Photo Postcards and Their History

Do you know how to tell the difference between a Real Photo Postcard (RPPC) and a printed one? Chances are you may not be certain. Real Photo Postcards have photos actually developed onto special photographic paper that is the same size and weight as a postcard. It also has a postcard back to it. Many postcards use various printing methods, just like newspapers and magazines do, to print a picture, but it is, in all actuality, not the “real” photograph.

The best way to tell the difference between the two types of postcards, and a way that you will know for certain which is which, is to utilize a magnifying glass. With the magnifying glass, look closely and carefully at the image on the postcard. If you can see dots, similar to pixels, lots and lots of little tiny dots, the image is printed and NOT a real photo. If you do not see dots but instead are viewing a solid image, it is a REAL Photo Postcard.

Another way to tell a Real Photo Postcard from a normal printed postcard is to look for marks on the paper itself from the paper manufacturer. If there is a “stamp box” on the back of the postcard, in the upper right hand corner, there could be words or a mark of some kind, indicating what type of photographic paper was used in the making of that postcard.

In 1903, the Kodak No. 3A Folding Pocket camera was introduced to the general public. This camera was specifically designed for film that was the exact same size as a standard postcard at that time, which was 3 ½ x 5 ½ inches. This was known as a postcard format camera. This camera enabled photographs to be printed on postcard backs. Kodak was not the only manufacturer of this trendy brand of camera. Ansco, another American camera manufacturer, made postcard format cameras, as well as a few other camera companies.

Taking photographs, making postcards from them, and mailing them was an extremely popular past-time in early 20th Century America. In 1900, the postal service eased their restrictions on the types of mailing articles that were acceptable and allowed these postcards to be sent through the U.S. mail system. Postage was only a penny in the early 1900s and that was a price most could afford then. Many wonderful photos were captured of those early days thanks to this technology and the popularity of its use.

In 1907, Real Photo Postcards, a service created by Kodak, allowed the general public to make a postcard from any photo they took. This method of offering a pre-printed postcard back and the ability to directly transfer a photo negative onto it created quite a bit of excitement in the early 1900s.

What this technology brought was not only entertainment and the ability to share special moments with family and friends, but it also allowed journalists to have the ability to travel across the country and document the scenes of America. Many treasured moments were captured thanks to the capabilities made possible through Real Photo Postcards.

Real Photo Postcards were also used to document historic occasions as well as tragic events. From celebrations and parades, to floods and fires, this medium helped transport happenings of the day across the country, around the world, and into the future.

Alana Morgaine
Alana’s Books And Magazines
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