Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-10
POST CARD COLLECTING
AMERICA HAS CRAZE THAT
SWEPT OVER EUROPE.
Some Collectors Have Already Gath
cred Is, 900 Specimens-dermany
the Headquarters Of the Fad.
From the New York Sun.

From the New York Sun.
The illustrated postal card fad is gain
ing great Roadway in this country said a
Broadway dealer land if it keeps on at
the present rate it will soon be az much of
4 hobby as it is on the other side of the
Atlantic. Some collectors already have
gathered nearly $4,000 different specimens,
many of them of the most beautiful char
acter, reproducing scenes in different parts
of the globe that would be hard to obtain
in any other manner. Take the postal
cards of Russia, for example. Every one
of the places in ST. Petersburg associated
with the recent riots has been photo
graphed on postal cards All the possessor
of a good postal card album had to do
when the riots occurred was to turn to Rus
sia and there he had before him splendidly
depicted views of the very spots referred
provides at least half dozen, and some
times as many as hundred, photographs
Of all the principal cities of the world.
One firm in the United States manufac-
lures $4,000 varieties of illustrated cards.
Yet the fad is in its infancy here. Europe
is flooded with them, but Germany is
headquarters. In fact, the idea originated
In Germany
Originated in Germany.
THE first specimen was said to have
been issued by German photographer,
who printed upon a postal card view of
his native town of Passau. Germany was
also the birthplace of the ordinary postal
card which was introduced by DR.. Won
Stephen, the German postmaster general,
in 1865.
There are now said to be over billion of
illustrated postal cards sold in Germany
every year. That country makes probably
nine-tenths of all the cards turned out. SO
great is the craze there that when GUS
toner enters restaurant or saloon the
waiter brings him postal card album be-
fore inquiring what he will have to eat or
drink.
"You will be surprised to learn that even
the majority of the cards apparently is
sued by American houses, reproducing
scenes in this country, and even those re-
producing buildings in this city, are made
in Germany. The negatives are taken by
local photographers and then sent to the
other side, prepared and returned.
Just the other day asked the salesman
of large American postal card firm If he
had a card containing view of Bellevue
Hospital. He answered:
"Well, now, that's a good idea. We
it. SO I'll have our photographer take a
picture of the hospital, send it across and
have it fixed up
Postal Card Stores.
I'm German cities there are stores which
handle nothing else but postal cards, the
prices ranging from 1 pfenn,g to mark.
Every other continental country turns out
large quantities of them, France, England
and Austria being amog the leaders. but
italian firms enjoy the distinction Of maxi
ing the most artistic ones
why, dare say that if person were to
have a single one of the best types of the
Italian card made TO order it would cost
him at the very least $25, and yet they can
be bought for cents, sometimes even less.
1t is only by selling the cards in such
great numbers that the great care that is
taken with them can be afforded.
1.-The Italian photographs of the most
artistic nature, many of them representing
famous paintings in color as well as outline
The latest examples are those initiating Oil
paintings of towns, cities anG choice bits of
scenery.
"A man in New York the other day re-
ceved from a relative in Tacoma Wash,
richly framed view of Mount Hood. The
picture was exquisitely reproduced and
colored, and TO all appearances was an oil
painting.
I'm taking the picture out of the frame
the New Yorker was surprised to learn that
for cents. And there are numerous other
cards of the same quality, to all intents and
purposes good as paintings, and, as
matter Of fact, far more accurate.
A Sailors Collection.
Followers of the new hobby are going in
for it with great enthusiasm, and the fever
has spread to all parts of the word.
sailor came to the store not long ago with
round $500 specimens which he had collect
-, rtc no "a wi