Can Postcards Break Your Brick Wall?
by Ann Broihier
Most people know that antique stores and some online websites have postcards. Some of the postcards have been mailed and have ended up for sale.
Knowing the timeline of when your ancestor was in a specific location can help find meaningful postcards. The following websites can help you estimate the age of a postcard.
You may find a postcard of the inside of a church your ancestor attended or if you are lucky, a postcard picture of a relative. The websites that host postcards for sale are not really genealogy friendly, but some websites allow search parameters that can help. So, what categories might be helpful on the postcard websites? Here are some ideas: collectibles, antiques, arts & crafts, life events (e.g., birth, marriage, funerals), holidays, sightseeing, buildings/churches, etc. Do not forget to click on the picture to see if the backside has writing on it.
Websites with helpful search parameters:
- https://www.cardcow.com/
- https://www.delcampe.net/en_US/collectibles/postcards/ – Many international postcards!
- https://www.ebay.com/
International postcard websites:
Websites with a small number of search parameters:
- https://postcardshopping.com/
- https://www.oldpostcards.com/
Websites with wildcard searching:
- https://dallas.craigslist.org/
- https://www.etsy.com/
- https://www.pinterest.com/
Happy Hunting!
