Friday, June 25, 2010

Postcard Friendship Friday

Postcard Friendship Friday is hosted by the lovely Beth. Be sure to visit!

More postcards from Fibber McGee and Molly's closet!


San Jose Mission


"In the Gardens of San Jose Mission, San Antonio, Texas"


San Jose Mission


"San Jose Mission. Outstanding among the old buildings which link the modern city of San Antonio with its glamorous past is Mission San Jose de Aguayo. This mission called "Queen of the Missions" its Rose Window is considered a masterpiece of sculpture."


HIghest Point in Texas


"The End of Guadalupe Range, The Highest Point in Texas, Elevation 10,000 FT."


Highest Point In Texas


"The End of Guadalupe Range, The Highest Point Texas"

"The Signal Peak, as seen from highway to White's City, N. M. and Carlsbad Caverns National Park. It is the highest oint in Texas and is just across the New Mexico state line on El Paso - Carlsbad Caverns Highway."

(I love that there is no highway number ... just the El Paso-Carlsbad Caverns Highway ... times have certainly changed. Note the highway has two lanes.)

Linen postcards were printed from 1930 through 1945. They have a unique and appealing look. The thick paper was embossed on the picture side to give the card a “linen” texture, and the cheap inks created vivid colors.


The postcards I've been sharing with you were printed by Curt Teich & Co. (Chicago). They used a color printing technique they called “C.T. Art-Colortone”. Until it closed in 1978, The Teich Company was the world’s largest printer of view and advertising postcards.

Vintage linen postcards have become prized by some collectors, and there’s even a book about them. The linen postcards usually portrayed landmarks, landscapes, and roadside attractions from photographs, but some were more illustrative. They were printed on a lithography press using color separation.

Beginning in the late 1940s, linen postcards fell out of fashion when polychrome printing was invented. However, Curt Teich still used the C.T. Art-Colortone technique on smooth-surface “French Fold” postcards from 1951.

Edit:
There was a question about French Fold ... here's what I found:
"French Fold" postcards where a number of images were printed on a long strip. These were then folded "concertina" style.

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

These are fabulous Snap. That post card shows so well the walls at the mission in San Antonio! Mystery arrived, thanks, maybe I will dive into it on Sunday.
xox Corrine

Postcardy said...

I couldn't figure out what this meant:

"However, Curt Teich still used the C.T. Art-Colortone technique on these smooth-surface “French Fold” postcards from 1951."

Paul van Yperen said...

The history of the linen postcards and its printing company is very interesting. I really like it that PFF posts such as this one are keeping the history of the postcard alive. Thanks and happy PFF!

maryt/theteach said...

Love vintage linen postcards, snap! :)

Joy said...

The Guadalupe card is beautiful. I love old roads on cards when you can compare then and now.

Anonymous said...

What lovely, soft, and faded colors... that to match the colors found in the wilds of west!
Happy Friday!

Sheila @ A Postcard a Day said...

I love the look of these cards, somehow they seem richer. I am particularly fond of arches in pictures so the first one offering an arch within an arch - double the pleasure. :)

Gemma Wiseman said...

Incredible colour tones in these cards! I am amazed that linen was used! Amazing, enchanting effect!

Debra She Who Seeks said...

I feel like I've had a mini-vacation!

Irene said...

I'm just blown away by the linen postcards. Don't you wish you could resurrect that technique? Happy PFF mine is here.

Linda said...

Lovely cards, with dramatic perspectives. I especially like the arches.

Lyneen said...

You are so right about the prized linen postcards... I have many in my collection... going to a postcard show in the morning hope to find some more!

thanks for sharing, PFF!

Mary said...

Interesting post, beautiful cards. I seem to have a lot of these linen cards, and didn't realize they were quite so old. Thanks for the info!

LiT Web Studio said...

stunning cards...i love those Curt Teich linens - sadly they are hard to find here in italy and i have only a couple in my own collection! thanks for sharing on PFF!

Beth Niquette said...

These are absolutely wonderful--I love the linen look about these postcards!

Happy PFF!

Don't forget to visit Gemma's Mailbox meme--I forgot to add in the link on PFF--but it's there now!

Janet said...

More gorgeous postcards! I actually have a few of the linen postcards and several of the French fold ones.

Rhonda Roo said...

You know what I love about your blog, Snap? Everytime I come here I learn something! It's amazing!

Also, now I want that T Shirt down there :-)

Good to see you again!
XOXOXOX
Rhonda Roo
Roo's Treehouse

EG CameraGirl said...

Wonderful old postcards! I love the linen-look cards and could kick myself now for not picking up a box of them I saw at a yard sale a couple of months back. Too late now!