John R. and Jane Adams Postcard Collection

John R. and Jane Adams Postcard Collection

Administrative Information

Extent: 282 boxes, approximately 200,000 postcards.
Date span: late 1800's - present

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Provenance

The bulk of the collection consists of a gift from John R. and Jane Adams in 1989, and also includes donations from Russel Raitt and Carol Wilson, as well as postcards previously in the Norland Collection. Postcards donations have also been accepted from numerous donors and patrons.

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Historical Note

Postcards began circulation as a convenient means of quick and often colorful communication in the mid-to-late 19th century. Both American and European publishers took advantages of the postcard craze of the early 20th Century as millions of postcards of a variety of subjects and topics were produced, circulated, and collected. The popularity of postcard collecting diminished during World War I and postcards have never achieved quite the popularity they initially held, but postcards are still widely produced, circulated, and collected worldwide for various reasons and occasions.

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Scope and Content

The collection consists of over 100 years of history and communication through postcards. The postcards are diverse in size, format, and subject. The collection contains more than 4,500 postcards of San Diego County, and 8,500 postcards represent ing parts of the state of California and the development of California. Individual states in the U.S. as well as other countries of the world also have categories in the collection. Of particular note are two boxes that relate to Mexico and the U.S.-Mexico border, which document the growth of Tijuana and Baja California during the Prohibition years. Postcards are also arranged by publisher, type, and topic. A detailed description of the Adams Postcard Collection was complete in 1994-95 by Martha McPhail and is available for research purposes as well. Also included with the collection are research materials related to postcard collections and collecting, albums of postcards, and a balsawood postcard file box.

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Use of the Collection

Use of the postcard collection is possible after patron registration and review of department policies and regulations. Patrons may request a number of boxes after consulting the finding aid, and may browse only one individual box at a time. Individual postcards must remain in mylar sleeves for archival purposes. Sorted postcards are to remain in their appropriate categories and boxes; if a mis-filed postcard is found, a staff member should be notified and the postcard will be filed under the proper heading. Photocopies or digital images can be produced by Special Collections staff for a fee; all images are for personal use only. Any postcards removed for photocopying, scanning, loaning, or exhibit purposes must be filed back in their original box as soon as possible; therefore the box number of the postcard (and subcategory the postcard is filed under, when appropriate) must be noted and kept with the postcard.

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Organization and Arrangement

The collection has been broken down into distinct categories, both topically and geographically. Each box is identified with its category abbreviation and box number. The categories and their abbreviations are listed below. Some albums and oversized items are located in the flat file and organized as such.

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Related Reference Sources

Carline, Richard. Pictures in the Post: The Story of the Picture Postcard. Bedford: G. Fraser, 1959.

Range, Thomas E. The Book of Postcard Collecting. New York: Dutton, 1980.

Staff, Frank. The Picture Postcard & its Origins. New York: F.A. Praeger, 1966.

Willoughby, Martin. A History of Postcards. London: Bracken, 1994

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