Customer Reviews

Vintage Postcards for the Holidays: Identification and Value Guide

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4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK! I saw this book in a vintage postcard store. Then I read the review on amazon. The owner of the store called my attention to it as a book not to buy. As I looked throught the book, it became apparent the best part of the book is the cover. The book pictures a lot of postcards that a reputable a dealer would put in a twenty five cent box. The cards pictured had missing corners, heavy damage and lots of ground in grime, this reveiw sounds like a commercial for laundry soap, sorry. Even the better cards shown in the book came from a different source than most of those pictured in the book, probably an internet action source because thes images were crystal clear althought somewhat smaller in size with no damage noted. The prices listed for the cards are not realistic at all. If you are interested in postcards, buy the books by Mashburn and others. They are a lot better at providing a relistic price guide and sound educational information about cards.

I purchased this book because I collect antique Halloween items,
including postcards. I bought this book hoping to learn
something new about Halloween postcards, instead, I feel like I
should contact the authors and explain a few things to them!!!

The Halloween section in this book was highly disappointing
since there was a grand total of EIGHT pages of Halloween!!!
What a let down!!!

Many of the postcards photographed for this book were in
horrible condition. The authors didn't even bother to tell
readers about how condition really determines the value of an
antique postcard. Nor did the authors even attempt to educate
readers on how to date antique postcards, which postcard artists
are the most collectible, etc.

The prices given (at least in the Halloween section) were
horribly outdated!!!

The cover is pretty, and the format of the book is attractive,
however, there is NO actual information given in this book that
is helpful to people hoping to learn about antique holiday
postcard collecting. I am very ashamed of myself that I spent
hard-earned money on this waste!

I could not agree more with the 2 "negative" reviews I saw. I would not have 90% of these cards in my album if I had gotten them for FREE! "Personal taste" aside, to show cards in such poor condition is mind-blowing, especially in a book whose cover promises much more. I'm a very recent collector of Holiday postcards, so I've been buying every reference book I could find. "POSTMARKED YESTERYEAR" by Pamela Apkarian-Russell is a wonderful book. Joe Hohmann, Madia, PA

This book is by far the worst example of a postcard price guide that I have ever seen. With the exception of some of the Halloween postcards, the prices given are beyond outrageous. Ninety percent of the postcards it illustrates can be found at any postcard show in a dealer's .25 cent box, if they even bother to bring such trivial material. Not that there is not a market for these type of postcards, just not at the price that are stated in this book.

The condition of the postcards used to illustrate this book is laughable. Probably 10 percent of the postcards that they used in the book would have been thrown away had they come through my hands. Corners are rounded, corners are missing, creases are prevalent, and in some cases there are major parts of the postcard missing (example page 91)! To place the values that they used on these examples is criminal when they would have been over-priced on the same card in pristine condition.

Then on page 65, they picture a Samuel Schmucker Valentine postcard that (even in that condition) is worth $25 - $35, but they list it as $5 - $6. It just proves that you need not know what you are doing to write a book. It is a shame that such an attractive book is filled with poor examples of holiday greetings when there is an abundance of wonderful ones out there that could have been used.

The truly sad part is that people who are postcard novices will encounter this book and use it to price their cards. They will end up frustrated that their items don't sell when it is clearly listed in the "price guide" that these cards are worth this much. Or worse yet, people who have a modest postcard collection that they would like to sell might use this book to estimate value. They will be extremely disappointed in any offer that a dealer, or even a serious collector, would be willing to pay for their collection if they use this book as a guide. Postcards, like anything else, are worth whatever someone is willing to pay for them. For postcards in the condition of the ones used in this book, they are best relegated to the quarter boxes.

I first came across this book for sale at an Antique Show where a dealer was selling reference books and price guides. I was appalled at the condition of the postcards pictured in the book! I would not recommend this book to anyone with an interest in learning about postcards other than "don't collect cards in the condition they are pictured in the book" as you would be throwing your money away. I would agree with the other reviews here - the cover is great but the inside is a joke.

great coverage of all the great holidays...Christmas, Halloween, Easter and more. wonderful color illustrations... values too.. and nearly 300 pages.