Michael Lehr Antiques
Live Auction

September 2026 Vernacular Photo History Auction

Sat, Sep 19, 2026 11:00AM EDT
  2026-09-19 11:00:00 2026-09-19 11:00:00 America/New_York Michael Lehr Michael Lehr : September 2026 Vernacular Photo History Auction https://auction.michaellehrantiques.com/auctions/michael-lehr-antiques/september-2026-vernacular-photo-history-auction-24380
Our September 2026 auction is anchored by two remarkable private collections, together making up about half the sale, alongside a broader selection of consignments spanning early photography, Civil War material, and vernacular imagery. The Soffer Collection, built with an eye for rarity and historical significance, is particularly strong in vernacular portraiture, Native American photographs, and Iowa Civil War imagery. The Palmer, Massachusetts collection, much of it found at Brimfield, centers on maker-marked daguerreotypes from the golden age of the American daguerreian studio.
Michael Lehr Antiques info@michaellehrantiques.com
Lot 595

Real Photo Postcard, Acme Photo Co Advertising Composite, Kansas City

Estimate: $100 - $200
Starting Bid
$50

Bid Increments

Price Bid Increment
$0 $5
$100 $10
$200 $25
$500 $50
$1,000 $100
$2,000 $250
$5,000 $500
$10,000 $1,000
$20,000 $2,000
$50,000 $5,000
Acme Photo Co of Kansas City, Missouri produced this real photo postcard as a promotional composite showcasing the full range of their commercial photography services. The card is an RPPC format, printed on standard postcard stock with a divided back, and presents a grid of eleven individual photographs arranged across the face to demonstrate the studio's capabilities to prospective business clients.

The subjects photographed include a gasoline engine, a metal lathe with disassembled components, a sculpture of a seated nude female figure, an early telephone wall set, three leather travel trunks shown from different angles, a figural pedestal with a cherub base, a multi-story commercial building with street-level storefronts, a pavilion or bandstand in a park setting, a steel-frame building under construction, the ornamental arch of the Orpheum theatre facade, a viaduct or rail bridge, and a Knox automobile dealership exterior.

Printed text on the face reads "USE PHOTOGRAPHS TO ADVERTISE AND INCREASE YOUR BUSINESS WE PHOTOGRAPH EVERYTHING QUALITY ALWAYS" alongside a list of specialties including catalog work, construction, buildings, views, interiors, groups, machinery, and more. The imprint reads "ACME PHOTO CO" with notations "H.P.M 392" and "B.P.M 277."

The reverse is marked "Kansas City, Mo." in ink, with penciled notations including "6-05NH-KS," "A00," and a bracketed dimension marking reading "15x25." Additional handwritten script in pencil appears on the address side.

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All SHIPPING of photographs with total purchases above $500 is FREE, buyers to pay insurance at $2 per $100.