-
Artist-Signed Postcards
Welcome to my blog! As a Postcard Historian, I tell the stories of the men and women who created artist-signed postcards between the 1890s and 1920s. Come explore the mysteries, scandals and challenges of the people behind these beautiful cards. They struggled to make sense of life at a time when social change was turning…
-
The Strange Story Behind My Blog
This blog began with my intention to interpret vintage artist-signed postcards through the lens of art history. But almost from the beginning, my blog seemed to take on a life of its own. It quickly morphed into a series of stories about the lives of people behind the postcards. As soon as I started researching…
-
Phil May’s Secret Life
No matter whether he was drunk or sober, the output of postcard artist Phil May (1864-1903) never faltered. The Yorkshire native survived homelessness to become Punch magazine’s most popular comic illustrator–without completing a single art class. Despite his erratic behavior and increasing alcoholism, May was beloved by a large circle of loyal friends. They even…
-
Billy Possum’s Postcards
In the U.S., just after the turn of the twentieth century, Billy Possum and the Teddy Bear had a contentious relationship. Think of the Teddy Bear in the role of the beloved Beatles and Billy Possum in the role of the upstart Monkees. The Teddy Bear rose to fame as a result of natural events. But Billy…
-
Who Killed Hugo Tuck?
A Postcard Publishing Mystery By Anne Ross RAPHAEL TUCK’S FAMILY SKELETON During the Victorian and Edwardian eras, postcard publisher Raphael Tuck & Sons struggled to keep a family skeleton in the closet. His name was Hugo Tuck. Hugo carried a secret that could destroy his father’s postcard publishing company. At Raphael House in London, all…
Artist-Signed Postcards
Postcards. Art. History.
Artist-Signed Postcards 