How many people, so many different hobbies. Someone collects badges, someone figurines or antiques, but there are people who like to collect postcards. Collecting postcards is called philocardia. For some, this activity is a very exciting hobby. Even despite the fact that today they practically do not use postcards, this hobby does not lose popularity.
When did the cards appear
Postcards appeared in the distant 1870. At the very beginning of their existence, they looked very ordinary, as now stationery forms. But 20 years passed, and the world saw the first greeting card. The first examples were devoted to such holidays as Christmas and Easter.
The man who sent the first greeting card was called Henry Quoli. It seemed to him that it was too difficult to send a letter to congratulate the relatives, and he decided to simply write their names and congratulations on the card on which the Christmas tree appeared. A little time passed, and his idea fell to the taste of a large number of Englishmen and postcards began to be popular, they dispersed around the world.
Initially, postcards were drawn, but in the first half of the 20th century, with the advent of the camera, they became photographic. In the same XX century, a fashion for the philocarty appeared. In the 60–70s of the last century, collecting postcards with photographs of famous actresses became popular, and in the 90s it changed, and postcards with the image of dogs and cats began to collect.
The popularity of philocards
The postcard went a very long and rather fascinating way. At the time of their appearance, people did not yet know that collecting postcards is called a philocardy. They found their application in various scientific works, they illustrated school textbooks, and often organized special exhibitions that take place around the world.
The first illustrated postcards were called species. They are very popular today. They depict various cities from around the world, as well as their main attractions. Such cards used to be informative for people, since the Internet and access to a lot of information appeared not so long ago.
Emotional, having their own character and mood, funny postcards appeared relatively recently. Collecting cards of this nature quickly gained popularity. The authors of modern cards show imagination by drawing them with declarations of love, jokes, and even with their own heroes. For example, a character such as Little Shea is known throughout the world.
Collecting postcards whose prices reach astronomical values also attracts a lot of people. Today, the most expensive famous postcard was bought at auction in England, its cost was 22 thousand pounds. But, of course, it cannot be more expensive than a postcard for the soul than from a loved one. She will give love and kindness.
Collecting postcards from the USSR
Labeled and unlabeled postcards were issued in the Soviet Union, leaving space for sticking stamps on them. Some fans can find such collection cards, on which stamps are mistakenly pasted on the front side, they are especially appreciated and are considered a rarity. Especially those where the brand, which has the wrong location, is printed in the printing house. One of the most famous such postcards of the USSR is the one that depicts the Hadi-7 experimental car.
Many in the Union issued greeting cards for public holidays, with an anniversary or with congratulations on his birthday. For modern collectors, this is the most common and fashionable type of postcards. They cost inexpensively, in the range of 20-50 rubles per piece. But if the instance is very rare, then its cost can be much higher.
Types of Postcards
Postcards can be divided into the following types:
- Congratulatory - takes the main place among those that are used for congratulations on any holiday, anniversary, celebration.
- Species - is produced in large series, they depict various professions, sports, festivals, city landscapes.
- Reproduction - images on such postcards - reproductions of paintings.
- Art - is mass-produced. Helps to get acquainted with the work of any unknown artists.
- Advertising - advertising information about a cafe or company is applied to it.
- Historical – event - depicts either significant or tragic events that occurred in the past.
- Political - depicts political figures of the past and present, parties, organizations.
- Patriotic - the most popular postcard during the Great Patriotic War, raising the spirit of citizens.
- Photo card - having a photo of some city or landscape on the front side. That can be any number.
- Business - appeared recently, they are intended to congratulate employees, business partners.
Collecting Art Photographic Cards
This is a very interesting type of collecting. Such postcards usually depict paintings of not only unknown artists, but even famous ones. Artistic photographic postcards can be quite expensive for collectors. There are times when, thanks to such a postcard, people recognize the work of a previously not popular artist, and he becomes quite famous.
Collection storage
This question is of great importance. The fast finding of the required postcard, as well as safety, depends on it, because usually collectors have a large number of postcards.
So that they do not deteriorate, there are 3 main ways of storage: landscape, card index, in envelopes. Each method has its pros and cons, but they are all used by collectors.
Collecting cards even today does not lose its popularity.