BNK Real Photo Postcards
Last comments and some BNK cards
BNK was an export-oriented printer/publisher. During the early years of real photo card production, many cards said to had been exported to Russia, but also France, Belgium, Austro-Hungarian Empire etc. To be competitive they widely used images of female actors/dancers/singers by French, Italian and other international photographers/studios.
Many BNK photo cards were available in different makes and qualities. High glossy finish and matte, hand-coloured, decorated with mica, some with embossed silver border frame. Even these unusual "pale" look pieces with "artistic" faint colouring. Similar to "Lychnogravuere" issues by competitor Aristophot A.G., Taucha-Leipzig and "Photoelite" cards by Kunstverlag Schlaf, Pasing-Munich. Gustav Liersch & Co., Berlin, had also similar done cards ("Kohledruck/Photographie") on offer.
Earlier BNK card issues from the undivided back period often show a rather small 3 figure number imprinted on address side. Few 3 figure samples with divided address side design also known. The purpose unknown. In general the system behind BNK card numbering is unclear. For some years consecutively series numbers but then also single card numbers found. Suddenly we have 5-digit numbering in the thirty thousand range. Probably I do not have sufficient BNK rp cards at hand (only some 100+) for an explaination. Fact is that BNK produced huge quantities of cards.
The card selection below concentrates on the BNK Dresden period. By the way, the BNK script capitals in oval shape logo was officially registered in late June 1915. The other (later) triangle shape logo with the three white letters each on individual black background (see logo table on previous page, center left. Also on the promo card illustrated here) was registered in late August 1912. Of course both might had been used prior official registeration.
