Finding Aid for the Collection of postcards and postcard albums, ca. 1890-

Processed by Dydia Delyser, Terry Nakasone; Dydia DeLyser, Lilace Hatayama; machine-readable finding aid created by Caroline Cubé.

UCLA Library Special Collections

Room A1713, Charles E. Young Research Library

Box 951575

Los Angeles, CA 90095-1575

Email: spec-coll@library.ucla.edu

URL: http://www.library.ucla.edu/libraries/special/scweb/

Descriptive Summary

Title: Collection of postcards and postcard albums

Date (inclusive): ca. 1890-

Collection number: 1337

Extent: 188 oversize boxes

Abstract: The first postcards were probably playing cards used as visiting cards (late 17th-early 18th century). They were replaced by visiting cards and most had pictures and a blank space for the name. Subjects were places of interest or general motifs and often included messages. Printers printed decorative letter paper using old visiting card plates (1830s) and established the link from visiting cards to postcards. There were few areas or events not recorded on postcards by the early 1900s. The collection consists of postcards and novelty cards from various places around the world.

Language: Finding aid is written in English.

Language of the Material: Materials are in English.

Repository: University of California, Los Angeles. Library Special Collections.

Los Angeles, California 90095-1575

Physical location: Stored off-site at SRLF. Advance notice is required for access to the collection. Please contact UCLA Library Special Collections for paging information.

Administrative Information

Restrictions on Access

Open for research. STORED OFF-SITE AT SRLF. Advance notice is required for access to the collection. Please contact UCLA Library Special Collections for paging information.

Restrictions on Use and Reproduction

Property rights to the physical object belong to the UC Regents. Literary rights, including copyright, are retained by the creators and their heirs. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine who holds the copyright and pursue the copyright owner or his or her heir for permission to publish where The UC Regents do not hold the copyright.

Provenance/Source of Acquisition

Bulk of the collection was received from Dr. Omer L. Sharp and Emily Hildegarde Sharp.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Collection of postcards and postcard albums (Collection 1337). UCLA Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library, UCLA.

UCLA Catalog Record ID

UCLA Catalog Record ID: 4232851

Biography/History

The first postcards were probably playing cards used as visiting cards (late 17th-early 18th century); they were replaced by visiting cards and most had pictures and a blank space for the name; subjects were places of interest or general motifs and often included messages; printers printed decorative letter paper using old visiting card plates (1830s) and established the link from visiting cards to postcards; there were few areas or events not recorded on postcards by the early 1900s; popularity dropped off after World War I; tourist view cards became the standard after World War II.

Scope and Content

Collection consists of postcards from various places around the world. Includes novelty cards.

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.

Genres and Forms of Material

picture postcards.

postcard albums.

Box 1

Expositions and fairs, handmade cards.

Box 3

Europe, U.S., Ceylon.

Box 4

Special occasions.

Box 5

U.S., Europe, hunt scenes, horses & carts - Europe, U.S. & Asia, U.S. capital murals.

Box 6

Colorado, Waterloo, Valley Forge, Virginia, U.S., Europe, floods & fires, Washington, D.C., Boston, farming.

Box 7

Dogs, babies, U.S., Spain, Canada, Lighthouses, U.S. - Northeast, Mexico, U.S. - Churches, Vancouver & Victoria B.C.

Box 8

U.S., Europe, Frasher's series - Southwest, Kansas, Eastman's studies photo cards - Southwest.

Box 9

U.S., China, Japan, Manchuria, state capitols, Europe, North Africa, Dominican Republic.

Box 10

Colorado, miscellaneous U.S., U.S. mints, Ringling Brothers in Florida, Japan, China, Europe.

Box 11

Comic, novelty, erotic (includes “outhouse” cards).

Box 12

Comic, novelty, erotic (including racial stereotypes, young lovers, religion).

Box 13

Southern California - except Los Angeles City/County.

Box 14

Art reproductions (old masters).

Box 15

Comic, novelty, erotic.

Box 16

Southwest photo cards - sorted by states.

Box 17

U.S., Europe, flowers, German military figures - World War I, British regiment uniforms, World War I scenes, U.S. military scenes - World War I “Greetings” from.

Box 18

Northern California.

Box 19

Comic, novelty, erotic, “Squeezies.”

Box 20

Special occasions (Christmas, New Year, birthday).

Box 21

U.S., Texas, cowboys, bulls, farming, Eisenhower, Philippines, international fairs, Europe, U.S. parks - West & Southwest, animals, Egypt, Ceylon, India, religious cards.

Boxes 22, 34, 43

Art.

Box 23

U.S., Florida, state birds, Europe, Southeast Asia, flowers, Japan, Egypt.

Box 24

European royalty, Napoleon, flowers, landscapes, U.S. Presidents, cowboys, Ringling Brothers Circus, Barnum & Bailey Circus, circus acts.

Boxes 25, 27-28

Comic, novelty.

Boxes 2, 26, 32, 36, 131

Comic, novelty, erotic.

Box 29

Packers & oversize.

Box 30

Egypt, Middle East, North Africa, U.S., India.

Box 31

Alaska & miscellaneous.

Box 33

Photo cards.

Box 35

Novelty - leather.

Box 37

U.S., Europe, caves, China, Japan, covered bridges - U.S., South Africa, Australia, Alaska.

Box 38

Special occasions.

Box 39

U.S., Europe, national costumes - Europe, Eastern Europe, North Africa, New York buildings & landmarks, Frasher photo cards, religious cards, U.S. battleships, Egypt.

Box 40

U.S., Europe, Canada, China, U.S. Zoos, Frasher's photo cards - Nevada & Arizona.

Box 41

U.S., Europe, England, Japan, India, Masonic temples.

Box 42

Egypt, U.S., Greece, India, Europe, Canada, Caribbean Islands.

Box 44

Mexico, China, Europe, Japan, South Pacific, U.S., Ceylon.

Box 45

Art reproductions.

Box 46

Oceania.

Box 47

Special occasions (including Halloween).

Boxes 48-49

American Indians.

Box 50

Special occasions.

Box 51

Cards (Pennzoil series) U.S., Europe, cats, dogs, horses, Canada, carts & carriages, Midwest, Tower of London.

Boxes 52-54, 57

Special occasions.

Box 55

Special occasions (Easter).

Box 56

Special occasions.

Box 58

Brags, Personals [?].

Box 59

Missions.

Box 60

Maine, Massachusetts, Europe, Russia.

Box 61

Industry, Mining, manufacturing, U.S. - main streets, Pacific Northwest Barnum & Bailey winter camp, trains, New England, Alaska.

Box 62

Oil fields, train stations, disasters, Cuba, market places.

Box 63

U.S. Courthouses, Japan, American Indians, European scenery, costumes.

Box 64

Mexico, Japan, U.S., Alaska, Pacific Northwest, Europe.

Box 65

Union Oil - U.S. scenery cards, Amish community, Europe, Florida, Tennessee, Illinois.

Box 66

Vancouver, U.S., Europe, Wimbledon photos, disasters, U.S. Army.

Box 67

Ireland, Canada, U.S., Europe, London, Rome, Edinburgh.

Box 68

New England, Pacific Northwest, U.S., Union Oil - U.S. scenery cards.

Box 69

Washington, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, Niagara Falls, South Dakota.

Box 70

Illinois, North Dakota Badlands, Arizona, Wisconsin, Minnesota.

Box 71

Germany, Niagara Falls, Arlington (Virginia), France, Italy, South Dakota, Bangkok.

Box 72

“White wine of car” cough syrup, Animal series farm animals, horses, zoo animals, Italy, Missouri, Mount Vernon, U.S., Mexico, Austria.

Box 73

Bridges, Union Oil series, Pacific Northwest, Japan, U.S., Dutch, churches, Brazil.

Box 74

Scotland, Canada, U.S., France, Virginia, Masonic temples, U.S., Oregon.

Box 75

Japan, Mexico, New Orleans, steamships, Europe, Middle East, animals.

Box 76

Europe, U.S. main streets.

Box 77

Holland, Nebraska, New England, cats, dogs, New England fall foliage, Eskimos, Washington, Canada, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Oregon, oil disasters.

Box 78

Bolivia, Brazil, China, Colombia, Cuba, England, Holland, India, Italy, Japan, Panama Canal, Penang, Peru, Puerto Rico, Sweden, Switzerland, Trinidad, Turkey, Uruguay, Yugoslavia.

Box 79

Canada, Washington, D.C., New York, Pacific Northwest, Ringling Bros., Mexico, Union Oil - Western states, Nevada, Japan, Utah, Arizona, West Point, cathedrals - U.S. & Europe, farming & equipment.

Box 80

West, Southwest, Pacific Northwest, railroads & engines, Europe, Japan, China, disasters, birds, Japan, New England.

Box 81

Midwest, Southwest, Florida, Mississippi, Colorado, Utah, Berlin, Louisiana, England, Bermuda, South America, song birds, Japan, Canada.

Box 82

U.S., Canada, Japan, Arizona photo cards, Florida, U.S. photo cards, pilgrims, New York Aquarium, Fred Harvey cards.

Box 83

Russia, Europe, Japan, Egypt, France, New York, Arkansas, Kansas, East Coast, puppies, kittens, butterflies, birds, alligators, Poland, Nevada & Arizona photo cards, Oregon, Washington, Utah, miscellaneous foreign.

Box 84

Germany, France, Europe, New York, Kentucky - Mammoth Cave, Florida, New England, Egypt, North Africa, Paris, Southeast Asia.

Box 85

Cats, near East, Utah, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, Colorado, Arizona, American Indians mainly Southwest, Ford cards, MGM trucks, Marriott hotels, Europe, Alaska, U.S. - miscellaneous Yellowstone, “Greetings From,” Union Pacific scenic cards, TWA, Virginia City photo cards.

Box 86

Special occasions.

Box 87

Southwest, Japan, Germany, Louisiana, “Greetings from,” longhorns, mutant cows, Midwest, Mexico, American Indians, U.S., Europe.

Box 88

Canada, Florida, U.S. Mints, New York, Colorado, Will Rogers, World War I, Ohio, New England, Niagara Falls, Yellowstone, Utah.

Box 89

New York Zoo, Mexico, Canada, Southwest, portraits - Custer, American Indians and others, Kansas, Nevada, cactus, Frasher photo cards, Oklahoma, Texas, Puerto Rico, British Columbia.

Box 90

Japan, China, Southeast Asia, U.S., flowers, Montana, Colorado, South Dakota, Iowa, Mexico, Panama, Texas, Canada, Egypt, Europe, England, White House, U.S. - main streets, Southwest, Caribbean, Indian, Egypt.

Box 91

Oversize & packet.

Box 92

France, Europe, Canada.

Box 93

Dust storms, Oregon Trail, Kansas, Florida, North Carolina, Arizona, Washington, U.S., Idaho, Europe England, Canada.

Box 94

Southwest, U.S., Europe, zoo animals, Mexico, China, Sweden, logging in Minnesota, Nevada, Hong Kong, Canada.

Box 95

Chicago, Ohio, East Coast, Southwest, Midwest, South, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Washington, Mexico, Canada.

Box 96

Canada, Germany, U.S., Turkey, Egypt, Near East, Italy, India, Germany, Portugal, Bloomfield Connecticut flood - 1955?, flood photo cards, Europe, Japan, China, Greece.

Box 97

Europe, Canada, U.S.

Box 98

Canada, U.S, state capitol buildings, U.S. main streets.

Box 99

Chicago Museum of Natural History, factories, mining, manufacturing, covered bridges, Nevada, U.S. main streets.

Box 100

Postcard maps, U.S. lighthouses, state capital building, governors' mansions, steamers, windmills, water wheels.

Box 101

Special occasions.

Box 102

Switzerland, Germany, New York, Chicago, Northeast, Mexico, Washington, D.C., Midwest.

Box 103

Farming, bullfighting, national & ethnic costumes, U.S. State capitols, cattle industry, logging, American Indians, Texas, Midwest, “Greetings from” state cards, France, Germany.

Box 104

Mexico, Ringling Brothers winter headquarters, bullfighting, U.S., Europe.

Box 105

Midwest, railroad stations, Washington D.C., Arizona, Southwest, U.S., Honduras, logging.

Box 106

U.S., Europe, dogs, flowers, Scandinavia.

Box 107

U.S., Southwest, Fred Harvey cards, “Phostint” / Detroit, Publishing cards.

Box 108

Desert flowers, Panama, Europe - disasters, Japan, birds, Dust bowl photo cards (Lamar, Colorado), costumes, U.S.

Box 109

Europe, Japan, Mexico, U.S.

Box 110

Europe, England, Japan, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Cuba, Yellowstone, lighthouses, Midwest, Northeast.

Boxes 111-112

Special occasions.

Box 113

Southwest, American Museum of Natural History (New York), cotton industry, Fred Harvey cards, biblical figures, Yellowstone, British Columbia, Dust Bowl, Kansas, Nevada.

Box 114

State capitols, southwest European postcard books, Constantinople, Oxford, manufacturing, mining.

Box 115

Executions / death / disasters, Hershey's Chocolate Company, hotels / motels / tourist attractions - U.S., Asylums / prisons / schools, hospitals / orphanages, stereotypes, U.S. states maps, the West.

Box 116

Europe, British West Indies, U.S., Japan, Australia, Egypt, China.

Box 117

Europe, Great Britain, Canada, Bullfighting, Alaska, Yellowstone, U.S. Masonic temples, U.S.

Box 118

Southeast Asia, Southwest, Montana, Northwest, Ceylong, American Indians - Southwest, Southwest, Great Britain, Europe, Mount Vernon, Mexico, Japan, Yellowstone.

Box 119

New York Zoological Park, Europe, Northwest, Northeast, Yellowstone, Midwest.

Box 120

Northwest, Southwest, flowers, pets, American Indians, Japan, Yellowstone, Southwest.

Box 121

Special occasions.

Box 122

Europe, Northeast, London, North Africa, animals.

Box 123

U.S. bridges, flowers, farming, Europe, cats, carriages, horses & cowboys, ships, boats, cruise lines.

Box 124

U.S. post offices, churches, museums and memorials, bridges, Europe, Asia, Africa, costumes, farming, harvesting.

Box 125

Europe, Japan, U.S. birds, animals, lighthouses, state flags, Zoo animals, Canada, Ceylon, India, Algeria.

Box 126

Indians of North America.

Box 127

Europe, U.S., Great Britain, Canada, Mexico, farming.

Box 128

Europe, Mexico, U.S., Bermuda, Canada, religion, Panama.

Box 129

Special occasions.

Boxes 130, 132

Miscellaneous.

Box 133

Theaters, opera houses.

Box 134

Packets.

Boxes 135-177

Postcard albums.

Physical Description: (* and document boxes)

Box 178

U.S., Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Florida, Oregon, Washington, Texas (sorted).

Box 179

Foreign (including some Russian).

Boxes 180-181

Miscellaneous, mainly foreign.

Box 182

Intemperance, war, cowboys, west, giant vegetables, U.S., Japan, China, Bangkok, Canada, Europe, Amish.

Box 183

Postcard albums.

Scope and Content Note

Includes a beautiful 1900s Southern California Album.

Box 184

Advertising/products, Arizona, Canada, Caribbean Islands, Colorado, Cuba, Egypt, Florida, Great Britain, “Greetings from - U.S. states,” India, Massachusetts, Mexico, Nevada, New Hampshire, Oregon, Panama Canal, South America, Texas, Utah, Washington.

Box 185

New Mexico, Fred Harvey cards, Route 66.

Box 186

Aviation, auto industry / oil companies, bears, expos & fairs, factories / manufacturing, farming / farm equipment, pipes/piping, restaurants - U.S., theatres - U.S. trains & train stations.

Box 187

Europe, Mexico, Art cards, U.S., Canada, NASA, birth announcements, Africa, advertising, Africa, Puerto Rico, South America, Southwest, 1998 Olympics, greetings libraries - U.S.

Box 188

Hotels / restaurants - U.S.