A Chicago printing giant
Curt Otto Teich arrived in the United States from Germany and established his printing company in Chicago in 1898. It grew rapidly in the early twentieth century, and after World War I cut off German competition, Teich became one of the dominant American producers of view postcards. The company printed cards for local merchants, druggists, hotels, restaurants, attractions and chambers of commerce in every state, usually from photographs the customer supplied, which Teich's artists retouched and colorized.
The linen era
In the early 1930s, Teich introduced cards printed on stock with a textured, linen-like surface, using bright inks that dried quickly and gave images a painterly, vivid look. Linen cards became the defining postcard style of the 1930s and 1940s, and Teich was the leading producer. Many of the roadside diners, motor courts and "Greetings from" large-letter cards collectors love today were Teich linens. See linen postcards.
How Teich codes date a card
Teich printed a production code on the back or front margin of most cards, recording when and in what process the job was made. For cards from the 1930s through the 1950s, a widely used key reads the code's first number and letter as a year:
| Code begins with | Year |
|---|---|
| 0A, 1A ... 9A | 1930 to 1939 |
| 0B, 1B ... 9B | 1940 to 1949 |
| 0C, 1C ... 9C | 1950 to 1959 |
So a code beginning 8A would point to 1938, and 2B to 1942. Earlier and later cards use different code formats, and specialist references explain them in detail. As with any dating method, treat the result as strong evidence and check it against the picture and postmark.
The Curt Teich Postcard Archives
Teich kept production records, proofs and copies of the cards it printed, and that archive survived the company. Long held at a museum in Lake County, Illinois, the Curt Teich Postcard Archives are now part of the Newberry Library in Chicago, one of the largest collections of its kind and a major resource for historians of American places.
Which Teich cards collectors want
Teich printed so many cards that most are common, but certain subjects stand out:
- Roadside businesses: diners, motels, motor courts, gas stations and attractions.
- Large-letter "Greetings from" cards, especially of small towns.
- Small-town main streets and businesses.
- Advertising cards made for specific companies.
- Airports, early airliners and modern architecture.
Famous scenery and big-city views are generally common.
Recognizing a Teich card
Look on the back for the company's name or the C.T. monogram, and for the production code. Many Teich linens also carry a short descriptive paragraph about the scene on the back, and a trade name for the printing process.
Teich cards in a collection
Teich cards are common in mid-century collections and family travel albums. I count them along with the rest and look closely at roadside, advertising and small-town subjects.
Large-letter cards
Teich was a leading producer of the large-letter "Greetings from" cards, in which each letter of a place name is filled with local scenes. States and big cities were printed in great numbers; small towns, military camps and unusual places are scarcer and more wanted. Large-letter cards remain among the most recognizable linen designs and are popular with collectors and designers alike.
Teich and the war years
During World War II, Teich printed many cards of military camps, bases and training stations, along with patriotic and comic military cards. Camp cards, especially large-letter designs and views of specific installations, are collected by military and linen collectors.
Questions people ask
How do I date a Curt Teich postcard?
Read the production code: for the 1930s to 1950s, the first number and letter usually give the year (A for the 1930s, B for the 1940s, C for the 1950s).
Are Curt Teich postcards valuable?
Most are common; roadside businesses, large-letter cards of small towns and advertising cards are the most collectible.
Where are the Curt Teich archives?
At the Newberry Library in Chicago.
Did Curt Teich make real photo postcards?
The company is known for printed cards, especially linens, not real photographs.
Do you buy Curt Teich postcards?
Yes, as part of a complete collection.
How Teich worked with local customers
A typical Teich job began with a merchant, a chamber of commerce or a business owner sending in a photograph and an order. Teich's artists retouched and colorized the image, removing clutter, adding color and sometimes adding cars or people, and the plant printed the run, often a few thousand cards. The customer sold the cards at the counter or gave them away. This system is why Teich cards exist for so many small towns and modest businesses that no national publisher would otherwise have photographed.
Teich and American place history
Because Teich printed views of so many places over so many years, its cards collectively document how American towns, highways and businesses changed from the 1910s to the 1970s. Historians use the archives to trace when buildings stood, how main streets looked and how roadside businesses advertised themselves. A box of Teich cards is, in a small way, part of that record.
Photographing Teich cards for a quote
One photo of a stack fanned out, plus close-ups of any roadside businesses, large-letter cards of small towns and advertising cards, and a back showing the code, is plenty.
Are Curt Teich large-letter postcards valuable? Small towns and unusual places are the most collectible; common states and big cities are modest in value.
Sources and further reading
Ready to sell? Compare where to sell old postcards, or see how to sell old postcards step by step.