Real Photo Postcards (RPPC) | Antique Photographic Postcards

Real Photo Postcards (RPPC) are postcards produced using photographic paper rather than traditional printing methods. The earliest documented photo postcard was mailed in 1899, but the format became widely popular after Eastman Kodak introduced photographic paper with a pre-printed postcard back in 1902, making it easier for photographers and individuals to create postcards from original photographs.

Popular from the early 1900s through the 1940s, RPPCs were often made by local photographers or amateurs and issued in very small quantities—or as one-of-a-kind images. Subjects range widely, including family portraits, street scenes, businesses, animals, local events, political moments, and even natural disasters.

Because they document real people, places, and moments rather than idealized views, RPPCs are highly valued for their authenticity, detail, and historical significance. Each card offers a direct photographic record of everyday life in the early twentieth century.