Ever since souvenir picture postcards made their USA debut at Chicago’s 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition, postcards touting images of cities began sprouting up everywhere. Although several firms manufactured the popular big letter “Greetings from…” USA postcards, one company in particular really made the process their own – Teich Company (pronounced “Tike”).
Based in Chicago, America’s number one printing town, this family of printers created thousands of charming designs showcasing tourist attractions all over America, but hit the jackpot when they invented the processes to create the unique look their big letter designs are known for. Easily identified by their bold colors and bigger-than-life images, Teich’s patented methods of fabrication were so exact and involved (and kept secret by founder Curt Teich), it is almost impossible to perfectly recreate these sought-after collectors items, even with present-day technology.
No town was too small or obscure for Teich to manifest in postcard form; in 1933, Teich began producing their line of “Greetings from…” designs and by 1956 they made around 1,000 individual designs, paying homage to American cities in all 50 states (and to the states themselves).
After the company closed in 1978, their archives were donated to the Lake County Discovery Museum, in Illinois, which now runs a museum with them. The Curt Teich Postcard Archives contains over 350,000 postcards, and the collection is considered the biggest public postcard collection in the world.
BONUS: For all the photoshoppers out there, here are step-by-step instructions for making your very own big letter souvenir postcard! Enjoy!
25 comments so far
meh..
I've sent look alikes, they are my favorite kind!
I love these kind of cards!
They really look as 'souvenirs'!
And the link for 'make yourself' is gorgeous! Thx!
Cool! Look like a souvinir!
And it is true. Often come from the United States was such a postcard.
Thank you)
I've already received three such postcards:
http://www.postcrossing.com/postcards/US-1407215
http://www.postcrossing.com/postcards/US-1669207
http://www.postcrossing.com/postcards/US-2046124
(although one of them was a self-printed copy of the original)
And I love the instruction link - would be fun to do if I had the appropriate programs. :)
3-D letters. I'm in.
What a very interesting article...and what a lot of work put into presenting it here. BRAVO!
I adore these types of cards. I always try to find them when I'm in the States.
Wow~ These are so classical and awesome.Just the type that I love. I really wanna get one of these!
For the instructions behind that link you need Photoshop. You can find instructions using the GIMP, too. For example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pkd8LCHUdwI
In 2002, the United States Postal Service released stamps inspired by these designs: http://www.theus50.com/stamps-state.php
great article! the thing about these blogs about different collectable cards is that it makes me want to start collecting them too after knowing the history behind them...so well done and keep em coming!
Got a panoramic one from Fort Lauderdale. They're beautiful. Also, I recently sent someone a not very unsimilar postcard from Magdeburg, Germany, which was originally sent in 1902, although in that one over 100 very small photos were used making it looking a bit messy.
An interesting article, thank you...
I love those cards! Does anyone know if there are reprints sold in the US? I see some links here but they seem more modern to me design-wise, not like the originals.
There are definitely modern reprints and reproductions for sale in the USA. I have several made by a company called "Found Image"
Here's some I have sent (ignore the damage from mailing):
http://www.postcrossing.com/postcards/US-2076089
http://www.postcrossing.com/postcards/US-1051841
and, one from way back in time:
http://www.postcrossing.com/postcards/US-305501
I've received some too and like them. :)
omg thanks for the tutorial, I am gonna make some postcards for my hometown of Jersey City since I've never been able to find any for purchase
Oh i love them. Just startet a collection :D (proud owner of 8 cards ;) )
Wonderful article! Reproductions of this style of postcard are available on www.zazzle.com
Thanks for the tutorial link - I'm going to try this!! :D Interesting, too, to read about this!
These are exactly the cards I am asking for from all 50 states! I just started collecting so there are a lot of states still left for me to receive. I accept direct swaps so if you have one you'd like to send to me, drop me a note and I will send you my address. I can send back as well.
Sybil
Nice to know what kind of cards those are and to know that a lot of people collect them.
I do not like them at the moment because they are screaming too loud.
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