Page 186 - Demo

Postcards were first introduced in the late 19th century, and as they grew in popularity over the next few decades, they were often used as small note cards. By the beginning of the 1940s, their use had begun to decline, although they were still routinely purchased while on vacation as personal souvenirs, or mailed to friends and relatives so they could vicariously share the sender%u2019s experiences. They often depicted bucolic parks, exotic zoo animals, cityscapes, natural vistas, inns and hotels, popular landmarks, historic sites and buildings, or cheery holiday messages.Oddly, during the Atomic Age, there were also postcards featuring nuclear explosions and bomb-related facilities. When compared to what came before, these dramatic images of bomb blasts, the devastation resulting from their use, or bomb-manufacturing facilities, are to say the least, disturbing. In fact, unnerving doesn%u2019t seem too strong a word.Most of the time, bomb-related postcards weren%u2019t mailed to anyone. They just weren%u2019t an appropriate medium for a handwritten message such as, %u201cHaving a great time. Wish you were here.%u201d So, only two postcards in this entire collection were actually stamped and posted with a personal note. Because they are so atypical, I have reproduced their backs and printed them beneath the cards themselves.Most likely, bomb-related postcards were purchased, then saved in drawers and attics, for their creepy appeal. Today, they can found listed on selling sites such as eBay%u2014although they are not common, and new listings are infrequent. But they certainly captured an era when \Bomb\Nuclear-BombPostcards