PUBLISHERS ELECT TO PRODUCE WIDE VARIETY OF ATTRACTIVE BARACK OBAMA POSTCARDS

As postcards were a prime medium a hundred years ago for publicising local and national events, it is reassuring to see one of the major events of 2009 being reasonably well represented in cards. That event was a truly global happening, capturing the public imagination across the world as the first black US president was sworn in.
Asians stayed up late, Eastern Europeans watched at dinner time, Brits had tea in front of the telly, east coast Americans paused in late morning and west coasters turned on the TV during breakfast – all to watch the son of a Kenyan exchange student assume the most powerful position on the globe, so publishers were hardly taking a big gamble when they marked the event.
Strong images of Barack Hussein Obama juxtaposed before the White House, and the First Family, who it must be said are more than highly photogenic, went on sale before the event in Washington DC as postcard producers rushed to take advantage of the unprecedented worldwide interest and the massive crowds descending on the capital.
While a long-planned family trip saw me arriving in Washington the day after the inauguration, I was quickly caught up in the electric and highly positive, if cautious, atmosphere across the country -- but most definitely centred in Washington. I knew I wanted to acquire as many different cards as possible, but I did not know if it would be an easy task.
Perhaps I became overconfident as I attended a major Washington-area stamp event, the Washington Metro Fair, conveniently located in the outer suburb where one of my brothers lives, and found a huge array of election and inaugural day commemorative envelopes (but no postcards) at the table of an enterprising and experienced cover producer. I bought one set of inaugural envelopes but no election day ones, and by the time I got back to Scotland was wishing I’d purchased more. One of the partners of the enterprise happened to mention that they had sold more than £1,000 worth on the first day of the three-day fair, which should have told me something.
And so it was, a bit later, that I ventured to the city centre to scoop up what I imagined would be scores of different cards. Arriving at Union Station not long after dawn, having taken advantage of a lift to the wonderful Metro system from my civil servant brother. I knew that Union Station has many shops selling cards, but was hardly surprised to find them closed at 7.45am. I consoled myself, somehow, with a fine breakfast of "baked French toast," which was a bit like bread pudding, and muesli yoghurt and tea.
By 8.30 the shopkeepers were arriving and I began my quest at a newsagents called Hudson News. This is a large regional outfit that stocks a modest but well-chosen selection of topographical and other postcards. Three fine Obama cards were on the slightly hidden racks, although I dithered over one because it was so large. In the end I bought one of each (60 cents plus sales tax, or a bit more than 40p) and some Washington Metro map, National Zoo panda and John Kennedy cards for my map, bear and presidential friends in Scotland.
My purchases were modest, for I imagined I would do much better at the many political and current affairs shops that lined the retail concourses of the magnificently restored station (which still sees many trains, by the way). Little did I know that I had already seen the best selection and lowest prices.
The only problem with the Hudson News cards was a certain sameness. Each pictures a beaming and confident-looking Obama and the White House. The largest one, with Obama on the left, was printed by a firm called Capital Noveltees (sic) – perhaps they do a line of tee-shirts as well. The smaller one was by the same firm and featured the same photographs but with Obama on the right – a less satisfactory arrangement even if the president is looking almost straight ahead. Both have the text: "Barack Obama/ 44th President of the United States / Washington D.C.", and the larger one also sports the presidential seal.
The third card, by the Postcard Factory, has different views of Obama and his residence, plus the US flag. It states simply: "President Barack Obama / Washington, D.C." and, ironically, states on the back that it was printed in Canada.
Only one of the other promising-looking shops was open my this time and I was disappointed to find that the array of fine and not-so-fine political artifacts did not include postcards. However, the helpful clerk explained that a shop on the lower floor did sell Obama cards.
I found this shop eventually, just inside an entrance from the Metro station, but was disappointed to find its "postcards" were really mini-posters. (This shop was so new, by the way, that the name of the previous occupant was simply covered over and the emporium remained nameless. Probably eventually they will call it Obamarama.) To a soundtrack of an Obama speech, and realising my quest was not going to be quite as easy as I had imagined, I purchased two of the smaller cards and a larger one, each for $1 plus tax. I took care, by the way, to explain to the helpful and friendly sales assistant that postcard collectors like a postcard back. By the way, the most reserved clerks were soon beaming when I said I had come from Scotland to look for Obama cards (among other things).
These cards, to be sure, are nicely produced and attractive. The smaller one, of the First Family, and the presidential seal, is exactly the same front and back. On one side of the larger one, titled "Family Roots", Obama is surrounded by family photos, while on the flip side Obama and the seal are pictured with the words "The President of the United States of America / Barack H. Obama". This image is not quite as successful as it has no border on the top and the president has been given a bit of a haircut. No details of a publisher are given.
By this time it was clear most of the shops (as well as the National Postal Museum across the street) were not opening until 10, so nothing remained but to walk the short distance to the Mall, the scene of so many historic events and the 44th president’s inaugural speech. There in front of the Capitol building the scaffolding was still being taken down. I paused to look over the vast expanse, which so recently had been a gathering place for nearly two million people. Somehow I found it easier to visualise the vast civil rights and antiwar protests that had filled the Mall rather than the recent inauguration. The bitter cold, which the celebrants also had experienced, did nothing to dampen the almost overwhelming feeling of history and past and present changes.
Back at Union Station, after an impromptu but fascinating demonstration by a canine operator and his charge on how to check a lorry for explosives, I stepped into a shop called America! that had another large selection of memorabilia. One of the postcards was one I already had, but wisely I purchased a second copy, and one was a new find with Obama in front of Old Glory and the words: "Barack Obama / 44th President of the United States." The reverse includes the text of his oath of office, but no details of the publisher. I assuaged my disappointment at not being named Obama’s postmaster general by buying a White House Presidential Staff mug and a bookmark picturing all the U.S. presidents for the friend with a collection on that theme.
A highly-promising, long-established kiosk featuring Washington memorabilia was the next stop. While this establishment had just one "new" if quite fine card featuring the First Family, the assistant did shed light on why I was having trouble finding a variety of cards. "Oh we had lots of different ones, but they’re all sold out now. We’ll be getting some more." This anonymous card (Made in U.S.A.) shows a waving Obama and "Sasha, Malia, and First Lady Michelle." Now realising the problem I faced, I asked for three.
I got much the same story over at the wonderful National Postal Museum, whose shelves had been stripped bare of a large stock of Obama cards. I did buy three of the last few Inauguration Day envelopes out of the hundreds that I was told had been in stock at this outpost of the Smithsonian Institution. Postcard collectors will find plenty of interest here, but will have to be patient as the emphasis is on stamps and carriage of the mail.
My search for postcards was not entirely in vain, however, as I purchased two at 75 cents each featuring the Wright Brothers’ 1903 aircraft and Owney, a postal mascot dog who travelled the US in railway post office cars. Even a better bargain were two cards advertising current displays at the museum, on "Alphabetilately" (an A-Z of stamp collecting terms) and World War II Victory Mail, the weight-saving microfilm letters.
These latter cards are the latest in a long series dispensed from machines and that visitors are invited to post straightaway with an illustrated Pitney Bowes meter mark cancellation. It takes a bit of effort and a wee while to get your card as you have to type in the address of the intended recipient. One the machine spits out the card, you can simply pocket it or take it to another machine where you can pay for the meter postage and have it printed on the spot.
At this point I had to head off to the heart of the business section to meet old journalistic colleagues, and as I was flying home the next day did not get another chance to hunt for postcards.
Well, that is not exactly true. For I was delighted to see near my departure gate at Dulles Airport a Smithsonian shop. Did I dare hope it might have the cards the postal museum had sold out of?
Yes and no. It did have one by now familiar card, of Obama in front of Old Glory. I bought another copy. I wish I’d taken half a dozen.
Editor's note: This article, by yours truly, originally appeared in Picture Postcard Monthly, a magazine I can heartily recommend for anyone with even a passing interest in postcards.