Nostalgia: Polaroid Postcard Origins

[Alex Hawley]

Got a real spiffy Polaroid Land rangefinder camera today, circa 1960-something. Tucked in the box was a package of ready-to-make postcards! Authentic Polaroid Land postcards! So I guess those postcard exchanges aren't such a new idea. Here's some scans showing both sides of the card and box. Very nostalgic. Be sure to coat before mailing!

[IloveTLRs]

Very nostalgic indeed

Do people still write postcards?

[David A. Goldfarb]

I remember seeing a pack of those around the house some time in the 1970s. I don't know if we actually ever sent any Polaroid postcards.

[Mick Fagan]

I am currently writing out 56 postcards for the postcard exchange, they will be finished on the weekend.

I also send postcards of people I have met and taken a picture of, in my overseas and own country travels.

Most are really surprised, when two to three months after my visit, they receive a picture of themselves in the mail.

Generally I use Ilford postcard stock, but I have used cut down normal RC stock.

Mick.

[Akki14]

Originally Posted by IloveTLRs

Very nostalgic indeed

Do people still write postcards?

Join the Postcard Exchange! It's fun I've just finished making 33 postcards last night, going to go get the stamps today once I work out how much of each I need. I'm making cyanotype postcards and if I had known Fabriano make nice postcard paper I would have done ALL of mine in that but as it is some people are getting hand-cut watercolour paper postcards instead.
It's sort of a very fast paced big small-prints exchange

Back on topic, My dad had polaroid postcard holders more recent than your's, they were from the 80s probably and looked more modern... and they were for the square "integral" films, not anything needing coating before mailing!
I doubt they survived the housemove but I'll ask my mom the next time I'm home.

[mabman]

Interesting. I bought a 250 Land camera a few months back (entirely automatic exposure, I jury-rigged a battery, and it's fine) for $30 - it came with the original case and a bunch of other things inside including "Polacolor Print Mounts" - not exactly postcards, but basically cardboard/stiff paperboard with peel-off adhesive on one side.

I've only shot one pack of 667 with it (not cheap locally), so nothing worth mounting just yet, but we'll see

With the demise of Polaroid's film production I'm hoping Fuji (or someone) keeps the torch alive - the Fuji variety isn't available to me locally, so I'll have to start ordering it online...I'm really fascinated with it, and the 3000 ISO film has interesting tonality (DEEP blacks).