Briefkaart aan Philip Zilcken Possibly 1889

This postcard to Philip Zilcken, made in 1889 by Eduard Karsen, presents a fascinating convergence of industrial production and personal communication. The card itself, likely made of pulped wood or cotton rags, speaks to the rise of mass-produced paper goods. The printed text, along with the royal crest, reveals advancements in printing technology and the streamlining of postal services. Then we have the handwritten message, in dark ink applied with a nib pen. The stamps, machine-printed and adhesive-backed, evidence of government standardization and the commodification of distance. Look closely and you can see the traces of the postal worker's labor, stamping the card to mark its journey. This humble artifact embodies the changing landscape of late 19th-century society, highlighting the ways in which industrialization touched everyday life, connecting individuals through new networks of communication and exchange.