An Illustrated History of the Embroidered Silk Postcards is the standard reference book on embroidered silk postcards. It contains references to over 2600 different cards with over 270 illustrations. The cards listed below are additional cards discovered since the book was published. The latest additions are shown in RED.

The first card seen with a frame around the embroidered silk panel dates from 1902. The aperture for the silk panel was a diamond shape and small to allow space for a message to be written on the same side. Different companies experimented with a variety of shapes and sizes of the silk panel and and frame during the period of the undivided back on postcards. Also in this period, the embroidery was more delicate with smaller stitches, probably because of the limitations of size.

When the divided back postcard was allowed, in about 1905, the message began to be transferred to the address side of the card, the silk panel became larger and the frame smaller. For a short while, different types of embroidered silk postcards were made in parallel, until the final shape was established in about 1908, with a frame of about 1.5 cm, and this remained the standard size for the rest of the life of the embroidered silk postcard.

Embroidered silk postcards with a diamond shape frame were among the earliest to be introduced. Most of the known publishers of them were clustered close together in towns in south Bavaria, west Austria, and north Switzerland, an important region in the development of early embroidered silk postcards. Similarities in the embroidered designs indicate that some silk panels came from the same (unknown) source, or that the publishers were closely linked. Most of the cards have an undivided back and they stopped being produced by about 1908, by which time the rectangular frame had become the standard.

The earliest rectangular frame dates from 1903 and, again, the embroidered silk panel was small to allow space for a written message. The orientation of the frame changed over the next few years until the it reached the standard size. As the embroidered panel increased in size, the captions became embroidered and less of them were printed on the frame.

Most of the cards manufactured before 1908 were pretty generic designs with "Gruss aus" printed on the frame so that the sender could add the place name from where it was sent. They came from Switzerland, Austria and Germany, after which French manufacturers became increasingly important until they eventually dominated the market.

The publishers named in the listings below have been identified from the information printed on some cards, which may just be their initials. None of them became established enough to leave a traceable history and little more is known about them. Some cards have been attributed to particular publishers by comparing the style, the design of the embroidered panel, the printed details, the postal information on the address side, and even the texture of the cards. I feel confident that they are correct.

To simplify the listings in this complex area, this page is divided into four sections: cards with diamond shaped frames: cards with unusual shaped frames; cards with non-standard rectangular frames; and cards with standard rectangular frames. For a more detailed analysis of these cards and all Early (pre-1914) Cards go to: Latest Research.

Images of a representative selection of cards are shown beneath each of the sections.

 Information and images on this site are © Ian Collins 2021.

 No part may be reproduced, stored, transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior permission of the author.

CARDS WITH DIAMOND SHAPED FRAMES

PUBLISHER DATE DESCRIPTION

Ulrich Egli, Butschwil, Switzerland 1902 Swiss shield inside floral wreath

1902 Turnerfest logo inside floral wreath. Turnfest vom nordostschweizerischen Schwingfest (printed)

Ulrich Egli, Dietfurt, Bavaria (U.E.D.) 1901 Edelweiss with foliage

1902   Chalet in mountain scene

Undated   St Gallen shield inside floral wreath

J.A. Ott, Rothis, Voralbert, Switzerland 1903 Heart with forget me nots and bud

1903 Two edelweiss with bud and foliage

1904 Eagle attacking goat

Undated Capercaillie on tree branch

Undated Single deer in landscape

Undated Edelweiss with forget me nots 

Undated Four-leaf clover with forget me nots and alpenrosen

Undated House with 5 windows, garden and tree

Undated Roses, mimosa and foliage

1918 Bicycle. ALL HEIL

F. Jocham, Ludwigstrasse 11, Lindau, Bavaria 1904 Rose buds and foliage

1904 House with 5 windows chimney, a garden and tree

1905 Heart with forget me nots and bud

1905 Stag's head with horn and oak leaves

1905 Roses, mimosa and foliage

Undated Edelweiss with pine branches

Undated Turnfest logo with oak leaves

A. Duroldt, Plauen, Saxony 1906 House with 3 windows and a door, garden and tree

J. Anderegg, Lichtensteig, Switzerland 1902 Edelweiss and foliage. GRUSS AUS DEM TOGGENBURG (printed)

J. Staeger, Bischofszell, Switzerland Undated Forget me nots and foliage.  GRUSS AUS BISCHOFSZELL (printed)

M. Kochli-Baur, Sarmenstorf, Switzerland 1909 Aargau canton shield with alpine flowers

Undated Lily of the valley. GRUSS AN DEM AARGAU

1906 Wreath of alpine flowers. PROSIT NEUJAHR

Undated Solothurn canton shield with alpine flowers

Johan Berchtold, Gotzis, Voralberg, Austria 1907 Rabbit with large ears, on foliage

E.S.W. Unknown Two edelweiss with bud and foliage

Unknown Publishers

1908 Lyre inside laurel wreath. SANGERGRUSS (printed)

Undated Chalet in mountain scene.  GRUSS AUS DER FERNE (printed)

Undated Chalet in mountain scene.  PROSIT NEUJAHR! (printed)

Undated Three edelweiss and foliage

Undated Two crossed, simplified United States flags

CARDS WITH UNUSUAL FRAMES

PUBLISHER DATE DESCRIPTION

Johan Berchtold, Gotzis, Voralberg, Austria

1902 Two edelweiss and foliage

1903 K.K. Farbschule Dornbirn. Gruss aus Dornbirn (printed)

Undated Portrait of Kaiser Franz Joseph with alpine flowers

Ulrich Egli, Dietfurt, Bavaria Undated L-shaped frame. Stylised carnations

L.E. Lyon, France

1. Fan-shaped frames 1911 Pansies.  BONNE ANNEE

Undated Basket of flowers.  BONNE FETE

Undated Cockerel.  BONNE FETE

1909 Pine branch with cones. HEUREUX NOEL

Undated Carnation with foliage.  SAINTE MARIE

1908 Rose and buds.  STE. MARIE

2. Oblong shaped frame 1911 Spray of chrysanthemums.  AMITIE

Undated Holly.  BONNE ANNEE

Undated Carnation with foliage.  SOUVENIR DE MONTPELLIER

Undated Carnation with foliage.  SOUVENIR D'ORLEANS

Unknown Publishers

Cards with passe-partout frames 1906 Spray of carnations

Undated Overflowing basket of flowers and foliage

Card with oblong shaped frame 1914 Spray of lily of the valley.  A BIRTHDAY GREETING (printed)

CARDS WITH NON-STANDARD RECTANGULAR FRAMES

PART 1. KNOWN PUBLISHERS

PUBLISHER DATE CAPTION

H. Dinkelacker, Altstatten, Switzerland (Type 1 Frame)

1904 None (Alpine man holding Swiss shield and rifle)

Undated FRISCH, FROM, FROH, FREI

Undated GRUSS AUS APPENZELL

1905 GRUSS AUS HEIDEN (Rising sun, 3 shields and laurel wreath)

Undated GRUSS AUS HEIDEN (Chalet, mountains and alpine flowers)

Undated GRUSS AUS NESSLAU (Printed)

1904 GRUSS AUS DER SCHWEIZ

1904 GRUSS VOM WILDKIRCHE

1904 SOUVENIR EIDG. SCHUTZENFEST 1904

Undated SOUVENIR PRIE. A. CHIEM. (Prien am Chiemsee. Bavaria)

Undated SOUVENIR DE St GALL.

Undated SOUVENIR St GALL.

1904 SOUVENIR St GALL. SCHUTZENFEST 1904

1904 SOUVENIR St GALLEN 1904

Attributed to H. Dinkelacker (Type 2 Frame)

Undated (No Caption - Chalet, mountains and Alpine flowers)

Undated BONNE FETE

1905 DURCH BILDUNG ZUR FREIHEIT

Undated FRISCH, FROM, FROH, FREI

1904 FROHLICHE WEIHNACHTEN

1904 GRUSS AUS BASEL (Swiss shield and alpine flowers)

1909 GRUSS AUS BASEL (Flag, Swiss shield and alpine flowers)

1912 GRUSS AUS BERN

Undated GRUSS AUS BISCHOFSZELL

Undated GRUSS AUS DAVOS

Undated GRUSS AUS DEN BERGEN

1905 GRUSS AUS DER SCHWEIZ

Undated GRUSS AUS FLAWILE

Undated GRUSS AUS HERISAU

1904 GRUSS AUS KEMPITAL

Undated GRUSS AUS NESSLAU

Undated GRUSS AUS NIEDERUSWIL

Undated GRUSS AUS OBERUZWIL

Undated GRUSS AUS RIGGENSWIL (Chalet, mountains and alpine flowers)

1905 GRUSS AUS RIGGENSWIL (St Gallen shield and alpine flowers)

1905 GRUSS AUS ROMANSHORN

Undated GRUSS AUS St GALLEN

Undated GRUSS AUS SCHAFFHAUSEN

Undated GRUSS AUS THAYNGEN

1905 GRUSS AUS UZWIL

1905 GRUSS AUS VELTHEIM

Undated GRUSS AUS WALD

Undated GRUSS AUS WINTERHUR

1905 GRUSS AUS ZURICH

Undated PROSIT NEUJAHR

Undated RATHHAUS APPENZELL

Undated SOCIETE LE HOUX GENEVE

1905 SOUVENIR DE GENEVE (Swiss shield and alpine flowers)

1907 SOUVENIR DE GENEVE (Chalet, mountains and alpine flowers)

Undated SOUVENIR DE GENEVE (Flag, Swiss shield and alpine flowers)

1907 SOUVENIR DE LA SUISSE

1907 SOUVENIR DE LAC LEMAN

1906 SOUVENIR DE LAUSANNE

Undated SOUVENIR DU VALAIS

Undated SOUVENIR LUCERNE (Building and tower by lake)

M. Kochli-Baur, Sarmenstorf, Switzerland

1904 GRUSS AUS DEM RUBLILAND

1905 (Swiss shield inside wreath of edelweiss)

1905 (Aargau and Swiss shields with alpine flowers)

L.E., Lyon, France

1912/13 (Bonne Annee - printed)

Undated (Bonne Fete - printed)

1910 (Sainte Catherine - printed)

Undated SOUVENIR DE NANCY

1912 SOUVENIR DE NICE

Royal Card Co. Chicago, United States

1912 (A Merry Christmas - printed)

1908 A HAPPY NEW YEAR

1907 BEST WISHES (A Happy New Year - printed)

Undated GREETINGS FROM CHICAGO

1907 TO MY VALENTINE

Ruff Brothers, Brooklyn, New York, United States

Undated (Duck stood in water, with insects and reeds)

Undated (Eagle on US Flag shield with laurel)

Undated (Jumping frog with insect and bulrushes)

Undated (Knight's Templar badge)

Undated (Ladder, boat-hooks and axe) Fire brigade?

Undated (Masonic Shriner's hat)

Undated (Masonic Shriner's symbols)

Undated (Order of United American Mechanics badge)

Undated (Spray of white flowers)

Undated (Yacht at sea with lighthouse)

1909 (Stork stood in lily pond, with gnat and bulrushes)

Undated 32 (Scottish Rite Freemasonry)

1909 1609  SOUVENIR (Hudson Fulton Celebration 1909)

1908 A HAPPY NEW YEAR 1908

1908 A HAPPY NEW YEAR

Undated BEST WISHES (Stylised flowers with foliage)

1908 BPOE (Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks)

Undated C (Columbia University, blue and white pennant)

Undated C (Cornell University, red and white pennant)

Undated D of P (Degree of Pocahontas)

Undated F OF A (Foresters of America)

Undated D OF L (Daughters of Liberty)

1911 F O E (Fellowship of Eagles)

Undated G (Masonic Order badge)

Undated H (In Gothic script)

Undated H (Harvard University pennant) - horizontal

Undated H  (Harvard University pennant) - vertical

1907 I O O F   F L T (Independent Order of Odd Fellows)

1908 IN HOC SIGNO VINCES (Knight's Templar badge)

Undated K.G.E (Knights of the Golden Eagle)

Undated K of C (Knights of Columbus)

Undated L E (Bee/wasp symbol - origin unknown)

Undated MECCA CHAPTER  O E S   N: 19 (Order of the Eastern Star)

Undated O E S   F A T A L (Order of the Eastern Star)

Undated P (Princeton University pennant)

1908 P. O. S. OF A. (Patriotic Order, Sons of America)

Undated R S (Pythian Sisters?)

Undated (United States Flag, with laurel wreath)

1907 (Windmill by lake)

Undated Y (Yale University pennant)

Undated (Appliqued - eagle on United States flag)  

Undated (Appliqued - United States flag)  MAY IT WAVE FOREVER (printed)

A. Schwidernoch, Deutsch-Wagram, Austria (Marque H)

1909 A HAPPY BIRTHDAY

1909 A HAPPY NEW YEAR

1906 BONNE FETE

1909 SOUVENIR

Signer, St Gallen, Switzerland

1904 (Tellskapelle in lake and mountain scene)

Undated (Tellskapelle among trees) (Printed: Gruss aus Arbon)