Guide to the MAH Postcard Collection (1900s – 1980s) – History

The history of picture postcards in the United States started in 1873 with postcards developed by the Morgan Envelope Factory of Springfield, Massachusetts.  These first postcards depicted Interstate Industrial Exposition that took place in Chicago.  The development and use of postcards continued to grow – in 1873 Post Master John Creswell introduced the first pre-stamped “penny postcards”.  Souvenir postcards were introduced in the United States in 1893 to advertise the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago.

Initially the Post Office was the institution allowed to print postcards, holding this monopoly until May 19, 1898.  Congress passed the Private Mailing Card Act allowing private publishers and printers to produce postcards. Until December 24, 1901 these cards were known as ‘souvenir cards’ and had to be labeled as ‘Private Mailing Cards’.

There are two distinct eras for postcards.  The first is pre-1907, during this time postcards were not allowed to have a divided back correspondents could only write on the front of the postcard. This was known as the “undivided back” era of postcards. From March 1, 1907 the Post Office allowed private citizens to write on the address side of a postcard.  It was on this date that postcards were allowed to have a “divided back”.

Before 1903 any picture postcards produced generally used glass plate negatives and cropping of the image to size.  In 1903 Kodak introduced the No 3A Folding Pocket Camera which produced negatives sized to postcards, 3 ½” x 5 ½”.  In 1907 Kodak pioneered a service for the general public, ‘Real Photo Postcards.’  This service allowed the public to create a postcard from any photo they took.

One method for dating postcards is to check the postmark.  The other method is to look at the characteristics of the card, a range of dates can be determined.  For example, if there is a stamp box, and it is visible, the table below can be used.

The following website provides information on the appearance and dating of postcards, http://www.vintage-american.com/.

This website provides some information on the dating of postcards, http://www.thepostcardweb.com/To_Date_Real_Photos.html.