Welcome to my personal collection of old Derbyshire postcards.
Deltiology, or postcard collecting, is thought to be one of the three largest collectable hobbies in the world along with coin and stamp collecting.
I recently began collecting old Derbyshire postcards as they can give a unique historical insight into the Derbyshire of long ago. Old postcards of Derbyshire often illustrate buildings long since demolished, the changing face of towns and villages, countryside as it was and much much more. Often showing street scenes and social life in bygone days
The first commercially produced postcards were introduced to the United States in 1893. Being over 100 years old means that some old postcards are truly antiques. It’s really amazing that these little pieces of paper have lasted over 100 years and many are in remarkably good condition.
Portability of postcards, relatively inexpensive prices, and the wide variety of subject matter add to their attractiveness.
They tell a unique story of the history and heritage of the county. Hope you enjoy.
The website is in its infancy so please be patient.
If you have any old Derbyshire postcards or old Derbyshire photographs to offer then please contact me.
Deltiology appeared at the end of the 19th century, when the mass production of postcards began and received international distribution as the cheapest type of postal items. The first postcard was published in 1869, and by 1875, 231.5 million open letters were sent in the member countries of the Universal ostal Union.
In the late 19th to early 20th centuries the first organizations of deltiologists appeared. Special magazines and catalogs began to be published (in Germany, Austria-Hungary, France, Russia, Great Britain, the United States, Italy, Switzerland, Spain, etc.), international exhibitions took place (in Leipzig, Saint Petersburg, Nice, Paris, Florence, Nuremberg, London, etc.), congresses of collectors and postcard publishers (in Leipzig – 1896, 1910; in Nice – 1899), the first auctions began to be held.
Since the beginning of the 20th century deltiology has become one of the most popular types of collecting facilitated by the mass production of postcards of diverse topics and of high-quality art and printings, and by postal exchange between countries which expanded significantly with the strengthening of international relations.
