The dictionary of picture postcards in Britain, 1894-1939 - A. W. Coysh

The popularity of the picture postcard reached its peak in Edwardian times. Millions were sent through the post each year and large numbers were purchased simply for their intrinsic interest. Few homes were without a picture postcard album which took pride of place on the parlour table for all to see. Hundreds of firms published postcards and, in the intense competition to satisfy what amounted to a collecting craze, artists and photographers had a field day, providing views of every town and village in the country, cartoonists produced a spate of comic cards and great ingenuity was shown in the production of novelty cards.;In recent years there has been a revival of this interest. Attics have been searched for old albums and specialist postcard auctions and fairs attract hundreds of collectors, most of whom specialize in a particular field, assembling views of their own district or cards showing, for example, tramcars, steam engines, fairgrounds or ocean liners. Others collect out of sheer nostalgia.;This dictionary covers the whole field, providing information about artists, designers, photographers and printers, as well as about the categories of card now recognised by collectors and dealers alike. Examples are illustrated, many in colour, and all who are interested in picture postcards of the past should find this work a useful source of information.