VintagePostcards.ca

The Albertype Company

VintagePostcards.ca

The card back below, taken from an American card featuring an image by a local publisher in Dayton, Ohio, USA, illustrates how The Albertype Co. would offer its wares to local merchants.

An Early Publisher

The Albertype Co. was based in Brooklyn, New York, USA, and began operations in 1887 using the albertype process. They began printing postcards in 1893.

Many local merchants printed local cards through the Albertype Co. These cards would typically have the name of a local publisher/vendor located on the card front, but would have a standard Albertype card back.

It appears that, prior to offering their custom publishing services to local merchants, The Albertype Co. made its wares available across eastern and central Canada directly from the company, starting about 1898, without local publisher attribution. The company’s local publishing offerings seemed to come to life in the early years of the 20th Century, using templates that local vendors could access.

Later, the company moved to a standalone building, the Old Bridge Street Church in Brooklyn at 309 to 313 Bridge Street.

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