Kleiner’s Korner: Humorous Postcards from the Helck Family Collection
An earlier post displayed a series of automobile race related postcards found among the Helck Family Collection. Also among the collection were humorous anecdotes related to early automobiling. Woman featured prominently in many of these cards.
Do you have any other humorous automobile postcards? Please add them to the Cooments.
Art Kleiner
Romance
Several postcards depicted a humourous look at romance and the automobile. "The Chauffer Knows it all."
"AUTO KNOW BETTER"
The card was postmarked in St. Louis, MO on March 17, 1907 and sent to "Alf" (Al) Poole, c/o Dudley (a roomate?) from someone named Daisy.
Poole's address was 106 West 96th Street in NYC. Wonder if he ever stopped for a latte at Effy's Cafe next door! Currently a 1 bedroom rents for nearly $2,500 a month.
I need to track down who owned license plate 644 NY!
"Have a pressing engagement - Too busy to work."
Repair and Accidents
"UNAPPRECIATED HELP"
"TROUBLE SOMEWHERE"
"Auotmobilious"
"VIOLATING THE SPEED LAW"
Postcards as Advertising
Hurtu was a French manufacturer of automobiles, bicycles and sewing machines from 1896 through 1930.
Continental-Pneumatic was founded in 1871 and continues today as a supplier of many automotive parts and services. Interesting website, particularly their vision for 2030!
This 1896 Barnum & Bailey postcard featured the 1895 Duryea:
The "famous Duryea Motor Wagon,or motorcycle, the identical Horseless Carriage that won the great race in Chicago last November to be seen every day in the new street parade."
Brief history of Duryea automobiles
Other Humorous Automobile Postacrds
Submitted by Tobey R
Submitted by Sam Berliner III
Comments
I read that Peter Helck sketched advertising posters for companies, businesses.
I’m trying to make out Daisy’s note to Al. Maybe others can see the script words I can’t:
Dear Alf, We arrived here at 9:00 am and ? to ? around this depot until 3:00 this afternoon for our ? to Des Moines. Get there at 8:40 tonight. Lonely (?) Not ? ? Daisy
Here’s some more of the message that I could decipher - my additions are in caps & brackets: “Dear Alf, We arrived here at 9:00 am [A.M.] and [HAVE] to [HANG] around this depot until 3:00 this afternoon for our [TRAIN] to Des Moines. Get there at 8:40 [should read 8:45] tonight. Lonely (?) Not ? ? Daisy”
One post card gives a Brief history of Duryea automobiles.
While in Reading Pa I saw this plaque to Charles Duryea for a Race he won Climbing MT Penn and though it was worth sharing.
Art, New York license plate # 644 was issued to William S. Rogers in 1904. At the time he lived at 200 W. 56th St. in NYC. Note. Only the # was issued to him, it was his responsibility to have a plate made up. Only one plate was required and it had to affixed to the rear of the vehicle. Some automobile owners did also mount a plate on the front. New York began issuing license plates in 1910.
Tobey R
Your post reminded me of this favorite. It’s full of humor.
Somehow missed the previous 18 Mar post. ‘51 Glen - I vas dere, Cholly! Thanks for the memory! Re old auto humor, I have a “big” treat for you folks, a’comin’. Sam, III
From Art Kleiner:
Al - you never amaze me - now how did you find who was issued the license plate number? And thanks to the others submitting comments.
Art, Since you asked….., the information about the license plate number came from a publication called “The Motor” published by Motor magazine in late 1904. It lists almost all of the vehicle registration numbers which were first issued by New York State in 1903. Most frustrating though is that the identity of the vehicle the plates were attached to, are not listed. By the end of 1904 approximately 10,000 automobiles were registered in New York.
As a lover of old advertising and cars, this collection of auto-oriented postcards was excellent. The last card with ‘amazed horse’ and sucking baby was priceless.
I went through hundreds, if not thousands of cards at Nassau County Photo Archives, and these shown are quite classic and humorous.
JF Purcell
Oceanside, NY
Volunteer, Nassau County Photo Archives.
Look carefully at this last DeDion Bouton card; there are two three-wheeled Camionettes shown, plus the two vis-à-vis and a steam autobus! Now, why would a fully-caparisoned Pierrot be driving the buggy? Also, why is the ad label spelled “Camioniette” (with a second “i”)? Such fun! Sam, III
I’d promised a BIG treat but it somehow didn’t post; let’s try again. I grew up with this hysterical automotive sporting print above my grandfather’s mantel, so I knew it at least since 1937 or so. It’s been remounted and now hangs above mine. The image itself is about 20” x 30” and is titled “The Meet at the Black Swan”. After I took a really bad pic of it through glass, it occurred to me to look on line; it turns out to be rather famous and is credited to Stuart Travis, ca. 1901. It’s chock full of great details. In the vernacular, ENJOY! Sam, III
Do you have any other vintage humorous automobile postcards? Please add them to the Comments section.