Friday, November 25, 2011

Victorian Christmas

These are reproduction postcards published by 
Darling and Company in Seattle.

Reproduction Christmas Postcard
No artist listed. Published around1907.


From the postcard book:
"A variety of British postal changes in the 1890s changed the demand for picture-postcards from a trickle to a deluge. In the next 30 years countless images were printed on billions of postcards. Photography and art were both utilized and every occasion, historical incident, fad, eccentricity, aspect of knowledge, or enthusiasm was pictured on a postcard. Millions of people collected postcards, which led to an even greater demand. Holidays were also popular subjects for postcards, Christmas chief among them.

Because of the enormous demand for art, and low cost of printing a postcard, publishers were not very discriminating. They frequently allowed poor work to be printed and seemingly were indifferent to the relevance of the illustrations to the theme at hand. Fortunately, excellence was also common, and artist's flights of fancy were given free rein."

Christmas Greetings Reproduction Postcard
No artist listed. Published around 1911.



Looking carefully at this second card, I can just read:
"Design Copyrighted, John Winsch, 1911"
 John Winsch was a New York publisher at the turn of the 20th century.

Thank you to the lovely Beth for hosting Postcard Friendship Friday.

Wishing YOU well and a JOY and shopping filled weekend!


8 comments:

Debra She Who Seeks said...

I wonder if people still collect post cards? I mean, apart from antique ones that have value.

DVArtist said...

The old post cards were so beautiful. I have some from my great grandmother. I should pull those out.
Nicole/Beadwright

Pondside said...

Your header - it makes me feel warm all over. I just know that every time I come here I'll spend a minute looking at it.

Aimeslee Winans said...

Thank you for your nice comment on my blog. Happy Thanksgiving to you too. Isn't it wonderful that the sun has come out on our nice little Gulf Coast? I was getting tired of the humid clamminess. It's nicer today! I'm on my way to LaPorte to eat Mexican food...xoxo

Irene said...

Great history, thanks, great cards too. I guess we really never think about the Postcard Artist, or at least today we don't, another one I think of is the artist who designs stamps. Talk about unsung artists.

Julie Goucher said...

A lovely Victoriana feel.

I suspect people do collect post cards, but we live in a seaside town & finding a postcard (modern) is not quite hen's teeth, but almost!

In its heyday there was multiple postal deliveries, now we barely get a descent once a day service. In addition we live in a modern age. A click of a button takes seconds to send a message regardless of next door, 5 miles, 500 miles or 5,000 miles. Postcards I fear a a casualty of this modern age.

Paul van Yperen said...

Happy PFF! Post office service here in the Netherlands is getting worse too. But there are still many places where you can buy great postcards, especially Christmas cards, and I love to send and collect them.

Holly Moore said...

Oooh these are really great, thank you so much for sharing. I love to hear the details too. I can't wait to look in your archives. Love, H