Saturday, January 16, 2010

Parcel post toddler

Parcel post toddler postcard

This fantastic postcard came to me via a Sendsomething correspondent. I've seen and admired the image before; it is in the collection of the National Postal Museum at the Smithsonian. You can find out more about the original image here, but here's the gist:

"This city letter carrier posed for a humorous photograph with a young boy in his mailbag. After parcel post service was introduced in 1913, at least two children were sent by the service. With stamps attached to their clothing, the children rode with railway and city carriers to their destination. The Postmaster General quickly issued a regulation forbidding the sending of children in the mail after hearing of those examples."