Before photographically illustrated magazines or newspapers, before television and facebook networks existed, in the first decade or so of the twentieth century, picture postcards were sent by the hundreds of millions worldwide bearing messages between friends and families, and providing images of peoples, places and events to inform and entertain the recipients.

My interest in collecting these cards is rather similar to that I ascribe to the original senders of them but of course I enjoy too their survival intact and the hunt for them in dealers’ boxes and albums. And then the pleasure of sharing them with you.