen Kutter cards but all of the other postcard interests I have. For that I am very grateful.

For more information feel free to drop me an email: tom@kkhardwarestore.com. 

Tom Basore

(Show Promoters, see info below for listings in our Postcard News from Courthouse Square -Show Calendar, $15 for 12 issues or until show date)

NOW SHIPPING!

Real Photo Postcard Guide

The People's Photography

Robert Bogdan and Todd Weseloh

September 2006 Syracuse University Press

Cloth $39.95, plus $5 shipping.

8 1/2 x 11, 288 pages, 367 black-and-white photographs, appendixes, bibliography, notes, index

"I would not be suprised if this book becomes a bible for serious collectors of real photo postcards." -- Bruce Nelson, The Postcard Collector

From the end of the nineteenth century through at least a third of the twentieth century, Americans became avid consumers and collectors of an incredible number and range of photo postcards. The Real Photo Postcard Guide is an informative, comphrehensive, and practical treatment of this photographic genre. Robert Bogdan and Todd Weseloh draw on extensive research and observation to address all aspects of the photo postcard from its history, origin, and cultural significance to practical matters like dating, purchasing, condition, and preservation. Celebrating both their artisitc and documentary value, the authors bring to light photo postcards as marvelous pieces of Americana and a vital part of our photographic legacy.

Use Paypal, Order Now from CourthouseSquare.net Cloth $39.95, plus $5 shipping.

(above is cover scan)

* 70+ pages, 8 1/2 x 11 *2400 detailed listings *Over 200 Large Letter included

*Index of every card by inscription*Index of artist

*Over 110 publishers included *More than 100 color illustrations (thumbnails)

*"Unidentified" publishers described

This new checklist titled Comic Postcards of WWII has been in the works for the past year, and is ready to go. It also includes large letter military linens. This new and updated list includes considerably more data than previous resources.   A helpful feature of this new publication is an index of cards by the inscription on the cards face that indicates the name of the publisher.  Since many cards are difficult to identify, this is of great help to the collector. Color illustrations are included to define the style of various publishers, including previously unidentified publishers. This list has been authored by Dr. Thomas O. Garnhart, author of the popular Checklist of Curt Teich Linen Comic Postcards. $29.95 plus p/h. Click here for order info.

or order now from CourthouseSquare.net, using Paypal

Checklist COMIC POSTCARDS OF WWII- $29.95 + $5 p/h

Order Now!!

by Thomas O. Garnhart

The Checklist of Curt Teich Linen Comic Postcards is the first definitive and systematic cataloging of linen comic postcards by this quality printer and publisher. Amidst the growing popularity of linens, it is a valuable resource for both collectors and dealers. Some 1548 detailed entries list cards in order of the production. Value ranges are provided to identify the comparative desirability/rarity of each postcard. Detailed information is given about each entry, including inscriptions, series names, and indicators of which are WWII related and which are black racial stereotypes. $24.95 + p/h visit this link for details and scan of cover.

Use Paypal, Order Now from CourthouseSquare.net, Checklist Curt Teich Linen Comic Postcards- $24.95 + $5 p/h

We got this from Susan Lane's "New York Delegation" attending the Wichita Postcard Show. The smiles are from (left to right) Ginny Michaels, Susan Lane and Judy Leiner.

IF YOU WILL BE PLACING AN ORDER for this title, PLEASE respond to this email and let us know, so we can determine how many copies we need to order from the publisher. Then send your check or money order, per the instructions below.

This work is a mainstay for all machine cancel collectors, and an invaluable reference for all dealers and other collectors. The work consists of two volumes, both which are attractively bound with a card stock cover. The complete work contains nearly 400 pages.

The catalog portion lists all known slogan machine postal markings from their inception in 1899 until 1940, arranged in alphabetical order. There is a value guide given for each slogan listed. The book contains more than 1,000 illustrations representing nearly every marking listed. The illustrations will help the reader to identify a particular slogan easily.

Also included is a short history of the introduction of slogan cancels, with a list of the various manufacturers whose machines were equipped with slogan dies, as well as a list of references for the research minded collector. In addition, there is a monograph covering the history of the American and Doremus slogan cancels used in the Philippine Islands in the early part of the 20th Century, accompanied by illustrated listings. At the end of the reference, there is an Index to the listings in the Catalog that will help the collector quickly find a slogan of interest.

This work is a MUST for collectors and dealers alike. Be sure to add it to your library. (398 pages; softbound) Order #750601-R. $45.00 postpaid to U.S. addresses. (ILLINOIS RESIDENTS: add 7% sales tax. International Orders:   Canada & Mexico add $8.00; elsewhere add $10.00.)

Click Here to Email to reserve your copy today, and Send your check or money order payable to:

Jim Mehrer's Postal History

2405-30th Street

Rock Island, IL 61201 USA

Todays Question and Answer....

What about general reference books on postcards?..Are postcard price guides worth buying? .What about the variety of prices?

First of all, our experience with price guides: we've bought them, used them, and we sell them from time to time. We find the 'price guide' portions of most postcard books to be of good use when comparing the worth or scarcity of one item to another. Knowledge is power. Reference books on postcards are valuable with or without 'prices.' The huge variety of images, publishers, eras, photographers, artists, seem endless, and collectors, dealers, or scholars have given us the benefit of their specialized interests and are sharing the details of their collections with us, allowing for more to enjoy and understand the hobby. As far as the dollar value in a price guide being accurate, that usually gets discussed at length. We find that value or price or anything having to do with selling price is a variable based on today, not related to yesterday, and usually no relation to tomorrow.

Recently, my good friend and fellow postcard collector Hal Ottaway and I were visiting Susan Brown Nicholson's home in Chicago. She has probably the most complete postcard reference library in the country, and uses it extensively in her auction business, and no doubt in her writing for the various postcard publications. Hal could hardly put down one of the books without picking up and studying the next one, as there were so many volumes we had heard about, but never seen. The great wealth of information shared by those authors adds detail and helps create the fun and excitement of collecting postcards.

One of the great dynamics of postcard collecting, and an especially great dynamic of a postcard show, is the variety of pricing for virtually the same items. That is why collectors (and dealers) shop all the dealers they can in the available time at a show. They are actually getting to see (and hold) a great variety of material, and have a pick not only of condition, but usually a variety of price. The numerous ways to display or sort postcards is in stark contrast with the very structured collectibles such as stamps or coins, with catalogues containing a 'price,' checklist, and a number for every known item in their respective hobbies, those stamp/coin dealers usually file, sort and price uniformly. The variety of price and sorting at postcard shows creates a buzz, an amazing atmosphere and any of you that have sat down at a table of cards at a show can certainly identify with what I am speaking of. If you've only bought off the internet, you are really missing out on a lot of fun. Get out to a postcard show, it will do you good.

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Here are some links to some of our favorite postcard websites and ebay sellers. Be sure to visit our website for images and more great postcard collecting information.

 For a complete listing of the postcard shows produced by Jim Taylor and CourthouseSquare.net visit

http://www.courthousesquare.net

Some great postcard Auction sites include: (more to come!)

  

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:

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email: Postcards@CourthouseSquare.net

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