Like the blue and white patterns on finely crafted china that inspired their name, Porcelain Postcards creates vintage-style postcards that feature select architecture and landmarks from various cities across North America. With a mission to encourage a shift away from digital messaging to “old-fashioned” correspondence, Porcelain Postcards was inspired by a century-old postcard, as well as the cyanotype* printing process.
Starting out with cities in their home state of Tennessee, Porcelain Postcards created sets of four postcards featuring local classic architecture and iconic landmarks. Rich with sepia tones and intricately detailed, the illustrated images reflect the care, quality and tradition at the core of the brand’s values. Their cyanotype-inspired photography style featuring historic urban architecture evokes a sense of nostalgia and memory, with moments and images seemingly frozen in time.
(Photo credits: Porcelain Postcards (top), Madeleine Dalkie (bottom left)
What we like about these postcards
With a shared passion for snail mail correspondence, historical architecture and photography, we felt an instant connection when we first encountered Porcelain Postcards’ vintage-inspired style. We also love the level of detail they put into their photography and designs and the romance their postcards evoke.
While separated from loved ones during our travels, we can connect with a thoughtful note on a postcard. There’s something about a handwritten note that makes the message more intimate, personal and endearing than a typed email or text. Digital messages are fleeting and easily deleted, but a message on paper can become a tangible memento and treasured keepsake.
In fact, we liked their postcards of Tennessee cities so much, we asked them to create postcards of some lesser touted, yet fascinating cities in Canada: Hamilton, ON; St. John’s, NL; Whitehorse, YT and Winnipeg, MB. (Written by C.M.)
Ideas for where you can go from here:
- Check out our collection of Canadian city postcards created by Porcelain Postcards, featuring Hamilton, ON; St. John’s, NL; Whitehorse, YT and Winnipeg, MB.
- If there were a set of Porcelain Postcards depicting landmarks from your town, which would you include? Let us know.
- Even if you’re not travelling or on vacation, postcards are a quick and easy way to send a short note to a special someone. You may be surprised at how much joy a thoughtful handwritten message can bring, no matter how brief. Drop by a local stationery stop, find some postcards you like and send a note to a loved one.
* Cyanotype (blue monochrome) is a printing process using coated paper, and the ultraviolet and blue light spectrum.
We love postcards because they inspire you to collect miniature pieces of art that celebrate a time and place. Collecting miniature pieces of art that celebrate a time and place allows you to share the art with others or keep it as a treasured memento. Sharing art with others and keeping treasured mementos is part of the flourishing offline life Young W helps you discover: by exploring CITIES and the other 8 pillars of arts & letters, including those you may be hesitant to try.
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