1 comments about The Golden Age of Postcards: Early 1900s Identification & Values (Identification & Values (Collector Books)).

1. Collecting post cards has been a beloved hobby and pastime from the very beginning of the American postal system and their 19th century introduction to an eager public. THE GOLDEN AGE OF POSTCARD'S identification and values for postcards from the early 1900s will prove an invaluable pick for any interested in pricing or acquiring such postcards, and is a recommendation for any library strong in collector's price guides. Color photos of cards are arranged by season and provide quick look-ups of prices and makers.
   
   Diane C. Donovan
   California Bookwatch

No comments about Midget Exhibit: Images From The Heyday Of Dwarf Display.

No comments about Greetings from the Washington Coast: A Postcard Tour from Columbia River to the San Juan Islands.

No comments about The Elegant Twenties: 24 Cards (Card Books).

No comments about Wrightsville Beach, NC (Postcards of America) (Postcards of America).

5 comments about Vintage Postcards for the Holidays: Identification & Value Guide.

1. I guess being more a fan than a collector of postcards I have a different opinion than some of the reviewers who rated this book so low. Regarding prices, the fact is that on any collectible prices vary widely depending on your location and method of selling. As a long-time collector of toys and comic books, I can attest to that. Thus the criticism about pricing is completely invalid as this is merely a "guide" as any pricing guide is. I also would dispute the claim that many of the cards are in poor condition. Some are but the vast majority are not. We are talking about items that are in the neighborhood of one hundred years old so they are not all going to be in mint condition. I think the editors did a fantastic job of giving readers a very broad cross-section of types and styles of cards, regardless of condition.
   
   Anyway, the book is organized by Holiday beginning with New Years Day. Each section has an introduction and history of cards for that particular holiday which I found to be very informative. For example we learn that Valentine's Day cards were actually the first holiday cards to be widely distributed beginning in the 17th century. And we also learn that the Easter Bunny dates back to 1700's Germany. The book cruises the calendar year hitting every holiday including Arbor Day, April Fool's Day, Memorial Day, etc...
   
   The highlight for most collectors will be the Halloween and Christmas portions. Halloween cards are easily the most valuable and sought after for collectors and I do agree that the Halloween section is way too skimpy at twelve pages (not eight as another reviewer mentioned). Still even twelve pages is slight compared to Thanksgiving which gets some 40 pages. The Christmas section is broken up into Santa and non-Santa parts and again most collectors will be interested in the Santa cards as they bring far more value than the others.
   
   While Postcards for the Holidays isn't a perfect book, it does it's job very well. The photography and post card reproductions are very clear and colorful and the book is produced on heavy, coated stock paper.
   
   Reviewed by Tim Janson



2. Robert and Claudette Reed's Postcards For The Holidays, 2nd Edition arrived too late for more timely Christmas mention, but since holiday collecting is really a year-round occupation, it's not too late to mention the ongoing reference value of Postcards For The Holidays Identification & Value Guide, which appears in its 2nd updated edition. Pages come packed with color photos of seasonal cards organized by holiday along with current prices. The chapters each introduce with a history of manufacturers and approaches to further the educational teachings.



3. I am really disapointed in the second edition because it is basically a repeat of the first edition. Although there are more pages in the second edition, this books shows the same postcards as the first edition. Also, the text is the same. It's like buying the same book only there are a few new postcards added. The authors did remove pictures of beat up postcards and replaced them with new cards they must have added to their collection, but they never changed the prices of what the cards are worth. Granted, the first book was published in 2002, and the second edition has a copyright of 2006, but every postcard collector wants to see their collection has increased in value-especially the Halloween cards. The values were not even increased by a dollar!The Easter section and Santa Claus sections are lengthier and the cover is attractive, but this is not my idea of what a second edition should be. The publishers and editors should have been more critical. There is not one Winsch or Schmucker card shown in any of the holidays and any collector knows, these are the cream of the crop, especially with Halloween cards. As much as I like the format and appreciate the book being in color, I was really upset not to see more new postcards and a change in postcard values. This shows lack of research and I feel like the book was hastily thrown together. Don't buy it if you own the first edition and hesitate about the second edition. I didn't think it was worth the price being charged.



4. 
   I first came across this book for sale at an Antique Show where a dealer was selling reference books and price guides. I was appalled at the condition of the postcards pictured in the book! I would not recommend this book to anyone with an interest in learning about postcards other than "don't collect cards in the condition they are pictured in the book" as you would be throwing your money away. I would agree with the other reviews here - the cover is great but the inside is a joke.



5. I could not agree more with the 2 "negative" reviews I saw. I would not have 90% of these cards in my album if I had gotten them for FREE! "Personal taste" aside, to show cards in such poor condition is mind-blowing, especially in a book whose cover promises much more. I'm a very recent collector of Holiday postcards, so I've been buying every reference book I could find. "POSTMARKED YESTERYEAR" by Pamela Apkarian-Russell is a wonderful book. Joe Hohmann, Madia, PA

No comments about The Stamp of Fantasy.

1 comments about A Year in Japan.

1. If you liked A Year in Japan (the book), you will love this, because it's reproductions of the best parts of the book, in postcard form. I may never actually send any of these postcards because they're almost too beautiful to send.

No comments about Newport Mansions: Postcards of the Gilded Age.

5 comments about The Postcard Century.

1. Excellant book in every way. Great pictures, and descriptions. Do not buy this book if you are looking for a price guide, as it is not set up for that purpose. A great book for the postcard historian. Divided into years, it can be a great asset to a collector who is trying to date cards in his or her collection.



2. I was disapointed in this book because I was looking for one that included more detailed information about postcards. The problem of buying online I guess.



3. This is my third pass through this lengthy and thoroughly engaging book. While I'm not a normal fan of postcards, reading this book makes me want to rush out to the nearest flea market and see what I can find.
   
   The best aspect of this book is that the author presents each postcard in terms of the publishing history, the story on the card, and the general scene on the card. The wonderfuly dry, British humor really makes me laugh out loud at time. His commentary on the postcards meant to woo a significant other are quite amusing.
   
   This book will truly engage you in ways you would never imagine. It also is a great way to learn odd facts from history that have largely passed from our collective memories. These postcards bring them back for our consideration.
   
   This is a fabulous book that you will find hard to put back down.



4. Tom Phillips has captured the quest for collecting postcards with an eclectic mix of cards from the last century. We may view old postcards as nostalgic (for a history that never was), but when printed the card often pictured the latest thing. Being English, there are many Winston Churchill cards (as early as 1908), Prince Charles, the Queen, and Margaret Thatcher. There are plenty of cards for Americans, and a 1960 Nixon card is a favorite, as well as the original Kentucky Fried Chicken in 1947. In each year, a card from Piccadilly Circus and the New York skyline are included, as well as 10-15 other subjects. The cards reflect the changes of the time but also constancy, and many of the old jokes and statuesque women are recycled in each decade.
   
   Tom Phillip's artist eye is really used. Phillips commentary of each card is informative, sometimes humorous, sometimes irreverent, but always interesting and range from comments on punk fashion to statement about Kierkegaard liking a joke on a cow card. His pairing of cards is also enlightening: e.g. the King's head dress in 1935 is printed next to a Fiji headhunter head dress. A person's cards selection may be a Rorschach test, and I don't know what the fascination with camels (4 cards) tells us about this author. No matter what your interest or home, there are certainly cards to delight you here. A 1996 card of spaceships over St. Louis was a personal favorite.
   
   This book goes a long way in making the case that this was the golden century of postcards. I can't imagine a book in 2099 with a similar collection, or a printing of emails. Phillips includes the writing on the cards also, and these also reflect the times and a certain concise but revealing formula. Those who enjoyed the messages of these cards would also enjoy Robert Butler's book " Had a Good Time: Stories from American Postcards



5. Thank goodness for Tom Phillips. This postcard-filled volume is packed with images and texts created by countless sets of hands and eyes. There are few artist/thinkers today who could create order out of this chaos, and Phillips has done so delightfully. Featuring a multitude of stories within its overarching theme, The Postcard Century reveals its numerous histories with insight and charm.