Exhibit: Stephen Willard Vintage Postcards of Palm Springs at the Welwood Murray Memorial Library
Now on display in the main room of the Welwood Murray Memorial Library–this collection shows a variety of Stephen Willard's postcards from the 1930s to the 1950s. The collection is owned by Bert Simonis.
Free; Daily 10 AM–6 PM, Thursdays 10 AM–8 PM
Category: Exhibition, Free, Self-guided, *Newly Added*
Tickets
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Details
This free exhibit offers a self-guided opportunity to examine a collection of Stephen Willard postcards on display in the main room of the historic Welwood Murray Memorial Library.
Willard printed his black and white photographs in large format, then hand-colored them with oil paint. He worked with colorists at the Curt Teich Company in Chicago to produce color postcard images on linen paper, which were then mass produced. The postcards on display date from the 1930s to the 1950s and were sold by the thousands—in galleries and shops throughout Palm Springs for a nickel each. Royalties from postcard sales allowed Willard and his wife to travel to Africa and South America when they retired.
Bert Simonis is the Architectural Bus Tour Coordinator for Modernism Week, responsible for the double-decker bus tours that take thousands of Modernism Week guests through Palm Springs in October and February. During historical research for the script that the bus guides use, he came across these Willard postcards and started collecting them. The collection now numbers well over 50 unique cards, and they are worth considerably more than the nickel they cost originally!
Learn More
Willard printed his black and white photographs in large format, then hand-colored them with oil paint. He worked with colorists at the Curt Teich Company in Chicago to produce color postcard images on linen paper, which were then mass produced. The postcards on display date from the 1930s to the 1950s and were sold by the thousands—in galleries and shops throughout Palm Springs for a nickel each. Royalties from postcard sales allowed Willard and his wife to travel to Africa and South America when they retired.
Bert Simonis is the Architectural Bus Tour Coordinator for Modernism Week, responsible for the double-decker bus tours that take thousands of Modernism Week guests through Palm Springs in October and February. During historical research for the script that the bus guides use, he came across these Willard postcards and started collecting them. The collection now numbers well over 50 unique cards, and they are worth considerably more than the nickel they cost originally!
Learn More
Free, unticketed
Things to Know
The Library is open 7 days a week, from 10:00 AM–6:00 PM, with extended hours on Thursday evenings until 8:00 PM.
This event is for all ages.
There is no dedicated parking, there are nearby public lots and street parking
This event is wheelchair accessible.
The organizer of this event is Palm Springs Public Library.
Event Check-in Location
Welwood Murray Memorial Library
100 S Palm Canyon Dr
Palm Springs, CA 92262
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Photo Credits: Bert Simonis – Catherine Rivera Design
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