Rural Delivery: Real Photo Postcards from Central Pennsylvania 1905-1935 [Hardcover]

Jody Blake (Author), Jeannette Lasansky (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 1996

Rural Delivery revisits life in small-town America through examining photographs that were made into postcards in the early twentieth century. The book features more than two hundred photo postcards that re-create a time when Union County Pennsylvania, was prosperous, progressive, and growing, like many other small towns of the era.With so-called corresponding photographs at the height of their popularity, neighboring towns competed with one another to have their best "souvenir views" available. The images, made by professional and amateur photographers alike, include impressive bird's-eye views of towns and closeups of their bustling streets. Area residents are shown on the move-in trains, buggies, and cars, as well as at play-at Bucknell (then College) class rushes, picnics in the Narrows, or ballooning expeditions in Allenwood. Catastrophic events and patriotic celebrations are also shown in these rare visual documents, which rivaled newspapers for their timeliness. Views of scenic spots, artfully composed or dramatically lighted, advertise the photographer's skill and the region's pastoral beauty.Art historian Jody Blake relates the photographic correspondence to technical, social, and artistic developments in the history of photography, while material cultural historian Jeannette Lasansky places the images on the postcards in the local historical context of Union County.Most of the photographs have not been reproduced since being issued. Extensive captions cover issues ranging from photographic techniques to historical background to rarity. Documentary materials, such as diagrams fromphotographic manuals and excerpts from local newspapers, are also included. Grover Bierly, Nelson Caulkins, Urs. H. Eisenhauer, Edwin S. Heiser, Stephen B. Horton, Arthur R. Ishiguro, Ellen H. Shields, John C. Slear, and John D. Swanger are among twenty-six photographers whose biographies are included.

Editorial Reviews

Review

A winner on all counts! Rural Delivery is fascinating on every level. -- Postcard Collector, April 1997

This reviewer is unaware of any more notable or comprehensive bibliography of the real photo post card. --Donald R. Brown, Institute of American Deltiology

From the Inside Flap

Rural Delivery: Real Photo Postcards from Central Pennsylvania 1905-1935 examines small-town life as reflected in photograhic images that were made into postcards in the early twentieth century. Over two hundred real photo postcards have been selected to recreate a sense of place when Union County, Pennsylvania was prosperous, progressive and growing. This was also the era when so-called "corresponding photographs" were at the height of their popularity and neighboring towns competed with one another to have their best "souvenir views" available.

Area residents are shown on the move-in trains, buggies, and cars-and at play-at Bucknell class rushes, picnicking in the Narrows, or ballooning in Allenwood. Catastrophic events and patriotic celebrations are also shown in these rare visual documents, which rivaled newspapers for their timeliness.

The essay by art historian, Jody Blake, relates this photographic correspondence to technical, social and artistic developments in the history of photography. The essay by Jeannette Lasansky places the images on the postcards into the local historical context of Union County, Pennsylvania.

Most of the photographs have not been reproduced since being issued as real photo postcards. Extensive captions cover issues ranging from photographic techniques to historical background to rarity. Photographers, Grover Bierly, Nelson A. Caulkins, Urs H. Eisenhauer, Edwin S. Heiser, Stephen B. Horton, Arthur R. Ishiguro, Ellen H. Shields, John C. Slear, and John D. Swanger are among 26 whose biographies are included. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 136 pages
• Publisher: Pennsylvania State University Press (September 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0271016256
• ISBN-13: 978-0271016252
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 8.8 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,276,646 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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