We have been discussing certain postcards dating from somewhere between 1939 and 1955, which took on the aesthetic of the grade school Valentine: clear, firm illustrations, generally positive attitude, and really, really obvious puns. Someday, after the Lottery win comes through, I will mount an exhibition just of postcards and little Valentines based onContinue reading “Another Valenblog”
Tag Archives: Postcards
Offseason Valentines
As I was saying on Friday, I was investigating a whole nother subject when I fell down that doggone rabbit hole. (I’m a little behind the ties here: is there a new term to describe what happens when the Interwebs take you downstream from where you wanted to go? Are you rabbitholing? Have youContinue reading “Offseason Valentines”
Golly Gee
As usual, I was thinking about something else entirely, but that will have to wait until next week. Whilst going through my inventory to find illustrations for THAT notion, I came upon another subject to worry about. Postcards with dogs on them are always decent sellers: people do appreciate ‘em. A postcard publisherContinue reading “Golly Gee”
Lean Years
If I ever get around to writing that series on “Is That Still Funny?”, we will look into what different generations regarded as taboo. As we have moved, in the last thirty years from “Nothing inoffensive is funny” to “Nothing offensive is funny”, this will be a mere side issue, but one which willContinue reading “Lean Years”
Bratty Sells
In the interest of fair play and equal time for opposing views, something I am very serious about if it will bring me another subject to write a blog about, I thought we might consider postcards which present another side of childhood than the cute, well-dressed, well-behaved tots we considered in our last column.Continue reading “Bratty Sells”
Cute Sells
Any sort of cheap entertainment reflects the interests and dreams of the buying public for whom it is made. As such, postcards show us what appealed (or what the publishers hoped would appeal) to the greatest number of potential buyers. And ONE thing that amused Mr. and Mrs. Consumer was children dressed up. Continue reading “Cute Sells”
Hitting the Beach
So we are in full vacation season now, in spite of heat and smoke and the decision whether to boycott states which are too blue or too red in their politics. People are flocking to places where they can kick back and forget about that alarm clock telling them to get dressed and goContinue reading “Hitting the Beach”
With Banners Flying
If you have been following along (and why should you?) you will recall our discussions of the role of postcards in the life of the general public. Originally regarded as the text message of the day, they could be used to issue or accept an invitation, let someone know you’d gotten home safely, etc. Continue reading “With Banners Flying”
Takeout Odor
The skunk, I am told here, is a member of the weasel family, which may come in brown, ginger, or cream colors as well as black, almost always have stripes or other warning marks, and almost never, ever bite. This is all very well for science on the Interwebs. In postcards (as well asContinue reading “Takeout Odor”
Converbs
Proverbs are chunks of solidified wisdom handed down through the ages, a sentence or two which embody a nugget of truth. These may be cheerful “Every cloud has a silver lining” or cynical “Everything in the world is off by a quarter of an inch.” They can contradict each other: “It’s never to lateContinue reading “Converbs”
