Early Canadian Postcards
On January 1, 1895, the Post Office Department of the Canadian Government permitted “Private Post Cards” to be mailed at the same rate as government issued post cards. These early private post cards had blank backs.
On December 9, 1897 the Post Office announced that "designs, illustrations, portraits, sketches or other forms of advertisement may be engraved, lithographed, printed, etc., on the 'address' side of the one-cent Post Card." Again, only the address was allowed to be written on the stamp side, and space was left around the image for any message from the sender. The back was labelled Private Mailing Card with a outlined box designated for the stamp.

City of Hamilton
Private Post Card, unused

City of Hamilton
Private Post Card, unused

City of Hamilton
Private Post Card, unused
All three City of Hamilton Private Post Cards are different sizes


Gore Park
Private Post Card, unused
Sir John A MacDonald Monument
Private Post Card, unused

Normal School
Private Post Card, unused


Canada Life Building
Private Mailing Card, unused

Elevated Railway to the Mountain
Private Mailing Card, unused

The Gore
Private Mailing Card, August 8, 1904

Gore Park
Private Mailing Card, April 8, 1904
Examples of PMC's where the space around the image is filled with the message.


City Hall
PMC, August 26, 1905
James St. South
PMC, August 5, 1905

Sir John MacDonald Monument
PMC, unused


City Hall
PMC, Postmarked November 24, 1903

Piers, Hamilton Mountain and Dundurn Park
Private Mailing Card, unused
Found on many private post cards was "Postal Card - Carte Postale" which indicated it was allowed to enter the international mail system.

Gore Park and
King Street West
PMC, unused


East End Incline and
Hamilton & Barton Incline
PMC, Postmarked January 21, 1904

Hamilton Market and Parke & Parkes Drug Store
Private Postal Card, unused


Public Library, Post Office and T.H.&B. Station
(I am not sure how to label this Beautiful Vignette of 3 Hamilton Landmarks)
unused