Have a peek at these wonderful vintage postcards, part of my new paper ephemera lot.
These 1930s and 1940s travel postcards are classics with block letters showing a different landmark in each letter. I especially like that they have messages, postmarks and stamps on the back.
Short and sweet, these postcards provided a quick form of contact, kind of like what texting does today. They also celebrate the lost art of penmanship.
With computers and smart phones, I'll bet kids today rarely write a handwritten note. Do they ever get an opportunity to write in script?
Many of these souvenir postcards were addressed to a "WAVE" named Mary. The WAVES were a World War II division of the U.S. Navy consisting entirely of women. WAVES was an acronym for Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service.
Aren't these paper relics fabulous? Love 'em!
Susan
Tammy~ Thanks for sharing why vintage postcards are so important to you.
Posted by: Susan | October 17, 2012 at 06:48 AM
Ya know, I just started collecting vintage postcards...in fact, it was in August and I got so bummed about our life situation (namely the care of a low-functioning autistic pre-teen daughter who doesn't travel well) and just the dreams of family vacations being just that...a dream. I got on eBay and searched for vacation places in postcards that families would go to like in the '40s-'50s and bought a bunch of them. I love the "linen" cards and especially love when they have written greetings on them. I'm framing some for the wall of some of the places we have been to before kids.
In many ways I dislike technology and the loss of handwriting & saved letters...on the other hand, I love that I can connect to people of like mind when I am so homebound.
I guess I never knew what WAVES stood for but I knew of WACS...being a huge '40s movie fan.
Posted by: tammyCA | October 17, 2012 at 01:37 AM
Susan~ Very well said! How lovely that you have those letters. They are a priceless family heirloom that will keep your father's memory alive.
Posted by: Susan | October 16, 2012 at 09:35 PM
Recently I heard that Hallmark planned to close a couple of their plants because we are not sending cards very often. That's so sad! When my Daddy died in 2010, I was writing his obituary and I went through boxes of his old letters and cards. He was an international business man who travelled to over 120 countries on a regular basis during his career. He wrote letters from all of these countries to Mom and I of course, but also to his parents. The letters and post cards were full of the wonder he experienced in visiting all of these exotic lands. These letters are so important to me now that he is gone. I can hear his voice in every word. I can see what he saw through his descriptions. Hand written letters, postcards and greeting cards are wonderful to receive, but they are also a treasure to hand down to our family members who follow us. While I write my fair share of emails and appreciate the efficiency, a hand written note brings us closer together in so many ways.
Big Hugs,
Susan and Bentley
Posted by: Susan Freeman | October 16, 2012 at 09:16 PM
Those would look fabulous all framed together. And my 8-year old is learning cursive right now, so I guess it's not totally gone yet!
Posted by: Gina @ VintageJunkinMyTrunk | October 16, 2012 at 05:07 PM
I love reading the cards! You're right, they are like texting now... short and sweet!
Posted by: Sarah ~ Magnolias Attic | October 16, 2012 at 01:36 PM
AWESOME!!! Susan you are right it is almost a lost art. I have a few cards my mom kept from our friends and neighbors. The card you have from Barksdale Airforce Base is
in Bossier City, LA. which is about a hour and half from me. I love your card that is addressed to the wave barracks. I have never seen one like that, it is always adressed to soliders. Very neat!
Posted by: Elsie | October 16, 2012 at 11:53 AM