The Postcard Guy Blog

Happy New Year!

2012-01-28T14:42:00.000-08:00

New Years has come and gone. And part of my resolution is to start thinning out both my own personal collection and my postcard sales stock! Not to mention that I also have all the great consignment stuff that I've just taken in!

So it's time to do our Postcardguy Annual Clearance!

I'm listing over the next few weeks, large quantities of postcards by state and topic. All postcards are nice clean stock, all sleeved and ready to go! They're perfect for the collector, the postcard dealer or the eBay seller! And most of the lots, even the huge ones, start at $9.99 or less!

So check out my latest offerings by clicking on the eBay link below and best of luck bidding!

http://www.ebay.com/sch/postcardguyantiques/m.html?_dmd=1&_ipg=50&_sop=12&_rdc=1

2011-09-28T18:32:00.000-07:00

I've just taken in on consignment a nice collection of vintage aviation postcards from a gentleman in Pittsburgh Pa. His focus was on commercial aircraft and airports, but the collection also has a nice selection of pioneer aircraft and Wright Brothers era postcards as well. Check out my auctions over the next week or so for a nice seletion of cards up for bid!

2011-09-23T04:48:00.000-07:00

Just packing the van for this weekends Garden State Postcard Show in Parsippany NJ. Looks like lots of rain coming this weekend, so may be a messy set up this afternoon!

But a great weekend for a postcard show! What better to do indoors on a rainy weekend! Show is both days, Sat and & Sun, with over 40 dealers of vintage postcards, paper memorabilia and lots of collectible items!

Stop by the show and stay hi! Hope to see you there!
Kevin

Hot off the press!

2011-09-10T16:16:00.000-07:00

A quick pic that ran in the Paper And Advertising Collector Magazine, Antiques And Auctions News and Barrs Postcard news of my sales partner John Leavey and myself at the Spring 2011 Greater NJ Postcard & Advertising Show in Ocean Grove NJ.

Tuckerton Clamtown Flea Market

2011-09-10T15:14:00.000-07:00

Just finished unpacking from the Tuckerton Clamtown Antique Flea Market here in NJ. It's always been one of our favorite shows, with lots of great buyers, long time dealer friends and a good "home town" feeling.

The weather, which was one of our biggest concerns, cooperated with the rain holding off throughout the day. But even with fair weather this years show seemed a bit off. Gone was the live music, the barbecued food vendor and the buying customers! Advertising for this local show was close to non-existent, and this was a huge mistake, as it was competing with the Ocean Grove Flea Market, Atlantic Highlands show and a big town wide event in nearby Barnegat NJ. Many of the regular dealers from years past were not there, and the field had many empty dealer spaces. Sales were weak to say the least.

Most sales were modest low dollar sales and there were many lookers. The consensus from most of the dealers was that the economy coupled with the management of the show and the lack of dealers caused overall poor results.

As always we made the best of it and we still had fun...let's hope everything improves for next year!

Kevin

Hurricane Irene is gone!

2011-08-28T06:33:00.000-07:00

We made it through the night here in NJ and Hurricane Irene is on its way north! Our home faired ok, and its time to take the furniture down off the blocks and remove the sandbags from outside. Alot of cleanup in the yard with downed tree limbs etc.

Our postcard stock made it through safely also!

Thanks and hope to see you at the upcoming Tuckerton Antique Show and Garden State show in Parsippany NJ!

Some creepy collectibles!

2011-08-07T15:44:00.000-07:00

I've recently aquired a large lot of old newspaper press releases from the 1915-1940 time period. After getting them home, I started noticing a trend...they all show some type of disasters, murder or criminals!

Included were a gruesome murder of a little girl by a serial killer back in the 1930s, an escaped convict from the famous Eastern penitentiary in Philadelphia and a tragic ship disaster in Chicago.

The Chicago story even has a bizarre link to todays Oprah Winfrey! Many have ties to hauntings of these places today!

Check out my current ebay auctions for some bizarre collectibles!

Circus Poster Collection!

2011-02-27T13:23:00.000-08:00

Just started listing some beautiful vintage circus posters on eBay! They all come from an old time collection of 1940s era circus posters I've just taken in on consignment from a South Jersey collector. The graphics are unbelievable on these and the colors are so vibrant! Each of the posters are a unique work of lithography. Tigers, Hippos, Clowns! Each poster screams Circus! All posters are guaranteed original and any one of them would look super framed on your wall!

The circus depended on it's advertising to announce that it was coming to town. The circus often spent more money on advertising than any other industry at the time! Litho posters were a colorful and attractive way to advertise their shows. Advance "scouts" would travel ahead of each circus and post signs and posters for everyone to see. The success of the circus depended on filling the tent with paying customers and they went all out on designing and printing these colorful advertisements. Many of these old posters were torn down after the event and they are difficult to find in good condition.

Thanks for looking at my latest items up for bid!

http://www.postcardguy.com/

This Saturday Is Our Belmar NJ Show!

2011-02-21T18:25:00.000-08:00

Just a reminder that this Saturday Feb. 26 is the Jersey Shore Postcard Show at Belmar NJ !!!

Hope to see everyone there. I'm loading up boxes full of new additions to my stock. Something for everyone!

See the attached flyer for more details!

Thanks, Kevin

NJ Shipwreck Collection

2011-01-30T15:13:00.000-08:00

I've just listed a large collection of New Jersey shipwreck memorabilia on eBay this week!

This fine collection encompasses many years of collecting. Included in the collection were lots of great old books on the NJ coast and shipwrecks and NJ history. The other part of this great collection consisted of old postcards, original snapshots, vintage photographs and antique stereo cards, all showing New Jersey ship wrecks and Jersey Shore life saving.

The collection specialized on the Jersey Shore shipwrecks and contains some rare images such as ship wrecks at at Asbury Park, Atlantic City, Manasquan, Sea Girt, Long Branch, Seaside, Long Beach Island, Weehawken and more!

Check out the shipwreck auctions on eBay right now at the link shown. Thanks for looking!

Vintage postcards make great Holiday gifts!

2010-12-05T16:29:00.000-08:00

I've noticed in the last few weeks a nice lift in online sales of vintage postcards. I believe many of them may end up as Christmas or Hanukkah gifts?

I've been getting lots of online requests for very specific postcards. They've ranged from hard to find Hold To Lights to postcards from obscure tiny towns. I think many recipients this season will be surprised to unwrap a gift of a hard to find postcard for their collection!

And what a thoughtful gift! To take the time to please that special someone in their life with something that cannot be picked up at the mall or bought with an everyday gift card!

Postcards make great gifts. Why not surprise the collector in your life with something special for their collection!

Happy Holidays from Kevin & Carrie at www.postcardguy.com

JJ Newberry Co In Asbury Park NJ

2010-11-11T13:52:00.000-08:00

Every now and then you come across a postcard that brings back memories! Well I just picked up the postcard shown above at a recent postcard club auction. It shows the old J.J. Newberry Co. 5&10 in Asbury Park NJ. The store was located on Cookman Avenue in Asbury Park, in the downtown shopping district.

After graduating high school I managed several different drug stores and department stores. Many of them were in typical downtown locations...Keyport, Long Branch, New Brunswick, Perth Amboy and yes...this very Newberry's store in Asbury Park New Jersey back in the late 80s! I have fond memories of dressing those display windows in the front, from holiday decorations to the latest fashions! I remember the escalator, the candy counter, the luncheonette (and their famous fried chicken and patty melts!). It was hard work managing the store and employees, but also alot of fun.

I've always wanted one of these postcards showing my old store that I worked at, but up to this week I had never found one. The old 5 and 10 cent store is long gone, a victim of the new shopping malls, strip malls and the economy. But the building remains still today, as the site of a fitness gym!

But to me this storefront will always be a fond memory of my time spent in Asbury Park!

The 2010 Belmar Postcard Show

2010-11-11T13:47:00.000-08:00

Just back from the 2010 Belmar Postcard show! As always a very fun show on the Jersey Shore. The weather was beautiful and lots of great dealers to peruse!

Traffic through the show was a bit light this year with around 150 through the door. For a while the tables were all busy but eventually throughout the day the crowd dwindled. Still all in all not a bad show, with several nice sales.

It was also a good buying show as usual with lots of great bargains to be had! I have plenty of fresh stock for my next show in Howell NJ in January 2011.

Thanks for stopping buy my tables!
Kevin

POCAX 2010 Postcard Show Coming Up!

2010-10-10T16:33:00.001-07:00

The POCAX 2010 Postcard Show is coming up next weekend!

I'm getting ready for next Saturdays show in Mount Laurel NJ, not far from the Jersey Shore or Philadelphia.

It's a nice show filled with great local dealers. There will be postcards for every taste as well as vintage photographs, advertising and local memorabilia!

Drop me a line if I can bring anything special for you. Otherwise I'll concentrate on bringing only NJ postcards, NJ photos and other local memorabilia.

Hope to see everyone there!

Kevin

This Weekends Postcard Show

2010-09-24T09:46:00.000-07:00

Just packing and getting ready for this weekends postcard show in Parsippany NJ. The Garden State show is always fun. It's good seeing the dealers we haven't seen in a while and meeting new friends.

Thanks for all the email requests. I've pulled lots of great old postcards in your collecting interests and will bring them to the show. Hope to see you there! Kevin

The Garden State Postcard Show

2010-08-21T16:53:00.000-07:00

This show is always one of our favorites. One of the few local two day postcard shows, it is held in Parsippany NJ. It has easy access to Tri-State area collectors via the Garden State Parkway.

The show always have a great group of dealers from many states as well as from our home state of NJ (plus usually a dealer or two from outside the country!). Table after table of great vintage postcards, covering two large rooms of the PAL Center off Rt 46 in Parsippany.

Mark your calendar now! This is not the show to miss! Hope to see you there!

Vintage Stork Postcards

2010-08-21T16:45:00.000-07:00

Wow! It's been a while since I've had a post. I've been getting ready for some upcoming shows in September, and the beginning of the Fall postcard show season! Be sure to stop by and see us at the Tuckerton NJ Antiques Show and the popular Garden State Postcard Show in Parsippany NJ (both in September).

I recently stumbled across a handful of postcards at the flea market and began to sort and sleeve them. While going through the lot I noticed a common theme. There were a bunch that all had storks on them!

I would imagine they were quite popular in the day, used to announce a new family arrival! Many have the traditional stork, delivering a baby in some way, shape or form. They range from artistic to comical. I've sold many in the past, often used to make a great vintage gift for the new mom, possibly framed for display in a babys room!

Vintage 50s Pulp Science Fiction Books

2010-04-18T08:07:00.000-07:00

Just picked up today a huge collection of 1950s Science Fiction Pulp paperback books! These are really cool, especially the "far-out" covers with rocket ships, aliens, planets etc! It's neat to think that this was what they invisioned for us back in the 1950s and early 60s! Well over 125 in the collection and will be listing them soon on eBay in smaller lots.

Feel free to email any specific wants before they go up for bid! Thanks and happy collecting!

Costume Jewelry Collection

2010-04-18T07:57:00.000-07:00

Just started listing pieces from a wonderful collection of old costume jewelry. Many come from an estate collection assembled back in the 1940s.

Pieces include ornate pins from such designers as Miriam Haskell, Trifari and others. Styles include beautiful glass bead necklaces, stick pins, Marcasite, Rhinestone and others. These are quite pretty, and collectors online have begun bidding on these great pieces all starting at low reserves. Why not check them out?

The Ocean Grove NJ Show Is Next Saturday!

2010-04-04T07:24:00.000-07:00

It must be spring! The sun is finally out, the birds are chirping and the Ocean Grove Postcard, Paper and Memorabilia show is coming!

I'm busy sorting and pricing postcards and getting packed for the show. Have lots of new additions in all postcard collecting topics, states and other paper memorabilia. Drop me an email if I can bring anything special for you!

See the flyer attached for show details. Hope to see you there! Kevin

Belmar Postcard Show 2010

2010-02-28T19:27:00.000-08:00

Our local Belmar New Jersey postcard show is coming up! Join us on Saturday March 6th 2010 at the John Taylor Pavilion in Belmar for the 25th Annual Jersey Shore Postcard Show. Details are on the flyer to the left. This is definately not a show not to miss!

Hope to see all our friends there!

200 Year Old NYC Deeds / Maps !!!

2010-02-14T11:18:00.000-08:00

I've recently taken in another nice lot of antiques on consignment. Included in that lot were two nice old documents, each pertaining to the very early days of New York City!

The first is an old NY map dated 1752 from Rockland Orange County New York. This is a super piece of early New York history, and over 250 years old! It is an original hand drawn deed map, measuring approx. 8" x 11". It is made on a pulp like paper. It details a piece of property in Rockland New York and Orange County. The map shows the property lines and description, all hand done with beautiful old handwriting. Lists specific distances, degrees, along a ditch, past a rock etc. It describes "New York And Orange County, A lot of land called Rockland, belonging to Jonathan Hazard and purchased of Mr Henry Ludlow, the 14 November 1752, Containing 17.9 acres of land....". Has some beautiful fancy caligraphy. The area that would become Rockland County was originally inhabited by Indians, and later settled by the Dutch. When the Duke of York (who became King James II of England) established the first twelve counties of New York in 1683, present-day Rockland County was part of Orange County NY. Rockland County was split from Orange County in 1798.

A second item comes in a primitive crude leather pouch. The pouch appears to be hand cut and sewn with an old button for a closure. Inside the pouch was found a large original hand drawn doccument, measuring approx. 16" x 26". It is made on a heavy pulp like paper. It details a piece of property in the eigth Ward of the City Of New York. The property owner who died is detailed as one David Mann. His executor here is deeding the property through his estate. It is all hand done with beautiful old handwriting. Along with the large indenture, there is also an attached tissue like paper showing property lots for this property. The early deed lists specific distances, degrees etc. At the bottom it has four old red wax seals with a kings portrait?
The indenture reads "This indenture made the tenth day of September, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twelve...a parcel of land, situate lying and being in the eighth Ward of the city of New York...located on the west side of Bowery Lane, or high road...and Whereas after the said David Mann had purchased this lot, piece or parcel of land, herein first above described, the street called Broadway was laid out or continued through the same, so that part therof now lies upon the easterly and part on the westerly side of the said street". Also talks about laying out lots along the new street called "Broadway" and speaks of a property auction at the Tontine Coffee House in New York City (The old Tontine Coffee House was located at the northwest corner of Wall and Water Streets and was where the NY Stock Exchange was first organized).

Both items are a cool look back at the early days of NYC!!!

Vallejo California Postcard Group

2009-11-26T15:06:00.000-08:00

I recently dug through a fellow dealers unsorted postcard stock at a local show. I found an interesting 1940s real photo postcard from Vallejo California, a town near San Franscisco. The card had a really nice view of 40s cars, stores etc. so I put it aside to purchase.

A few minutes later I found another nice old view of the same town. And a few hundred cards later I found another, and another until I found eight different real photos from same town of Vallejo. I ending up buying them all as they were priced reasonably.

When I got home and looked through my purchases, I noticed that they were all sent from the same person in Vallejo to someone in Plainfield NJ. He sent one back east every few days, showing the recipient the town he lived in. He described on the back of each card what the view showed. A really nice snapshot of life in Vallejo Calif. around the late 1940s.

I considered breaking up the collection and probably would get more for the cards individually. But I kinda feel responsible now that I've got them all together again to keep them together. I'm hoping someone out there appreciates them as a collection as much as I do.....

It's coming...Belmar NJ 2009 !!!

2009-10-26T18:37:00.000-07:00

The 2009 Belmar NJ postcard show is coming! Getting together lots of great postcards and Jersey Shore memorabilia for this years show. It's one of the last of the year for us and always one of the best!

Hope to see everyone there!

This weekends show....

2009-10-15T18:57:00.000-07:00

Just got finished pricing another 1000 or so cards for this weekend South Jersey postcard show. Sounds like it might be a rainy weekend, so maybe the crowds will come out to the show instead of sitting inside.

As always I'll have lots of affordable cards in all states and topics. Drop me an email if I can bring anything special, ok?

Thanks and hope to see everyone there!

Kevin

Next Weekends South Jersey Show

2009-10-10T15:49:00.000-07:00

Getting ready today for next Saturday's South Jersey postcard show! I have lots of great postcards to add to our stock, in all topics and states. Be sure to stop by our booth and say hello!

Hope to see everyone there!

Kevin

Garden State Show Recap

2009-09-28T19:55:00.000-07:00

The Garden State Postcard Club Show was as always alot of fun. Saturday turned out to be the busiest of the two days, with sales steady throughout the day.

Sunday was quite a bit slower, even with the rain (you would have thought it would drive more people indoors?). I'm told attendence was somewhere around 400+ for the two days combined.

As always, it was nice to see many dealers I do not often see. Sunday brought in some new dealers that were not set up Saturday.

Popular topics were: Foreign, NJ views, nudes, Real Photos, misc. states, 50s chrome and linen postcards.

Thanks go out to Dan Herzog and the Garden State club for another great year!

2009-09-21T19:33:00.000-07:00

Getting ready for this weekend two day postcard show in Parsippany NJ! This is not one to miss with almost 50 dealers of great old postcards, vintage photographs and other memorabilia.

I'll have over 60 boxes of cards there from all states and collectable topics. Email me ahead of time so I can bring something specific for you.

Show hrs are Sat. 9/26 10-6 and Sun. 9/27 10-4.

Hope to see everyone there!

Mainzer Cat Postcard Collection

2009-09-21T19:27:00.000-07:00

I just purchased another nice old collection of postcards. These are from a west coast collector of Mainzer Cat postcards! Each has a cute imaged of dressed cats doing things like getting their hair cut in a barber shop, going on a cruise, driving cars, playing carnival games etc.

Check out my site now for the best selection of vintage Mainzer Cat postcards, as they will not last long at $2.99-$4.99 !

Thanks, Kevin

Tuckerton Clamtown Show

2009-09-16T16:34:00.000-07:00

Just finished this weekends Tuckerton NJ Clamtown Antiques Flea Market. We were disappointed that we got rained out on Saturday, but Sunday turned out to be a much better day!

The ground was wet and slippery, but the crowds did come out to shop. Notice I said "shop" and not buy! Money continues to be tight, with many of the sales being between $5-$20. I did notice alot of people carrying items, so it was not a bad day for some dealers.

Postcard sales were a bit slow. But local memorabilia sold ok. Inexpensive general antiques also sold well. I did not do much buying, as prices seemed pretty high, with many delaers not budging on price. There were a few items I had my eye on, but their selling price with no discount left no room for profit. Even at the end of the day, a few dealers would not negotiate.

Overall it was a fun day, sharing conversation with other dealers and friends coming by our space.

We're getting ready now for another event this month, our Parsippany NJ two day show up North. Hope to see everyone there!

Kevin
www.postcardguy.com

Vintage Red Star Line Ocean Liner Postcards

2009-08-14T19:14:00.000-07:00

I've just acquired a super collection of early Ocean Liner postcards. Each has hardly seen the light of day in over 90 years! They were nicely preserved in an album, and almost every card was produced by the Red Star Line Company.

Click on the blog title above to visit the cards currently up for auction.

The Art Deco style artwork is quite beautiful, and they resemble their larger cousins, the vintage travel posters of the day. This poster art can be quite valuable, especially with the travel posters. The postcards are miniature works of art!

The postcards were "official" premiums given away. They could have been obtained back then when you booked passage on one of the Red Star liners. A few of the postcards even describe how to receive these cards!

Check out my latest offerings on eBay under seller id Postcardguyantiques, on Delcampe and also on my own website at http://www.postcardguy.com/

Vintage Circus Photographs

2009-07-20T17:40:00.000-07:00

Every now and then a vintage photograph comes along that begs further investigation. Such was the case of the one shown above. At first glance, it seemed like just a random photo of a happy couple. But closer examination shed some light on the couple.

The image was taken by a photographer probably during the 1890s-1910 era. The cabinet photo measures approx. 4" x 6". It pictures a super view of a young man and woman, but both of a very large size! The back of the photo read "Chauncey Morlan, Age 25, Wt 602, Wife age 22, Wt 526". A quick "google" search revealed that they were a circus side show attraction of some type. The photographer turned out to be famous circus / sideshow / freak photographer Wendt of Boonton NJ. He was famous for his rare images of midgets, giants, fatmen, sword swollowers, jugglers and bearded ladies!

Chauncy Royse Morlan and Annie Bell were married in 1892 at Huber's Museum in New York. Afterward the couple toured with the Barnum & Bailey Circus in Europe. Upon returning to the US, they continued to travel as the fattest married couple in the world "with a combined weight of 912 pounds". During the off season the Morlans returned to their home in Indianapolis, Indiana - Chauncy's home state. Annie would die at age 31, and Chauncey at age 43.

I'm happy to offer this neat piece up for bid now on eBay. A neat old piece of photographic Circus history!

New Collection Just Purchased

2009-05-22T20:14:00.000-07:00

I've recently purchased a super collection of thousands of old postcards. Most if not all centered around the states of Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota and Missouri. The cards were carefully cared for all these years, even though not kept in albums or protective postcard sleeves.

The collector must have truly loved their postcards! What is amazing is the sheer number of real photo postcards in the collection! I would guess probably 400-500 of the cards were RP's ! The focus of the collection was small town views, from 1920 until around 1950 or so. Some super images of storefronts, cars, factories, lighthouses, steamboats etc. I'm proud to be offering these in the coming weeks on eBay.

Whats interesting is that I found a handful of cards in the collection that date to the 40s, but were written on and mailed after 1970! They apparently collected them, held onto them for many years, and then pulled them out and mailed them later!

New Trailer Items Just Added !

2009-05-14T17:51:00.000-07:00

Hi Trailer Guys and Girls!

I apologize for being slow lately adding new trailer items to my site for sale. But only because I have been so busy buying up new super trailer items to offer to eveyone!

I have about 50 new items to add and have just listed approx. 25 new additions on my site tonight. More to follow over the next few nights! Postcards, trailer brochures, match books and more!

Shop now for the best selection! As always, I offer Flat Rate $2.00 shipping regardless of quantity! Thanks for your past business...

Click below for the latest offerings...Thanks, Kevin

http://www.postcardguy.com/store/WsDefault.asp?Cat=TopicPostcards&Sub=152&isThumbs=No&Thumbs=

More trailer items.....

2009-04-25T17:15:00.000-07:00

I've been beating the bushes looking for more neat trailer items for my site. I was happy to get in several nice lots this week. Some like the one shown above have super colorful graphics. These travel trailers were truly home away from homes with every convenience of the times!

Several pieces in my latest lots acquired are nice WW2 era pieces, including one describing how travel trailers are helping us win the war! Stop by my site and check out all the latest pieces of trailer memorabilia for sale!

Clink on the link below to visit lots more great trailer items! http://www.postcardguy.com/store/WsDefault.asp?Cat=TopicPostcards&Sub=152&isThumbs=No&Thumbs==

Getting ready for another show....

2009-04-24T16:58:00.001-07:00

It's Friday April 24th...just sitting here sorting, sleeving and pricing another nice group of postcards for a show next weekend in Brick NJ. Its fun going through new cards and interesting reading! You'd be surprised what people used to write on postcards!

Just ran across one that tells of "a neighbor down the road that now has electric light"! Imagine how exciting that must have been for those who did not yet have it yet in their homes. Another postcard tells of a family member passing, and what a nice time they all had at the wake!

Also another nice lot of vintage trailer memorabila just arrived. I'll be scanning and listing it for sale on my website soon...

Details on next Sundays Brick NJ Bottle and Paper show is available on my site at www.postcardguy.com.

The night before the show....

2009-04-17T18:55:00.001-07:00

I left work tonight and headed up to Ocean Grove to get a jump on setting up....I probably have 50 or so boxes of cards ready to go. I saw lots of the regular dealers there...Tony Mac, Jim Estelle, Jim Lindemuth, John McGrath etc. Looks to be a good show and the weather sounds perfect!

Hope to see everyone there...something for everyone at this larger show!

Getting Ready For The Ocean Grove Show

2009-04-16T19:28:00.000-07:00

Getting ready for the Ocean Grove NJ postcard show this Saturday.

Working tonight on sorting and pricing another thousand or so old postcards I recently picked up. I like to sort them into three categories: show stock, my website inventory and eBay items. I find that some cards sell better in one area or another.

I'll then go through and sleeve them in nice new postcard sleeves, stack them up in topics or states and then begin to price them. I like to think I'm usually on the low side of pricing, always pricing what I feel is a bit below or at a fair market value. I sell very well to dealers, so I must be pricing fairly!

I'll also load up the truck tonight and will probably bring approx. 50 boxes of nice old cards to the show. But it never fails...I'll leave my foreign postcards home time time, and then someone will walk up at the show and ask for them! But you cannot bring everything....

Stop by my table and say hello!
Kevin

More and more old trailer items!

2009-04-11T17:21:00.000-07:00

Just added another 25 or so nice old trailer items to my site for sale today. Some really neat trailer catalogs, a nice lot of linen comic trailer postcards and even a trailer dealer promotional set of playing cards!

Stop by and take a look!

http://www.postcardguy.com/store/WsDefault.asp?Cat=TopicPostcards&Sub=152&isThumbs=No&Thumbs=

Kevin

Vintage Travel Trailer Brochures

2009-04-03T20:02:00.000-07:00

Old dealer advertising brochures showing vintage travel trailers are great for restorers and collectors of these "over the road" houses on wheels. They show the newest models of the time, all available options, colors, floor plans and pricing. I'm always on the hunt for these old advertising pieces, as I have many collector friends who enjoy collecting them. I've recently bought a nice collection of older brochures and have listed many for sale in my online store Postcardguy.com. A sample of a really nice one is shown above. By the way, old postcards showing trailers or mobile homes are also a favorite of mine. I always try to keep a nice selection of trailer cards available at all times. Stop by my store often for the latest arrivals! Click here

Old Route 66 Postcards-The Mother Road

2009-04-03T15:49:00.000-07:00

I've always loved the history around "The Mother Road"...old Rt 66! The roadside attractions, diners, gas stations, motels. What a historic slice of Americana! I've been picking up old Rt 66 postcards at shows for some time now and have just listed a nice selection for sale on eBay today! Why not stop by my auctions and start a great collection today! To see my ebay auctions, please click HERE!

Vintage Trailer Postcards

2009-04-01T17:16:00.001-07:00

Some of the most popular postcards searched for on the internet and on eBay are vintage trailer postcards.

Pictured above are just a few cards we have featured in our online store.

The first card shown is a 60's VW & Travel Trailer! Here's a neat old 60's view of the Fundy Nat. park in Canada. A vintage Volkswagon sits alongside an old trailer. Other mobile homes are in view. Back of card is divided and postally unused. Condition-Excellent

The second card is a 40's Real Photo Washington State Ferry w/Trailer This is a super Real Photo postcard image! It pictures the Anacortes Victoria San Juan Ferry at Anacortes Wash. State. Look at all the great 40's cars, trucks and travel trailer! Back of card is undivided and postally unused with an "E K C PLace Stamp Here" stamp box. Condition is excellent.

Do you collect vintage travel trailer or mobile home memorabilia? Postcards are a super addition to your collection! Watch our store often new additions to our Trailer category. Click here to see our latest offerings!

Learning About Old Postcards

2009-04-01T17:11:00.000-07:00

Vintage postcards are an affordable and fun hobby! Cards can range from a few cents apiece to the hundreds and sometimes even thousands of dollars each! Finding the true value of a card can be hard, with so many factors affecting its price.

I'll try to list here some common things that affect a postcards value or price.

Age: The age of a postcard can sometimes add to its monetary value. Many collectors today look for the earlier postcards, from around 1898 until the 1940's. But as these cards become harder to find, a new market for cards produced from the 1940's until the present have been created. If you think about it, cards produced in the 1950's are already over 50 years old!

Condition: Condition is a huge factor in evaluating postcards. A card in excellent to mint condition demands a much higher price than those with defects. Small creases, tears, bends or ink marks can cut the price of a postcard up to half! Postcards are often mishandled, and that little crease or rounded corner may not seem like much. But to a true collector, it can make a big difference. $20 postcards can often be found in a dealers 10 cent box due to its condition.

Topic: Some postcard topics are more desirable than others. For example, in the Holiday postcard field, Birthday postcards are considered quite common. Although beautiful, and often produced by famous publishers, they cannot rival the value of a Halloween postcard produced by the very same publisher. Black and white postcards are great examples of view postcards, but a true Real Photo postcard of the same place most often demands a much higher price.

Rarity: How many of this particular postcard were produced? Was it made by a small town publisher, maybe in a small quantity of 100? Or by a large city publisher, produced in the thousands? This will greatly affect the cards collectible value. How many are still around? How many have you seen on eBay or at shows? It is not uncommon to see two identical cards at a show, with a great difference in asking price. Postcard grading will probably never be as precise as coin or baseball card collecting, with manufacturers production numbers and standardized price guides. As for vintage postcards, some "one of a kind" cards can be worth big $$$!

Postcard Types/Dating: Dating postcards can be somewhat easy when postmarked on the back when sent. But using this method can be deceiving, as cards were often printed and stored for years before being sold and mailed. Postcards fall into several age categories. Clues on the actual cards can help date them, when they are not postmarked by a post office.

Pioneer Postcards: The earliest known postcards are commonly called "Pioneers". They were produced before the date July 1, 1898. Most often they have vignettes or images printed directly onto Government Postal cards, but can sometimes be found printed on private publishers card stock as well.

Early Century: Early Century postcards are those from the dates of 1898 until around 1918 or so. This group is commonly known as the "Golden Age" of postcard publishing, as it contained some of the most outstanding examples of postcard publishing. During this time, postcards would begin to become standardized, most being printed in the more popular 3 1/2" x 5 1/2" size format. Included as sub groups within this group were "Private Mailing" postcards, "undivided back", "divided back" and "Real Photo" postcards. Undivided cards required all writing correspondence to be on the front (picture) side and the address only on the back, while the divided back allowed both a handwritten message and a space for an address on the back side. Real Photo, RP or RPPC postcards were made from images taken with an actual camera. They were developed in a darkroom and printed onto postcard stock, often in a brown sepia tone.

Mid Century: Cards produced from 1919 to around 1940 or so. This group contains the ever popular "linen" postcard type, with a sort of "fabric" type feel to them, produced in the 40's. Also produced during these years were the "white border" postcards. These are normally black and white view images with white borders around the outside.

Chrome Era: Chrome postcards were produced from the 1950's until present. These late century postcards used a new "chromolithic" process, with lifelike vibrant colors, resembling more of a true photograph, then a printed postcard image. A new size format was also introduced during this age, measuring approx. 4"x6" and popularly called "continental" size. Modern/Rack Postcards: Cards made today are commonly called "moderns". A new type of collectible postcard is the promotional advertising postcards called "rack cards" or "free cards", as they are often found as give aways in restaurant and retail racks.

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