I had mentioned in this post that one of my newer hobbies has been collecting postcards and other ephemera. Initially my focus was on all things Utica, since I mostly grew up there, and it is a city big enough and old enough to have numerous old postcards worth collecting, but small enough that one could make significant progress towards a comprehensive collection. However, as time has gone on, I've expanded my horizons. I now look for postcards that are from other cities in upstate New York, as well as from the Big Apple itself. I'll also look for cards from other areas I've once lived in, or even places I've visited. I'll even add a postcard to my collection if I simply find it interesting to look at.
I've done most of my collecting on E-Bay, where there are a ton of postcards and other ephemera to choose from. I've also purchased more than a few in antique shops. However, the only true postcard "event" I've ever attended is the annual Denver Postcard Convention, held each May. I went last year for the first time, and I recently attended again.
Now, I know what you're thinking - "What a wild guy!" And, I will admit, the scene at the postcard convention is crazy, occasionally even a bit out of hand. But in between the late nights, the partying, the stuff that makes Vegas look like Lancaster, you will actually find some really interesting stuff. I'm going to post a pic or two every now and then of some postcards I bought at the convention, as well as from my collection.
First up is an old postcard of the Museum of Natural History, in New York City. This caught my eye for two reasons. First, I was born in New York, and this museum is one of the many places that make NYC truly remarkable. More personally, I have very fond memories of this museum. I was lucky enough to see the exhibits there on several occasions as a child, including one of the coolest experiences ever - going with my cousin. See, I was a kid, he was my cousin, and even though he was a (young) adult, it was us, by ourselves. Not only was the museum great, but the thrill of feeling all grown up added to the experience exponentially. Here is the web sitefor today's American Museum of Natural History. Incidentally, the postcard here was postmarked in 1908, and according to Wikipedia, the museum was founded in 1869.
The other postcard I thought I'd post tonight is a shot of the cable car turntable at the corner of Powell and Market in San Fransisco. This card is postmarked in the 1970s (smudges have rendered the last digit unreadable, but really, is there any difference between any of the years from 1970-1979?). This card caught my eye in part due to my first visit to San Fransisco not too long ago, and in part because the photo itself is really nice. While I did get to see some parts of San Fransisco during my one day there, the city itself was sadly neglected. I certainly hope to make up for that some day soon, and it'll be streets and scenes like this I hope to see and experience.
That does it for tonight. As I wrote up top, I have a whole bunch of these cards, most very old, some more modern. Most from upstate New York, but others from all over. I'd really like to do a full review of the Hotel Utica at some point soon, similar to the post I did on the Stanley Theater I linked to above. But in the meantime, I'll just post one or two, here and there, ones that people might enjoy looking at.
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