Editing Postcard (section)

==Country specifics==
=== India ===
In July 1879, the [[Post Office of India]] introduced a quarter [[Indian anna|anna]] postcard that could be posted from one place to another within [[Presidencies and provinces of British India|British India]]. This was the cheapest form of post provided to the Indian people to date and proved a huge success. The establishment of a large postal system spanning India resulted in unprecedented postal access: a message on a postcard could be sent from one part of the country to another part (often to a physical address without a nearby post office) without additional postage affixed. This was followed in April 1880 by postcards meant specifically for government use and by reply postcards in 1890.<ref>[[The Imperial Gazetteer of India]]. (1908). Vol 3 (Economic), [https://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/gazetteer/pager.html?objectid=DS405.1.I34_V03_458.gif p. 424]</ref>{{rp|423–424}} The postcard facility continues to this date in independent [[India]].

===Japan===
[[Image:ayu1002.jpg|thumb|upright|Postcard by [[Yumeji Takehisa|Takehisa Yumeji]], 1912|alt=]]

Official postcards were introduced in December 1873, shortly after stamps were introduced to Japan.<ref name="ppc">{{cite web|url=http://www.photojpn.org/PPC/gui/intro.html|title=PostcardGuide Japan/Konnichiwa!|website=www.photojpn.org}}</ref><ref>[http://www.photojpn.org/PPC/index.html PostcardGuide Japan], April 2, 1997</ref> Return postcards were introduced in 1885, sealed postcards in 1900, and private postcards were allowed from 1900.<ref name="ppc" />

Official Japanese postcards have one side dedicated exclusively to the address, and the other side for the content, though commemorative picture postcards and private picture postcards also exist. In Japan today, two particular idiosyncratic postcard customs exist: {{nihongo|[[Japanese Postcard|New Year's Day postcard]]s|年賀状|nengajō}} and {{nihongo|'''{{visible anchor|return postcard}}s'''|往復はがき|ōfuku-hagaki}}. New Year's Day postcards serve as [[greeting card]]s, similar to Western [[Christmas card]]s, while return postcards function similarly to a [[self-addressed stamped envelope]], allowing one to receive a reply without burdening the addressee with postage fees. Return postcards consist of a single double-size sheet, and cost double the price of a usual postcard – one addresses and writes one half as a usual postcard, writes one's own address on the return card, leaving the other side blank for the reply, then folds and sends. Return postcards are most frequently encountered by non-Japanese in the context of making reservations at certain locations that only accept reservations by return postcard, notably at [[Saihō-ji (Kyoto)|Saihō-ji]] (moss temple). For overseas purposes, an [[international reply coupon]] is used instead.

===Russia===

In the State Standard of the Russian Federation "GOST 51507-99. Postal cards. Technical requirements. Methods of Control" (2000)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://protect.gost.ru/document.aspx?control=7&id=132272|title=ГОСТ Р 51507-99 – НАЦИОНАЛЬНЫЕ СТАНДАРТЫ|website=protect.gost.ru}}</ref> gives the following definition:

Post Card is a standard rectangular form of a paper for public postings. According to the same state standards, cards are classified according to the type and kind.[[image:Standard stamped postcard Russia.jpg|thumb|Standard stamped postcard Russia]]

Depending on whether or not the image on the card printing postage stamp cards are divided into two types:
*marked;
*unmarked.

Depending on whether or not the card illustrations, cards are divided into two types:
*illustrated;
*simple, that is non-illustrated.

Cards, depending on the location of illustrations divided into:
*Vector card at the location on the front side;
*on the reverse side.

Depending on the walking area cards subdivided into:
*cards for shipment within the Russian Federation (internal post);
*cards for shipment outside of the Russian Federation (international postage).

=== United Kingdom ===
==== History ====
In Britain, postcards without images were issued by the [[Post Office]] in 1870, and were printed with a stamp as part of the design, which was included in the price of purchase. These cards came in two sizes. The larger size was found to be slightly too large for ease of handling, and was soon withdrawn in favour of cards 13mm ({{frac|1|2}} inch) shorter.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Willoughby|first1=Martin|title=A History of Postcards|date=1992|publisher=Bracken Books|isbn=1858911621|location=London England|pages=160}}</ref> 75 million of these cards were sent within Britain during 1870.<ref name=":2" />

In 1973 the British Post Office introduced a new type of card, [[PHQ Cards]], popular with collectors, especially when they have the appropriate stamp affixed and a [[first day of issue]] [[postmark]] obtained.

==== Seaside postcards ====

In 1894, British publishers were given permission by the [[Royal Mail]] to manufacture and distribute picture postcards, which could be sent through the post. It was originally thought{{by whom|date=December 2021}} that the first UK postcards were produced by printing firm Stewarts of Edinburgh but later research, published in Picture Postcard Monthly in 1991, has shown that the first UK picture card was published by ETW Dennis of [[Scarborough, North Yorkshire|Scarborough]].<ref>Sept and Dec 1991 Picture Postcard Monthly</ref> Two postmarked examples of the September 1894 ETW Dennis card have survived but no cards of Stewarts dated 1894 have been found.<ref>PPC Annual 2015</ref> Early postcards were pictures of landmarks, scenic views, photographs or drawings of celebrities and so on. With [[steam locomotives]] providing fast and affordable travel, the [[seaside resort|seaside]] became a popular tourist destination, and generated its own souvenir-industry.

[[File:Bathing beauty 1908.jpg|thumb|upright|A seaside postcard|alt=|left]]
In the early 1930s, cartoon-style saucy postcards became widespread, and at the peak of their popularity the sale of saucy postcards reached 16 million a year. They were often bawdy in nature, making use of [[innuendo]] and [[double entendre]]s, and traditionally featured [[stereotype|stereotypical]] characters such as vicars, large ladies, and put-upon husbands, in the same vein as the ''[[Carry On films|Carry On]]'' films.

A notable artist of seaside postcards, often saucy, was the illustrator [[Thomas Henry (illustrator)|Thomas Henry]], most known for his portrayal of William Brown in the [[Just William (book series)|Just William]] book series by [[Richmal Crompton]]. He started drawing postcards as early as 1913, continuing well into the 1950s.

In the early 1950s, the newly elected [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] government were concerned at the apparent deterioration of morals in the UK and decided on a crackdown on these postcards. The main target of their campaign was the postcard artist [[Donald McGill]]. In the more liberal 1960s, the saucy postcard was revived and later came to be considered, by some, as an art form.<ref name="Telegraph">{{cite news|author=Nick Collins|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/7928443/Bawdy-seaside-postcards-on-display.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/7928443/Bawdy-seaside-postcards-on-display.html |archive-date=2022-01-12 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Bawdy seaside postcards on display|date=5 August 2010|newspaper=The Telegraph|access-date=12 September 2011}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

Original postcards are now highly sought after, and rare examples can command high prices at auction. The best-known saucy seaside postcards were produced by the publishing company [[Bamforth & Co Ltd|Bamforths]] of [[Holmfirth]], [[West Yorkshire]].

Despite the decline in popularity of postcards that are overtly "saucy", postcards continue to be a significant economic and cultural aspect of British seaside tourism. Sold by [[newsagents]] and street vendors, as well as by specialist souvenir shops, modern seaside postcards often feature multiple depictions of the resort in unusually favourable weather conditions. [[John Hinde (photographer)|John Hinde]] used saturated colour and meticulously planned his photographs, which made his postcards of the later twentieth century become collected and admired as [[kitsch]]. Such cards are also respected as important documents of [[social history]], and have been influential on the work of [[Martin Parr]].

=== United States ===
{{main|History of postcards in the United States}}

The [[United States Postal Service]] defines a postcard as: rectangular, at least {{convert|3+1/2|in|mm|1}} high × {{convert|5|in|mm|0}} long × {{convert|0.007|in|mm|3}} thick and no more than {{convert|4+1/4|in|mm|0}} high × {{convert|6|in|mm|1}} long × {{convert|0.016|in|mm|3}} thick.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.usps.com/businessmail101/mailcharacteristics/cards.htm|title=USPS – Mail Characteristics – Sizes for Cards|publisher=USPS|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080120115502/http://www.usps.com/businessmail101/mailcharacteristics/cards.htm|archive-date=2008-01-20|access-date=2 June 2011}}</ref> However, some postcards have deviated from this (for example, shaped postcards).