Lemberg to Warsaw

This card was sent from Lemberg in 1895. Lemberg belonged to the Austrian Empire at that time, but it is now part of the Ukraine and is known as Lviv. I wish I could tell you what the message on the card says.

Prufrock-Litton - St. Louis, Missouri

I'm sorry! If I had gotten this post to you a little earlier (100 years and a few months), you could have made it to the Prufrock-Litton sale. They were selling furniture at cost and I'm sure it was a fun event.

Prufrock-Litton was based in St. Louis, but eventually had a showroom on Fifth Ave in New York City and also a manufacturers building in Grand Rapids. According to an advertisement in Volume 50 of Furniture World (September 4, 1919), they sold overstuffed leather furniture and American and English Morrocos, tapestry and other fabrics. Not only did Prufrock-Litton occupy a full block, it also operated a French tea garden in the store.

The postcard shows the new building. I'm not sure where the old building was, but clearing it out seems to be the premise for the sale.

Prufrock-Litton was capable of some very creative marketing. The company printed many advertising postcards, and once they even sent up a huge helium balloon with their name emblazoned on it, with an attached letter that promised a free $50 chair for the finder of the the balloon. The balloon drifted 300 miles before it landed and was claimed by a man in Kentucky.

Je Pense à Vous

The front of this card says, "I'm thinking of you. Think of me." This is another example of a Poisson d'Avril card traditionally sent in France for April first. These cards always feature fish. To find out why, click here for an explanation.

The message on the back of the card reads:
I'm thinking of you. (illegible) It's Sunday that you're thinking of coming. I see that we will be free for some days now.  Decide and write pretty soon. Sorry that I do not write more. I don't have room and it's better to save our stories for when we see each other. See you soon. Waiting for your news.