Miscellaneous Novelty 2

LEATHER  POSTCARDS

      In the early part of the 20th century novelty cards were very popular and leather cards were, by far, the most popular. The designs were often burned into the leather by a process similar to today's wood burning. The Post Office had several problems with these cards. Due to the fact that leather is such a porous material ink applied to it would tend to run and blur, making addresses hard to read. Another problem was the thickness of the cards played havoc with the Post Office's newly installed automatic cancellation machines. They would become jammed which meant they would have to stop the machine and the card would have to be either hand cancelled or a postal employee would have to walk the card through the machine. The third major problem with these cards was the fact that they did not meet the P.O. regulation concerning standard postcard size. Some area's required a two cent stamp to conform to first class letter mail while other places were happy with a one cent stamp. The postcards themselves could have a 1 cent or a 2 cent stamp box.

The majority of these types of cards are professionally made, but many were made by the sender.

               
     Central Bridge                 3rd St. N. from Vine   Suspension Bridge/Riverfront   P.O. & Gov't Building          Rookwood Pottery

           
4th St. W. from Main                    Music Hall                        Fountain Square                     Art Museum       

                             
Chamber of Commerce               City Hall                       Y.M.C.A.                 Fountain Square        

           
The Old & New City                    Island Queen                    Walnut Hills H.S.                  Elm Street Incline 

   
Suspension Bridge                Colored Version

        
Tyler-Davidson Fountain     Art Museum/Art School      Gymnasium Boat Club   

               
Rookwood Pottery                       City Hall                   Tyler Davidson Fountain          Suspension Bridge                  Art Museum        

                               
                                                                                                                                    These two homemade cards were done by the same person

                   
Leather Trunk #1                                        Leather Trunk #2  Front & Back       

       
Leather Doll Postcard

    The doll postcard above has to be my most unusual postcard. It is 8" high and stuffed so that it is about 1/2" thick. It is hard to see but the stamp box is located on the back of her head in the 2nd image.

WOODEN  POSTCARDS

    The first & third cards have a brass plate nailed to them. I am showing the back of the second card just to let you see what it looks like.

SHOE  SHAPED  PURSE

   This small purse (maybe for change?) was apparently actually mailed. I opened it up by removing the ribbon and found nothing inside.

^{FOR  MORE OF THESE CARDS:}