Early (Pre-1914) Embroidered Silk Postcards
EMBROIDERED SILK POSTCARDS FROM
THE EARLY PERIOD (1899 – 1914)
Introduction
Embroidered silk postcards are intricately embedded into the story of the First World War. However, the cards didn’t suddenly appear in 1914. They developed over a period of about 15 years, so that by 1914 they became the right product in the right place at the right time.
In my book, An Illustrated History of the Embroidered Silk Postcard, I stated that the first embroidered silk postcards appeared at the Paris Exhibition of 1900. This statement seemed to be correct at the time, but I now know it to be incorrect. I have now discovered a series of earlier cards, thanks to the opportunity to see and purchase cards from across the world via the internet. It is now the time to put the record straight and to give a more thorough analysis of the development of embroidered silk postcards from their earliest roots up to the First World War. It is a long and complicated story and involves publishers from many countries across the world.
My research has discovered that there were at least 21 named publishers of embroidered silk postcards in the period from 1899 to 1914, many of them experimenting with different techniques and styles, possibly to avoid competitor patents or trademarks. Some are just identified from their initials or logo, printed on the postcard. Most of the businesses did not last long and little is known about them. In addition, about 50% of all cards have no indication of the publisher, although many can be attributed from the overall style of the card, the embroidery or the printing on the card. To complicated matters further, at least 36 different types of card have been identified, including different sized embroidered panels, variations to the frame, or no frame at all.
To help simplify the complex nature of my research, this section is divided into three pages:
Early Cards With an Embroidered Motif.
Embroidery is an art form that has been used to adorn clothing and expensive materials since ancient times. The Bayeux Tapestry is an example of an early embroidered picture. Embroidery was a female occupation done by hand until Joshua Heilmann invented the “hand-embroidery machine” in 1828: this used a single, double-ended needle and was four times faster than hand embroidery. The fact that it was 20 years before the sewing machine was invented illustrates the importance of embroidery at this time. By the 1880s, large machines with multiple needles capable of embroidering in at least eight colours simultaneously were available. For a full description of the processes involved, see the page on the Manufacture of Embroidered Silk Postcards.
To understand any embroidered silk postcard, you have to consider some constant problems: some people designed and manufactured the silk panels; the same people (or others) converted these into postcards; the same people (or others) published them; and finally retailers sold them. Each of these steps in the process could have a name attached to the card (or not) and knowing which is which can be difficult to determine. I have adopted the convention that if a name, initials or logo is printed on a card, then this relates to the publisher of the card. This illustrates the complexity of the whole area of research into embroidered silk postcards from all dates.
It should be appreciated that all early embroidered silk postcards from before the First World War are rare. Several of the cards described on this page may be unique as few were made and less have survived. I have spent a lifetime acquiring suitable cards to illustrate this research, which required a detailed investigation into the clues in the style and designs of the embroidered panel, the frames, the quality of the paper, and the postal information printed on the reverse of over 300 cards. I believe that the important factors of this complex story are now unravelled and suitable to publish. Any mistakes or omissions are mine.
All known embroidered silk postcards from the pre-1914 period are listed in the Early (Pre-1914) Cards section of the Card Listings.
I would like to thank the contribution of the collectors and experts in early embroidered silk postcards: Bengt Adickes of Goteborg in Sweden and Chris Farrington of Northern Ireland. They provided invaluable information on the cards and further examples of cards that I had not seen. If there are any collectors reading this who have more information on any early embroidered silk postcard not listed, please contact the author, Ian Collins, on gabrian@btinternet.com.
Early Embroidered Cards that Predate Postcards
A piece of embroidered paper (of approximately postcard size) dated 22nd February 1837, and sent from Waldau, Germany. The reverse of the embroidery is visible on the back of the paper. I can't translate the German script in the poem on the left or the greeting on the right. I have seen a similar piece dated 1812, which must have been hand embroidered, and believe this one to be the same.
It shows that the idea of an embroidered greeting on paper was around decades before postcards were conceived.
This card is dated Christmas 1882 on the back and clearly meant to be mounted and displayed. It is larger than a postcard at 6.5 x 4.25 inches, and the frame and plain backing card are much thicker. The embroidery is on a silk fabric, reinforced behind with paper, covered by the backing card. The embroidery has seven colours, and was probably made on the “hand-embroidery machine”.
There are several features to note about this card: the machined embroidery techniques were as advanced in 1882 as those a generation later; and all the elements of the later postcards are shown in the card - an embroidered panel surrounded by an elaborate frame and a card backing to cover the reverse of the embroidery.
The embossed caption and the message on the back are in English, whereas most examples of early embroidered postcards came from Europe, so this is unlikely to be the precursor of embroidered postcards. This is the only card of its type that I have seen, so the idea was probably short-lived.
The World's Columbian Exposition of 1893 was held in Chicago to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the arrival of Columbus in the New World in 1492. The Souvenir card on the left is slightly smaller than a postcard at 5 x 3.5 inches. It is embroidered directly onto card and the puncture marks in the card are clear to see. The style and size of the stitches suggests that it was made on a Singer machine. It has a plain paper back with a shot-silk effect and was never intended to be posted, even though picture postcards were widely available at the time. The embroidery uses five colours: the pink and the foliage green are variegated so the colour changes with the embroidery. I have seen two copies of this card, so a fair number must have been made, possibly at the exhibition.
The embroidered sample on the right is taken from a silk handkerchief, which was also produced as a souvenir from the exhibition. The embroidery has six colours and a delicate silk material for the base. It is embroidered in small stitches and probably made on a "hand-embroidery machine".
THE PARIS EXHIBITION 1889
The Exposition Universelle was held in Paris in 1889 to commemorate the centenary of the end of the French Revolution. The Eiffel Tower was constructed for the exhibition. A few extremely rare cards are known that were issued as commemoratives of the event, both postcards and souvenir cards. They represent a small but significant step in the development of embroidered silk postcards, and may have been made at the exhibition, which was common practice at the time as manufacturers showed off their processes.
This card may be unique and has a complex design, especially for such an early date. The embroidered silk panel is appliquéd (i.e. stuck on) to a card with the usual postcard back. Unfortunately, the are a few unanswered questions:
The back is divided and it should be undivided in 1889.
It is postmarked 1908, which is in keeping with the style of the back.
It is possible that the silk panel was made in 1889 and appliquéd to a later back before being sold and posted.
This card is the same size as a postcard. It has a plain back with no printed postcard details, so it cannot be counted as a postcard. It was probably sold at the exhibition as a memento of the visit.
The embroidery is appliquéd onto the card. It is an advanced design, with the date incorporated into the pansy flower.
It would have been cut from a large piece of embroidered material with hundreds of the same individual designs.
This is one of the first postcards produced using a woven silk panel, which are robust, can be made in any size and are perfect for applying to a card to produce a postcard.
Examples of woven silk postcards from the late-1890s onwards are widely available and collected, and hundreds of designs were on the market before 1900. Their success probably inspired the use of embroidery on postcards.
Embroidered cards use a delicate backing fabric embroidered with silk thread to produce a panel suitable for mounting, and are less robust than the woven types.
The examples shown above clearly demonstrate that the elements of the embroidered silk postcard were in place long before the product appeared on the market. It just needed some person or company to spot the potential of using embroidered silk panels in a postcard. Woven silk postcards were already showing the way.
The company of Gebruder Schmidt (Smith Brothers) of Vienna, Austria published a series of embroidered silk postcards with simple floral designs in 1899. It now seems clear that these postcards were the first to be manufactured using embroidery, as a consistent product for sale to the public,. The earliest known dated card was sent on 27th July 1899.
To continue the story, proceed to detailed articles on these pages:
Information and images on this site are © Ian Collins 2021.
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LINKS TO OTHER PAGES ON THE WEBSITE
Early Cards Without a Frame Early Cards With a Frame Early Cards With an Embroidered Motif