Vol. 3, No. 1, Jan-Feb 2007 

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Postcard News From Courthouse Square

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

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

Ron from Holland

The Berlin and Hamburg Postcard scene.

January 27, Berlin had its postcard show again. It is organized by Polster and Rutsch from Hamburg and is a combined show with stamp dealers. You will find here about 80-100 dealers in total, spread out over 4 rooms, 1st and 2nd level.

Berlin is a great place and worth spending a few days. Besides the history of "Onkel Adolf " , there is a lot of art to be found in several musea. There is the "old" east area, heavily under construction now, because of failing maintenance during communist miss-management. Hotels are restored and get their own grandeur back like in the old days. Going to Berlin?? Book a 4-5 star hotel in the former East, it is much cheaper, great in style and the underground brings you everywhere. A variety of good and affordable restaurants is there to be found and I do NOT consider McD to this list.

Americans will appreciate the German kitchen and a Wiener Schnitzel with a good glass of local brew is still available for $20-25. Of course you will find there kitchens from all over the world, but ask at the desk where to go. Especially in the East part they guide you to the better places and not the overpriced ones. Oh Yes... I was talking about postcards!!!

The Berlin shows starts at 9.30 and dealers shoot out already at three. Not a show we are used to, but it seems they do not have the stamina to sit till five. Like every show in a big city, the variety of collectors is great, although it seems to me that the better and higher priced art card, like art nouveau, better signed artists, world politics and poster advertisement, has little connaisseurs in Berlin. Maybe this is a typical area for the inhabitants of cities like London, Paris and New York, where these type of cards are a steady demand, most likely of the cultural centralisation of these big metropoles. A few postcard dealers from Poland, Baltics, former Chechs, Russian etc. walk in the show and try their luck to sell cards. Communications is not always easy, my Russian is njet good and their english is njet good either. Sometimes it equals the quality of their cards, njet good.

So I had to send them back to the tundra with no Euro's and me njet postcards. But there is still enough to buy, especially topographical items world wide.

The show coming to an end between 3-4 was ok with me, because I had a car trip of 3 hours ahead to Hamburg where the next day the postcard show was held.

Arriving in the dark, I took a quick meal in the hotel and went to bed. I needed a good nightrest because at 6 in the morning the alarm rings.

The Hamburg show is also a combination of PC dealers and Stampdealers, but less than in Berlin, approx. 40-50. Those stamp dealers are a pain in the box. They turn around the cards, often upside down and never agree with the price, because a PC dealer prices the front, take a seat for half an hour and leave the booth with an expression of an "overlikked stamp wit a missing corner". Soon I protected myself and the cards by answering the question of a stampdealer :"Do you have....?" .....NO.. my stock was already checked on that in Berlin.

Hamburg is also a smaller show on its activities. It was on my way back to Holland and therefor worth a stop, but Hamburg will never be a show worth to do as a oneday show. Too far to drive and too expensive to set up.

And....no time to find that good restaurant. And think, what is a postcard show without a good filled stomach???

Ron de Bijl

Ron from Holland email ronsas@zonnet.nl

(editors note: Ron Debijl, is a well-known Dutch postcard dealer that exhibits in shows in Europe and the U.S.,

and sells on Ebay, seller id " globalhistory "....thanks Ron for the show info, Jim)

(...and let us know how Europe survives the visit or Ralph from San Diego, along with Ron from Holland...there is sure to be a story in that visit...keep us posted.)

Ever wonder what happened to those great 'add-on' cards of the early part of the century,

Our Friend Carol Hann from El Centro California found this......

From the San Diego Union Newspaper, December 30, 1911

Department Destroys 175,000 Post Cards

By the Associated Press

Washington. Dec. 29 - Though the postoffice [sic.] department handled an unprecedented amount of holiday mail this year with little congestion or confusion, approximately 175,000 post cards bearing Christmas greetings were destroyed today. These represent the wasted effort of the senders.

Thousands of cards were thrown away beause of bearing mica or tinsel ornaments; they were mailed in unsealed envelopes with penny stamps.

In addition to an average of 12,000 pieces of unmailable matter received daily by the dead letter office, about 25,000 unclaimed postcards were confiscated today.

(So I wonder what else they threw away without attempting delivery....hmmmmmmm, maybe a Vin Fiz or Lemp or Geronimo.)

Courtesy of our good friend Carol Hann of El Centro California....and if you ever find some really nice El Centro area or Harold Bell Wright postcards, let her know...she'll be waiting.

This month's Question and Answer....

How do I find out about authoring a book of my postcard collection?

Answer:

We had the recent privilege of hosting the Dallas Metro Postcard Club show, and one of our exhibitors was Schiffer Publishing Company, from Atglen, Pennsylvania. Dinah Roseberry, their representative was looking for regional authors for books on postcards. A number of area Texas collectors took advantage of the opportunity to visit with a real publishing company and discuss possiblities of doing a book on their collection. Dinah told me after the show that she had numerous leads. Schiffer publishes books of regional interest throughout the country. They are the publishers of Mary Martin's numerous books on postcards, and are adding a lot of printed reference and coffee-table postcard material to our hobby, always a good thing for our hobby.

Schiffer contact information is:

Dinah Roseberry or Tina Skinner

Schiffer Publishing Co, 4880 lower Valley Rd, Atglen PA 19310-9717

1-6150593-1777

www.schifferbooks.com

Get out to a postcard show, it will do you good.

Colorado History: Insights and Views Through Postcards

by Charles Harbert

This is the first Colorado postcard book in many years and the most comprehensive in terms of the scope of images and its historical content. The new 315-page book contains 275 high-quality color and black and white images of towns and people throughout the state. Written with historical themes, it includes chapters on Mining, Agriculture, Small Towns, Denver, Tourism, Fun Times, Hard Times, Postcard Photographers, and portfolios on Occupations and People of Colorado. It also includes helpful appendices on the history and dating of postcards as well as the nuts and bolts of postcard collecting. The book contains many outstanding images of street scenes, store fronts, interiors, railroad depots, mining, horse drawn wagons, baseball, brewery, Indians, etc. This is a highly desirable book for any collector of postcards. It is available in both soft cover and leather-bound, limited-edition hardback copies.

Charles (Chuck) Harbert, a member of the Wichita and Denver Post Card Clubs, began his working life as an organic chemist at Pfizer. He is one of the inventors of Zoloft, the world‚ leading antidepressant drug. Since retiring in 1999, Dr. Harbert has devoted more time to the study of postcards and history.

Order Now!! Soft $50.00, plus $5 shipping.

Limited Edition Hard Cover $175.00, plus $5 shipping.

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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

SPRINGFIELD MISSOURI

"TWO FOR TEXAS SHOWS",

DALLAS METRO CLUB AND CAPITAL OF TEXAS CLUB

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

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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

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