It sometimes seems that there was no town in the United States that was too small or undistinguished for the Curt Teich company of Chicago to design and market a “Large Letter” postcard and enable word of its charms to be dispatched anywhere in the world for the price of a stamp. In their assertive graphic style they have an affinity with California fruit labels with a fondness for bold, three-dimensional letter-forms stretched, compressed, curved and carved. Sunbursts, chevrons, diagonal stripes and dynamic extended curves are marked by strident colour contrasts, often airbrushed, and all employed to achieve a high degree of visibility. As well as tiny, often virtually unreadable, images of local landmarks, the card would sometimes include a sentence about the town’s unique distinction. Some examples follow.
Furniture Center of the World
Soy Bean Capital of the World
Heart of the Panhandle
City of Good Neighbours
This genre of postcard is collectable – click here to see an enthusiast’s collection.
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