Bidspirit auction | Trio of Early 20th Century

Trio of Early 20th Century Real Photo Postcards, Allegany and Cattaraugus Counties, New York - This lot consists of three (3) early 20th-century Real Photo Postcards (RPPCs) depicting historical locations and residents of Allegany and Cattaraugus Counties, New York. The first postcard documents the industrial history of the region, featuring the Power House of the Western New York and Pennsylvania Traction Company near Little Genesee, New York. The image captures the large brick facility, a tall smokestack, and a water tower. The bottom of the image includes printed identification text. The reverse is postmarked December 1, 1908, from Bolivar, New York, and is addressed to Miss Rose Jones in Olean, New York. It retains a green 1-cent Benjamin Franklin postage stamp and a handwritten message from the sender, identified as Mother. The second postcard is a studio portrait of two hunters with their equipment and haul. Handwritten text on the reverse identifies the subjects as Henry Timme (left) and Carl F. Timme (right), with a display of snowshoe rabbits and a hunting dog. The card features an AZO stamp box with four upward-pointing triangles, a mark used by Kodak for its photo paper between 1904 and 1918. A handwritten note on the back dates the image to approximately 1916-1918. This card is unposted. The third postcard features the Allen and Kirchgasser general store, captioned as one of the leading stores of Little Genesee, New York. The two-story wooden structure is shown with horse-drawn delivery wagons and several individuals on the front porch. Signage for Ice Cream Soda and the proprietors names are visible. The reverse bears the same four-triangle AZO stamp box as the hunting card and is addressed in pencil to Mrs. P. H. Jones of Bolivar, New York, though it remains unposted. Approximate dimensions for each: 3.5 inches x 5.5 inches. All three postcards are in good to excellent vintage condition. The industrial power house card shows minor corner wear and light foxing/discoloration on the reverse consistent with its age and postal travel. The hunting party portrait is in excellent condition with a crisp image and minimal edge wear. The general store card exhibits minor corner rounding and some light silvering or oxidation typical of early silver gelatin prints in the darker areas of the image. There are no major creases or tears.