Early Cards With an Embroidered Motif
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. Cards with an embroidered Motif appliqued to the card were not featured in the book and this website is the only source of information on them. The latest additions are shown in RED.
The listings for Early (Pre-1914) embroidered silk postcards have been through a major overhaul since the last publication of this website, and none of the cards on this page have been described before. For more information go to: Latest Research
While early embroidered silk postcards were being developed in Europe before 1914, a different style of card became popular in the United States, where an Embroidered Motif is appliqued to a printed card base. These seem to have been introduced by about 1908 and lasted until about 1912, and cover the whole United States with a few from Canada.
Most of the cards carry emblems of academic institutions, as pennants of their school colours. The embroidered motifs were intended to be removed from the card base and attached to the school uniform. There was also a range of patriotic and greetings cards available, with a few military cards.
Some of the greetings cards have an embroidered Teddy Bear Motif, with an outline of President Theodore Roosevelt's head in the top left hand corner. He was president of the United States during the period when these embroidered silk postcards were popular, and associated with the introduction of the teddy bear.
Images of a representative selection of cards are shown beneath the listings.
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.
ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS
UNIVERSITIES
Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah
Chicago University
Clark University, Worcester, Mass.
Colorado University
Columbia University
Cornell University
Friends University, Wichita, Kansas
Harvard University
Minnesota University
Nebraska University
Northwestern University, Evanston, IL
Pennsylvania University
Princeton University
St Louis University, Missouri
Toronto University
University Medical College, Kansas City
University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Ala.
University of Arizona
University of Buffalo
University of Florida
University of Illinois
University of Maryland, Baltimore
University of Michigan
University of Missouri, Columbia, Mi.
University of Nebraska
University of Rochester, NY
University of Virginia
University of Washington
Valparaiso University, Indiana
Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tenn.
Yale University
COLLEGES
Baltimore Medical College
Cottey College, Nevada, MO
Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH
Detroit College
Franklin and Marshall College, Lancaster, PA
Gem City Business College, Quincy, IL
Hereford College, Texas
Highland Park College, Iowa
Hope College, Michigan
Idaho College
Iowa State College, Ames, Iowa
Kansas State Agricultural College, Manhatten, Kansas
Lake View, Illinois
McKendrie College, Lebanon, Illinois
New Mexico College of Agriculture and Mechanical Arts
Oberlin College
Olivet College, Michigan
Pittsburgh Academy
Ripon College, Wisconsin
St John’s College, Annapolis, MD
St John’s College, Winfield, Kansas
Sparta, Modoc, IL
Starksville Agricultural & Mechanical College, Miss.
Trinity College, Toronto
Whitman College, WA
Will Mayfield College
Woman’s College, Baltimore, MD
Woman’s College, Frederick, MD
Woman’s College, Richmond, VA
HIGH SCHOOLS
Albion, NB
Albion HS, Michigan
Boise High School, Idaho
Butte High School, Montana
Capitol Park High School
Central High School, Washington, DC
Classical High, Worcester, Mass
Cooperstown, ND
Eastern High School, Washington, DC
East High School, Rochester, NY
East High School, Minneapolis
East St Louis HS, Missouri
Fond du Lac HS, Wisconsin
Fort Worth HS, Texas
Gale, Wisconsin
Gilmore City High School, Iowa
Hailey High School, Idaho
Hoisington High School, Kansas
Kirksville State Normal School, MO
Lake Preston HS, SD
Laurens High School, SC
Louisville Male High School
McKinley High School, MO
Martins Ferry High School, Ohio
Moorhead High School, Minnesota
Omaha High School, Nebraska
Ord High School, NB
Peru, Nebraska, NHN
Phillips HS, Pennsylvania
Pocahontas High School
Portland HS, Maine
Rockford High School, Illinois
Rugby High School, North Dakota
Sac City High School, Iowa
Salt Lake High School
Savannah High School, GA
Schuyler HS, Nebraska
Seattle High School
Slater High School, Missouri
Sioux City High School, Sioux City, Iowa
Taylor High School, Taylor, Texas
Technical High School, Washington, DC
Walnut Hills HS, Ohio
Watertown High School
West Des Moines High School, Iowa
West HS, Cleveland, Ohio
Westport HS, Kansas City, MO
Wilber High School, Nebraska
OTHER ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS
Baltimore, MD, Physicians and Surgeons
Mississippi Industrial Institute and College
Starksville, Mississippi, Agricultural and Mechanical College
Valpariso Indiana
Visitation Academy, Missouri
Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Mass.
NOVELTY GREETINGS CARDS
American Indian Chief wearing feathered head dress
Capital Letters - B, J, N, O, T
Father Christmas - Brown suit
Reindeer scene. Christmas Greetings from …
Reindeer scene. Dear little boys and girls, Be good and true …
Father Christmas - Red suit
Christmas greetings from Santa Claus
Dear little girl, I hope you have not forgotten me…
Monkeys
I am a (red monkey) On a tree I do everything I see
Don’t (grey monkey) with my heart
Rabbit
A hearty greeting thus I send, With this wee Easter “Bunny” …
Rabbit emerging from egg
A hearty greeting thus I send, With this wee Easter “Bunny” …
Pedro the Clown
Funny Saying and Doings – In the bible class …
Red Star - If you my guiding star will be ...
Swastika inside Horse Shoe
Swastika! Mystic Indian charm …
Teddy Bear (sitting)
Black
Blue - In you I find a friend that's true, So take my Teddy of blue
Brown
Green - Won't you be my precious dear? and love me as you do your Teddy of green
Grey - The baby has no dolls today, the Teddy has come to stay
Xmas greetings from little Teddy
Navy Blue - Your eyes are blue and your hair is wavy. Accept my Teddy of navy
Pink - I’m loved and fondled everywhere … I’m nothing more than a Teddy
Red - Don’t be frightened or let me scare, I merely send a Teddy
I'm only a Teddy as you can see, I'm as harmless as I can be
I do not like to see you grieve So put my Teddy on your sleeve
Remember well and in mind, A true friend is hard to find
White - This Teddy he shows no fight He's simply embroidered by hand in white
Teddy Bear (standing)
Red - Can’t be with you I regret; So accept instead, my Teddy of red
Red, holding US flag - The noblest work of God, an honest man.
White - Here is Teddy, always in sight, Embroidered in pure snow white
Valentine’s Day
1908 To my Valentine - American Indian boy dancing on heart - FROM ONE WHO LOVES YOU
By Gobs I hope you will be my Valentine ... - Standing policeman in grey uniform
This little girl came to town ... ... Valentine - Little girl in bonnet
You are my Valentine - American Indian girl dancing on heart - TO MY LOVE
Wishbone with Love Knot …
OTHER EMBROIDERED MOTIF DESIGNS
MILITARY
48th Highlanders, Toronto
GAR (Grand Army of the Republic). Give them the palm that so nobly they won …
Victoria Rifles, Canada
US Navy - (eye) am (anchor) here
PATRIOTIC
Eagle with US Flag
US Flag - May it wave forever
US Flag - O! Say can you see ...
US Service Flag - On to Victory - I know your thoughts are with me …
PLACES
Cuba
England - Union Jack Forever
France
Russia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
United States
Gettysburg - Souvenir from the battlefields
Red Wing, Minnesota - From Red Wing, the city of good cheer ...
SPORT
Illinois North Division Hockey League
Montreal Amateur Athletic Association (M.A.A.A. Canada)
National Turn Verein, Newark, NJ 1908 (Gymnastics competition)
Ottawa Football Club
