Halloween Postcard Showing Pumpkin Figures Seated on a Squash and Looking at a Black Cat, Postmarked 1908
THF288320 / Halloween Postcard Showing Pumpkin Figures Seated on a Squash and Looking at a Black Cat, Postmarked 1908
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Artifact Overview
By 1900, articles in magazines and newspapers had helped spread and popularize Halloween customs and images like jack o-lanterns, black cats, witches, or bobbing for apples to a national audience. Some people marked the holiday by mailing a Halloween-themed postcard greeting to family or friends. During the first two decades of the 20th century, sending postcards was an easy--and popular--way to communicate.
Artifact Details
Artifact
Postcard
Date Made
circa 1908
Creators
Place of Creation
Creator Notes
Published by Raphael Tuck & Sons, London, England. (Hallowe'en Post Cards Series No. 150). Printed in Saxony, Germany.
Collection Title
Location
Not on exhibit to the public.
Object ID
2018.33.1
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford.
Material
Paper (Fiber product)
Technique
Printing (Process)
Embossing (Technique)
Color
Multicolored
Orange (Color)
Black (Color)
Dimensions
Height: 3.625 in
Width: 5.625 in
Inscriptions
on fron:
Hallowe'en
Keywords |
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Related Content
SetHallowe'en in Greenfield Village: Postcards
- 15 Artifacts
A distinctly American blend of Halloween traditions emerged by the late 1800s. Into the 20th century, the holiday was mostly an innocent celebration of mystery and fun, but friends and neighbors often exchanged seasonal greeting cards that evoked Halloween's superstitious origins. This colorful example alludes to olden customs and beliefs involving witchcraft, owls, and black cats.