Tuesday, November 10, 2015

Let's Talk Vintage #57: How to Spot a Valuable Christmas Postcard

 
 
 
 Welcome to Let's Talk Vintage!
This is a blog post where
other bloggers and sellers
can "link up" their posts
and selling pages. 

We're so glad you joined us today!
If you would like to link up...
here are some guidelines.

* Your post or item for sale
needs to be vintage in
some way.
* You may link as many times
as you'd like.

* Be sure to visit someone
in the link up.

And that's it! Easy peasy!
 


 
Today I am sharing some of my
vast just enough to be dangerous
knowledge on collecting antique
Christmas and holiday postcards.
 
 
The early 20th century brought
about some wonderful paper ephemera,
in the form of greetings.
 

Let's take a look at some of them,
with some tips and hints to spot
a collectible card.
 
I've chosen the holidays just
because we are about
to hit the busy season...
but some of these tips
apply to the cards that
were made for all year round.



Let's start off with Santa.

If he is wearing a suit that is
not typical of the modern
red and white, then the
card is worth more and is
sought out by collectors.

In the card above, his suit
is trimmed in black.


 
 
Here is another unique card, with
the reddish brown cloak.
 
 Plus, he is not carrying his usual sack of
toys... but a lantern and axe,
standing with an angel.
 
Cards like these can make the
value run anywhere between
10.00 - 15.00.
 
(Side note: These two Santa
 cards are available in my shop 
under the ephemera category)
 
 
 
 
The gold or silver foil kind are very common
but they never seem to lose their appeal.
 
Some stand out above the rest
like the wish bone and the robin.

 
This one has wonderful
glassy style glitter,
hard to see in the photo but
really feels neat to the touch.

 
This is a mechanical postcard.
It is worth more... and is more
desirable to collectors.
 

 
See the arrows pointing out the wheel,
which changes the month, date, and day
of the week? It could be used
as a calendar. Love it!

 
This one has a lace edge.
 


These are embossed and have
great texture.


See the raised detail?
 


Now this trio is where we get into some of the
more valuable cards.

Look for teeny tiny print at the bottom.
Some are by famous artists.
 
The one on the right is by John Winsch.
 

Also very collectible are
Ellen Clapsaddle and Frances Brundage.
 
Do you see Ms. Clapsaddle's
 signature at the bottom?
 
These can run anywhere
 from 6.00 to 15.00.
 
She also did other holidays
so be sure to look for those...
like Halloween, Valentine's Day,
 and St. Patrick's Day.
 
 
 
Although I am not sure who is
the artist of the postcard,
I tend to be drawn in by
 cards that have people
in them.
 

 
These are foreign cards.
Note the text in English and Italian.

I've also seen French.



Then there are cards with
wonderful graphics.


But sometimes the appeal has nothing
to do with money at all.

It is what is written on the back that
melts the heart.
 
 
I hope you learned something new
today about collecting holiday postcards!

In a future LTV post I will share some
cards from my own collection.
(Yet another!)
 
 
Now, here are this week's features:


First, let's start off with Rita of Panoply.
She and her Sisters created "Chris Missy"
and dazzled everyone who saw her in
their shared antique booth.
 
 
Sarah of Sadie Seasongoods gets a lot
 of "blog time" being featured.
 
But with ideas as clever as this teapot
sewing box with the lid pin cushion... I can see why!
So clever, she now has me with an eye on a couple of
tea pots in my inventory, and I'm not really a big crafter!


and Penny of Penny's Vintage Home
shared some of her amazing
Christmas displays. She mixes
new and old together. I love
these ballerina figurines that
were her Mother's.


and Sam of Raggedy Bits
shared her cupboard makeover.
I love how she distressed it

and added the handwriting paper.
 
 
 
If you were a feature
today, be sure to grab this
"My Blog was Featured"
button! 
 
Now it's your turn...
 

18 comments:

My thrift store addiction said...

Jillian, I love the Christmas postcards! I just found some Thanksgiving ones that were printed in Germany--will share them next time! Thank you for the party, Cecilia

Sandi Magle said...

What a great article on postcards...with illustrations of clearly what you are talking about. I have a stash from the family, but most are foreign and since they were sent from overseas/Denmark, they wrote everywhere on the surface for their penge-pennies. I will try and find them to post---. Thanks again for the infor and hosting. Sandi

Sharon @ Blue Willow House said...

Jill, thank you for hosting another wonderful party. I love vintage postcards and appreciate the information about what makes them truly collectible. sb

Debbie-Dabble Blog and A Debbie-Dabble Christmas said...

Beautiful vintage Christmas images!!
Thanks for hosting!!

Hugs,
Deb

Joy@aVintageGreen said...

Hi Jillian what a wonderful collection of very vintage cards. Such creativity. Thank you for hosting Lets Talk Vintage 57.

Curtains in My Tree said...


I have always liked vintage Christmas post cards and still have a little sleigh full of ones I couldn't let go.

I love that little teapot made into a sewing basket with pin cushion under the lid ,now wasn't she smart?

Rita C at Panoply said...

Jill, thank you so much for featuring 'Chris Missy' this week on your vintage link party. While I am humbled, she is loving the attention (apparently, it's gone to her head, which has gotten too big for her own good and left the scene).
Thanks even more for this really informative post on vintage postcards. I have a smattering of these cards, but it's not with serious intent that I collect them. I love learning new things about old things! I do remember being in an antique mall with my Panoply sisters and seeing a very expensive postcard called a 'hold-to-light' (where the image becomes more vivid with color, transforming in some fashion when held to light). That was a first for all of us.
As always, thank you for hosting us.
Rita

Unknown said...

Loving all the vintage goodness this week! Thanks for hosting such a great party!

Gina @ VictorianWannaBe said...

Hi Jillian, I enjoyed hearing about the postcards. Also Christmas postcards that have toys pictured on them are worth a little more too. :)
Thanks so much for hosting and have a wonderful week!
Gina

Diana said...

AWESOME post Jill--great information, something I just love :) I've pinned it to my Antique & Vintage Resources Pinterest board and on the list I keep on my blog (on the sidebar). Thanks for hosting!

Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson said...

Hi Jill, loved the info about the vintage postcards! I always love when I find one with a message on the back. Certainly does melt my heart. You have some gorgeous ones! Wonderful features! Love Rita's mannequin! Thanks for the party.
hugs,
Jann

Donna Wilkes said...

My vintage postcard collection numbers over 2000. I am paring them down by listing and doing custom orders on Etsy. Thank you for having us all over!

Penny @ Penny's Vintage Home said...

Love your collection of vintage postcards! What a nice surprise to see my post featured...thank you! hugs....

Deanies Stash said...

Thank you for all the great information about postcards! Loved it! Thank you for hosting each week.

xo Dianne

Tuula @ Thrifty Rebel Vintage said...

I loved reading about all the postcards. Thanks for all the great info. I'll know what to look for now. And thanks for hosting the party!

Sam - Raggedy Bits said...

Thank you so much for hosting and for featuring my French Script Side Table!! Such a lovely surprise!
I love all of your gorgeous Vintage postcards! Your collection is AMAZING!!!
Popping by again to share in my favorite linky party with my Quick and easy Santa Treat Tray. :-)

Victorian1885 said...

Hello Jillian..
Thank you for showing us your vintage Christmas cards... I love all of them!
Have a wonderful rest of the week!

Heidi | Mysweetcottage.com said...

Jillian, another wonderful party. Thanks so much for hosting!