I don’t usually collect postcards or other paper items, but when I saw this on my favorite internet auction site I had to own it. The numismatic nerd in me took over owing to the subject matter, and with the aid of the “buy it now” feature of the site, my wallet was $5 thinner but my collection was greatly enriched. The set was printed by Bardell Miniatures of San Francisco and published by John D. Cardinell, the “Official Photographer and Publisher, Sesqui-Centennial International Exposition” of Philadelphia. The 3” x 4” folder is gaily colored on the outside and contains 15 different gray-tone photos relating to the 1926 Sesqui-Centennial held in Philadelphia June 1 through December 1, 1926, to celebrate 150 years of our great nation’s independence.
The cover photo of the set is of the Liberty Bell and gives all the particulars of the Exposition. Other photos, 15 in all, include the “Birthplace of Old Glory,” where Betsy Ross supposedly made the first American flag; the Tower of Light, one of the great drawing cards at the Exposition; an old-time map of High Street in Philadelphia, circa 1776; and even a picture of W. Freeland Kendrick, mayor of Philadelphia at the time and president of the Sesqui-Centennial International Exposition Association. Other scenes include pictures of the League Island Navy Yard docks in Philadelphia, Christ Church, City Hall, and Independence Hall, as well as other popular local sites. Like most of the other numismatic paper ephemera I’ve managed to gather over the years, this little Sesqui-Centennial folder of pics resides on my desk at work along with certain other neat items I will be writing about in the near future. I hope you enjoyed this installment, and now I’d like to take this time to wish everyone who reads this a Merry Christmas and a special holiday season!
