Real Photo Postcards: Unbelievable Images from the Collection of Harvey Tulcensky
Sometimes the detritus of human history, that which was meant to be disposed of and forgotten, carries a greater and more lasting impact than those artifacts saved specifically for their purported historical value. In 1907 the U.S. Postal Service made an abrupt reversal of a law forbidding messages from being written on the backs of postcards. This change, coinciding with Kodak's introduction of an affordable, easy-to-use portable camera that printed out photographs onto heavy card stock, inspired a flurry of homespun postcards akin to the current digital photography craze. Because the photos were one-of-a-kind snapshots, produced predominantly by ordinary folks whose goal was to send a frozen moment, a fond wish or just a giggle to a friend or loved one, they tend toward an authenticity and an idiosyncrasy often lacking in more professional photographs of the day. These "real photo postcards" come from the extensive collection of artist Tulcensky; editor Wolff captions the photos with observations or notes from their backs, but mostly just lets these remarkable images speak for themselves. Organized into categories like "Parading," "Romance," "Disasters" and "Uncanny," this volume offers a unique glimpse of the early 20th century through the eyes of the everyman.(Jan.)Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.