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Z - Topicals

Zeppelins - Many postcards were made depicting zeppelins, rigid framed airships propelled by motor, and their giant hangers. Most of these cards are from Germany since the design was originated there and they built a large fleet of well over a hundred ships. Other countries also published postcards of these German craft as they paid visits on international trips. By World War One they stopped being presented as images of a bright future and were instead depicted as instruments of terror because of their use in silent bombing raids. But as wartime memories faded they grew once again into symbols of modernity and were almost always included in futurist postcards. After the world’s largest Zeppelin, the Hindenburg burned in 1937 production of these giant craft dwindled.

Zodiac - There has always been interest in the ancient arts of Astrology so it is not surprising that images of the twelve zodiac signs have been portrayed on postcards. While some images are very creative others tend to be rather plain.

Zoos - Animals had been collected for the menageries of the nobility for centuries but the first public display was created in Vienna in 1752. After the London Zoo was established in 1828 it inspired many more to be created throughout the world. The first zoo in the United States was set up in New York’s Central Park in 1860. The zoos that first appeared on postcards are very different from those found today. The older institutions were more concerned with public entertainment than education as animals were taught tricks and kept in prison-like environments.