In my collection, I have a postcard. It is one I bought; not a family heirloom. I wanted to acquire it because I thought it was quite unusual and I wanted to be able to study it more closely. Well, thinking back to my blog post of yesterday, you may recall that I told you I was in the mood to get organized? One of the first items I picked up in the room where I keep fabrics, was a box of old Piecework magazines. Leafing through one of them today, I found a wonderful article by Deborah Dwyer called “Patriotism and Best Wishes From World War I.”
According to the article, which shows many of these postcards, they came in all colors and reached their height of popularity from 1914-1918. They were made almost exclusively in France, although Spain, Switzerland, and England also manufactured the cards to sell to Allied soldiers.
The light weight fabric and the silk embroidery are very delicate on the postcard I have, and very feminine-looking. The top of the simulated envelope actually opens and that is where the little mini-bouquet of flowers that you see above, usually resides.
The card is dirty enough that it could have been sent through the mail. However, there is no visible postmark date on the back, only a part of a circle that suggests an attempt to stamp the card. The message, written in pencil, says:
From a soldier boy under the stars & stripes. Wishing you a Merry Xmas and a happy New Years. Rusty.
The card was addressed to someone in Columbus, Kansas.
I’m so happy to learn that these cards are associated with World War I and not with World War II, as I’d previously thought. Piecework is a fine magazine and I can’t say that I’ve ever thrown even one away. Each contains valuable information. I’ve gotten a bit sidetracked from my original sorting project, but I figure it’s kind of like taking a trip and deciding to go down a few side roads.
Until later,
Patricia Cummings, http://www.quiltersmuse.com
