ephemera

Collecting Motel Postcards - Tropic-Air Clearwater Florida

Once upon a time in America, people could afford to drive large, gas-guzzling automobiles hither and yon on what was known as "a family vacation." This concept is totally foreign to me. But I understand from reading history books that upon these journeys, Americans stayed in motels like the Tropic-Air in Clearwater, Florida.

I have some personal history in Clearwater. For the past five years or so, I've spent Thanksgiving Day in Clearwater with my wife's family. For me, nothing says Thanksgiving like 80 degree temperatures and bikinis. However, my purpose today isn't to extol the virtues of eating turkey, stuffing, and all the other holiday trimmings on a Florida patio in the baking sun. Instead, I'm paying homage to the wonderful ephemera collecting sub-genre of motel postcards and all things motel Americana. I've touched upon this subject in earlier posts. And, for a in-depth look at collecting motel ephemera, read my interview with Andrew Wood. For those interested in building a motel postcard collection, cards can be had relatively cheaply on eBay. And there's even a Flickr group dedicated to the subject.

For total immersion, you'll want to read Gas, Food, and Lodging: A Postcard Odyssey Through the Great American Roadside.

[Photo attribution: Tropic-Air Motel image by Marxchivist.]

Motel Postcards - Question and Answer

My interview with Andrew Wood, motel postcard collector and co-author of Motel America: A State-By-State Tour Guide to Nostalgic Stopovers, spawned a great question from a loyal reader. Andrew was kind enough to post a response to the question in the comment section of the original post, but I thought it might be missed by a lot of people, so I've decided to feature the exchange here. I think a lot postcard collectors would benefit from Andrew's insightful answer to Michelle's great question.

Michelle's question:

I enjoyed reading about your postcard collection. I'm also a postcard collector, but have never branched into motel postcards. A couple of questions for you: Are there any particular features that would distinguish a motel postcard as a great postcard versus a so-so one? You mentioned the Coral Court postcard in your collection--are postcards of motels that no longer exist more desirable from a collecting standpoint than postcards of motels that are still standing? Great interview!

Andrew's answer:

I appreciate your questions. To me, motel postcards gain value (an entirely arbitrary distinction, in my opinion) based on a number of factors. Is the architecture unique? One may find countless numbers of I-shaped or L-shaped motels. But how many motels seek to convey some sense of the local vernacular architecture, with designs such as adobe missions or teepees? I prize those motel postcards. I also search for cards with interesting design features, such as pull-out close-ups of signs. A part-time student of graphic design, I get a kick out of those details. Motel cards that feature other types of roadside Americana tend to be valuable. Thus a card that depicts a motel *and* a gas station or a diner will likely be worth more than a card that shows a motel only. Cards with clearly delineated automobiles can sometimes fetch a bit more, since those items are doubly interesting to both motel and car-buffs. Cards with evocative writing on the back often draw my attention. I love "vacation messages" that convey a sense of time and place that would otherwise be lost. I'll pay a bit more for those items. Also, I'm a sucker for linen cards. There's something about the saturation and texture that chrome can't replicate. So I'm always willing to pay a bit more for a decent quality linen. Finally, of course, are the names. Cards that feature well-known names, The Blue Swallow, the Coral Court, the Munger Moss, and the like, almost inevitably cost more than generic "sunset" motels and "capri" motels. I emphasize, though, what you already know. Value is idiosyncratic. I have cards that mean a great deal to me simply because I enjoyed my visits to those properties or can remember a great conversation with the person who sold them to me. Thus any attempt to quantity "value" is fraught with difficulty. One other thing, Michele, absolutely: a card featuring a lost motel, one razed for a housing development, for example, certainly increases in value.

Classical French Postcards - La Belle Epoch

Pammy K. is the Webmaster of Tullulah's, a site dedicated to classical nude paintings and vintage French postcards of the La Belle Epoch. She is a classical portrait/figure painter who painted portraits professionally for nearly 25 years. "I am an avid lover of the history of art of all kinds," she says. "I now consider myself a jack of all things Web and master of none....but I keep trying." We talked about her collection and all things classically nude and French in the following interview:

ephemera: Tell me about how you become interested in these very unique postcards?

P.K.: I am a classical portrait/figure painter by trade for about 25 years. About 10 years ago, while surfing the net for art of women, I discovered much to my dismay, that most of the paintings were pin-ups or the nude fantasies of most men and not classical in nature. I happened on a site with someone's collection of French postcards. Having never seen them in my whole life...or knowing that people actually collected postcards, sparked my interest. I wanted to find out everything I could about the photographers. At the same time, I began to use them for a more classical-style of painting women.

ephemera: What challenges or obstacles do you encounter in collecting vintage French postcards of this type? How do you overcome these challenges?

P.K.: When I started collecting postcards, they were cheap....I could purchase 100 cards for about $60, new old stock. I never saw a nude for more than $5. There were no websites with any information whatsoever. I contacted a few people in France to help me locate information...it was a long, slow process. In the meantime, I started writing opinion and speculative articles, based on the images and the styles of lighting etc. I found if I wrote something incorrectly, in the case of photographers and actresses, family members would write to give me the correct information....and sending documentation to verify their facts. My newest challenge is the fact that Google has relegated my site to the porn end of the Internet because I sell nudes and erotic-type images for download. They also will not index any of my articles. I have seen my articles copied EXACTLY on very objectionable websites. I cannot use Google checkout and have been banned from Paypal as well. I am currently re-working the site and trying to make it user friendly for all....and that includes not showing any nudes or risqué material....including my paintings. Check with me in six months on this one. The site has gotten huge over the last nine years so many stories will be going away or majorly revised.

I also developed a section of the ongoing prices of cards on the auction sites. The more I wrote, the higher the prices went. After a few years, I priced myself right out of the very market, I created. It didn't take long before the dealers on the two main auction sites, would post images based on whatever my story of the month was. Ultimately, this turned out to be a HUGE obstacle for my ability to purchase cards.

I still buy cards, now at $10 each, bottom line, and never any nudes.

I now depend on buying scans of the cards from the dealers I used to buy the cards from....and they are not cheap either.

ephemera: Good luck with re-tooling the site to conform with the search engine requirements. That sounds like a big project. Tell me more about the collection. What are your favorite items in your collection?

P.K.: I have two personal favorites, and I still collect them. One are cards that are marked GG, Gerlach. He was a portrait photographer, just prior to the turn of the century. His images are romantic and the lighting exceptional.

My other favorite are German statue nudes. They used real people and painted their bodies as though they were statues....most of them are in bad shape and very hard to find.

ephemera: The collection is amazing. Congratulations on putting it together. What’s your advice for achieving success as a collector?

P.K.: To be successful as a collector, never let anyone know what you type of card you are collecting. As soon as a dealer knows, the price goes up. A good example of this are cards marked by the German photographer Traut....great turn of the century postcards. They could be purchased for about 65 cents at most trade shows for years. A friend of mine wrote a speculative article about Traut and now most of those cards go for in the $40-60 range. I took the article down but too late, almost of the articles I wrote have been copied word-for-word by other sites, so it's all over the Internet now.

ephemera: That's good advice. What resources do you recommend?

P.K.: Over the years, I have collected many different magazines and books all in French, each having just a little information in them. There is plenty of material out there but you have to be willing to translate. I also depend on the good people of France to help me. The French National Library is a great resource and the National Portrait Gallery in London are both more than friendly and helpful.

As far as storage, I store my cards in hard-back cases and keep them in albums according to what type of image they are...for easy access.

For tools, I depend on a good scanner and Adobe...most of the images are in such bad shape, I have to retouch them in order to group them as downloads. I scan at a high resolution and reduce them after retouching them. Most of the people who buy the images are artists or designers and don't want to spend their time retouching.

ephemera: This is such a fascinating subject. A lot of postcard collectors will appreciate this collection and learn from your experiences. Thank you sharing your advice and thoughtful comments.

Enjoy more interviews like this one by subscribing to my feed.

Stephenville Texas Courthouse - UFO Sighting

With all the hub-bub this week about the Stephenville UFO sighting, I thought I'd feature this vintage postcard of the Erath County Courthouse, which is located in the Texas town made famous by its recent visitors.

Maybe the extraterrestrials just wanted to take a closer look at the architecture of this really cool old building?

Glenn Beck eBay Postcard - Drive Someone Insane Auction

Here's a sure-fire ephemera collectible of the future: a writer for Glenn Beck's radio program is auctioning a "rare chance to traumatize a treasured friend or relative with baffling, mind-numbing, mystery correspondence from abroad."

According the eBay auction listing, Beck's writer promises to send the winning bidder's friend three postcards from the Poland during the course of the holidays.

Here's more from the auction listing:

These postcards will be rant-ravingly insane, yet they will be peppered with unmistakable personal details about the addressee. Details you will provide me.

The postcards will not be coherently signed, leaving your mark confused, guessing wildly, crying out in anguish.

"How do I know this person? And how does he know I had a ferret named Goliath?"

Your beloved friend or relative will try in vain to figure out who it is. Best of all, it can't possibly be you because you'll have the perfect alibi: you're not in Poland. You're home, wherever that is, doing whatever it is you do when not driving your friends loopy with international prankery.

Your target will rack their brains in the shower. At dinner. During long drives. At work. On the golf course.

"Who did I tell about the time I got fired by a note on my chair?" they'll ponder, "And where the hell is Szczeczinek?"

But wait, there's more.

To add to the sheer confusion and genuine discomfort, one missive will be on an original promotional postcard announcing the 1995 television premiere of Central Park West on CBS.

Another will be a postcard celebrating Atlanta's disastrous hosting of the 1996 summer Olympic games.

Your mark will be at a complete loss, desperate for answers, debating contacting people he or she hasn't talked to in years.

"I know this will sound weird," they'll say, "but by any chance were you in Eastern Europe ranting about cantaloupe... twelve years ago... right before some show with Mariel Hemingway debuted?"

When you decide to end the torment is completely up to you. If you can, I recommend owning up on 1 April 2008 - giving you nearly half a year of joy and a George Clooney-esque level of prankage. If you can't hold it in that long, I totally understand.

The bidding for the auction ends on 12/23/o8.

I hope whoever wins these prank postcards will think to save them. They're likely to become highly prized by ephemera collectors of the future.

Hold-to-Light Christmas Card

With the holidays fast approaching, I thought I'd feature some seasonal ephemera like this valuable 1908 Hold-to-Light Christmas card.

Hold-to-Light cards are also known as "see through" or "look through". And there are several types, such as die-cut and transparencies. When held up to a bright light, the cards reveal striking colors--designed to amuse and impress.

In the days leading up to Christmas, I will feature a few more seasonal items that I think you'll enjoy. On Christmas Day, I have a special post planned! So, keep checking back frequently. And be sure to tune in on 12-25-07.

Japanese Tokyo Japan Postcard Collector Steve Sundberg

Steve Sundberg is a St. Paul, Minnesota-based freelance web designer, a long-time radio announcer, and an avid collector of vintage Japanese postcards. We talked recently about his wonderful collection.

ephemera: I'm really intrigued by the focus of your collection. The focal point of your collection is "old" Tokyo. How did you become interested in Japanese postcards?

Sundberg: I had originally intended to collect vintage postcards from Singapore, but fell in love with Japanese postcards instead. The first vintage Tokyo card I ever collected showed Ginza Crossing in 1903, and from that I became incredibly fascinated with Tokyo's evolution and transformation during the Meiji era (1868-1912). I spent several years of my life living in Tokyo, but had no idea at the time (1970-1977) what Old Tokyo ever looked like. Now I know!

ephemera: I worked for a Japanese company at the height of the Japanese economic boom of the late 1980s. I, too, became fascinated with the culture, although I never visited the country. What challenges or obstacles do you encounter in collecting Japanese postcards?

Sundberg: Because I accomplish most of my collecting via eBay, I suppose the Number One challenge is being able to outbid other interested collectors without overpaying.  There are certain niches that seem to be very popular, e.g., vintage postcards of Yokohama appear to be more valuable, on average, than Tokyo postcards.

ephemera: There are so many niches within postcard collecting. And niches with niches. It's an area of ephemera that is so rich and varied. What are your favorite items in your collection?

Sundberg: I especially enjoy the series of cards I've collected showing Ginza and Nihombashi in the early 20th century. And many people do not know what Tokyo Station looked like before the end of WWII, with its ornate cupolas and a third-story that wasn't rebuilt after 1945.

ephemera: What's your advice for achieving success as a collector?

Sunberg: Be patient but persistent! There's usually one more where that one came from!

ephemera: That's true. There are hordes and hordes of paper still waiting to be discovered and new material comes to market every day. It's great advice. What resources do you recommend for anyone interested in following in your footsteps?

Sunberg: The Internet, of course, is a major resource both as a research tool and a reference guide. Other than that, though, I haven't really used many resources specific to collecting but have acquired a small library of books that aid me in my research of early Tokyo history for the Old Tokyo web site.

ephemera: It's a beautiful site, Steve. I'm sure a lot postcard collectors will find it fascinating. Thanks for sharing your expertise and wisdom on collecting Tokyo postcards.   

Theatre Building Postcard Collector Andreas Praefcke

Andreas Praefcke (Ravensburg, Germany) collects postcards of old and new theatre buildings worldwide. He shows his collection on his website Carthalia. I spoke to him recently about this unique and interesting theme for a postcard collection.

ephemera: How did you become interested in collecting postcards featuring Theater buildings?

Praefcke: Probably my greatest passion is going to the opera wherever and whenever possible. I have also always liked to visit flea markets, mostly looking for used books about opera, theatre, and regional history. Browsing through the flea market stands, I became aware of the postcard as a collectible item, and that's where I saw some old postcards of theatre buildings. I thought it was interesting how the theatres, all of which I knew from visiting them, looked like some 80 years ago. That difference is bigger than one would think, since most of the bigger German cities were pretty much completely destroyed in World War II. Since postcards are cheap, and sometimes dirt cheap at least compared to books, art prints, stamps, I bought a couple and started to search for more. However, I guess you must be born a collector to really get into it. When the eBay craze began a couple of years later, I was happy to find more and more online, and that's when the collection really grew and became increasingly international. At this time, I also started to put the collection online as a virtual museum. After years, I'm still not halfway finished with the presentation.

ephemera: It's a wonderful idea for the focus of a collection. What challenges or obstacles do you encounter in collecting? How do you overcome these challenges?

Praefcke: Two traditional collectors' obstacles, money and shelving space, are not as important as they may be for others' collections. Postcards, and even the best ones to fill gaps in the collection, can often be found for pennies or even nothing, e. g., advertisements postcards offered for free in theatre lobbies. Space is not much of a challenge, since the whole collection fits into a dozen of cardboard boxes that can be easily stored in a quiet corner at home.

A bigger obstacle is--besides the constant lack of time to collect and upload--a result of the scope of the collection: it's almost impossible to find the really interesting stuff in traditional postcards dealers' shops. They are mostly divided in a topographical section--ordered by country, city, zip code, etc.--and a topical section (e. g., airplanes, actors, musical instruments, etc.). Now I collect topographical postcards in a topical way. Sometimes there is a section "Opera Houses" or "Theatre buildings", but mostly these include just the most obvious ones that I already have plenty of cards from. Prices in stores are often quite high, much owed to the fact that the dealers already sorted their thousands, sometimes hundreds of thousands of cards, for you to find easily. However, I cannot find them easily but would have to browse through pretty much all the cards again. Since I don't want to do that in pricey stores, I tend to buy cheap cards on flea markets, ask my friends to bring cards with them from holidays, and find my stuff on the Internet using full text search.

A minor obstacle for that lies in the nature of the German language: in English, searching for "theatre or theater" gives you pretty much everything you want: "National Theatre", "State Theatre", "Shakespeare Theatre" etc. In German, these words are glued together--"Nationaltheater", "Staatstheater", "Lessingtheater"--and most search engines won't allow you to search for "anything ending in theater."

Dear eBay, true internationalization is not just putting a German interface in front of your English search engines.

ephemera: You make an excellent point, Andreas. It hadn't thought of those search issues. I'm sure a lot of other collectors will commiserate with you. What are your favorite items in your collection?

Praefcke: As most collectors, I do like beautiful old cards of beautiful architecture, but I also value modern cards of some concrete nightmare that you cannot help but wonder who built this crap and why put it on a postcard.

The collection features pretty much everything about theatre apart from what is going on on stage. The more unlikely, the more I like it. A nice example shows the rotating stage of the London Coliseum and the guy who operates it, under the main stage.

If I had to chose one favorite item, I might go for a 1902 postcard of my local theatre, the Konzerthaus in Ravensburg, for purely sentimental reasons: it is a theatre that I visit regularly to see drama and concerts, and it's where I saw my first operas. The card is wonderfully designed, and gives you a good idea of the overall mood of the 1900s. The theatre in this little town was designed by the then world-famous Viennese architects Fellner & Helmer, who built dozens of theatres throughout the Austrian-Hungarian monarchy and Germany, many of them still extant, and most of them present in my postcard collection. The Ravensburg postcard is also interesting for the local theatergoer since you see that there used to be windows over the balcony that have been removed during a rebuilding not long after the card was designed. Finally, it features another nice detail: the scenery shown is the main square of Ravensburg.

ephemera: What's your advice for achieving success as a collector?

Praefcke: Collect what you really like and know about--or want to know about--and not so much what you are recommended by dealers or in books. A collection is not an archive, you don't have to be complete, or single-minded as to the scope. If you like it, it's right.

Just collecting and amassing stuff may not be enough: Sharing the collection via the Internet is a good way to get in contact with fellow collectors, plus it adds to the need to get deep inside the topic. The more you research about every single item in the collection. Find out where the theatre or city is, when it was built, if it still exists, etc...the more you may enjoy it.

ephemera: That's great advice, Andreas. What resources do you recommend for collectors of theater postcards?

Praefcke: For identifying theatres and finding gaps it is important to have some standard books about theatres and theatre building. The Theatres Trust Guide to British Theatres 1750-1950 is just marvelous. Unfortunately, something that complete and yet concise has not been published in most other countries. A little bibliography on my website gives some more titles that I recommend and that can be of use for the theatre postcards collector. Many older works on local theatre history are freely accessible in online libraries. I have compiled a list of examples on a Wikisource page.

Since I do not collect rare and expensive postcards, I do not know much about books that specialize on postcards. As there are millions of different cards, and probably dozens of thousands of my topic, there is not and cannot be any definitive catalog.

ephemera: It's been a pleasure talking with you, Andreas. I appreciate your thoughtful answers. I'm sure a lot of postcard collectors and theater buffs will find this interview particularly interesting.

Miami Florida Postcard and Yankee Half-Backs

This vintage linen postcard booklet from mid-century Miami Beach reminds me that it's nearly time for my annual trek into the swamps of Florida to visit my retired parents. They followed in the footsteps of my grandparents, who retired to Florida decades earlier.

Florida is the last place I'd go to retire, frankly, so I can clearly understand why some who have retired there have reversed course (at least half-way), and are now flocking to North Carolina, where they can enjoy a climate containing all Four Seasons. It would seem like the only sane thing to do. Floridians love North Carolina. Or so it would seem. The locals call them 'Half-Backs'. A term specifically referring to those Floridians, originally from one of the Northern industrial cities (e.g., Chicago) who retired to sunny Florida but decided to relocated to North Carolina--instead of returning all the way back home.

Recently, I saw a bumper sticker in Asheville that summed up the general feeling about Half-Backs: It read, "Yankee Go Back to Florida!"

Halloween Costumes Real Photo Postcard

In response to my call for Halloween-related ephemera, I received this wonderful real photo postcard featuring children dressed for trick-or-treating.

The card dates from 1918-1930.

If anyone else has Halloween-related ephemera they'd like to share, it's not to late. Email a JPEG, along with a brief description.