[Ads-l] antedating "French postcard"

[ADSGarson O'Toole]

Here is an 1880 advertisement for "racy" French cards. This may help
explicate the evolution of the term "French postcard".

Date: January 16, 1880
Newspaper: South Branch Intelligencer
Newspaper Location: Romney, West Virginia
Article: (Advertisement for French Cards)
Quote Page 4, Column 7
Database: Newspapers.com

https://www.newspapers.com/article/south-branch-intelligencer-racy/195801512/

[Begin excerpt]
DON'T EXPOSE ME
Rich, Rare and Racy French Card. Send 10c for sample. Address NOVELTY
CARD CO. 77 Clark street, Chicago.
Jan 24, 1879.
[End excerpt]

This 1887 article warns about "transparent French cards". But these
might be playing cards and not postcards.

Date: February 26, 1887
Newspaper: The Carbondale Leader
Newspaper Location: Carbondale, Pennsylvania
Article: Saunterer's Letter
Quote Page 4, Column 3
Database: Newspapers.com

https://www.newspapers.com/article/tri-county-independent-racy/195802456/

[Begin excerpt]
And then parents generally don't know, perhaps, of the transparent
French cards which may be in the hands of their sons and (God forbid!)
perhaps their daughters. These cards look innocent enough on casual
glance, but when held up and a ray of light is allowed to pass
through, the foulest of imaginable pictures present themselves to the
eye. They are described in "Police Gazette" and "Police News"
advertisements as "rich, rare and racy." They are rich and racy in a
certain sense, but they are not rare enough. This is sufficient.
[End excerpt]

This webpage specified below presents examples of translucent playing
cards with hidden obscene images. The website suggests that the cards
are probably French circa 1850.

Website: The World of Playing Cards
Article: Translucent Playing Cards, c.1850
Date: Published April 05, 2002, Updated August 07, 2022

https://www.wopc.co.uk/france/translucent/

[Begin excerpt]
Translucent Erotic Playing Cards, prob French, c.1850
To the unsuspecting viewer the cards look like normal 19th century
French playing cards... until they are held up to the light.
[End excerpt]

On Sat, Apr 18, 2026 at 8:37 AM Jonathan Lighter
<00001aad181a2549-dmarc-request at listserv.uga.edu> wrote:
>
> Not in OED, but HDAS dates it to WW1 era.
>
> Apparently French postcards were notable for photos, caricatures, etc.,
> before British and American manufacturers adopted this style. Earlier refs.
> in Newspapers.com are to entirely innocent cards, some featuring views of
> chateaux and cathedrals.
>
> 1907 _The Age_ (Sydney) (Dec. 21) 10: Strong complaints have been received
> from Sydney by the Postmaster- General concerning an attempt to send
> through the post advertisements incorporating some very obscene French post
> cards.
>
> 1912 _Manchester [Eng] Courier_ (Feb. 5) 8:  It was there the French post
> card and other obscene prints were to be found.
>
> JL
>
> --
> "If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the truth."
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

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The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org