GEORGE TOWN: Some collectors are drawn to the postcards’ stamps, others treasure the decades-old postmarks, while some simply love the handwriting and heartfelt messages from an era long before instant messaging.
At the Lorong Kulit flea market, collectors can still uncover old postcards carrying fragments of other people’s journeys, friendships and family ties.
Among the finds are postcards sent from Europe to Malaya, including one dating back to 1934 and another from the 1950s describing a visit to Pulpit Hill overlooking Oban Bay in Scotland.
The latter was addressed to a woman living in Jalan Burma and contained a brief account of the hill, its scenic views, the poor weather and a warm note of affection from the sender, Nyet.
For peddler Abdullah Hassan, 72, who sells old photographs, postcards, magazines and other keepsakes at the flea market in Jalan Datuk Keramat, such items are far more than discarded pieces of paper.
Priced between RM10 and RM20, many of the postcards come from personal belongings cleared out of old homes.
“People clean out their houses and postcards are rarely kept, especially if they’ve been passed down for years.
“Sometimes, people contact us about boxes filled with old photographs, membership cards, postcards and magazines.
“Other times, the items are discarded or passed from one trader to another before they eventually reach me,” he said yesterday.
Abdullah, a retired Royal Malaysian Air Force serviceman, said old postcards preserve memories that many collectors find meaningful.
“This one dates back to 1934, when Malaya was still under British rule. It may only contain a simple update to family or friends, but the stamps and postmarks make it special because they capture a specific moment in time,” he said.
According to Abdullah, collectors are drawn to postcards for different reasons.
“Some collect them for display, others admire the stamps or handwriting, while some are fascinated by the messages themselves.
“There are many types of collectors. Some even sell special pieces to me, including old photographs and postcards,” he said.
