Real Photo Postcards

Real Photo Postcards, or RPPCs as they are called, are a fascinating subset of the deltiology hobby. They consist of images that are actual photographs, generally taken around the turn of the 20th century and into the 1930s and '40s. They are a slice of life preserved in amber, if you will, and can contain amazing historical information of places and people of times gone by.

The most popular images I have found are those of places that no longer exist; buildings that are no longer standing and which have a personal connection for the buyer. Images of children's camps from the '40s, country clubs from the '20s, historical houses from the 'Teens, all are immensely popular with collectors.

As well, topical cards are very collectible. Some people focus on a theme, such as "women on horseback", or "circus freaks", or specific brands of old motorcycles, for example. Some collectors are mad for images of early aviation; train wrecks and ship wrecks; specific makes of trucks and cars, and so on. The possibilities are endless, and everyone can find a niche that pleases them.

The date of many RPPCs can be identified by what is in their "Stamp Box", the spot on the back of the card where the stamp was placed in order to mail the card. Various manufacturers of the blanks used by photographers to make their cards had specific imprints that we can use to determine the age of a card. There are two websites I turn to again and again for help in this regard.

For a quick search of stamp boxes, I like this site: The Two Buds who have a short list of stamp boxes by markings and dates.

For a more exhaustive search and extensive listing, I always turn to the Playle's website, which has both a short list and a series of alphabetical links to actual photos of the various stamp boxes.

Between those two sites I can almost always date a card. One caveat however, later use of the "Kodak" papers means that an old image can be newly reprinted, which rather negates the dating process. So beware of the newer labels when searching for vintage cards, and be sure to check the stamp box before purchasing.

The true beauty of a real photo postcard is that it is often one of a kind. These are not mass-produced and printed cards, they're generally the only copies of a particular image. And photos that are 100+ years old are fragile and don't store well, which means they are even more collectible. They're more expensive than some other types of cards, but well worth the investment, especially if the subject is one near and dear to your heart.