Lot # 75: 1907 to 1920s Baseball Real-Photo Postcard Collection (22)

Offered is collection of twenty-two real-photo postcards from 1907 to the 1920s, each of which displays a baseball image on the front. One postcard is not of the real-photo variety and another depicts three men in formal attire, associated with baseball by an unconfirmed pencil notation on the reverse. Included are images of youngsters in uniform, amateur and semipro ballplayers, and long-forgotten teams. Real-photo postcards are highly prized by collectors today because of their unique nature. They generally differ from mass-produced commercial postcards in that they were often produced in very small quantities as a special service by local photography studios. People would take a snapshot and instead of developing it on photo paper, they would produce the image directly on a postcard. This was an inexpensive and novel way to write to a friend or relative far away while at the same time providing a picture of oneself (or a family member). Real-photo postcards were quite the craze during the first half of the twentieth century and, as an art form and as a window into the past, they remain very popular today with a wide range of collectors. This is an impressive collection of these rare early baseball postcards. There is no set value on real-photo postcards, and collectors value individual examples based on many criteria. Whatever criteria one uses, there are likely to be several highlights in this fascinating and unique collection. Most of the postcards have marks or written notations on the front and/or back (whether mailed or not) and the collection as a whole technically ranges from Pr to Fr, with most offering a very presentable appearance from the fronts. This is an attractive and substantial offering of these classic baseball collectibles. Total: 22 postcards.