Postcards & Paper Ephemera

Postcards: What to Record

Picture postcards from the 1870s to today.

The Data Sheet for Postcards

The 29 fields worth recording for postcards, grouped as in the ordicio app. Fields marked with a broader category come from it; the others are specific to postcards.

Identification

Title Text Postcards & paper ephemera: The title or name the object is known by, as given by its maker, publisher or catalogue.
Subject Text Postcards & paper ephemera: What the object depicts or is about.
Date / period Text Postcards & paper ephemera: When the object was made, as precise as known, e.g. 1876, c. 1890, 1920s, 2nd century AD.
Country Text Postcards & paper ephemera: Country of origin or issue, by its usual English name (historic states as named at the time, e.g. Kingdom of Bavaria).
Reference link Link Postcards & paper ephemera: Web page about this object or its reference entry (catalogue, database, sale).
Postcard era Choice: Era by the design of the back and the printing; dates follow US postcard history and differ slightly in other countries.
Pioneer era (before 1898)
Private mailing card (1898 to 1901)
Undivided back (1901 to 1907)
Divided back / golden age (1907 to 1915)
White border (1915 to 1930)
Linen (1930 to 1945)
Photochrome / chrome (since 1939)
Modern continental size (since about 1970)
Postcard type Choice, or your own: Printing type or kind of card.
Real photo postcard (RPPC)
Chromolithograph
Collotype / lichtdruck
Halftone / printed photo
Hand-coloured
Linen texture
Photochrome / chrome
Embossed
Novelty (hold-to-light, silk, mechanical, leather)
Artist-signed
Topic Choice, or your own: Main subject as sorted by postcard collectors.
11 choices
Topographical view (town, landscape)
Greetings / holidays
Art / artist-signed
Advertising
Transport (railway, ships, aviation, cars)
Military / war
Political / propaganda
Humour
Exhibitions / events
People / portraits
Animals
Place shown Text: Town, street or landscape shown.
Publisher / series Text: Publisher, series and card number as printed, e.g. Raphael Tuck & Sons, Oilette 7108.

Physical

Height (cm) Number Postcards & paper ephemera: Height, measured upright as the object is meant to stand or hang.
Width (cm) Number Postcards & paper ephemera: Width, measured from the front.
Materials Text Postcards & paper ephemera: Materials the object is made of, main material first.

Condition

Condition Choice Postcards & paper ephemera: Overall condition in plain terms; domains with an established grading scale use that scale instead.
Mint / as new
Excellent
Very good
Good
Fair
Poor
Condition notes Text Postcards & paper ephemera: Faults, wear and damage in detail.
Restoration & repairs Text Postcards & paper ephemera: Restorations, repairs, replaced parts and cleaning, with who did them and when if known.

Acquisition

How and when the object came into the collection.

Acquisition date Date Postcards & paper ephemera: Date the object came into the collection.
Acquisition method Choice, or your own Postcards & paper ephemera: How the object came into the collection.
Purchase
Auction
Gift
Inheritance
Exchange / trade
Self-collected / found
Commission
Acquired from Text Postcards & paper ephemera: Seller, auction house (with sale and lot number), donor or place where it was found.
Purchase price Amount Postcards & paper ephemera: Price paid including fees and premiums.
Provenance Text Postcards & paper ephemera: Earlier owners and the object's history, oldest first, with sources (labels, invoices, sale catalogues).

Value

Estimated and insured value.

Estimated value Amount Postcards & paper ephemera: Current market value as estimated.
Valuation date Date Postcards & paper ephemera: Date of the current value estimate.
Valuation basis Choice Postcards & paper ephemera: What the estimated value is based on.
Own estimate
Recent sales / auction results
Dealer offer
Catalogue value
Professional appraisal
Insurance valuation
Insured value Amount Postcards & paper ephemera: Sum the object is insured for.

Collection record

Your own inventory data.

Inventory number Text Postcards & paper ephemera: Your own number or label for the object, e.g. C-0042, as written on its label or album page.
Storage location Text Postcards & paper ephemera: Where the object is kept, e.g. room, cabinet, drawer, album and page, box.

Postal use

Postal history of the card.

Postal use Choice: Whether the card went through the mail.
Unused
Postally used
Written but not posted
Postmark Text: Postmark place and date, and the stamp on the card.