Rare Original Hand Painted Photograph KEY PLATE Artifact Used In Printing Iconic 1915 San Francisco PPIE POSTCARD
A rare and forgotten artifact of early 20th century postcard printing. This original black & white 1915 Panama Pacific International Exposition Key Plate photograph is mounted on cardboard, measures 9.75" x 6.75" and features unique hand painted alterations and additions. Used as the Key Plate for printing a well known chromolithographed architectural postcard of the Utah State Building. The photograph was taken by the Cardinel-Vincent Company, official PPIE Photographers. Hand painted and retouched by production staff at the San Francisco postcard empire of Edward H. Mitchell's Souvenir Publishing Company & Pacific Novelty Company. The hand painted details include: title lettered by hand; postcard series number painted in; American flags painted; sky darkened; clouds hand painted; man with top hat, walking stick and shadow painted in; woman ascending stairs with shadow painted in; shadows and perspective accentuated; and painted crop marks. VERY GOOD Condition: light foxing, a thin horizontal crack/line in the paint, cardboard is slightly bowed, otherwise an excellent and historic deltiology piece. See photos for an image of the chromolithographed Utah Building postcard (not included).