Rare Books

Postcards

Description: Over 5,000 color "Photochrom" postcards created using color lithography and a photograph. These postcards did not circulate and have no writing on them. Subjects include people, activities, city scenes, small towns, farming and agriculture, steel and heavy manufacturing, harbors and shipping, mansions, landmarks, and many others. Each box contains approximately 500 postcards except Box 10, which contains about 75 trial proofs.
Type: Rare Books(Opens in new tab)
Date: approximately 1898-1929
Call number: 645655
Creator: Detroit Publishing Company(Opens in new tab)
Provenance: Purchased by the Library Collectors' Council from Ursus Rare Books, January 21, 2006.

Proof print of postcard images; scenic prints

Rare Books

A collection of over 5,000 color postcards, prints, and print proofs of American views produced by the Detroit Publishing Company approximately 1898 to the late 1920s. The company's distinctive postcards were made using their exclusive "Photochrom" process that combined photographic negatives and color lithography to create the look of early color photographs. This collection was assembled by a printing foreman for the company and includes several trial press runs and print proof sheets with the printing register marks on the edges. There are 51 oversize color prints, also created using the photo-lithographic process, including one sheet with 24 postcard-size views. Also included are 105 photographs, mostly of the American West, attributed to William Henry Jackson, with some bearing his credit. A few photographs have printed captions like those that appear on postcards. The Detroit Publishing Company was noted for the breadth of topics, people, activity, and industry depicted in their postcards, chronicling American life shortly before and after the turn of the 20th century. In addition to extensive scenes from 42 U.S. states and a few foreign countries, imagery depicts topics such as farming, museums, World War I, naval ships, and cowboys. There are also several postcards of African Americans, some depicting racist stereotypes and containing racist captions.

645655

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Photographic prints with lithographic coloring

Rare Books

Approximately 300 color "Photochrom" prints of various locations and subjects, generally 3.75 x 7 to 7 x 9 inches. Most are on proof paper with no printed text, though some have printed captions like those on postcards.

645655

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Detroit Publishing Company collection

Rare Books

A collection of over 5,000 color postcards, prints, and proof prints of American views produced by the Detroit Publishing Company approximately 1898 to the late 1920s. The company's distinctive postcards were made using their exclusive "Photochrom" process that combined photographic negatives and color lithography to create the look of early color photographs. This collection was assembled by a printing foreman for the company and includes several trial press runs and proof sheets with the printing register marks on the edges. There are 51 oversize color prints, also created using the photo-lithographic process, including one sheet with 24 postcard-size views. Also included are 105 photographs of American travel views and scenery, chiefly 7 x 10 inches, attributed to William Henry Jackson, with some bearing his credit. A few photographs have printed captions like those that appear on postcards.The Detroit Publishing Company was noted for the breadth of topics, people, activity, and industry depicted in their postcards, chronicling American life shortly before and after the turn of the 20th century. In addition to extensive scenes from 42 U.S. states and a few foreign countries, imagery depicts topics such as farming, museums, World War I, naval ships, and cowboys. There are also several postcards of African Americans, some depicting racist stereotypes and containing racist captions.

645655

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Color lithographs of paintings by artists C. Graham (1901), William Harden Foster, Maxfield Parish, and other images

Rare Books

645655

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Scenic prints of mountains and canyons; Library of Congress interior

Rare Books

645655

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Photographs

Rare Books

645655

Postcards

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Proof print of postcard images; scenic prints

Photographic prints with lithographic coloring

Detroit Publishing Company collection

Color lithographs of paintings by artists C. Graham (1901), William Harden Foster, Maxfield Parish, and other images

Scenic prints of mountains and canyons; Library of Congress interior

Photographs