Postcardist
145 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 1 year ago - ★★★★★ - 60 ratingsPostcards connect people. Join postcard collector Frank Roche as he talks to guests around the world, including leading postcard designers, writers, dealers, and connoisseurs. The Postcardist spans the gamut from vintage to modern postcards. This conversational show was created for everyone from budding deltiologists to leading postcard collectors.
Homepage Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
Episodes
A Brief History of Halloween Postcards
October 31, 2020 20:16 - 41 minutes - 37.9 MBDid you know trick-or-treating wasn't popularized until the late 1950s? Or that Halloween was a day of romance in the early 1900s? Or that cabbages featured prominently on Halloween postcards in the early 20th Century? That's what this episode is about -- a brief history of Halloween postcards.
Mary L. Martin: Owner of the World's Largest Postcard Shop and Author of A Guide Book of Collectible Postcards
October 26, 2020 17:36 - 45 minutes - 41.7 MBMary L. Martin owns the world's largest postcard shop. And just just recently wrote (with Q. David Bowers) A Guide Book of Collectible Postcards. We talk about the process that led to the writing and publication of the book, and then talk about the postcard collecting business in general. You can find Mary's book along with millions of collectible postcards at marylmartin.com.
Postcard Enthusiast and Sticker Man -- Jim Lynch
October 18, 2020 15:20 - 45 minutes - 41.7 MBI'm joined again by postcard enthusiast and sticker aficionado, Jim Lynch. Long-time listeners of the show will recognize Jim from episode 60, where we talked about his extensive foray into the postcard world. In this episode, we expand on that topic…here’s a list of what you’’ll here us discuss in this eclectic episode: Stickers (including the Antiquarian Sticker Book) Postcrossing Art Throw Down Adult Coloring Books Where’s George Postcard Exchange Sent Postcard Cataloging Sys...
Navajo Writer and Postcard Creator Sylvanus Paul
October 11, 2020 20:08 - 47 minutes - 44 MBIt's not every day that we get to hear Navajo being spoken and I'm honored to have been joined by Navajo writer and postcard creator Sylvanus Paul. We talk about how Sylvanus got started with with writing letters and postcards; why he named his Instagram account Letterdoggy; how he writes meaningful messages on his postcards; and how his stand up comedy influences the jokes he sometimes writes on postcards.
World Postcard Day
October 01, 2020 04:00 - 25 minutes - 23.6 MBOctober 1, 2020 is World Postcard Day. I asked Postcrossers to leave voice messages about what they'll be doing to celebrate. And 20 people answered the call from around the world -- from New Zealand, India, Philippines, Greece, Ireland, England, Canada and the United States. This is what they said. Special thanks to Ana from Postcrossing for adding what they're doing at HQ on such a special day.
Postcards, Burning Man Post Office, and Newfie Tacos with Orla Hegarty
September 27, 2020 18:54 - 52 minutes - 48.3 MBPostcards connect people. And this show is, once again, about another connection. I connected with Orla Hegarty over the past couple of years because of this show and because of postcards. Orla is a dedicated postcard creator and writer, a mathematician, a traveler, and a postmaster for Canada Post in her town of St. Vincent’s, Newfoundland. In this episode, Orla and I talk about postcards. And mushrooms (the edible kind, silly); Burning Man (where I suppose there are other kinds of mushro...
Risqué Double Entendres in Vintage Postcards with Serece Tascione
September 20, 2020 13:18 - 48 minutes - 44.7 MBI want to spend some time in your wheat field. You're welcome to my roost. Finally alone. On one level, Romance postcards from 1907 to 1913 seem innocent enough. On another level, they're purposeful double entendres intended to convey risqué intent. In this raucous and experimental episode, Serece Tascione and I review 14 cards from my vintage Romance postcard collection and Serece speculates about what the real message is on the postcards. Basically, I laugh for about 40 minutes. WARNIN...
Masha Mokeeva, Author of Postcrossing: Book of Secret Knowledge
September 13, 2020 10:47 - 36 minutes - 33.4 MBHere's a book about postcard history and the global phenomenon of Postcrossing writ large. On this episode of The Postcardist Podcast, author Masha Mokeeva and I talk about her book, Postcrossing: Book of Secret Knowledge. Masha walks us through the seven highly researched chapters of the book, including: Postcrossing. About Postcrossing creator Paulo Magalhães, how Postcrossing works, what types of postcards are exchanged, and about the place of the idea of Postcrossing in the world of id...
From Russia, with Postcards: A Conversation with Masha Mokeeva of Amelie Cards
September 06, 2020 11:47 - 38 minutes - 36 MBRussian journalist and author Masha Mokeeva owns a very successful postcard shop in Moscow called Amelie Cards. In this episode, Masha and Frank talk about the origin of Masha's postcard business, why postcards are so popular in Russia, the Russian collector Nikolai Tagrin, and the market for postcards in Russia. This is part one of a two-part series with Masha. On the next episode, we talk about Masha's book, Postcrossing:Book of Secrets.
Anushka Sawarkar, the Postcard Princess of Pune
August 30, 2020 16:13 - 51 minutes - 47.8 MBI'm joined this week by Anushka, who has created many postcard connections across the world with her energy in postcarding. We talk about postcard design, postcard connections, postcard swaps, and why I call her The Postcard Princess of Pune.
Ben Irving Postcard Project with Tyler Sonnichsen
August 23, 2020 16:11 - 1 hour - 60.1 MBThis week, host Frank Roche is joined by Tyler Sonnichsen, who has a huge collection of his great-grandfather's postcard collection from the 1930s and 1940s. Tyler’s great-grandfather, Ben Irving, was a musician. Traveling salesman. Vaudeville performer. And prolific postcard writer. Tyler has his great-grandfather’s postcards…and all kinds of terrific stories to accompany them. Tyler is a PhD geographer and comedian based in Michigan and Florida. He teaches Human and Cultural Geography...
A Big Day with Tiny & Snail
August 14, 2020 12:02 - 1 hour - 56.3 MBArtists. Business owners. Comedians. Dancers. Sisters. Those are just a few descriptors for Leah and Grace, aka Tiny & Snail. That's the name of their business and their nicknames. Tiny & Snail is a stationery company led by two creative sisters who have a compelling goal: Bringing magic back to mailboxes with cards that people want to keep. There's magic in the mail. That's Tiny & Snail's tagline. And there's magic in this show. Get writing. And dancing. Tiny & Snail website Tiny & ...
Postcards and Cake with Tiffany's Postal Treats
August 09, 2020 15:46 - 33 minutes - 31.3 MBLet them mail cake. That's what Tiffany of Tiffany's Postal Treats says. This show combines two of my favorite things: postcards...and cake. Tiffany's Postal Treats on Instagram Tiffany's Postal Treats on Etsy
Elise Barras of Elise Loves Letters
August 03, 2020 20:27 - 56 minutes - 52.2 MBI'm joined this week by Elise Barras of Elise Loves Letters. Elise tells us about postcard collecting, letter writing, and scrambling to the top of big climbs in the Peak District of England, only to find a Mr. Whippy ice cream vendor at the top. Plus, she tells us about The Ancient One and how to have a proper cup of Yorkshire tea. Sit back, sip your tea, and get ready for some real delight.
Postcards and The Department of Lost Letters in India with Bhumika Israni
July 26, 2020 22:20 - 59 minutes - 54.8 MBThis show is an audio movie. It's that rich with sights and sounds. And if you use your imagination, you'll be transported to Mumbai, India. I talked with Bhumika Israni from there. Bhumika is a huge postcard enthusiast (find out what happened to her room), letter writer, and connector. And she's a medical student who also collects stamps. This is a show to treasure. And come join us at the Department of Lost Letters. References in this show: Bhumika on Instagram Yellow postcards in...
Amina McCain's Pen Pal Club
July 16, 2020 22:10 - 44 minutes - 40.9 MBThese are trying times. And with the onset of Covid Summer, where we really can't travel anywhere, my guest Amina McCain decided to do something about that. To create connections. And that's where Amina's Pen Pal Club originated. In this show, I talk with Amina about creating her pen pal club, writing plays and monologues, acting in musicals, and drawing sketches for her original fashion designs. All this at age 13. Yes, Amina is a teenager. And an accomplished one. The essence of th...
Postcrossing's 15th Anniversary with Paulo Magalhães and Ana Campos
July 12, 2020 23:35 - 28 minutes - 26.7 MBIn this episode, host Frank Roche is joined by Postcrossing execs Paulo Magalhães and Ana Campos to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the launch of the global postcard phenomenon. We talk about the origin story of Postcrossing, the challenges of scaling up so rapidly, the dance that Paulo and Ana do for every million cards sent, and how the Postcrossing community organized and developed over the past 15 years. References: Ana Campos talking at TEDxOporto about how postcards connect pe...
The Snail's Mail -- Postcards for People Who Love Postcards with Jess Davis and Charlie Davis
July 05, 2020 15:10 - 40 minutes - 37.7 MBThis week I'm joined by the talented mother-daughter team of Jess Davis and Charlie Davis. Jess is the proprietor of The Snail's Mail, a New Zealand-based postcard shop. And Charlie is a postcard designer. Did I mention she's 10 years old? In this show we talk about Charlie's new postcard design that's available on The Snail's Mail store now. Jess talks about the new designs she has available, the challenges of postcarding in the Age of Covid, and lets us in on another creative project sh...
Kate Wiggins of Sugar & Kiki
June 28, 2020 22:01 - 37 minutes - 34.6 MBIn this episode, I'm joined by postcard entrepreneur Kate Wiggins of Sugar & Kiki. We talk about her postcard store, postcard designing, the joy of writing postcards, and Julia Sugarbaker (the Sugar of Sugar & Kiki). Sugar and Kiki Sugar and Kiki Blog 18 Million Thanks
Blaize Sun of Rubber Tramp Artist
June 22, 2020 13:22 - 37 minutes - 34.6 MBWho would guess that a postcard connection would result in a discussion of a Tarantula Hawk Wasp? Not me. But in this episode, I talk with Blaize Sun, who is a writer and postcard designer based in Taos, New Mexico. Blaize and I cover topics as varied as where to find postcards in thrift stores, what people expect to get when they get a postcard, what it's like to not have rural mail delivery....and tarantula hawk wasps. Links to what we discussed in E75: Rubber Tramp Artist website ...
Mark Routh on Postcards in the Time of Covid-19
June 15, 2020 13:48 - 47 minutes - 43.5 MBPostcards connect people. And now, more than ever, postcards connect us to each other and to an enduring story during the Covid-19 pandemic. I'm joined in this episode by postcard collector extraordinaire, Mark Routh, who takes us through the early days of collecting postcards and stamps and ephemera about the novel coronavirus pandemic that has dominated our world in 2020. Mark has assembled a very large collection of Covid-related materials. And he talks about the countries and territori...
A Chat with Postcard Designer Magda Wojcicka of Travel Trinkets Canada
June 10, 2020 14:24 - 50 minutes - 46.1 MBI just couldn't find cards I liked, so I decided to design my own. That's what postcard designer (and professional photographer) Magda Wojcicka of Travel Trinkets Canada said when I asked her what started her creative process to make top flight postcards. Here's a chat we had about her design influences, how she got started designing postcards, and what's coming next.
E72: Sara McNally, Author of The Year I Became Snail Mail Superstar
January 09, 2020 13:55 - 39 minutes - 36.5 MBI interviewed Sara McNally about her new book, The Year I Became Snail Mail Superstar. Sara started writing the book when she was gifted a large postcard collection from her great-grandfather. But what started out being a book about a postcard collection grew into what she says "chronicles a year in which she walked with grief, took a deep dive into her family history, and got to know her great-grandfather through his postcard collection." Get The Year I Became Snail Mail Superstar Foll...
Episode 70: Talking About Christmas Postcards
December 03, 2019 22:03 - 16 minutes - 15.3 MBIn this short episode, I talk about Christmas postcards I'm writing and sending. I spend some time chatting about Edition Tausendschön cards; getting a special cancellation from Santa Claus, Indiana; and why I have so many postcards on my desk but am always looking for more.
Episode 69: Postcard Hunting on an Epic Road Trip
November 25, 2019 15:39 - 32 minutes - 29.9 MBWhat does a Postcardist do on a 2,762-mile road trip? Stop and look for postcards, of course. This show was recorded on highways of the United States, from Connecticut to Minnesota. And it chronicles how Steven Roche (E44) and I stopped at nine Cracker Barrel stores searching for Lantern Press postcards. We also visited Niagara Falls, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and Notre Dame University. Did we buy postcards? You bet we did. And we talk about that, too.
Postmarked New Orleans Author Jason Smith
October 15, 2019 13:28 - 47 minutes - 43.8 MBIn this episode, I talk with Postmarked New Orleans author Jason Smith from his home in The Big Easy and we talked about where he got the idea for the book, about New Orleans history, and about a famous postcard featuring Oysters Rockefeller at Antoine's.
Help Me Get to Inbox Zero with My Postcards
September 17, 2019 15:07 - 10 minutes - 9.88 MBThis short show is asking for audience feedback about how they acknowledge and display incoming postcards. Help!
Ashli Ahrens and the Post Office Murals First Day of Issue Event
September 09, 2019 20:38 - 53 minutes - 49.5 MBIn this episode I'm delighted to welcome back Ashli Ahrens of Mailbox Memories to talk about a First Day of Issue event she attended to celebrate the issue of the Post Office Mural stamp set. In the show Ashli refers to to a special giveaway she created. You can find her @mailboxmemories on IG. A set of links to items mentioned during the show: Evan Kalish's Living New Deal post about the post office murals USPS YouTube video of the Post Office Murals FDOI (1:11) Post masters: Arkan...
A Postcard Jazz Session with Dr. Russ Romano
September 02, 2019 21:39 - 1 hour - 57.5 MBIn this episode, Dr. Russ Romano talk about postcards and all the places that can take us. From his Postcards for Good to a world tour on The Partridge Family Bus, we cover a lot of ground on this show.
Apollo 11 Postcards and Lots More with Mark Routh of Mark's Postcard Chat
July 28, 2019 22:08 - 1 hour - 70.4 MBThe Apollo 11 moon landing happened 50 years ago. And that event was memorialized in many ways -- including on postcards. In this episode, I talk to preeminent postcard collector Mark Routh of Mark's Postcard Chat. Of course, when I get a chance to talk to Mark, we also cover a lot of postcard collecting ground. Mark offers pointers about how to get the best cards in spinners; where to find collectable cards in obscure places; and securing cachets for your postcards.
Magdalena Wojcicka and the New Bohemian Postcards
June 30, 2019 18:43 - 53 minutes - 49 MBIn this episode, I chat with postcard enthusiast Magdalena Wojcicka. You know her on Instagram as Bohemian Me, Stamp and Away, and on her stamp jewelry site Travel Trinkets Canada.
E62: Is This Thing On?
June 02, 2019 19:09 - 20 minutes - 19.4 MBAfter what started out to be a brief hiatus turned into a couple months of radio silence. But your host, Frank Roche, is back with a new show with three stories: one about a hand cancellation experience at a post office in Minnesota; a second story about a man who listened to short-wave radio during WWII and sent postcards to families if he hear their solider was alive; and a third about meth-laced postcards being sent to prisons. Yep. Welcome back.
E61: How I Became the World's Leading Collector of Bigfoot Postcards
April 01, 2019 19:01 - 10 minutes - 9.77 MBSome stories just have to be told. This is one of those stories. I have the world's largest collection of Bigfoot postcards. Here's why.
E60: Postcard Stories with Jim Lynch
March 17, 2019 18:04 - 51 minutes - 47.3 MBJim Lynch is a collector. He collected baseball cards. Football cards. basketball cards. Bottle caps. And postcards. And he collects information. Jim is an active Postcrosser and participant in the currency tracking project, Where's George? He and I got together to talk (what else?) postcards. And a lot of other interesting topics. Now Jim has me searching through my collection looking for baseball park postcards. Additional items in this episode: Snail Mail Superstar's one-year Yo...
E59: The Snail's Mail Postcard Shop with Jess Davis
March 10, 2019 17:33 - 25 minutes - 23.7 MBPostcards for People Who Love Postcards. That's the tagline of Jess Davis's new online postcard store, The Snail's Mail. And in this show, it’s proof -- once again -- of the idea that postcards connect people. I connected with Jess in Episode 51, where we talked about the imminent launch of her online postcard store. Well…that moment came…and so as I mentioned on that initial show, I invited Jess back to talk about how the launch has gone and how she sees the postcard business in the near ...
E58: The World's Most Expensive Postcard and Postcards for Good
March 05, 2019 00:05 - 27 minutes - 25.6 MBI recently bought a couple lots from a postcard auction in Ireland. And that got me wondering about The World's Most Expensive Postcard. And that led to another thing, and then another. Plus, I had a chat with Russ Romano of Postcards for Good, so I got that in there too. Here are all the topics I cover in this show: Guinness Book of World Records Most Expensive Postcard The Picasso Postcard Dear Data Peep Machine Pinups (yes, this is about postcards) Bozo's Circus Postcar...
E57: Sissy Cross of Lone Star Letter Writers
February 25, 2019 05:00 - 50 minutes - 46.8 MBThe clack of a typewriter. The flow of a pen across paper. The fact someone thought about you while they wrote you a real piece of mail. That's what Sissy Cross and I talked about one Saturday morning recently. Sissy is the founder and creator of the Lone Star Letter Writers group, which meets once a month in the Dallas-Fort Worth area in Texas to create written correspondence. In this episode, Sissy tells us about how she created Lone Star Letter Writers, how she views written communicati...
E56: Heidi Belinsky of Max & Co Post
February 18, 2019 05:00This jam-packed show features Heidi Belinksy, the owner and proprietor of Max & Co Post. We cover the gamut in this show -- from antique postcards to writing postcards to the business of selling modern postcards.
E56: Heidi Belinsky of Mx & Co Post
February 18, 2019 05:00 - 1 hour - 60.4 MBThis jam-packed show features Heidi Belinksy, the owner and proprietor of Max & Co Post. We cover the gamut in this show -- from antique postcards to writing postcards to the business of selling modern postcards.
E56: Heidi Belinsky of Max & Co Post
February 18, 2019 05:00This jam-packed show features Heidi Belinksy, the owner and proprietor of Max & Co Post. We cover the gamut in this show -- from antique postcards to writing postcards to the business of selling modern postcards.
E55: Love Hearts Project Live
February 14, 2019 05:00 - 1 hour - 59 MBRuss Romano and I did a live radio show from Love Hearts Project's love letter writing event. Love was in the air. This was the second annual event put on by Alex Krohn, the creator of Love Hearts Project. We sat down with Alex, and a number of people who were at the event writing postcard love letters. Want to feel the love? Here you go.
E54: Fairy Tale Postcards with Jack Zipes
February 11, 2019 05:00 - 52 minutes - 48.5 MBWhat's the first fairy tale you remember hearing as a child? And do you know fairy tales are told to you throughout your life? In this episode, we hear from the world's preeminent scholar on fairy tales -- the author and postcard collector Jack Zipes, who wrote the fabulous coffee table book Tales of Wonder: Retelling Fairy Tales Through Picture Postcards. Jack is the author numerous books, including the definitive translations of two version of the Brothers Grimm tales. In this episod...
E53: Postcard Short Story Experiment - The Results
February 04, 2019 05:00 - 36 minutes - 34.2 MBI sent 147 postcards in the first two weeks of January. The same postcard titled 1967: A Memoir. I had written a short story that was 3,534 words long and 147 paragraphs. So, what would any writer do? Sit down one night with a list of recipients and a random number generator...and get writing. This show is my observations about what happened. Peoples' reactions about everything from my handwriting to the stamps to the story. It's about how much ambiguity people can handle. And it's about e...
E52: Postcard Perspectives with Pop Surrealist Camilla d'Errico
January 28, 2019 05:00 - 44 minutes - 41.5 MBCamilla d'Errico joins me this week on Episode 52 ( a year's worth of shows!) to talk about her pop surrealist art, her love of postcards, and her creative life. I became fascinated with Camilla's art a couple years ago when I got a pack of postcards that featured her very compelling manga-style art. And that morphed into more and more fascination with her art and her energy. I'm always dazzled to talk to people who are at the top of their field. To hear their origin story...and their dr...
E51: Jess Does DIY...and Postcards
January 21, 2019 05:00 - 48 minutes - 44.9 MBI called the future. And from what Jessica Davis (@JessDoesDIY) tells me, the future is bright. At least how it is 18 hours in the future. You see, I called Jessica in New Zealand from my house in the northeast U.S. We talked about how she got involved in postcards and letter writing early (peep that picture below of young Jess); her involvement in Postcards from the Edge; and The Snail's Mail, the new postcard store she created. And we talked about the future. Postcards connect people. An...
E50: Halfway There
January 15, 2019 02:03 - 29 minutes - 27.8 MBWe're at Episode 50. Oh, oh, we're halfway there...oh, oh, livin' on a prayer. Or at least a postcard. In this episode, I talk about a postcard auction I'm watching; talk some more about penpals and joy; and then talk about ideas. Yep, I'm asking you for ideas. Who should be on the show? What do you want to hear? I'm crowdsourcing ideas. And you can write me on [email protected]. Fifty down. And fifty more to go until we're at a century. So far, so good. Mentions: Tom Hanks Sara ...
E49: Shannon McCormick of Take a Hike Podcast
January 08, 2019 01:27 - 32 minutes - 29.9 MBFire walk with me. No, wait, that's something different. How about take a hike with me and Shannon McCormick, the creator and host of the highly acclaimed Take a Hike Podcast. But we didn't talk about hiking. We talked about odd and provocative postcards, the Postcardist Short Story Experiment, and creating connections with postcards. You can find Shannon here: Take a Hike on Apple Podcasts Take a Hike on Instagram Take a Hike on Facebook
E48: A Year in Review with Matthew Roche
December 31, 2018 01:35 - 1 hour - 60.3 MBThis show features a discussion with Matt Roche about the 2018 season of The Postcardist Podcast. We talk about the 1967 Postcard Short Story Experiment and then talk over the 47 shows of 2018 and what's coming up in 2019. It's been a terrific year at The Postcardist Podcast. Thank you to my many guests and to the cadre of dedicated listeners. You're the best.
E47: The Youngest Postcardists Wish You a Merry Christmas
December 24, 2018 13:21 - 11 minutes - 11.3 MBMy postcard story starts with writing to my grandmother when I was young. Now I'm introducing postcarding to my grandsons. On this special Christmas show, I interview Jackson and Jameson about postcards. And they make me smile. Merry Christmas. Jax at the mic Jax does the mic test with ABC 123 Jamo with his Grinch sweater Jamo writing a postcard
E46: Mailbox Memories with Ashli Ahrens
December 18, 2018 00:16 - 55 minutes - 51.3 MBAshli Ahrens creates connections with postcards, both as a postcard dealer and as a collector. And host Frank Roche was fortunate to talk to Ashli about how she started collecting postcards; her transition into being a postcard dealer; and how she creates positive ripples in the postcard world. You can find Ashli on Instagram @mailboxmemories Her physical shop can be found in Little Rock, Arkansas, at South Main Creative. And on her personal Instagram site @ashcanandwill. And you can...