LATEST NEWS...

– Update 7: July 25, 2010

Update 7: What’s new?

The major rush with mailing out the new TPA issue is over now. — As mentioned last time Paul Finkenrath, Berlin (PFB) has an own page now. A longer, more detailed article on this interesting postcard publisher and printer will appear in next TPA issue. — The fine art publisher Otto Gustav Zehrfeld from Leipzig, Saxony is new in the TPA Archives section — A yet unknown trade of J. Miesler, Berlin is illustrated together with a rather old card by the early postcard printer/publisher often described being the inventor of the popular “Greetings from” type cards. — Under “My Favourites Cards” section I show a card that bears a signature I (together with a number of other collectors and dealers) had believed to read “Bizeth”. Wrong! It should read “Bizuth” and the man behind this alias is no mystery anymore! — plus several other smaller additions and corrections made.

I wish to thank Marie-Louise Sundstrom, Antonio Fabiano, Emil Laga, Eltina Dijkstra and Chris Ratcliffe for their kindness sharing information and / or cards with others. It has helped a great deal to solve some matters!   Helmfried Luers

TPA issue 24 is available directly from the publisher or from representatives in Great Britain, U.S.A. and Canada.

For details on content please see TPA Magazine.  Thank you!

 Mysterious ‘Shorthand’ Publisher(s):

I show two cards under above heading in the Postcard Finds section. One is a quality topo/art card, the other on a mysterious topic. I had hoped somebody could read the shorthand type imprints, that I understand are that of the publisher, or perhaps as it was suggested a series title. I was given photocopies of two, long forgotten shorthand alphabets, but it still makes no sense at all. I know there were a number of different shorthand systems around back then.

There is a good chance that the firm behind this strange writing was found at Munich once, some time between 1900-06. In the meantime more cards bearing the shorthand imprint have turned up. Mostly of humorous type, some a bit crude, but surely sold well. All show a undivided back = pre-1905 origin in Germany.

But this anonymous firm is always good for a surprise. I show a Whitsun greetings card. Usually these cards show a spring view with crawling cockchafers. Here we see a giant (embossed) dragonfly instead. Must had been a quite early for the year species. Signed “C. Scholl, M..”. P/u May 1904. Any help really appreciated!

Growing Research library

It was a strange coincidence that I took a look at an after-auction sales list on the internet of a German firm. Suddenly I spotted 6 half-yearly volumes of the paper and printing trade periodical ‘Papier-Zeitung’ dating from 1917-21 for a really low asking price. I responded by return and now these books are mine.

This trade publication which was issued twice weekly, sometimes even 3 times, is my major source of information for postcard research. I already call many yearly volumes my own, but had none from WW 1 and, the in general difficult, years following. First spot checks brought fantastic (company) information to light I had been searching for a long time. This purchase consists of some 10,220 pages which will require some to ‘read’ in full.