A Match Well Won Golf Romantic Couple Valentine Day postcard

Slide show of some of the Norwegian folk costumes by the artist Eckersberg published in 1925 as postcards. 

Ethnic Folk Costume Sunnfjord Norway 1925c postcard

The term folk costumes is applied to the particular clothes worn by the rural farm population in pre-industrial Norway, according to the Norwegian Institute of Bunad and Folk Costume.  These clothes were the "result of tradition, external influence, local creativity and individual taste, and differed from the clothing habits in urban areas" where city-dwellers were more influenced by broader European fashions.

By the mid 19th century, the wearing of folk costumes was declining but Norwegian nationalism embraced folk culture of the countryside and folk costumes regained popularity. In modern times, folk costumes have become expressions of national pride and are worn particularly on Constitution Day, May 17, as the images at this site indicate. 

Laplander Ethnic Folk Costume Finnmark Norway 1925 postcard

Lapland is a region largely within the Arctic that spans parts of Finland, Sweden, Norway and Russia. The Sami people, earlier referred to as Lapps or Laplanders, are the historical inhabitants of this area. This postcard captures the traditional dress of Sami living in the Norwegian region of Finnmark. While Norwegians form the majority of the population on the outer islands, the population is mixed in the fjord settlements, with Sami forming the bulk of the population in the interior.  A reversal of Norwegianization policy in the 1980s has seen an official apology from the King of Norway, reparations being made to Sami, the introduction of Sami language in schools, and a revitalization of their culture.

                    Camp Fire Girls Council Fire Camp Shawano Miami Valley Ohio 1950c postcard

The Camp Fire Girls organization was created in 1910-12 as a sister organization to the Boy Scouts of America to provide girls the opportunity to participate in similar experiences their brothers, cousins, and school friends were able to enjoy in the scouts.  Camps were established for these camp fire activities across the USA with the Council Fire being one of the highlights of the Camp Fire experience. 

Today the organization, now known simply as Camp Fire since the admission of boys in 1975, describes itself as a "nonprofit youth organization focused on building self-esteem, character development, leadership skills, and social responsibility."

                              Covered Wagon Boys Camp Puh'Tok Monkton Maryland 1950s postcard

For many, memories of summer camp in one's youth are evoked by cards such as these.  Outdoor adventures, camp fires in the evening, and talk late into the night. What boy in the 1950s wouldn't have enjoyed clambering around a covered wagon, even going for ride in it, in the age of the TV cowboy & western?

No exaggeration here! Just as it was caught - a fine example of the halibut catch in the Alaska fisheries circa late 1940s to early 1950s.  Click on image for further postcard details.

The Cawston Ostrich Farm was established by Edwin Cawston who in 1885 imported 50 ostriches from South Africa to start his farm in South Pasadena, California. After an early setback that saw only 18 birds survive the overland railroad trip from Galveston Texas to Pasadena, Cawston was able to breed the flock up to 100 birds. 

By the early 1900s, the Cawston Ostrich Farm had grown into a major tourist attraction, combining the exotic with a short trolley ride to and from downtown Los Angeles. A slew of postcard views ensued, permitting visitors to share their day at the farm with those who stayed at home. 

While at the farm visitors could ride on the back of ostriches, take a ride in an ostrich drawn carriage, or, as shown above, watch an ostrich race.  At the store that was linked to an ostrich product factory on the property, visitors could purchase ostrich-feathered hats, boas, capes and fans to take home as mementos of their day out with the ostriches.   

Click on image for more information about the card.

                         Exaggerated Corn AT & SF Railroad Car of Kansas Corn Albertype postcard

A very nice example of the exaggeration category of postcards from the early twentieth century.  Every locale, it seems, engaged in "boosterism" through the medium of the postcard - the biggest corn, celery, fish, etc. or world's longest bridge or tunnel, tallest tower and so forth. There it was for all the world to see - if they believed their eyes...

                           Seaboard Coast Railroad Doodlebug Train Lakeland Florida postcard


Doodlebugs are self-propelled railroad cars or railcars, usually with a gas generator and electric transmission, used as a combined passenger & baggage service on lighter traveled routes on railroad networks.  They were said to doodle along branch lines making frequent stops for passengers, sometimes dropping them off outside their homes or businesses or favorite fishing hole!