• Antique pre-linen color lithograph postcard of the Young Men’s Christian Association in Cincinnati, Ohio, circa 1915–1920.
  • Young Men's Christian Association CINCINNATI OHIO Antique Linen Postcard Circa 1918
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Cincinnati News Company

Young Men’s Christian Association, Cincinnati Ohio Postcard – Pre-Linen Color Lithograph c. 1915–1920

Young Men’s Christian Association, Cincinnati Ohio Postcard – Pre-Linen Color Lithograph c. 1915–1920

$12.00 USD
$12.00 USD
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AT A GLANCE

Title:
"Young Men's Christian Association"
Publisher:
Cincinnati News Company
Type:
Standard Size Postcard (3 ½” x 5 ½”)
Subject:
YMCA building, civic architecture
Style:
Architectural landmark | Travel souvenir
Era:
Early 20th Century (1900 - 1945)
Circa:
1915 - 1920
Print type:
Color halftone lithograph
Condition:
Excellent (EX)
Color:
Color (pre-linen palette)
Postcard:
Lithograph (Pre-linen Color)
Location:
Cincinnati, Ohio USA
Postmark:
Unposted | Unused
Notes:
E.C.K. Co. divided-back stamp box #20279

Low stock: 1 left

Antique pre-linen color lithograph postcard featuring the Young Men’s Christian Association building in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio.

Collector’s Note

Early YMCA postcards are collected for their connection to American urban history, civic architecture, and the social organizations that shaped downtown life during the early 20th century. Decorative pre-linen examples with ornamental borders and strong architectural imagery are especially desirable among postcard and Cincinnati history collectors.

This early 20th-century souvenir postcard depicts the Cincinnati YMCA in richly colored architectural detail, accented with ornamental side borders characteristic of decorative publisher designs popular during the 1910s. The stately multi-story building is rendered in warm brick tones with early automobiles and pedestrians adding period charm to the bustling city scene.

Published by the Cincinnati News Company, the divided-back postcard features a green E.C.K. Co. (E. C. Kropp Company) stamp box design numbered 20279. The decorative four-corner E.C.K. Co. format was commonly used during the 1910s through the early 1920s, helping date the card to approximately 1915–1920. Printed using a halftone color lithographic process prior to the linen postcard era, the card retains the softer coloration and smooth surface typical of pre-linen production.

Condition is excellent with light age-appropriate wear. Packaged in a protective postcard sleeve

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Postcard Eras & Collecting Guide

  • Real Photo Postcards (c. 1890–1945)

    Early printed lithographs and Real Photo Postcards (RPPC) offer rich historical detail, documenting towns, events, family portraits, and everyday life. Disaster postcards depicting floods, fires, train wrecks, and other catastrophic events, were a popular way to share news as photographs could quickly be turned into postcards. Many RPPCs are scarce and unique due to their small‑batch production.

    Browse Real Postcards 

  • Pre-Linen Litho & Linen Postcards (c. 1907–1950)

    Pre‑Linen Litho cards (c. 1907–1929) were printed using smooth chromolithography and tinted halftone methods, producing soft, painterly views before the textured linen era. Linen postcards (c. 1930s–1950s) introduced high–rag‑content paper with a woven surface and bold saturated colors that reflected the optimism postwar travel culture. Together, these eras showcase the shift from early color printing.

    Browse Pre-Linen Litho and Linen Postcards 

  • Chrome Postcards (c.1939–)

    Chrome postcards, introduced in 1939, feature glossy surfaces, vivid color, and photographic imagery made possible by modern color film processes. The term “chrome” derives from Kodachrome, Eastman Kodak’s groundbreaking color film. Mid‑century examples depicting motels, highways, city skylines, national parks, and tourist destinations are collected for their documentation of postwar American travel and roadside culture.

    Browse Chrome Postcards