The Whole Year Through

Divided back, embossed postcard. Postmarked December 29, 1922 from Blue Canyon, California. Publisher:  Julius Pollak, New York.

Price:  $10.00

For information on the postcard’s publisher, see “Publisher Julius Pollak.”

Another from The Alice Ellison Collection, this one with bells ringing under snow-covered evergreen boughs.

A Happy New Year

“May every day

the whole year through

Prove a happy one for you.”

Addressed to:   “Mr. & Mr. Ellison, 1314 F – St., Sacramento, Cal.”

The card is signed,  “Greetings from Julius.”  Now, being that the publisher’s given name is Julius, this makes us wonder if it was possible that maybe he was running some type of promotion, and then if the Ellisons were collectors or they purchased a pack of cards…..What seems to add to the idea is the sender’s rather flourish-y signature, perhaps in line with someone who would have owned his own business……Okay, probably the odds are very low, but the idea holds that glimmer of potential, enough to make us wonder.

And, as far as we can tell from online searches, this Blue Canyon, California postmark is rare, so the card is perhaps of historical interest to someone for that reason. According to the Wikipedia entry this particular postmark iteration ran from 1867 – 1927. Here’s a crop from the card:

Source:  Blue Canyon, California. n.d. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Canyon,_California (accessed January 3, 2024).

The Best of Health – A Share of Wealth

Divided back, used postcard. Postmarked from Galt, California, December 28, year unknown, circa late 1910’s – early 1920’s. Made in United States. Publisher:  J. P., New York (Julius Pollak). 

Price:  $5.00

For information on the postcard’s publisher, see “Publisher Julius Pollak.”

From The Alice Ellison Collection, a nice one for the New Year:  A leaded, Gothic Arch-style window, lit from within; set in a stone building (church, home or tavern) snow clinging to the window ledge and stonework. Somewhat superimposed on this scene, two bluebirds sit on a holly branch while a third comes in for a landing.

New Year Greetings

“The best of health – a share of wealth

Be yours this coming year,

But best of all – a host of friends

To fill your days with cheer.”

Addressed to:   “Mrs. J. M. Ellison, 604 N Street, Sacramento, Calif.”

The sender wrote:   “Just a line to say I may be at church Sunday, but will have to come home on the first car. Hope I will see you at church. Wish you all a Happy New Year, your friend, Mrs. Hame.”

That signature is a little hard to read but I believe the surname is Hame. On the 1920 Federal Census for Alabama Township, Sacramento County, CA, there is a Mrs. Artha Hame, married to a Charles J. Hame. Her maiden name is Stout:  We’re given her maiden name on this census by virtue of the fact that two of her brothers are living in the household.

Alabama Township doesn’t show up online today, but from an 1885 map it was situated in the southeast portion of Sacramento County. You would have traveled west to get to the town of Galt. (Enlarge to see Galt appearing in the neighboring township of Dry Creek.)

Sources:  Year: 1920; Census Place: Alabama, Sacramento, California; Roll: T625_127; Page: 5A; Enumeration District: 69. (Ancestry.com).

Official Map of Sacramento County. (1885). Library of Congress. https://www.loc.gov/resource/g4363s.la000034/?r=0.385,0.711,0.535,0.215,0.

Galt. n.d. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galt,_California. (accessed January 2, 2024).

Time and Tide Pass Quickly Away

Divided Back, embossed, used postcard. Postmarked December 31, 1915 from Grand Central Station, New York, New York. Publisher:  S. A. S., copyright 1913. Series 254.

Price:  $7.00

“A Bright New Year”

“Time And Tide Pass

Quickly Away

But True Friendship

Is Here To Stay.”

Addressed to:   “Mr. & Mrs. Louis Maier, #320 E. 123 Str, NY. City”

From:  “Mr. & Mrs. Carl Klein”

A few possibilities show up for Louis Maier around this time, but oddly, nothing with the above address, not even under a different name. And Carl Klein is a common name in New York City, so, there’s no way to track him either.

A charming card – that of boy in snowshoes and winter outfit, carrying a beautifully-flowered lantern and bringing some mistletoe – one assumes maybe this was a Scandinavian tradition, but we couldn’t find confirmation of this idea. Maybe, just in general, the lantern’s bringing light for the New Year. The embossing is quite nice, too – the whole scene coming to us on some rough-edged “parchment” with a poinsettia “attached.”

Happy New Year From Stafford Hannah

Calling card. Circa 1880s – 1900.

Price:  $12.00

The holiday cards are scarce right now at my house, for website posting that is. Haven’t gone on any buying binges lately….then again it’s nice to put up ones that have only been languishing in an (acid-free, of course) storage bin, without any attention…..;-). What I like about this one is that second comma. Kind of amusing, maybe a typo? Or maybe it was on purpose – so that Stafford could write a short note under his name, or have a space for a business stamp. Also, love the “face” in semi-profile, top right corner. Like a line drawing, with a little bit of shading, of a benevolent spirit. Of course, the shells and forget-me-nots are lovely….

On to Stafford Hannah…..a nice name, and not too common, for searching purposes:

As it turns out, there’s only one Stafford Hannah that fits the time-frame for this calling card. He was Stafford Cross Hannah, son of Irish immigrants, James and Ann. He was born about 1852 in Manhattan and had older siblings Mary E., Martha J. and younger Ellen, Sarah and William. He worked as a ship carpenter and later as a grocer. His wife was Jennie, and they had two sons, William J. and Alexander. We imagine Stafford having many stories to tell his boys about the ships he worked on, due to the yacht-building mention in the obit, below:

Sources:  Census of the state of New York, for 1855. Microfilm. Various County Clerk Offices, New York. (Ancestry.com).

Year: 1880; Census Place: Brooklyn, Kings, New York; Roll: 846; Page: 679A; Enumeration District: 102. (Ancestry.com).

1892 New York State Census. New York State Education Department, Office of Cultural Education. New York State Library, Albany, NY. (Ancestry.com).

New York State Archives; Albany, New York; State Population Census Schedules, 1905; Election District: A.D. 07 E.D. 20; City: Brooklyn; County: Kings. (Ancestry.com).

“Stafford Cross Hannah”. The South Brooklyn Home Talk, March 25, 1914. Wednesday, p. 10. (Newspapers.com).

Holiday Ice Skater

Divided back, unused postcard. Publisher:  P. F. Volland & Co., Chicago and New York. Copyright 1917.

Price:  $7.00

“To extend

the greetings of the season

and to wish you

a happy and prosperous

New Year.”

An illustration of a very stylishly dressed young lady, ice skating amidst whirling snow. You wonder who the artist was and whether we have, unbeknownst to us, seen their work before. Because this is such a nice one, with a magical quality to it, and I hope the artist was happy with their work (and in general), because he or she has brought us happiness!

The publisher, P. F. Volland & Co. was founded by Paul Frederick Volland.

Source:  P. F. Volland. n.d. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P._F._Volland_Company (accessed January 5, 2020).

With Affectionate Regard

Divided back, unused postcard. Circa 1910 – 1920s. Series or number W1017. Publisher unknown. Printed in the U.S.A.

Price:  $3.00

“I send you my New Year greetings on this tiny little card.

They are prompted not by custom, but affectionate regard.”

The clarity is not the greatest on this postcard, but still, it’s a very cute illustration……and dig those duds on the gent!

Happy New Year To Chillon Carter

Divided back postcard. Postmarked December 31, 1914 from Joplin, Missouri. Publisher unknown. Printed in Germany. Series or number 1154/1.

Price:  $8.00

Here’s another card, like the previous one we posted, that’s tinted (or colored, if either is the right term) and also so cute. On this one a little girl is surrounded by good luck/prosperity symbols – piggies (two), a four leaf clover, a horseshoe, and what looks like bags of money. (Well, that last is not so much “a sign of” but more prosperity itself, it seems.) And one interesting rendition of why pigs are good luck, specifically on New Year’s Day, comes from the Pennsylvania Dutch, and it’s because pigs root forward, and we want to go forward in the new year. See the link in the sources listed below for the online article.

This card is addressed to a gentleman with an unusual first name. It reads:   “Chillon Carter, R F D # 1 – Galena Kansas.”

And the sender wrote:   “Your xmas gifts rec’d ok. Many thanks. Have some for you. Will come over soon. Probably Sunday. I was in Columbus between trains one day last week at Carthage yesterday. Hope you had a nice time xmas, we were sorry that we could not come over there I had a severe cold & Johnnie thought the weather to cold to make the drive. am all ok, now. Mabel[?]    Rec’d New Year box all O.K. this a.m.”

From the 1920 census and Find A Grave, we find that Chillon E. Carter, born 1902 in Kansas, was the son of Chilon Carter and Sadie (Stanley) Carter.

Sources:  Stoneback, Diane. “Why eat pork and sauerkraut for New Year’s day?”January 1. 2018. 12 a.m. (accessed January 1, 2020).

Year: 1920; Census Place: Spring Valley, Cherokee, Kansas; Roll: T625_526; Page: 14A; Enumeration District: 40. (Ancestry.com).

Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 01 January 2020), memorial page for Chillon E. Carter (28 Oct 1902–29 Mar 1939), Find A Grave Memorial no. 27017873, citing Oak Hill Cemetery, Galena, Cherokee County, Kansas, USA ; Maintained by JFI (contributor 47211966) .

A Greek Happy New Year

Divided back, unused postcard dated December 1933. Publisher:  Fotocelere, Torino. Printed in Italy.

Price:  $8.00

ΕΥΤΥΧΕΣ το ΝΕΟΝ ΕΤΟΣ or Happy New Year, literal translation from Greek found online as “Happy the New Year” which is nice, rather poetic.

Addressed to:   “Mrs. Frances Gunaris, Box 26B, Wellesley Mass. U. S. America”

The sender wrote:   “December 6 1933      Dear Aunt. I wish you all merry xmas and a happy New year. Since I received the illustrated book, for which I thank you very much, I have to hear from you. I desire to be informed about your [health] and to receive agreeable news. My compliments to Louise and Erthios[?]. we feel all well. Andrew.”

Frances appears on the 1930 Federal Census for Needham, born about 1883 in Massachusetts, parents born in Bavaria, married, with son Theodore, who was born about 1909 also in Mass., father born in Greece. Frances’ husband is not listed on this record.

As it turns out, we have another card from the Gunaris family, that we posted back in April 2018. See Chebeague Island, Maine 1923.

Source:  Year: 1930; Census Place: Needham, Norfolk, Massachusetts; Page: 18B; Enumeration District: 0069; FHL microfilm: 2340670. (Ancestry.com).

A Prosperous New Year To Vera Willson

Divided back, embossed postcard. Postmarked December 31st, circa 1910, year missing. Publisher:  International Art Publishing Co. “New Year Post Card Series No. 19.”

Price:  $6.00

Two adorable bluebirds (artist interpretation) resting on an evergreen branch, are sheltering from the falling snow under an umbrella. This is the first item in The Willson Family Collection. Photos of some of the family members have been found, and will go up early this year. Lots to research!

Addressed to:   “Miss Vera Willson, Bx 543, Gilroy, Cal.”

Vera’s friend wrote:   “My dear friend:-  I thank you for the Christmas card. I am very glad you remembered me.Yours sincerely[?] HL. Bx 238.”

The front of the postcard has the sender’s last name but we didn’t find anything for him in census or city directories, likely due to the full surname being hard to read. Looks like Linden-something. We tried various possibilities but nothing came up.

Happy New Year To Mrs. B. F. Main

Divided back, embossed postcard. Made in Germany. Postmarked from Santa Clara, California, December 30th. Circa 1909. Year missing in postmark.

Price:  $4.00

A Happy New Year….with lilacs, from The Ethel Main Collection, and we’re estimating 1909 for this postcard due to the others in the collection that were sent to the address on the card showing 1909.
The sender wrote:   “Wishing you a Happy New Year. Hazel.”

Addressed to:   “Mrs. B. F. Main, 253 – 14th St, San Francisco, Cal”