A 'Swenglish' journey through family photos, notes and postcards
from the early 20th century.

2024-08-24

Cartoon Postcards - Sepia Saturday 738

From my great-uncle Gustaf's collection, my impression is that sending cartoon postcards was most common at Christmas/New Year and Easter. Well - at least among his family and friends!

I'm picking a few examples that I think weren't previously linked to Sepia Saturday.



A card sent to Gustaf in America, from his brother Oscar in Sweden at Christmas 1909:

Many thanks for what you sent via Carl [another brother]! I got it yesterday, Christmas Eve. I'm wondering if you won't come home soon. I wish you could come in the spring, that would be good. Welcome here then! I'm sending heartfelt greetings from all of us. / Brother Oscar

Note: Gustaf did return to Sweden in 1910, but I think probably not as early as in spring. He managed to be recorded in both the American census of 1910 (still living in Galeton, PA) - and in the Swedish census for the same year, as living with his brother Carl and their sister Ester at the family farm in Fristad, Sweden. Their father (Samuel) had died in 1907, and in 1910 his widow (2nd wife) Selma and her three children (including my grandmother Sally) were registered as a separate household on the same farm. 

All is well that ends well
said he who ate
... Christmas Ham ...
 

Another Christmas greeting from Oscar to Gustaf. At Christmas 1912, Gustaf was still living at the family farm with his brother Carl, their stepmother and her children. 


"Sly as a snake you may be, but you have won my heart"


In 1913, Gustaf was living at a place called Värmlands Nysäter. This card has no sender, but seems to suggest that there was some romance going on in his life... (The illustration on this card was made by Jenny Nyström, a famous Swedish illustrator.)



From Oscar

By Easter 1914, Gustaf had moved on to a place called Brålanda. Again, cards sent to him there seem to suggest a romance. (Whether with the same woman or a different one, I'm not sure.) 


Happy Easter from Alfhild, Ivan and Ruth

Gustaf remained living at Brålanda until the spring of 1918 (so more or less throughout WWI); but then moved back to the family farm in Fristad again. 

Happy New Year



Happy New Year 1918, from Alfhild, Ivan & Ruth


2 comments:

  1. What fun postcards these are. But of course part of the enjoyment is reading about Gustaf's life when receiving them as well as what and why the senders chose those cards! We'll guess till the cows come home and only those folks knew the truth!

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  2. A great match for our theme and all beautiful cards. I love the wonderful delicate color! How fortunate you are to have this treasure trove of postcards to help track your family as they moved around from place to place. It's amazing how many clues can be found in a simple holiday greeting. And the back of the last card made me laugh to see the fragment of stamp too small for Gustav to save.

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