Curt Teich Co.

Curt Teich emigrated to Chicago in 1895. He had worked as a lithographer in Lobenstein, Germany.

He founded the Curt Teich Company in 1898, concentrating on newspaper and magazine printing. He was an early publisher of postcards, but he didn’t begin printing them himself until 1908.

According to MetroPostcard.com, “As his competition dwindled, his sales expanded and his American factories would eventually turn out more postcards than any other in the United States. “

The company was best known for its wide range of advertising and postcards of North America. By the 1920s, it was producing so many postcards with borders that they became recognized as a type dubbed “White Border Cards,” creating an “era.”

Curt Teich started using offset presses in 1907, but it took a number of years before he had offset presses made to his satisfaction and many more years for him to perfect the method.

His innovations in this printing technique directly led to the production of what we now call “linens” by the early 1930s.

The company aided the war effort during the second world war by also printing many military maps.

Curt Teich eventually turned management of the company over to his son, but he remained active in company operations throughout its history.

Curt Teich died in 1974 and the family business was sold to Regensteiner Publishers who continued to print postcards at the Chicago plant until 1978 when the rights to the company name and processes were sold to the Irish company, John Hinde Ltd. Their California subsidiary now prints postcards under the name John Hinde Curteich, Inc.


C.T. Photochrom


Dueber-Hampden Watch Works, Canton, Ohio. (1915)
Vintage postcard (c. 1915) depicting the Dueber-Hampden Watch Works and grounds in Canton, Ohio.

Stone Bridge in West Lawn Cemetery, Canton, Ohio (1916)
Vintage postcard (c. 1916) depicting the Stone Bridge in West Lawn Cemetery in Canton, Ohio.

Memorial Hall, Columbus, Ohio (Date Unknown)
Vintage postcard depicting the Franklin County Memorial Hall in Columbus, Ohio. This building later housed the Center of Science and Industry (COSI) science museum between 1964-1999.

C.T. American Art Colored postcards


Holy Trinity Church, Middletown, Connecticut (1920)
Vintage white border postcard (postmarked 1920) showing the Holy Trinity Church covered in moss in Middletown, Connecticut.

P.A. Myers Residence, Ashland, Ohio (1926)
Vintage postcard (c. 1926) depicting the P.A. Myers Residence in Ashland, Ohio.

Boat Racing, Rocky River, Lakewood, Cleveland’s Fashionable Suburb, Cleveland (Date Unknown)
Vintage white border postcard depicting sailboat racing on Rocky River in Lakewood, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland.

New Viaduct, Ashtabula, Ohio (1947)
Vintage postcard (c. 1947) depicting the U.S. bridge over the Ashtabula River in Ashtabula, Ohio.

McKinley Memorial, Showing Lagoon, Canton, Ohio (1923)
Vintage postcard (c. 1923) depicting the McKinley Memorial, showing the lagoon, in Canton, Ohio.

Water Works Park, Canton, Ohio (1918)
Vintage postcard (c. 1918) depicting children at the Water Works Park in Canton, Ohio. The pumping station in the background was torn down in 1938.

High Level Bridge at Night, Cleveland, Ohio (Date Unknown)
Vintage white border postcard depicting the High Level Bridge in Cleveland, Ohio, at night.

Public Square Looking North, Cleveland, Ohio (Date Unknown)
Vintage white border postcard depicting Cleveland, Ohio’s public square looking north.

Hanna Building and Hanna Annex, Cleveland, Ohio (1921)
Vintage white border postcard (c. 1921) depicting the Hanna Building and Hanna Annex in Cleveland, Ohio. It has the Cleveland Fifth City series logo and yellow streetcars.

Post Office, Columbus, Ohio (1932)
Vintage white border postcard (c. 1932) depicting the Post Office in Columbus, Ohio.

New Conneaut Viaduct, Conneaut, Ohio (Date Unknown)
Vintage white border postcard depicting the US20 Conneaut Creek Bridge in Conneaut, Ohio.

Main Street, North from Third, Showing Old and New Court Houses, Dayton, Ohio (1922)
Vintage white border postcard (c. 1922) depicting Main Street, North from Third streets in Dayton, Ohio. It shows the old and new court houses.

The Rike-Kumler Co., Dayton, Ohio (1925)
Vintage white border postcard (c. 1925) depicting the Rike-Kumler Company building in Dayton, Ohio.

Broadway, Lorain, Ohio (1917)
Vintage postcard (c. 1917) depicting the main street, or “Broadway,” through Lorain, Ohio.

Post Office, Mansfield, Ohio (Date Unknown)
Vintage postcard depicting the post office in Mansfield, Ohio. There are street lanterns and old cars in front of the building.

Monument Park, Painesville, Ohio (1949)
Vintage white border linen postcard (c. 1949) depicting Monument Park in Painesville, Ohio.

View of Southwest Cove and Dept. of Conservation Pier, Put-In-Bay, Ohio (Date Unknown)
Vintage postcard depicting the Southwest Cove and Department of Conservation Pier, Put-In-Bay, Ohio.

Curteich-Chicago “C.T. Art-Colortone” postcards


Ohio State Capitol and McKinley Memorial and Emblems of the State (1950)
Vintage linen postcard (c. 1950) depicting Ohio symbols and a scene of the Statehouse.

Public Square Showing Court House, Canton, Ohio (Date Unknown)
Vintage linen postcard depicting the Canton public square featuring the Court House in Canton, Ohio.

Canton Memorial Auditorium, Canton, Ohio (1957)
Vintage postcard (c. 1957) depicting the Canton Memorial Auditorium in Canton, Ohio.

Watching the Fish in the Trout Stream at the Blue Hole, Castalia, Ohio (1927)
Vintage linen postcard depicting visitors watching fish in the trout stream at the Blue Hole in Castalia, Ohio.

Trout Hatchery and Water Wheel at the Blue Hole, Castalia, Ohio (Date Unknown)
Vintage linen postcard (c. 1930s) picturing the Trout Hatchery and Water Wheel at the Blue Hole, Castalia, Ohio.

Blue Hole Entrance, Castalia, Ohio (1940)
Vintage postcard (c. 1940) depicting the entrance to the Blue Hole in Castalia, Ohio.

Night View of the Famous Blue Hole, Castalia, Ohio (Date Unknown)
Vintage linen postcard depicting a night scene at the Blue Hole in Castalia, Ohio.

Walk Along Trout Stream at Blue Hole, Castalia, Ohio (Date Unknown)
Vintage linen postcard depicting a scene at the Blue Hole in Castalia, Ohio.

Mill Pond and Fish Hatchery, Blue Hole, Castalia, Ohio (Date Unknown)
Vintage linen postcard depicting the Mill Pond and Fish Hatchery at the Blue Hole in Castalia, Ohio.

The Famous Blue Hole, Castalia, Ohio (Date Unknown)
Vintage linen postcard depicting the famous Blue Hole in Castalia, Ohio.

Entrance to Blue Hole, Castalia, Ohio (Date Unknown)
Vintage linen postcard depicting the entrance to Blue Hole in Castalia, Ohio.

One of the Many Beauty Spots at the Blue Hole, Castalia, Ohio (Date Unknown)
Vintage linen postcard depicting a scene at the Blue Hole in Castalia, Ohio.

The Aerating Water Wheel at the Blue Hole, Castalia, Ohio (Date Unknown)
Vintage linen postcard depicting the aerating water wheel at the Blue Hole in Castalia, Ohio.

Looking West on Broad Street from Memorial Hall, Columbus, Ohio (1933)
Vintage linen postcard (c. 1933) depicting Downtown Columbus, Ohio, looking west on Broad Street from the Franklin County Memorial Hall.

Looking West on Broad Street from Memorial Hall, Columbus, Ohio (Date Unknown)
Vintage linen white border postcard depicting Downtown Columbus, Ohio, looking west on Broad Street from Franklin County Memorial Hall.

Capitol Square, in the Heart of Columbus, Ohio (1945)
Vintage divided back linen postcard (c. 1930s) picturing the Civic Center Group and Scioto River in Columbus, Ohio, from the air.

Columbus, Ohio’s State Capitol from the Air, Columbus, Ohio (1945)
Vintage linen postcard (c. 1945) depicting downtown Columbus, Ohio, from the air. Pictured are Columbus landmarks including the A.I.U. Citadel (now, LeVeque Tower), the Scioto Riverfront, and Ohio State Office Building.

Capitol Square, in the Heart of Columbus, Ohio (1945)
Vintage divided back linen postcard (c. 1945) depicting Capitol Square in the Heart of Columbus, Ohio.

Bird’s-Eye View from LeVeque-Lincoln Tower Showing State Capitol, Columbus, Ohio (Date Unknown)
Vintage linen white border postcard depicting the view from the LeVeque-Lincoln Tower in downtown Columbus, Ohio, showing the Ohio Statehouse.

State Capitol and McKinley Memorial, Columbus, Ohio (1947)
Vintage linen postcard (c. 1947) depicting the Ohio Statehouse and the McKinley Memorial in Columbus, Ohio.

Columbus, Ohio’s State Capitol from the Air (1957)
Vintage linen postcard (c. 1957) depicting Columbus, Ohio, from the air.

Greetings from Lorain, Ohio (Date Unknown)
Vintage linen postcard wishing the receiver “Greetings from Lorain, Ohio.”

Hotel Manchester, Middletown, Ohio (Date Unknown)
Vintage linen postcard depicting scenes of the cocktail lounge and coffee shop of Hotel Manchester in Middletown, Ohio.

Part of Bathing Beach and Picnic Grounds at the New State Park at East Harbor, Just East of Port Clinton, Ohio (1952)
Vintage linen postcard (c. 1952) depicting a part of the bathing beach and picnic grounds at East Harbor State Park, just east of Port Clinton, Ohio.

Crystal Cave, Put-In-Bay, Ohio (Date Unknown)
Vintage linen postcard depicting scenes from the Crystal Cave in Put-In-Bay, Ohio.

Youngstown College, Youngstown, Ohio (1952)
Vintage postcard (c. 1952) depicting Youngstown College in Youngstown, Ohio.

Curteichcolor / Curteichcolor 3-D Natural Color Reproduction / “Curteichcolor” reproduction from Kodachrome or Ektachrome original postcards

Court Street at Night, Athens, Ohio (1970s)
1970s postcard depicting Court Street at night in Athens, Ohio, from the hill behind the armory building. It shows the Athens County Court House, Sammy’s, SOHIO station, Harris Furniture, Sherwin Williams Paints, Ferd Hack Auto Supply, Luckoff’s, and other establishments along the main drag.

College Green, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio (1970s)
1970s postcard depicting the College Green at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, from the old Baker Center (Student Union). It shows the Campus Gateway in the foreground and Cutler Hall in the distance.

Bryan Hall, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio (Date Unknown)
Vintage postcard (c. 1970s) depicting Bryan Hall (right, on hill), Tupper Hall (left, on hill), and Biddle Hall (front) at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio.

Lindley Hall, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio (Date Unknown)
Vintage postcard (c. 1970s) depicting Lindley Hall at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, with cars along Court Street.

Shivley Hall, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio (Date Unknown)
Vintage postcard (c. 1970s) depicting Shivley Hall at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio.

Washington Hall, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio (1970s)
1970s postcard depicting Washington Hall at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio.

Civic Center Group, Columbus, Ohio (Date Unknown)
Vintage postcard depicting the Civic Center Group along the Scioto River in Columbus, Ohio.

Skyline View of Columbus, Ohio (Date Unknown)
Vintage postcard depicting and aerial view of Columbus, Ohio, and the Scioto River.

Ohio State Office Building and Le Veque-Lincoln Tower, Columbus, Ohio (Date Unknown)
Vintage postcard depicting the Civic Center Group including the Ohio State Office Building and LeVeque-Lincoln Tower along the Scioto River in Columbus, Ohio, at night.

The Three Bridges and Ohio River, Showing Children’s Home, Between East Liverpool and Steubenville, Ohio (Date Unknown)
Vintage linen postcard depicting the three bridges and Ohio River between East Liverpool and Steubenville, Ohio. The Children’s Home can be seen in the background.

Sohio Refinery, Lima, Ohio (Date Unknown)
Vintage chrome postcard depicting the Sohio Refinery in Lima, Ohio.

Crystal Cave, Put-In-Bay, Ohio (Date Unknown)
Vintage postcard depicting the interior of one of the caves at the Crystal Cave in Put-In-Bay, Ohio.

Stambaugh Building and Public Square, Youngstown, Ohio (Date Unknown)
Vintage linen postcard depicting the Stambaugh Building and Public Square in Youngstown, Ohio.

Curteich & Co. Inc.


Skyline Showing Cherry Street Bridge, Toledo, Ohio (1936)
Vintage postcard (c. 1936) depicting the Cherry Street Bridge and the Toledo, Ohio skyline.

Source: Metro Postcard