Rare Books

Postcards of topics and foreign countries

Description

Postcards grouped into the following topics: African American stereotypes; Agriculture (mostly cotton workers); American flag; Artwork; Children; Cowboys; Native Americans (primarily in Arizona, California, New Mexico); Prospectors (1 postcard); Railroads; Revolutionary War artwork; Scenic views and nature; Ships; World War I (most with printed text at the top: "Authorized by censor").

Foreign countries represented: Bahamas, Canada, Cuba (railroad views), Japan, Mexico, and Switzerland.

Type

Rare Books(Opens in new tab)

Production date

approximately 1898-1929.

Call number

645655

Creator

Detroit Publishing Company(Opens in new tab)

Provenance

Color prints by state and topic

Rare Books

Prints by state: Grand Canyon, Arizona; California (chiefly Santa Catalina Island); Florida; Michigan; New York; Salt Lake City, Utah; Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.; Wisconsin; Wyoming. Prints by topic: Animals (cattle, lion, pack mules, ostrich); Boats and ships; Bridges; Buildings; Canyons and scenery (chiefly the Grand Canyon, with many containing copyright of Fred Harvey); Children (African American boys playing, and a Chinese woman with children); Churches and religious art; City and town bird's-eye-views; Commerce; Cowboys; Foreign countries (one image "12770 A Quebec Caleche" with penciled note "Sk Ok DB"; Fruit and flowers; Mining; Missions.

645655

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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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Color prints by topic

Rare Books

Prints by topic: Monuments; Mountains; Native Americans; Parks; Pastoral; Residences (chiefly of literary figures in Massachusetts); Rock formations; Street scenes; Trains and railroad tracks; Trees; Water scenes; Waterfalls; Winter scenes; Unidentified.

645655

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Postcards

Rare Books

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.

645655

Image not available

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

Image not available

Oversize prints

Rare Books

This series contains 51 large color prints, generally 11 x 18 inches to 22 x 34 inches in size. Includes several proof prints with lithographic markings, and some lithographs of artwork. One photograph is included here, with the matching print.

645655

Postcards of topics and foreign countries

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Color prints by state and topic

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