Postcards (Group 1)

The postcard industry thrived during the late 1800s and the early 1900s. Postcards were common because they were a fast and simple method for people to communicate with one another. One of the distinct periods of postcard production includes the Divided Back Period, lasting from 1907 until 1915, and was recognized as the "Golden Age of Postcards" due to the increasing utilization of postcards during this time period. Furthermore, another type of postcard, known as the "real photo" postcard, was expanding in popularity and production, hence starting the White Border Period. The White Border Period spanned from 1915-1930. These "real photo" postcards were initially produced utilizing the "Kodak postcard camera." The camera would take a picture, and after it would print the same size negative of the picture, with a divided back and place for postage. These dates and postcards along with their quality and popularity correlated with World War I.

However, with the beginning of World War I, American printers supplied most of the postcards in the United States. American printers did not have the same technology as German printers, so the quality of available postcards feel, and people lost interest in collecting them, effectively ending the "Golden Age" of postcards. Printers saved ink during this time by not printing to the edge of the card and leaving a white border around the image, giving the time period its name. Postcards from the Whiter Border Period also had a description of the image on the message side, which retained the divided back.

The significant historical value of postcards lies in their ability to capture scenes in detail and vivid color. The postcards exhibited here were from a time period when photographs were not in color. A postcard is able to represent a scene or place as it would appear if you were standing in it with all the color that comes with it. At a time when few newspapers had images, postcards were able to provide snapshots of important events or places. Postcards were not only used to commemorate events. They were also revolutionary to communication, similar to how social media changed how we communicate with each other. Postcards were an easy and convenient way to keep in touch with people since you were limited in the amount of space you had to write. Additionally, postcards were used as a form of entertainment. Once postcards were introduced, many took up the hobby of collecting them. Keeping postcards in albums, like in this scrapbook, was common. 

Above is page 73 from the Laura Quayle Benson Scrapbook

Page 73 in the scrapbook provides a distinct aspect of the postcard from the White Border Period, with the white border surrounding the postcard. This alludes to the time period of World War I, and the difference in technological advancement can be seen through the quality of postcards and printers between Germany and the United States. This specific postcard has a realistic aspect embedded in it, enhanced by the quality of the picture, it provides details of the image of the building in the postcard.