Figure 1.--Here we see two German school children in 1926. I think that they are Kindergarteners about 5-6 years old. They are probably siblongs--J�rgen and Sigrid. Sigrid wears a plaid dress, hair bow, and long black stockings. J�rgen wears a pinafore over his school outfit. He looks a little older. Notice the decorative trim. The back of the hard had no stamp box or other identifying information., only a vertical dibider and horizontal lines for the address. Click on the image to see the back.

Postcard photography was very common in the early-20th century and the backs varied substantially from country to country. . No where were the postcard photographs more common than in America. Some of the companies involved were the companies making photographic paperlike Kodak, but many more companoes purchased the paper from photographic companies like Kodak and Velox and then put on their brand name in the stamp box or other location on the back of the ard. Most of the companies listed on the stamp box page are American. Th most obvious is of course Kodak. Also included in the table are a number of European countries. The K and K Ltd. post cards were European. Ltd. ks a Btirish term for a corporation (limited liability), but it was used elsewhere in Europe. We see quite a number of these K Ltd. postcards from Germany and the small countries of central and Eastern Europe, especially the Baltics after World War I. K was presumably a German company, but we do not yet have details on the company. And knowing the country where these companies were based does not mean that was where the photogrph was taken. There were no phoographic companies in Larin Anerica so we see hem using American and European photogrphic supplies. Many Canadian companies used American supplies, but we also see Btitish suppliers. The postcard photographs without a stamp box were much more common in Europe than America. Sometimes therewas some other type of company marking. Most U.S. podtcard back photographs had the identifying stamp boxes. As the smaller European countries generally used imported German supplies, they are especially difficult to identify unless mailed and there is a postmark or stamp.

America

It is interesting to note that America at this time also had a postcard industry. Post cards began to appear in large numbers during the early 1890s. Imports, especilly imports from Germany, were very important in America--at least until World War I (1914-18). Beautifully dressed children, however, were never as popular on American postcards as on English and French postcards. Actually beginning in the 1900s and continuing in the 1920s, Americans could choose to have their photographs developed with a postcard back. This allowed the photos to be mailed to family and relatives like postcards. Large numbers of these cards exist. In France, however, people appeared to have preferred to purchase ready made postcards like this one. A discerning collector can date many post cards even if they have not been postally used. Postage

England

At the turn of the 20th century, two photographic developments occurred at about the same time . First Kodak introduced the Brownie camera, making family snapshots possible (1900). Kodak was an American company, but The Bronie quickly reached Britain and heir were domestic competitors. At he same time, we begin to see postcards being done with these snap shots. In America we see stamp boxes which can be used to estimate the date of these cards. Most American cards in the 20th century had these stamp boxes. We also see these stamp boxes in Britain, but they were not nearly as common as in America. But there were different styles for the backs which can help date the cards. Post cards appeared in the mid-19th century. but they did not have pictures on them for some time. hey were purchased from he Post Office and had a stamp printed on them (1870). the term 'Post Card' is used on these cards. It was on the Continent that we first see picture postcards. These were printed images, no photographic images. he Pot Office allowed some illustrated and advertising cards with pre-printed stamps The Post Office finally allowed private companies to print postcards to which an adhesive stamp could be affixed (1894). They were no at first a major item. They seemed popular at seaside resorts to show the folks at home where you were. There were not many subject themes. his began to change after the turn of the century, in part bcause of the Boer War and important Royal events, At the same time, the Post Office allowed both address and message to be written on one side of the card, freeing up the whole of the other for the picture. Britain was the first country to introduce this 'divided back' postcard format By this time, we also see the size of the cards standardized. We see postcards on virtually every possible subject along with personal snapshots. Studio portraits were also dome as postcards postcards. World War I changed the emphasis of the subjects featured (1914-18). The first two decades of the 20th century were at the peak of popularity for postcards. The telephone tended to reduce postcard usage. Major eras included: Pioneer Era (1873-1898); Private Mailing Card Era (1898-1901); Undivided Back Era (1901-07); Divided Back Era (1907-14); and White Border Era (1915-1930). It is the 1900-40 era we are most interested in because this was when snapshots and studio portraits were done as postcards.

France

France in the 1920s was well known for its post card industry. They were commonly used at the time much as greeting cards are today. The French post card indusry was well known throughout Europe. These cards were sold throughout Europe. They were quite popular in England. Note that this card is marked "Made in France," imdicated that it was printed for possible sale in England.

Germany

HBC has little information on the German postcard industry at this time. Germany had an important industry and until World War I (1914-18), German companies supplied large numbers of cards to America. HBC does not at this time have details on the Gernman post cards exported to the United States, but HBC does not believe they tended to be the ones with children. Some of the early German cards are easy to spot because before and immediately after World War I the Germans produced cards where the boys had shaved heads. While not unknown in other countries, it was much more common in Germany. Boys in sailor suits were also very common in the German cards. The German postcard industry does not seem to have been as large as the French industry althiugh it was sizeable. We suspect that the German cards were not as apealing as the French cards in many export markets. We note that while we find many French cards postally used in other countries, this is less common for the German cards. We also note that while there are many Germany cards available from the early 20th century before World War I and immediately afterwards during the 1920s, we find few from the 1930s, especially after the NAZI seizure of power in 1933.

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Created: 3:52 PM 2/21/2013
Last updated: 11:12 AM 3/28/2025