The Chicago Postcard Museum: Postcard Condition Statement
The Museum's collection of postcard vary in condition from mint to fair. The Museum's founder, Dr. Neil Jan Gale, collected Chicago postcards that he found interesting in some way. Neil stated that he didn't concern himself too much with the condition of the card or whether it was used or unused. in fact, he preferred a used postcard and enjoyed the back of the card as much as the front. Basically, Neil purchased cards he found personally interesting.

The Chicago Postcard Museum has adopted the same philosophy and procures postcards of interest and historic image value. The Museum's interest is in the image and correspondence of each postcard. We believe that the "wear-and-tear" on a postcard gives it character (see example below). Each postcard is stored in a Polypropylene Sleeve, a Mylar Sleeve, or a 15-gauge Rigid Plastic Sleeve depending upon the value and/or the size of the postcard. Preserving for future generations, the Museum also protects every new and contemporary postcard.

The Museum presents postcards so you can plainly see all 4 edges and corners of card. No image has been cropped (akin to trimming a postcards edges) or enhanced with Photoshop, with the exception of the b/w level to compensate for the scanner imaging.

Please, enjoy your visit.


Example: Clark Street, North from Lake Street, Chicago - "Elite" # 231
Suhling & Koehn Co., Pub., Chicago - <Germany> - pm 1907
note on postcard condition: This postcard may look like it has been abused, but in reality, it was a treasure to the recipient who placed it in an album. The surface is dirty from people handling the postcard while looking at this awesome image.

 


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