Deltiology or Postcards: “A happy invention”

I grew up in Baton Rouge near “Delta” country. The American Heritage on-line dictionary points out this region’s relevance as “the home of some of the earliest blues music.” However, this happy occurrence does not make me a deltiologist. Deltiology deals not with the blues—at least not directly--but with the collection and study of postcards.

Many things, in addition to family and friends, make me happy. Potatoes, basset hounds, grocery shopping, and postcards come immediately to mind. As a child, I remember developing my writing skills by making grocery lists. However, I cannot remember exactly when I became enamored with writing postcards. As a child, I had many pen pals. Perhaps once my pen pals faded away in junior high school, I made up for this writing vacuum through writing postcards. I keep postcard stamps in my wallet so that I can spontaneously “postcard” someone easily.

Facebook before the internet

Recently, I read an intriguing account of the life of a vicar in Wales in the late 19^th century, “Kilvert’s Diary, 1870-1879.” In the entry dated 4 October 1870, Kilvert wrote, “Today I sent my first post cards, to my Mother, Thersie, Emmie and Perch. They are capital things, simple, useful and handy. A happy invention.” This entry caused me to ponder upon the history of postcards. According to the web site, The History of Postcards, as their popularity grew, postcards became a primary way to send friends and family a snapshot of surroundings while traveling, an early form of Facebook, or even photographs of home, family, or basset hounds during the Christmas holiday season. 

In discussing postcard history, the web site Smithsonian Institution Archives lists the “Pre-Postcard Period” as spanning the years 1848 through 1870, so Kilvert in rural Wales, was using the latest technology to communicate with family. Even in today’s Facebook world, postcard clubs exist. After all, you cannot hang Facebook posts on your refrigerator. I am a Facebooker. While technically I am not a deltiologist, I am very happy to be first and foremost a postcard enthusiast.