Vintage Novelty Postcards of Brantford, Ontario

Brantford Novelty Postcards

Scene on the Road Near Brantford

Postmarked July 2, 1917

How We Do Things at Brantford

Postmarked August 6, 1917

These are examples of "Exaggeration" or "Tall Tale" postcards. This humorous style promoted a place or subject that was a source of pride for the city it represented. For example a Brantford Exaggeration postcard might be captioned "That's how we do things at Brantford" or "That's how we grow them in Brantford." Both these postcards were created by Alfred Stanley Johnson Jr. of Waupun, Wisconsin. His postcards featured exaggerated or oversized animals, fruits and vegetables or humorous scenes featuring automobiles.

An example from the Dutch Kid Pennant Series

Postmarked August 15, 1913

unknown publisher

Postmarked June 14, 1913

Pennant Postcards were mass produced with generic scenes or cartoon drawings. These stock postcards were than sold to smaller postcard publishers who would personalize them by printing a caption, for example "Brantford" on the pennant.

Brantford Pennant Postcard

Postmarked October 13, 1914

They Market Them One at a Time at Brantford

unused

This postcard has both a pennant and an oversized/exaggerated potato.

Brantford Pennant Postcard

Postmarked illegible

Brantford Pennant Postcard

unused

Brantford Pennant Postcard

unused

Brantford Pennant Postcard

Postmarked October 7, 1913

Brantford Pennant Postcard

unused

Brantford Pennant Postcard

Postmarked December 6, 1915

Brantford Pennant Postcard

Postmarked December 3, 1925

An example of a felt pennant postcard.

Home of the Telephone

Postmarked December 19, 1909

Greetings from Brantford

unused

Two examples of Leather Postcards. Images were either burned and/or inked into tanned deer hide. They were quite popular however the deer hide had a habit of jamming postal sorting/cancellation machines which lead to the demise of the Leather Postcard.