1907 Messenger Boy by Gassaway
1907 vintage postcard. So much history packed into one card: We see a young messenger boy dressed in an ADT Messenger boy livery smoking (!) a cigarette. In the background is a housefire he is clearly responsible for starting. A lady in full Edwardian dress frantically throws her hands in the air, screaming out to the Messenger Boy who remains oblivious. Her daughter weeps, rubbing tears from her eyes. Her young son clings to her. The dog simply looks on, as dogs do, lol.
A common theme in Edwardian humor disparaged the working class and servants. Then we have child labor. A child smoking. American District Telegraph (ADT) messengers were a common theme in board games, books, and media - life.
In 1874, 57 district telegraph delivery companies affiliated and became "American District Telegraph" (ADT). Ironic to the postcard subject matter, ADT expanded into fire alarms and security alarms in 1910.
Copyright 1906 Rotograph Co, N.Y. postcard, illustrated by Katherine Gassaway, famous for illustrating Isaac Coale Jr's The Sambo Book published in 1898. Desirable postcard.
"The Messenger Boy," showing an apparent ADT Messenger Boy smoking and ignoring the burning house behind him.
Unposted, minor foxing - see images. Artist signed. Katharine Gassaway with rounded corner box outlining signature. Artist-signed postcards, which are reproductions of original works of art, are the most collectible postcards in the field.
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