Extent:

121 items

Scope and content:

Van Vechten sent Claude Fredericks and Milton Saul postcards made from his own photographs between 1947-1950. They measure 3 ½ in. by 5 ¼ in. and most are embossed "Photograph by Carl Van Vechten." The images are of artists actors, authors, dancers, musicians and composers. Some include lengthy messages.

The following inventory is only a partial list since not all the persons have been identified. A few of the postcards are not Van Vechten photographs but only postcards written by him. Where it has been discovered that the photographs have been published, this fact is noted. Dance Photography refers to Dance Photography of Carl Van Vechten (New York-London 1981), and Portraits refers to Portraits: The Photography of Carl Van Vechten (Indianapolis-New York 1978). However, most of the photographs are unpublished. The postcards cover the years 1947 to 1950. Van Vechten sometimes sent the postcards in envelopes - hence no date, postmark, and, on occasion, no note. At least two photographs can still be found in Van Vechten's correspondence located in Box 12 of The Banyan Press archive (900230A), one with a letter dated 24 April 1948 and another (of Christopher Isherwood) with a letter dated 9 June 1948.

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