Postmarked Yesteryear: Art of the Holiday Postcard

by Pamela E. Apkarian-Russell

Book Overview

Before the telegraph and telephone, postcards were the primary form of social communication. Today these postcards are treasured artifacts as well as important historical documents from around the... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1888054549
• ISBN13: 9781888054545
• Release Date: January 2001
• Publisher: Collectors Press
• Length: 162 Pages
• Weight: 1.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 10.6" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Beautiful book

I purchased this book used. When I received it was in WONDERFUL condition and I just love the illustrations. I do have one problem with this book--it is falling away from the spine! I haven't handled it roughly so I think the problem is the shape of the book and the pages are so heavy.

Fine art in 3 1/2 x 5 1/2"

The art on the postcard is the focus and this book does a great job of picturing different views of the holidays. Starting with a brief history of the post card and publishers, she then presents some common symbolism. She moves through the year, covering each of the holidays. At New Year's are images of pigs pulling a coach. On Valentines days is the "Penny Dreadful", with ill wishes from someone you may have wronged. At Christmas are Louis Wain's cats, which can be rare (and the relative prices of the cards are indicated). She includes holidays not commonly celebrated in the states today, such as Guy Fawkes Day, the Mexican Day of the Dead, and Krampus. Because of her own collection, the images of Halloween are spectacular and a highlight of the book. My only minor complaint would be that on some of the light backgrounds her annotations are hard to read.

Great pictures!

This is a very good book in terms of introducing the different holidays/postcard themes that can be found. It has really great pictures and I guess what I take away most is the general ideas on what is considered valuable/rare. I just collect ones I like and think are attractive, I don't really collect because of the collectability, so this book was helpful for me in getting ideas on what else I might like and should look for.

Postmarked Yesteryear

If you have any interest in vintage holiday postcards, or just an interest in "holiday history/graphic symbolism", this wonderful book is a "must-own". The examples shown, and the writing in general, could not have been better. It is NOT a book you put on the shelf and forget about. Joe Hohmann, Media, PA

a wonderful window to the past

These postcards are truly works of art. Compare these oldies to today's postcards and you will be greatly disappointed with the apparent lack of artistry and imagination that goes in to current postcard design. Each postcard is a wonderful reminder of a more intimate time, when getting a postcard was an event. Praise must go to the authors for compiling a wonderful collection and presenting it to the reader.