Postcards once were the “emotion icons” for communication. So fascinating are antique postcards, that they are a top collectible.

Deltiology is the study of postcards and deltiologists collect postcards.From those two groups eight historical eras categorize postcards.

Era one, the Pre-Postcard Era spanned 1840-1869. Postal regulations barred mailable postcards, so messages were hand-delivered via lithograph prints, small wood or leather cards. Still, by 1861, John P. Charlton made and copyrighted private postal cards.

Carlton transferred the copyright to H.L.Lipman, who decorated the borders and labeled his cards with “Lipman Postal Card, Patent Applied For”

Before, Lipman cards, countries made stamped plain “Postals”. Then 1869 to 1870, two years before Lipman cards left the market, Austria developed “non-Postal”. Also private postcards were made for applying a stamp and pictured non-Postals followed in 1870.

Era 2, the Pioneer Era spanned 1870-1898.and alleges Dr. E. Hermann  the recommended development of the first Postal. Hungary printed his card in 1870 and tagged it to the Franco-German War.

Then in 1872, England presented their first advertising Postal. The US followed in 1873 their first Postal that displayed a particular Chicago industrial building. The next year Germany released  an initial postal card

Before 1893, advertising was the only intent for Postcard s. However, in 1893, Chicago printed the first collector’s card.

In addition during the 2nd wave of postcards mailing private cards took a two-cent stamp.  The US Government solely preprinted Postals with busts of Grant or Jefferson and a one-cent stamp.

The third era in Postcards titled Private Mailing Era began in 1898 and acclaimed the first multi-colored card. The third phase also manufactured cards displaying the Eiffel Tower which elevated popularity.

Era 4 began May 19, 1898  when the Private Mailing Card Act approved private printing and a mandate to print ” Private Mailing Card" on the back. 

Only the United States Postal Service warranted using the word “Postcard" on the back.

Other private terms private printers legally were permitted to use were " Souvenir Card, Correspondence Cards and Mail Cards."

Up to 1898, no line down the center back existed.  Even with a near blank backside, US Law did not permit writing on the back until March 1, 1907.
Messages were written across the front over the picture or design.