Postcards in the (home) archive 1953–1964

Printed on picture side: Folger Shakespeare Library, Washington, D.C. 109 K4436 

Printed on address side THE WASHINGTON NEWS COMPANY THIS SPACE FOR WRITING MESSAGES “COLOURPICTURE,” BOSTON 15, MASS. POST CARD 

Written message: Feb. 1, ’53 The cards came some grand ones among them. Do you ever find any tall State girls among cards? I have 8 of them. Address label: Mrs. Edw. F. Smith, 4810 Que Street, S. E. Washington, 27, D. C. 

Postage stamp: Removed. 

Postmark: WASHINGTON, D.C. 12 FEB 2, 1953 

Slogan cancel: NEW HOPE FOR SUPPORT THE HEART 

Destination: Lebanon, N. H. 

Color type: Color 

Commentary: Now here is a niche postcard theme: “tall State girls.” What IS a State girl? Do some deltiologists collect “short State girls?” I find it very curious that the deltiologist correspondent soaks off the stamp; maybe a philatelist in the family. The full slogan cancel would have been: NEW HOPE FOR HEARTS SUPPORT THE HEART FUND. 

Printed on picture side: FOLGER SHAKESPEARE LIBRARY, WASHINGTON, D. C. 

Printed on address side: PUB. BY ATLANTIC NEWS COMPANY. WASHINGTON, D. C. The Library was a gift of the late Henry C. Folger and the collection includes more than 70,000 volumes as well as pictures and relics of the poet’s work and life. POST CARD 

Written message: Sorry this is not a picture of the Public Library in New York. I’ll tell you why when I see you. It’s been terribly hot here this week, just like Missouri weather. Hope all is well with you. Sincerely, Grace H. Pehl 

Postage stamp: 2c red Adams, Scott #806 Presidential Issue 1938 

Postmark: GREENBELT MD SEP 1, 1953 

Destination: Warrensburg, Mo. 

Color type: Color 

Commentary: If Grace traveled from Missouri to the nation’s capital to have a reprieve from hot weather, she was disappointed. More important than weather, however, for Grace and for Flossie, seemed to be libraries. This postcard features no fewer than three: the Folger, the New York Public Library, and the public library in Warrensburg, Mo. that she places in Johnson County, having crossed out Jackson that was correct.  

Printed on picture side: Folger Shakespeare Library, Washington, D.C. 109 K4436 

Printed on address side: THE WASHINGTON NEWS COMPANY THIS SPACE FOR WRITING MESSAGES “COLOURPICTURE,” BOSTON 15, MASS. POST CARD 

Written message: None 

Postage stamp: 1c green Washington, Scott #804 Presidential Issue 1938 

Postmark: WASHINGTON, D.C. 20 OCT 1, 1953 

Destination: Mechanicsburg, Penna 

Color type: Color 

Dealer price: $1 as is 

Commentary: Since there’s no message or signature on this Folger postcard, I am going to assume that Miss Ginny sent it to herself, a visitor to a Pennsylvania attorney’s house. But I don’t know that. 

A second stamp was removed. By 1953, 2c was required to send a postcard.  Upper right corner of postcard chewed by an attic mouse?  

Printed on picture side: Folger Shakespeare Library, Washington, D.C. 109 K4436 

Printed on address side: THE WASHINGTON NEWS COMPANY THIS SPACE FOR WRITING MESSAGES “COLOURPICTURE,” BOSTON 15, MASS. POST CARD PLACE STAMP HERE 

Written message: « Chère Madame et amie, Mon séjour aux U.S.A. touche à sa fin, et je ferai à mon retour une visite rue Vauban avec l’espoir de vs y retrouver. J’espère que vs avez passé un bon hiver; je vs dirai de vive voix tout le plaisir que j’ai eu à retrouver cette belle et sympathique contrée. Amicalement à vous. D. h. Vichlesquesse » 

My English translation: Dear Madame and friend, my stay in the U.S. is nearing its end, and upon my return I will hope to find you at home on Vauban St. I hope you have spent a good winter; I will tell you in person all the pleasure I have had to rediscover this beautiful and friendly land. Best wishes, D. h. Vichlesquesse 

Postage stamp: Removed 

Postmark: WASHINGTON, D.C. 31 FEB 15, 1954 

Slogan cancel: NEW HOPE FOR HEARTS SUPPORT THE HEART FUND 

Destination: Bordeaux, France 

Color type: Color 

Commentary: DhV’s language is formal and eloquent, but distant. Rue Vauban may well be the well-known one in Paris, not Bordeaux. It’s nice to discover a French tourist enchanted with America, with which she is already familiar. 

Printed on picture side: Folger Shakespeare Library, Washington, D.C. 109 K4436 

Printed on address side: THE WASHINGTON NEWS COMPANY THIS SPACE FOR WRITING MESSAGES “COLOURPICTURE,” BOSTON 15, MASS. POST CARD PLACE STAMP HERE 

Written message: Chevy Chase, D.C When I arrived in Washington on Wednesday last the temperature was 80º but since then the weather has been fine. Went out to Kenwood and had luncheon at Anna’s H’s apartment and then to the Botanical Gardens to see the Easter display. Happy Easter! M.R. 

Postage stamp: 2c red Adams, Scott #806 Presidential Issue 1938 

Postmark: WASHINGTON D.C. 16 APR 14, 1954 

Destination: Newport, Rhode Island  

Color type: Color 

Commentary: M. R. finds 80 degrees uncomfortably warm when she arrives in DC at Easter time. She informs Miss Carr of her lunch date followed by visit to the Botanical Gardens A rare card to the smallest state in the union.  

Printed on picture side: Folger Shakespeare Library, Washington, D.C. 109 K4436 

Printed on address side: THE WASHINGTON NEWS COMPANY THIS SPACE FOR WRITING MESSAGES “COLOURPICTURE,” BOSTON 15, MASS. POST CARD PLACE STAMP HERE 

Written message: Edith & I are here for the D.A.R. We came Saturday before Easter so as to be Easter Sunday at the church where we belonged and D.A.R. was Monday through Friday. Lovely meetings and spring weather. No coats, Washington is just beautiful, Flowers and shrubs everywhere. Pres. Eisenhower was splendid and looked splendid. Senator Bridges was fine and many who saw our N.H. badges stopped and told us what a fine address. We are with aura. Have seen many friends. A thunder-storm going on to-night. I fell in front of D.A.R. badly Sunday night banged up but no bones broken sick with throat expected to leave yesterday but doctor says no. We are all having a lovely time. Yours, Sarah 

Postage stamp: 2c red Adams, Scott #806 Presidential Issue 1938  

Postmark: WASHINGTON, D.C. 20 APR 26, 1954 

Slogan cancel: STRIKE BACK AT CANCER GIVE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY 

Destination: Pittsfield, N.H. 

Color type: Color 

Dealer price: $1 

Dealer code: Sb12161 

Commentary: A second Easter visit. How exciting, a political reporting on the back of the Folger Shakespeare Library card, evoking President Eisenhower at the D.A.R. Hall! 

Printed on picture side: Folger Shakespeare Library, Washington, D.C. 109 K4436 

Printed on address side: THE WASHINGTON NEWS COMPANY THIS SPACE FOR WRITING MESSAGES “COLOURPICTURE,” BOSTON 15, MASS. POST CARD PLACE STAMP HERE 

Written message: None 

Postage stamp: 4c dark blue & deep carmine Flag Issue “Old Glory,” Scott #1094 1957 

Postmark: WASHINGTON, D.C. JUL 4, 1957  

Cancellation on face: FIRST DAY OF ISSUE 

Destination: None 

Color type: Color 

Commentary: FIRST DAY OF ISSUE postcard. Cancelled in a post office, but not sent through the mail. Some philatelists specialize in collecting FIRST DAY OF ISSUE covers as envelopes, less often as postcards. The postmark is applied not on the address side but on the picture side. It’s called “Cancellation on face.” 

The earliest date I have for this postcard with identifying serial numbers of 109 and K4436 is in 1952.  

Printed on picture side: Nothing 

Printed on address side: POST CARD   Folger Shakespeare Library, Washington   Administered by the Trustees of Amherst College The Globe Theatre, from Visscher’s View of London, 1616 Photograph by Horydczak 

Written message: “a view of the Bank side, for your summer postcard collection Love, Chuck S.” 

Postage stamp: 8c red jet airliner over Capitol, Scott #C64 Air Post 1962 

Postmark: WASHINGTON, D.C. 4B 22 JUN, 1964 

Cancellation on face 

Destination: Urbana, Ill. 

Color type: Color 

Commentary: Chuck S. points out to Mary Kay “a view of the Bank side” where we see the Globe Theatre on the south bank of the River Thames. “Bankside” is a district of London, part of the London borough of Southwark. 

Chuck is extremely obliging toward Mary Kay, as not only does he look out for the development of her postcard collection in general; he even figures in seasonal favorites. 

The stamp is torn in the lower left corner. As long as more than one half of the mint (unused) stamp is affixed, the Post Office will process it. Once more, you have a cancellation on face. 

Printed on picture side: Mr. WILLIAM SHAKESPEARES COMEDIES, HISTORIES, & TRAGEDIES Published according to the TrueOriginalCopies LONDON Printed by Issac Iaggard, and Ed. Blount. 1623. 

Printed on address side: POST CARD The Folger Shakespeare Library, Washington Administered by the Trustees of Amherst College The Reading Room, general view Photograph by Horydczak THIS SIDE FOR CORRESPONDENCE Printed by THE MERIDEN GRAVURE COMPANY, Meriden, Conn. THIS SIDE FOR ADDRESS 

Written message: None 

Postage stamp: 5c dark blue & red Shakespeare Issue Scott #1249 1964 

Postmark: STRATFORD, CONN. AUG 14, 1964 

Cancellation on face: FIRST DAY OF ISSUE 

Destination: None 

Color type: Black & white 

Dealer price: $25.42 

Dealer code: McCusher 12/2/10 

Commentary: The 1964 stamp celebrates the 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare’s birth. For more information on the Martin Droeshout engraving of Shakespeare, consult Peter W.M. Blayney’s The First Folio of Shakespeare and Look on his Picture, in his Booke: The Droushout Portrait on the Title Page by Erin C. Blake & Kathleen Lynch in “FOLIOMANIA: Stories Behind Shakespeare’s Most Important Book.” 

26 receiving states 1934–64:
12 NY
7 OH
7 PA
6 NJ
6 VA
6 WV
5 WI
4 CT
4 MA
4 MD
3 IL
3 IN
3 ME
3 NH
2 TN
1 AZ
1 CA
1 DE
1 FL
1 GA
1 KS
1 MI
1 MO
1 MN
1 NC
1 RI
1 SC

Receiving country:
2 France

N = 89