A Selection of European Postcards

Franz W. Seiwert (German, 1894–1933)
Postcard (for periodical): Der Strom, c. 1919
Linocut, 5 1/2 x 3 1/2” (14 x 8.9 cm)
Message: September 12, 1919, Franz W. Seiwert to Dore Leeser-Freundlich

We are inspired to highlight this selection of postcards by the recent opening of the beautiful, scholarly exhibition Art Deco City: New York Postcards from the Leonard A. Lauder Collection, Museum of the City of New York (September 27, 2024–February 17, 2025). As in all areas of his collecting, Mr. Lauder’s postcard collection, from which the show is drawn, is deliberate, extensive, and exemplary.

By contrast, we never systematically collected postcards. Rather, much like our letterheads collection, we have accumulated a diverse assortment of some 200 postcards over the years by way of adjacent interests, such as by artist, subject matter, or motif. We hope you will enjoy this selection of some of our favorites.

Piet Zwart (Dutch, 1885–1977)
Postcard (advertisement): “Loco” Rubber Flooring, LAGA manufacturer,
Den Haag, 1922
Letterpress, 6 x 4 1/4” (15.2 x 10.8 cm)

Herbert Bayer (American, born Austria. 1900–1985)
Postcard (for exhibition): Bauhaus Exhibition, Weimar
(August 15–September 30, 1923), Karte 12, 1923
Offset lithograph, 6 x 4 1/8” (15 x 10 cm)

El Lissitzky (Russian, 1890–1941)
Postcard (for exhibition): El Lissitzky: Prouns, Watercolors, Graphics, Theater Figures, Kestner-Gesellschaft, Hannover (mid-January–early February 1923),
c. 1923
Lithograph, 6 x 4” (15.5 x 10.3 cm)

Kurt Schwitters (German, 1887–1948)
Postcard (advertising): Merz advertising agency with the slogan
“good advertising is cheap,” 1925–27
Letterpress, 4 1/8 x 6” (10.5 x 15.5 cm)

Gustavs Klucis (Latvian, 1895–1944)
Postcard (sport): Spartakiada,1928
Letterpress, 6 x 4” (15.2 x 10 cm)

Aleksandr Deineka (Russian, 1899–1969)
Postcard (AKhR artist’s group): Khokei (Hockey), printed 1930 (image 1928)
Lithograph, 5 7/8 x 4 1/8” (14.9 x 10.5 cm)

Fortunato Depero (Italian, 1892–1960)
Postcard (advertisement): Citrus, 1932
Lithograph, 3 1⁄2 x 5 5/8” (8.9 x 14.3 cm)

Giacomo Balla (Italian, 1871–1958)
Postcard (exhibition): The poster of Giacomo Balla's “Futurist Exhibition” at the Casa D'Arte Bragalia, Via Condotti 21, in 1918, c. 1930s
Lithograph, 4 1/8 x 6” (10.5 x 15.2 cm)

Francesco Cangiullo (Italian, 1884–1977)
Postcard (political): Cartolina Futurista, c. 1915
Letterpress, 5 7/16 x 3 1/2" (13.8 x 8.9 cm)

Mario Sironi (Italian, 1885–1961)
Postcard (political): The Illustrated Daily Events of War, no date
Lithograph, 5 3/8 x 3 5/8” (13.6 x 9.2 cm)

John Heartfield (German, 1891–1968)
Postcard (political): Dimitroff “Are you afraid of my questions Mr. Ministerpresident [Goering]?” from AIZ, vol. 12, no. 45 (November 16, 1933),
p. 755, 1934
Letterpress and offset lithograph, 5 3/4 x 4” (14.6 x 10 cm)

Ladislav Sutnar (Czech, 1897–1976) and Augustin Tschinkel (Czech, 1905–1983)
Postcard (sport): Third Czechoslovak Worker’s Olympiad (July 1–8, 1934), 1934
Lithograph, 5 3/4 x 3 3/4” (14.5 x 9.5 cm)

Herbert Bayer (American, born Austria. 1900–1985)
Postcard (exhibition): German People—German Work (April 21-June 3, 1934), 1934
Lithograph, 5 3/4 x 4” (14.8 x 10.4 cm)

October 14, 2024