Category Archives: Postcards Unused With Writing

A Hidden Doorway

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Divided Back, Real Photo Postcard, unused. Deckled edge. Circa 1910’s. Photographer:  E. Hunter, Schlettstadt. Pt. 773/II. 

Price:  $15.00

An unusual photographic pose if we ever saw one! The whimsical Augustine, wife of Julien Duller, pauses at a “doorway,” her left hand is on the invisible door nob and she’s smiling (with sort of a “knowing” look) back at the camera.

The date is unknown for this card:  The stamp box, one we’ve never come across, is blank except for a small six-pointed star in each of the bottom corners. But we’ll estimate the 1910’s due to the subject’s dress – fitted, column-style in dark wool or maybe linen or heavy cotton; displaying a shawl collar in silk or satin with matching material in a wide band below the bust line; and decorative bands on hip and sleeves. The dress falls below mid-calf to reveal high button-top boots. Her hair is dressed in a short side-part, (dig that one falling curl) up-swept and piled tightly on top for a little height. On her right hand, she wears a pocket watch that was converted into a wristwatch. In the insert below, you can see what’s referred to as “the bow,” which is the part that the chain would have been suspended from – a nice, surprising detail, and possibly an important clue to the postcard’s date, as it was WWI that ushered in the popularity of the wristwatch.

The photographer, E. Hunter, was not found online in any references, but his stamp tells us he was in Schlettstadt, (Sélestat in French and Schlettstàdt in Alsatian) a town in the Grand Est region of France, on the border of Germany.

As for those few words from Augustine, in her beautiful script:  I’m not sure what the first word is but the next would be andenken, and the third looks like genidmet:  translation from German appearing as “souvenir” and “dedicated.” So it’s probably something in the nature of “fond remembrances” but maybe a native German (or Alsation?) can help us out.

Sources:  Pocket watch. n.d. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pocket_watch#:~:text=In%20men’s%20fashions  %2C%20pocket%20watches,one%20kept%20in%20a%20pocket. (accessed April 30, 2023).

Sélestat. n.d. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S%C3%A9lestat (accessed April 30, 2023).

Miss Lila Sears, Portland, Oregon

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Divided Back, Real Photo Postcard, unused. AZO stamp box. Photographer:  Bicknell. Circa 1916 – 1918.

Price:  $15.00      

Embossed on the front lower right is the photographer info:   “Bicknell. 326 1/2 Washington St. Portland Ore.”

Miss Lila, very smartly attired and posing rather somberly for the camera, was born in California, October 1894, the daughter of Benjamin F. Sears and Jennifer Wotton. She married Harry W. Kelley, May 7, 1921, in Portland. The date for this postcard has been narrowed down with the help of Playles.com (AZO stamp boxes all four triangles pointing upward are as late as 1918) and the photographer’s address.

The Bicknell Studio

The photography studio of Bicknell would have been Wilfred Bicknell and his wife, Pearl. They’re both listed as photographers on the 1910 Federal Census for Portland. He born in England about 1875, and she born in Oregon about 1881. The Portland city directories start online from 1906 for Wilfred; address 203 1/2 1st Street. By 1909 we’re seeing an additional address for the studio of 214 Merchants Trust Building, switching to 210 Merchants Trust by 1911. (No city directories were found for 1910.)

In 1919, Wilfred married Mayme H. Thuener, August 11, 1919 in Marin County, California. No records were found for a divorce or death for Pearl.

Curiously, no references were found for the 326 1/2 Washington Street, Portland address that’s embossed on the postcard.

When the WWI Draft Registration Card was recorded, Wilfred was in San Francisco, CA. This record shows his date of birth as December 28, 1874. He’s working as a photographer for employer, Charles Bossum at 25 Kearney St. Then 1920 census for Stockton, CA, shows Wilfred is as owner of a photography gallery.

But by 1930, Wilfred has come upon some tough times. At the time of this census, taken in Stockton, CA, he is a patient at the state mental hospital. (It makes one wonder how much exposure he may have had to chemicals and/or heavy metals from his occupation.)

Sources:  “Real Photo Postcard Stamp Boxes, A – B.” https://www.playle.com/realphoto/photoa.php. (access April 23, 2023).

Oregon Center For Health Statistics; Portland, Oregon, USA; Oregon State Marriages, 1911-1945 (Ancestry.com).

Oregon State Archives; Salem, Oregon; Oregon, Death Records, 1864-1967. (Ancestry.com).

Year: 1910; Census Place: Portland Ward 5, Multnomah, Oregon; Roll: T624_1286; Page: 11A; Enumeration District: 0159; FHL microfilm: 1375299. (Ancestry.com).

R. L. Polk & Co.’s Portland, Oregon city directories, 1906 – 1916. (Ancestry.com).

Ancestry.com. California, U.S., Marriage Records from Select Counties, 1850-1941.

Ancestry.com. U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918.

Year: 1920; Census Place: Stockton Ward 4, San Joaquin, California; Roll: T625_144; Page: 2B; Enumeration District: 177. (Ancestry.com).

Year: 1930; Census Place: Stockton, San Joaquin, California; Page: 1B; Enumeration District: 0050; FHL microfilm: 2339947. (Ancestry.com).

Martha Reifschneider

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Divided Back, Real Photo Postcard, unused. KRUXO stamp box, circa 1908 – 1910.

Price:  $15.00

Portrait of a beautiful young woman, in satin dress with tucks and a ruffled high lace collar…..

This particular KRUXO stamp box, with four-leaf clovers in each corner, is known to be from 1908 – 1910. Here’s the name written on the back:

As you can see, the ending of the surname is a little run together, however, we’re not finding any other potential matches under name variations.
And there’s no guarantee, but still we feel pretty confident that we have the right person in the details below:

Martha is the daughter of George Reifschneider and Katrina Redder, both German emigrants. (The Redder surname is from Ancestry.com family trees.) Martha was born in Iowa about May of 1890. She married Carl Sietmann March 9, 1910 at the home of her parents in Blairstown, Missouri.

Sources:  “K-L. Real Photo Postcard Stamp Boxes.” Playle.com. Accessed April 11, 2023.

Year: 1900; Census Place: Jefferson, Marshall, Iowa; Roll: 447; Page: 3; Enumeration District: 0109. (Ancestry.com).

“Laurel Couple Weds.” Evening Times-Republican (Marshalltown, Iowa). March 16, 1910. Wednesday, p. 9. (Newspapers.com).

Ethel (Lewis) Kelly

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Divided back, Real Photo Postcard, unused. CYKO stamp box. Circa 1915 – 1925.

Price:  $15.00

There are two names on the back of this card:  Ethel Lewis Kelly and Bertha Tufford. Presumably they are cousins, or Bertha could be a cousin-in-law, though records were not found as proof, either way.

A description…..

Ethel, with a thoughtful, agreeable expression, wearing wire-rimmed eyeglasses, head tilted slightly, dark hair parted on the side and pulled back. Rings on both hands, one a possible wedding ring, and an interesting dress style:  light material with small diamonds, dark satiny fabric for the upside of the collar, the same fabric around the waist and for the diagonal accent under the bodice buttons. Lace running up one side from buttons to collar, and then lace around the cuffs, continuing up to the elbows. The carved wooden chair is also gorgeous – one of the nicest we’ve seen. The “ears” of the chair resemble something between a fish and a seahorse.

Ethel Lewis, born August 1890 in Oregon, is the daughter of Timothy Ambrose Lewis and Louise Serrell Crawford. Ethel married Thomas Leo Kelly in about 1923. He was born in Maine 1887. He was first married to Frances Jane Chisholm.

Researching this postcard threw me for a loop for awhile, because there’s a town called Bridge in Oregon. But, there’s another town called McKenzie Bridge, which is an unincorporated community in Lane County, OR, and shows up on Thomas Kelly’s death certificate. So, there’s no “Cousin McKenzie” at all. Thank goodness, as it wasn’t making too much sense that way.

As to the “addressee,” there’s a Bertha Mae Tufford, born January 19, 1892 in Portland, Oregon, who marries Frederick Sylvester Huit on March 10, 1917. If she’s the correct person then we’re led to believe that this postcard photo was taken before this marriage date, when Bertha was still single, still a Tufford, and that would mean that Ethel wasn’t married yet, and the ring on her left hand was not a wedding ring. Or, it could just be that the person who wrote in pencil on the reverse wasn’t aware of Bertha’s marriage or didn’t know the name. But as previously stated, no records were found to verify a “cousinship.” 😉

Sources:  Year: 1900; Census Place: Cottage Grove, Lane, Oregon; Roll: 1349; Page: 15; Enumeration District: 0120; FHL microfilm: 1241348. (Ancestry.com).

Year: 1920; Census Place: Elmira, Lane, Oregon; Roll: T625_1496; Page: 5A; Enumeration District: 229. (Ancestry.com).

The National Archives At St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; World War Ii Draft Cards (4th Registration) For the State of California; Record Group Title: Records of the Selective Service System; Record Group Number: 147. (Ancestry.com).

Oregon State Archives; Salem, Oregon; Oregon, Death Records, 1864-1967. (Ancestry.com).

Ancestry Family Trees for Thomas Leo Kelly and Frances Jane Chisolm. (Ancestry.com). Accessed February 18, 2023.

McKenzie Bridge, Oregon. n.d. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McKenzie_Bridge,_Oregon (accessed February 18, 2023).

Est ce d’un regard, d’un sourire…..

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Divided Back, unused French postcard, circa 1920s. Publisher:  A. Noyer. Series 3268.

Price:  $6.00

Enlarge the image (twice) and you’ll see that there are a lot of creases on the front of this card, so it’s not in good shape but still, the subtle color variations and the softness, not to mention the romance and sender’s message make this a great one for Valentine’s Day….

“Est ce d’un regard, d’un sourire que vous avez su me séduire?”

Is it with a look, a smile, that you were able to seduce me?

Hopefully, I’ve deciphered and translated the reverse well enough for now, in hopes of having a French speaker look this over in the near future. The sender, “Louteke” is certainly a name I’ve never heard before, and doesn’t show up online. With luck, we can get clarification on that, too.

“Mon Chèr Petit Marcel,

Je suis très bien arrivée et Père était à la gare. Je ne devais pas changer à Courtois[?] J’étais content Georges à chercher la carte. Elle n’est pas très belle. Je m’ennui à mourir si loin de toi. Je ne sais pas est tu bien [?] Oui mon Chèr. Dort bien et mille gros bisous de[?] Chère Louteke qui pense beaucoup à toi mais quelle beau temps n’est pas Chèr à mardi soir. Je vais en promenade demain après midi. Mère est très content de son étagère et bien[?] les complements [?] et Père. Dort bien Chèri et pense beaucoup à moi, tu sais encore. 100 gros bisous de ta Chère Louteke.” 

My dear Marcel,

I arrived very well and Father was at the train station. I didn’t have to change at Courtois[?] I was happy George looked at the map. She [the town?] is not very beautiful. I’m bored to death so far from you. I don’t know if[?] you are fine. Yes, my dear? Sleep well and a thousand big kisses from dear Louteke who thinks about you a lot, but it’s not a long time Dear, till Tuesday night. I’m going for a walk tomorrow afternoon. Mother is very happy with her shelf and [sends?] regards from her and Father. Sleep well, darling and think of me a lot, you know again. 100 big kisses from your dear Louteke.

Marie Rubens, Circa 1913

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Real Photo Postcard, unused. AZO stamp box. Circa 1912 – 1914.

Price:  $15.00

Most likely the young lady in this postcard photo is Marie Cecilia Rubens, born May 13, 1897 in Gervais, Oregon, daughter of Joseph Rubens and Matilda Vanderbeck. We’re estimating Marie was about fifteen or sixteen when this was taken. She’s shown in a  white, long-sleeved dress, the collar gathered in ruffles under the chin, hemline just below the knee, hair pulled back in a dark bow. She stands behind a wooden folding chair, in front of a photographer’s backdrop of wooded hills.

Marie’s given this postcard to:   “Gertie Bowley, Gervais, Oregon.”

Gertrude Bowley, from the 1910 Federal Census in Gervais, was born about 1895 in Oregon, daughter of William and Barbara Bowley. Also on this census are Gertie’s younger siblings, Joseph, Mary, William and Florence. Barbara Bowley’s maiden name was Ferschweiler per Gertie’s marriage record (to Luther Garrett).

Marie Rubens married Lawrence Ferschweiler, so there’s a family connection between the subject of this card and its recipient, though we won’t spend time pinpointing the exact relationship.

Sources:  Oregon State Archives; Salem, Oregon; Oregon, Birth Records, 1842-1902, 1917. (Ancestry.com).

Year: 1910; Census Place: Gervais, Marion, Oregon; Roll: T624_1284; Page: 2B; Enumeration District: 0210; FHL microfilm: 1375297. (Ancestry.com).

Washington State Archives; Olympia, Washington; Washington Marriage Records, 1854-2013. (Ancestry.com).

Oregon State Archives; Salem, Oregon; Oregon, Birth Records, 1842-1902, 1917. (Ancestry.com).

Black Hills Wholesale Grocery Company

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Real Photo Postcard, unused. AZO Stamp Box, circa 1913 – 1918.

Price:  $20.00

Addressed to:   “Ollie M. Chester, Rapid City, SD.”

Caption:   “C. E. Gray, wholesale Merchant, Rapid City, and his officers. C. E. Gray.”

You can read  “Wholesale Grocery Co.” on the building, above the man on our left. Which gentleman is C. E. Gray is unknown. Here’s an ad from February, 1914 showing they were located at Seventh Street between Omaha and Rapid (Rapid City, South Dakota):

From city directories it appears C. E. was Claude E. Gray. He shows up in 1918 as vice-president of the business. And on the 1920 Federal Census for Rapid City, we have Claude, born 1880 in Iowa, occupation grocery man; his wife, Florence L., also born 1880 in Iowa; and their daughters, Miriam, Marjorie and Helen. Also in the household is domestic servant, Ida Printz.

We’re guessing this card, like the one in the prior post, is a rare find for anyone looking for either of the two businesses. The earliest mention we found for the Black Hills Wholesale Grocery Co. is January 1913, in the Custer Weekly Chronicle. On March 3, 1914, the company published a trademark, described as “Black Hills” and a mountain scene that, barring any objection, would have been registered thirty days later. The AZO stamp box with all four triangles pointing upward, is estimated to be from 1904 – 1918, hence our card’s estimated date 1913 – 1918.

Ollie is Olive M. Chester. Could she be one of the young women in the postcard? Maybe. Or maybe just a friend or relative of C. E. Gray. Olive is found on the 1915 State Census for South Dakota, born 1899 in Nebraska.

Sources:  Year: 1920; Census Place: Rapid City, Pennington, South Dakota; Roll: T625_1725; Page: 15B; Enumeration District: 155. (Ancestry.com).

Simmons’ Spice Journal, April 1914, Volume 37, no. 4. Page 410. (Google.com/books).

Rapid City Journal. February 1, 1914. Sunday, p. 7. (Newspapers.com).

Keiter Directory Co’s Rapid City and Pennington County, South Dakota City, 1918-1919. p. 43. (Ancestry.com).

“Notice of Hearing Petition for Letters of Administration.” Custer Weekly Chronicle, January 18, 1913, Saturday, p. 6. (Newspapers.com).

South Dakota, U. S., State Census, 1915. (Ancestry.com).

A Happy Christmas To Miss Mattie Smith, Norton, KS

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Divided Back, embossed postcard. Unused with writing. Publisher unknown. Circa 1907 – 1909.

Price:  $3.00

Obviously, this one’s a little beat up, but I think I have other cards for Mattie, so I want to make sure they all get included.

The sender wrote:   “Dear Mattie: –   I rec’d  your Christmas remembrance which I was very glad to get. I hope you have had a Merry Christmas and I wish you a happy and prosperous New Year. Nellie K.”

Addressed to:   “Miss Mattie Smith, Norton, Kansas.”

This might be the Mattie Ristora Smith that had married Theodore Denney Romans in 1910. And, the sender possibility is Nellie King. They were both in Norton, Kansas in that time-period. We’ll have to look up the other possible cards we have for Mattie, and do some more research.

Mrs. Levi Joshua Cheney, Dyesville, Ohio

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Divided Back, Real Photo Postcard, unused. AZO stamp box. Circa 1907 – 1918.

Price:  $15.00

This is Charity (Chase) Cheney, born June 1868 in Ohio. The date estimate for the postcard is due to its being a Divided Back card and having an AZO stamp box, all four triangles pointing upward. This would make Charity around age 39 – 50 when the photo was taken, and it may have been a special occasion for her, per the flower corsage she’s wearing. This shot has captured some years of hardship, worry and grief in her expression. (It’s not an easy life we came here to live, is it?) But she’s still lovely in the long white dress (love the double row of buttons) and with the small puffed shoulders and her jewelry – the heart, the short necklace, and the other accessories – wide black belt, oblong box-style purse (I’m picturing alligator), and possibly a flower in her hair. It’s hard to tell on that one, even when darkening the image in Photoshop, it’s not definite.

Thank you to the person that identified person with place on the back. We appreciate them whoever they were. Dyesville is located in Columbia Township, Meigs County, Ohio.

Sources:  Year: 1880; Census Place: Columbia, Meigs, Ohio; Roll: 1047; Page: 36D; Enumeration District: 104. (Ancestry.com).

James A. Anderson, Maumee, Ohio

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Divided Back, Real Photo Postcard, unused. AZO stamp box. Circa 1914 – 1917.

Price:  $15.00          Size:  3 and 3/8 x 4 and 3/4″

Always charming – these photos and cards of children on donkeys and horses – a donkey in this case. And this particular postcard is a little off from the standard size in length (length of card as viewed from the reverse with writing side).

James, dressed up in wool hat, suit coat and knickers and wearing button, high top boots, was a Maumee, OH native, born October 26, 1909. The son of Charles E. Anderson and Julia “Jewel” Elnora Wise/Weis, James’ middle name was Arnold, according to the 1910 Federal Census for Maumee, Ohio, which flipped the names and lists him as “Arnold J.” (Note the stirrups are a little too long for him in the photo.)

Sources:  Ancestry.com. Ohio, U.S., Births and Christenings Index, 1774-1973 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.

Year: 1910; Census Place: Maumee Ward 2, Lucas, Ohio; Roll: T624_1210; Page: 14A; Enumeration District: 0163; FHL microfilm: 1375223. (Ancestry.com).

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/112621700/james-arnold-anderson: accessed 24 September 2022), memorial page for James Arnold Anderson (26 Oct 1909–29 Jan 1956), Find a Grave Memorial ID 112621700, citing Calvary Cemetery, Toledo, Lucas County, Ohio, USA; Maintained by TAYLOR (contributor 47701928).

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/119834096/julia-eleanor-anderson: accessed 24 September 2022), memorial page for Julia Eleanor “jewel” Weis Anderson (2 Aug 1891–27 Aug 1980), Find a Grave Memorial ID 119834096, citing Calvary Cemetery, Toledo, Lucas County, Ohio, USA; Maintained by M_artin S_chauder (contributor 47780256).