As previously mentioned on page one, the Haynes family were the largest publisher of Yellowstone postcards, but they werenot the only game in town and many other companies made successful inroads on Yellowstone postcard sales. Detroit Photographic/Publishing Co. was probably the next largest vendor of Yellowstone Park postcards, spanning the time from 1900 into the 1920s, utilizing a variety of slightly different formats. Some of the other more popular publishers were: Acmegraph Co. of Chicago; Bloom Bros. Co.; Detroit Publishing Co.; E.C. Kropp; H.H. Tammen Co., International Postal Card Co. (IPPC), J.L. Robbins Co.; Edward H. Mitchell;  Sanborn Souvenir Co.; Scheuber Drug Co.; Souvenir Post Card Co; and W.S. & A.F Berry of Gardiner. Below are examples of postcards from a wide sampling of publishers. And of course, these publishers may have numerous different series and varieties not shown here. A publisher's logo is also posted when available, although they may have used more than one logo over the years or none at all.  Publisher's card counts date to 1995 so undoubtedly the known counts may be higher now. Counts may not include all the minor variations in obverse or reverse.
                                                
Thanks to the Metropolitan Post Card Club of New York City for some of the publisher info.
Please visit their great website!

 Thanks also to the Yellowstone Postcard Checklist, first published 1995 by Michael H. Francis and Kathleen M. Burke
                 
(Postcards are from the Robert V. Goss collection unless otherwise noted)

Wm. Berry (W.S. Berry) and his wife Aurinda Ferris (A.F. Berry) operated the Gardiner Photographic Studio beginning around 1902 until 1918. Together they produced quite a few postcards of the Yellowstone area, including those of wildlife and flower subjects. The postcards were listed as published by “W.S. & A.F. Berry." At least 35 known YNP cards published.

No. 61  A Wylie Coach, ca1904
Made in Germany

An American oil company founded in 1875 as the Continental Oil and Transportation Company that is now a brand of gasoline and service station in the United States belonging to the ConocoPhillips Company. Before the 2002 merger with Phillips, Conoco had its headquarters in what is now the current ConocoPhillips headquarters in the Energy Corridor of Houston, formerly known as the Conoco Center. It currently still operates the largest oil refinery in Oklahoma and one of the largest in the United States. [wikipedia]

Old Faithful Geyser
ca1940s?

The Detroit Publishing Co.   1880’s-1936    Detroit, MI

The Detroit Photographic Co. began printing Yellowstone PC’s in 1899. By 1904 they changed their name to the Detroit Publishing Company and became the sole American company to license the Swiss photochrom process, which they registered in 1907 under the name Phostint. When the well known Western photographer William Henry Jackson joined the company as a partner, he added his thousands of negatives to the company’s inventory. The quality of their cards are considered some of the finest produced in America. Detroit went into receivership in 1924 but printed contract cards until 1932. Probably the 2nd largest publisher of Yellowstone postcards after Haynes.

9867 - Silver Gate and the Hoodoos
Undivided back, ca1902

Olive Fell   
ca1940-50s    Cody, WY

Olive Fell grew up in Wyoming, and after studying at the Art Institute of Chicago and the Art Students League in New York, she returned to her home state. She settled on the Four Bear Ranch near Cody and lived there for the rest of her life. In the 1930s, Fell developed her popular "Little Bear Cubs" design on cards and novelties, which sold to tourists in the national parks and resorts. During the 1940s and 50s, she continued to create postcards and posters for Yellowstone National Park. In 1935, the artist began painting Native American children with oils and later acrylics. She also sculpted wildlife in wood, rock, and stone. At least 5 known Yellowstone postcards.

World Traveler
ca1948
Photo source internet auction

John C. Haberstroh    
ca1916-1940   Livingston, MT

In 1906 Haberstroh began job working for the Sax and McCue (later Sax and Fryer) stationary and variety store in Livingston, MT. He worked there until 1925, when he bought a controlling interest in the store from Mr. Sax. John first began making photographs in 1915, using a folding Kodak model 3A (post card camera), a camera he used exclusively for over thirty years. His growing talent and knowledge of photography led to his becoming manager of the photography department for Sax and Fryers in the early twenties and through store displays John began to successfully market his photographs. He retired in 1945 but continued to photograph. At least 4 known YNP cards.

Old Faithful Geyser
Copyright 1936
Real Photo Postcard
Photo Source internet auction

Franz Huld  
1904-1908    New York, NY

Published a variety of card types but mostly view-cards of the Northeast and of Florida. Most of his cards were printed using an open halftone and sometimes hand coloring was added to limited sections of the image. They also produced many novelties, a set on the San Francisco earthquake, and installment card sets for which they are well noted. Huld filed for bankruptcy in 1914 but he probably stopped publishing cards in 1909.  At least 6 known YNP cards.

271 Yellowstone Park, Gibbon Falls
Private Mailing Card, ca1906
Photo Source Internet Auction

The IPCCo published a wide variety of color halftone lithographic cards in series that were printed in Leipzig, Saxony. These cards tended to use brighter than average colors and were titled in a very distinct font. In 1909 they stopped importing cards from Germany and began printing their own. A large number of black & white cards were produced in a more open halftone with some being poorly hand colored. These black & white cards were numbered consecutively. At least 66 known YNP cards published.

East Entrance Golden Gate, #88-1
Embossed Version, ca1909



Notice the embossing showing through on the back of this card.

Johnston & Bordewyk
ca1952    Rapid City, SD

At least 22 Yellowstone images published, Generally numbered in a 100-series.


100 Giant Geyser
Hurling its geyser of boiling water and steam 250 feet into the air for 1-1/2 hours every six to fourteen days, this magnificent geyser is the highest in the world.
Linen-Style PC
Photo source internet auction.

E. C. Kropp & Company   
1907-1956    Milwaukee, WI

M. Rieder, Publ. 
1901-1915    Los Angeles, CA

J.L. Robbins Co.  
1920-1936    Spokane, WA

A publisher of regional view-cards, American Indians, and cowboy song cards. Most of these tinted halftone cards were contracted out to Curt Teich. They apparently became the Robbins-Tillquist Co. at some point. At least 107 known YNP cards published.

1323 Northern Pacific Railway and Entrance Arch, Gardiner, Montana

H. A. Rost Printing & Publishing Co.   1894-1906   New York, NY

Incorporated in 1894 the business was run by Ernst and Hermann Rost. They began producing cards at least as early as 1898 with views of New York City and expanded their focus to other states, famous men, and warships as well. Rost had anticipated the Private Mail Act of 1898 and had begun to print tricolor cards with mail card backs before they were authorized. Many of these cards had to be trimmed down later as he did not expect the change in size required by Postal Authorities. They seem to have stopped producing postcards in 1905 though they remained in business as general printers. At least 2 known YNP cards published.

Mammoth Hot Springs
#665 Private Mailing Card
Photo source Internet auction

Sanborn Souvenir Co.  
1920-1976    Denver, CO

A publisher of books and postcards of the American West, but mostly of Colorado and Wyoming. Harold Sanborn first produced real photo postcards carried just the Sanborn name written in Scipt on the obverse. He and his son Bill later went on to produce tinted halftone postcards and eventually photochromes. At least 163 known YNP cards published. Derick Wangaard purchased the company in the 1990s and gained access to over 40,000 of their photographs. At least 177 known YNP cards published.

1067 Lake Yellowstone by Moonlight
Asahel Curtis Photo for NPRy, ca1934

Click below to view one of their earlier Real-Photo cards of the Roosevelt Arch in Gardiner MT.
Obverse
Reverse

Souvenir Post Card Company   1905-1914   New York, NY

A major publisher of a variety of postcard types, they used 3 different printers over the course of their business, which changed the look of their cards. Some early cards were printed with the name E. Frey on them who may have been the owner. The company was purchased by Valentine and Sons and they produced cards in America under the name Valentine-Souvenir Company. At least 25 known YNP cards published.

10158 Mound Terrace From Above, ca1907

H.H. Tammen Curio Co.  
1896-1953    Denver, CO

Harry Heye Tammen (1856-1924) moved to Denver in 1880. With partner Charles Stuart they est. the firm of H.H. Tammen & Co. in 1881. It became the H.H. Tammen Curio Co. in 1896 with partners Carl Litzenberger and Joseph Cox. Deeply interested in mineralogy, he sold mineral specimens & collections.  He also dealt in stereoscopic and other photos of the West (supplied by photographer W.H. Jackson), photo albums, books on the West, silver souvenir spoons, a variety of humorous and scenic postcards (especially of mining areas), fossil fish, polished agates, botanical specimens, Indian pottery & carvings, relics and taxidermy items from his stores in Denver. The H.H.T. Curio Co. was in business until 1953, and possibly as late as 1962. Their logo does not appear on all their cards but other graphic elements often remain the same. At least 213 known YNP cards published.

3016 "Pahaska Teepe," Col. W.F. Cody's Famous Hotel in the Rockies

Tanner Souvenir Co.    
ca1905-1919    New York, NY

Founded by Walter S. Tanner, President, the business operated at least from 1909-1919. At least 3 YNP postcards published.

Steamer E.C. Waters, Yellowstone Lake
ca1908
Photo source Internet auction

Tex Holms,
Pioneer Yellowstone Guide  
ca1907-15    Cody, WY


Aron "Tex Holm" began leading camping parties into Yellowstone in the early 1900s. In 1910 he built Holm Lodge, near the East Entrance of the park. In the years following he concentrated his efforts on transportation in and around the park. His company went bankrupt after the 1915 season.
See my Tex Holm page in my Camping Companies Section.



Tex Holm Ready for a Dude Party,
Cody, Wyo.
No.D8800, Printed in Germany
Postmark 1909

Raphael Tuck & Sons  
ca1860s-1917    London

Raphael Tuck and his wife started this business in London in 1866 selling pictures and greeting cards. They eventually sold postcards, which became the most successful. Their business was one of the most well known in the 'postcard boom' of the late 1800s and early 1900s. During The WWI Blitz, the company headquarters, Raphael House, was destroyed including the originals for most of their series. The company never fully recovered. At least 22 known YNP cards were published.

Pulpit Terrace at Mammoth Hot Springs
Undivided Back, ca1907, PM 1908
Printed inn Germany
Photo source Internet auction

Union Pacific Railroad

The UPRR completed their transcontinental rail line in 1869 through northern Utah and the following year the Utah & Northern RR was created to build a line from Utah to Butte MT and the gold fields of Montana. The line was completed in 1881 and various stage companies began transporting tourists from the rail line around the Montana-Idaho border on a 1-1/2 day stage ride to the west entrance of Yellowstone. A spur line was completed in 1907 to that entrance where a town grew up that would become West Yellowstone. With this accomplishment the UPRR could effectively compete with the Northern Pacific RR who accessed the north entrance of Yellowstone. Passenger service to Yellowstone ended in 1960.

Union Pacific System - Yellowstone Park
Panama-Pacific Exposition, San Francisco
1915 - Printed by Pacific Novelty Co.
"Map of Yellowstone Park, Largest in the World, 50,000 square feet."

Click here to see my page on Old Faithful Inn and the Panama Pacific Exposition

A major publisher of views, the Valentine Company, a lithographic printing firm, was founded in 1825 in Dundee, Scotland by John Valentine. In 1880 Valentine began producing Christmas cards and by 1896 they began printing postcards. Up until 1882 they had only published views of Scotland, but they began expanding into other tourist markets especially after their postcard business took off. Other offices opened in Jamaica, Madeira, Norway, Tangier, Canada, and New York. They purchased the Souvenir Post Card Company and produced cards in America under the Valentine Souvenir Co. At least 7 known YNP cards published.

Silver Gate
ca1907, Printed in Great Britain
#200,287

The Wylie Camping Company, with its humble beginnings in 1883, arose to become the premier camping experience in Yellowstone until 1917. Originated by William Wallace Wylie, the operation became the standard to emulate by other camps companies in Yellowstone. Sold by W.W. Wylie to AW Miles and HW Child in 1905 the company continued to expand and improve the Wylie Way operations through 1916. After that time a mandated consolidation of the camping companies by the Interior Dept forced the merger of the Wylie and Shaw & Powell companies into a new organization that became known as the Yellowstone Park Camping Co. There were over a dozen PCs produced by the company.

Wylie's Swan Lake Camp
Series 3

Visit my web page on the Wylie Camping Co.

For information on a fascinating precurser (of sorts) to postcards, check out my page on Yellowstone Trade Cards.

Yellowstone Trade Cards, also known as Advertising cards, are a fascinating novelty for the Yellowstone collector and enthusiast.  They pre-date the postcard era and present a beautiful collection of artwork. In its original sense, the "trade" in trade card referred to its use by the proprietor of a business to announce his trade, or line of business. Later on, as emphasis shifted to the exchange or trade of cards by enthusiasts and collectors, the phrase “trade cards” evolved into "trading cards."  By the 1880s, trade cards had become a major method of advertising business products and services. Some of the products most heavily advertised by trade cards were medicine, food, coffee, tea, tobacco, clothing, household goods, sewing notions, stoves, and farm equipment.  Slightly smaller than postcards (3"x5"), the cards were originally handed out by grocers and storekeepers, but by the mid-1880's, many companies began  to include advertising cards, or "trade cards" inside the packaging of their product in order to tout the virtue of their merchandise.