A beginner's guide to antique and vintage postcards from the popular Curt Teich Company. The company was most famous for its vibrantly colored linen cards showing town views and advertising. Mint examples now fetch high prices at auction, though many of the more common cards can be acquired inexpensively.
In a Nutshell
- Curt Teichs are postcards published by the Curt Teich Company of Chicago, a printing company founded in 1898 by a German immigrant named...you guessed it, Curt Teich.
- In its early days, Teich's printing company focused primarily on magazine and newspaper printing. Business was so-so. Then in the early 1900s, Teich had the idea of capturing views of America's hotels, restaurants, and roadside attractions on postcards. It was a smart choice.
- The Curt Teich Company became the world's largest printer of advertising and town view postcards.
- The company is best known for its vibrantly colored linen postcards printed in the 1930s, '40s and '50s. Today, in the collectible postcard categories of hotels, motels, restaurants, advertising, and roadside attractions, Curt Teich linen cards are generally considered to be among the most valuable.
- The Curt Teich Company ceased postcard production in 1978.
- Curt Teich postcards are easily identified by the company name printed on the back.
1951 Curt Teich Postcard: Woodland Restaurant
How to Date a Curt Teich Postcard
Luckily, a documented numbering system was started in about 1922 so it is usually quite easy to pinpoint the exact age of a Curt Teich card.
Some identification can be made of cards printed between 1900 and 1922 though it is a little more difficult.
How Old Is Your Curt Teich Postcard?
You can download a free PDF copy of the official Curt Teich dating guide using the link below.
Dating Guide
Curt Teich Postcards You Can Buy
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Search Tip: Watch for Alternate Spelling
On many of its postcards, the company is listed as Curteich-Chicago.
When searching on an auction site such as eBay, it's a good idea to use both "Curt Teich" and "Curteich" as search terms so you don't miss anything.
The Curt Teich Archives
See them in person, see them online.
Thanks in part to his efforts, the Curt Teich Archives is today the largest public collection of postcards in the world. It contains images of more than 10,000 American towns and more than 87 foreign countries.
Some of the collection is on display to the public at the Lake County Discover Museum in Wauconda, Illinois.
You can also view more than 23,000 Teich postcards online through the museum's Digital Past project.
Some Reference Books
Linen Postcards: Images of the American Dream
Amazon Price: $39.95 (as of 12/02/2008) 
Linen Postcards: Images of the American Dream Price Guide 2004
Amazon Price: $11.95 (as of 12/02/2008)
Greetings From The Lincoln Highway: America's First Coast-to Coast Road
Amazon Price: $26.37 (as of 12/02/2008)
Top Prices
Because Teich kept multiple copies of every card his company printed, the Archives were able to keep 3 copies of each one for themselves and still have extras to sell.
The advertising cards fetched the highest prices.
Sold!
Linen postcard for the Merry-Go-Round Advertising Co.Sold at auction in 2006 for $382.
Sold!
Linen postcard for Atlas Snowfall Crystal Paperweights.Sold at auction in 2006 for $793.
Sold!
Linen postcard for frozen suckers from the Haggarty Products Company.Sold at auction in 2007 for $213.
