Public Library, Oneonta, New York

[LIB0232] - Published by Chas. W. Hughes, Mechanicville, NY. A-86121, C. T. American Art

1939 Public Library, Chicago, Illinois

[LIB3686]

"The Public Library is located on Michigan Boulevard, extending from E. Washington St. to E. Randolph St. The building contains 110,000 square feet of floor space. The library is stocked with books upon almost every subject. There are extensive collections of art books and books in foreign languages, history, biography and travel. The library board maintains seventeen branch libraries and six branch reading rooms, also over a hundred delivery stations." [From the back of the card]

Identifying and Dating Postcards

I have added some new links to the right sidebar about dating postcards. One area that many people want to know more about is how to determine the date of a postcard image.

The Curt Teich Guide is extremely useful. The Teich cards were numbered and if you know the
number key than you can date the card with some accuracy. Postmarks may not always be useful when dating a card since the image on the front of the card may be old but was stamped and posted at a much later date.

Certain things in an image may be helpful in dating the card, including cars or automobiles you
can spot in the image, billboards with dates in the advertisement (for example, the introduction of the 1957 Chevrolet), and movie marquees (Ben Hur was showing in 1959), etc.

If you are selling your postcards on an online auction site, it is probably a good idea to put
these in your description since many collectors may look for movie-related items, or automobile
related items.

Also check out the new links for dating Real Photo Post Cards (RPPC). These can often be a little
trickier when dating since many were not sent or they show images of people and houses. Some helpful reference books for your home library might include books about automobiles (often issued for a decade of cars, for example cars of the 1960s) or fashions of different decades. Remember, if you are selling your cards, identifying a 1959 Corvette, or Gothic Revival architecture, might make the difference between not selling or selling your card. Be descriptive!

1937 Chicago Public Libraries, IL

[LIB3541]

"Pictured you see the four leading libraries in Chicago. The Chicago Public Library, Harper Memorial Library, John Crerar Library and the Newberry Library. Chicago is truly a bookish town."

Free Public Library, Lancaster, PA

On May 21, 1952 the Lancaster New Era announced that over half a million dollars was available to start construction of the new Lancaster Public Free Library. First the old library and the buildings on either side had to be demolished to make way for the new and current Lancaster Public Library. The old library was located in the former A. Herr Smith house on Duke Street and had been library headquarters since 1903. The cornerstone of the new library was laid on May 17, 1953. [SOURCE] [LIB3058]

1946 Public Libraries HYANNIS MA

A genuine Curteich Chicago post card no. OB-H1870. Photograph by Harrison Fisk. [LIB1855]

1937 Public Library, LYNN MA

A wonderful vintage "linen" post card published by Curt Teich, no. 5A-H456.
[LIB01372] Send this postcard!

In 1815 a "Social Library" formed, that was then chartered by the Legislature in 1818. In 1819 the collection totalled an overwhelming 205 volumes, which were transferred to the Natural History Society in 1850. In 1855 the Library Association took over the books and incorporated 2000 volumes. On April 14, 1862, the volumes were transferred to the city for a Free Public Library. And August 20, 1862, an ordinance was passed for the establishment of the Library, which was located at the corner of Market and Tremont Streets. [SOURCE]