Friday, May 29, 2009

Michigan Postcards

Last week I posted some of the postcards I got from Ireland and the Isle of Man and Marie from Cpaphil Vintage Postcards contacted me and asked me to join her Postcard Friendship Friday (PFF for short). People show off their postcards, stamps, mailboxes and anything that relates to postcards. Sounds like fun! This week Marie is showing off a new stamp that France has debuted that is actually chocolate scented. (Marie lives in France, so she's kind of got an edge to getting those stamps.) Sounds very intriguing.

When Tom and I lived in Coldwater, MI., we used to go to a lot of auctions and estate sales. One of the things that I always bid on, but never got were books of old postcards. They always were bid up far to high for my blood. Some of the books would go for a hundred dollars or more. But this one day near the end of the sale, a book of postcards went up for auction. I think it had gotten lost in all of the stuff and I got lucky. I pounced and got about 70 postcards for $35. That was a great deal at the time.

I think most of these cards that I received were all from the same family and most of them are from the 1940s.

Lansing Auto Body

With all of the talk about the car industry, I thought I'd show off a few of the postcards I found in that book I was talking about. You can click on any of the pictures to view them larger.


Here's the General Motors Building in Detroit.

and here's the back of that card. I loved that he typed this postcard. What fun. He even had to turn the card and put it back into the typewriter to type the extra on the side.

Here's the place I was born and raised. Right there near the middle of the mitten is Lansing. That's where I grew up.

The Oriental Gardens in Jacksonville, FL

and this is the town where I live now :) I also found it in the postcards from that auction.

Thanks for taking a little postcard tour with me and don't forget to go on over to the PFF page to see more.

Kristin

19 comments:

Keetha Broyles said...

I really do like your post cards as a souvenir idea. I think I might collect a few this summer on vacation.

Each time I look at a post card rack, I WONDER how much longer they will exist - - - I mean, they aren't high tech, are they?

I hope I'm wrong, but I think the days of buying them "new" are limited. Then just think how valuable those we have saved may become!!!!

Tricia said...

Hi There,
I just wanted to say thank you for coming to visit "The Zoo". You found some really wonderul postcards, by the way. I dig maps so I love the map one, and then the one with the path and flowers. Lovely.
I also noticed your occupation on your about me page. Rental property for organ transplant patients. That must be an incredibly fulfilling job. Sounds really interesting.
Have a fantastic weekend!
*Tricia

Cass @ That Old House said...

I love old postcards; they are so evocative of the "old days," but the BEST picture you have is of that typed message... how funny is that? I wonder if his handwriting was illegible or if he was just a VERY careful and precise sort of guy?

Great post, great hobby! Postcards still are an excellent souvenir of travel; I always get postcards and a Christmas ornament from any place I visit.

Cass

jb said...

you are making miss Michigan like I haven't in years....whaahh!

Kristin - The Goat said...

Keetha - postcards are certainly easy to buy, carry, pack and store. I have always liked postcards because they usually have a better picture of what I wanted to photograph LOL

Tricia - Thanks so much for stopping by. Yes, I hang out with a lot of pre and post transplant patients and family. They are a great group - I wish I'd known about the transplant support group when we were going through my husband's transplant.

Cass - I know, I loved the typed message! and I used to live in Coldwater, MI so that was funny too. Christmas ornaments - now that's what I like to buy. Good idea to find one when traveling.

JB - (AKA - my best friend BOB) I know what you mean. I miss my hometown so much I can hardly stand it. I'm going in July...wanna come? :)

papel1 said...

Great collection of postcards. Thanks for stopping by my blog.
Judy

Chandy said...

Wow, those are some cool postcards! I love the older ones that look like color penciled when aged. Beautiful!

Miss_Yves said...

Wonderful set of old postcards which give us an idea of the past!

Kathy McCreedy said...

HI Kristin, great postcards, and I really appreciate seeing the ones of Michigan! I grew up in Battle Creek (mostly), and now live outside Detroit, so your choices are especially meaningful to me... thank you for sharing those great finds! And thank you, btw, for taking the time to stop by my site and especially for leaving such a kind, encouraging comment about my "black Friday" postcard! :D

Terry said...

Hi
Happy Postcard Friendship Friday .
Thank you for sharing.
Great collection of vintage cards.
Postcards are so much fun .
Have a great weekend.
Happy Trails

steviewren said...

I enjoy reading the message on the back of a postcard as well as seeing the front. I find it hard to understand why a unmarked card is usually worth more than one that has a message and has been mailed.

You got a bargain at that auction.

Debby said...

WOW!!! You have a beautiful collection of postcards, they are fab!
Debby

Sheila said...

You have a wonderful collection there! I hadn't know much about Michigan until I started collecting cards. It does great things for general knowledge!

Chris Overstreet said...

I have got to get me a typewriter.

Marie Reed said...

Hiiiiii! Welcome to Postcard Friendship Friday! Golly... I'm a little late:) I was away over the weekend!

That is just AMAZING that both a card from Coldwater and Jacksonville were in the same lot:) I can imagine you jumping for joy when you found that mongo coincidence.

These cards are just gorgeous! Happy PFF from this very late girl.. I blame it on living in France. The French are stereotypically tardy!

Beth Niquette said...

What wonderful postcards! What a marvelous background of history! I'm sorry for dropping by a little late--I've been ill all weekend, and am just now feeling human enough to say, "Happy PFF!"

dmarks said...

GM abandoned that building a few years ago, and now it looks like they were abandon their current offices.

Judith Richards Shubert said...

Isn't it great to be able to find such a group of cards such as these? I enjoyed your telling about the auctions. Look forward to seeing more of your beautiful cards.
Happy PFF.

Elizabeth said...

Yea Michigan!!