9.00 USD
This is NOT a photograph!
We just had an interesting conversation with one of our wonderful customers about how to determine if a picture postcard is an actual photograph or if it was run off on a press. It's a great point to bring up.
Lithographs, heliotypes, colotypes, and innumerable other methods used to reproduce photographed images have been around for a long time. Even the offset press with its rubber roller, which many of us tend to think of as a "modern" invention, was being used in the first decade of the 1900s to reproduce photographic images.
Our card, offering us a cute/naughty image of a saucy gal in lingerie, at first glance of the scan might appear to be a photograph. Up close and in person though, there is an apparent graininess of the image texture that if we examine even closer up, as we did in the close crop in our listing images, shows the stippled effect of the chemically engraved press plate's print on the card stock.
Also, for comparison's sake, we have a close crop from another postcard, this one a photograph.
In older photo image postcards, we sometimes find silvering on the surface of the image. This effect, produced by the oxidation of light-sensitive metallic salts that are suspended just beneath the surface of photo print paper, occurs over time as that light sensitive material slowly migrates to the photograph's surface. Silvering is a convenient clue that we're looking at an actual photograph.
Lacking the presence of silvering though, we have to rely on our eyes to detect that grainy stippled effect visible in our card. Sometimes a jeweler's loop, or of course the "zoom" feature is a help. If we zoom in too close, we might start to see the repeating pattern of pixels in the image--not an indication of a press run image :)
Offset press reproductions of photographs don't tend to be as valued as actual photographs, though sometimes these were produced not as mere copies of photos, but as intentional works of art and the effect can be wonderful.
Though we can't be certain, we're guessing this card was made from an original photo postcard (circa 1910s) at some later date, say in the 1930s. Lots of fun!
Please examine our high res scans for detail.
The item you are considering for purchase is, unless otherwise noted, a vintage postcard of approximately 5 and 1/2, by 3 and 1/2 inches. Postage is for fully insured, first class, shipping in a secure photo mailer (to avoid any damage to your purchase in the mails), and we happily combine shipping on all paper goods. If you purchase two cards, we will refund the postage on the second card, and when you purchase three or more cards from us at the same time, your shipping will be entirely free, except for international orders which, because of increases in international shipping rates will still be charged one card's shipping fees on orders of three or more. We do not charge for insurance or shipping materials, and as of the date of this listing are still charging below our overall cost on shipping.
And please come visit our blog at:
redpoulaine.blogspot.com
where we post biographical and historical tidbits, images of cards and photographs for sale, some already sold but remembered fondly, related images of historical interest and sometimes even images of items that have not yet arrived in the shop, but that are expected to arrive soon, as well as coupon codes, links to other related sites, and more!