Presidential Landing and Pier 13 Commonwealth Postcard

This is a linen postcard showing the ‘Presidential Landing and Pier 13, Manila, Philippines.’ divided back, not postally-used, printed around 1940. This type was distributed by Philippine Educational Company Inc. (PECO) was popular souvenirs for tourists, students and collectors. This type of postcard circulated until mid-1950’s.

Pier 13 is located at the Manila south harbor, One can appreciate the clean Manila Bay and its surrounding areas during the commonwealth time. According to serious postcard collectors, PECO used to monopolize the distribution of these type of postcards until some entrepreneurs began using photo postcards and targeting schools, organizations and families. Goodwill Bookstore, G. Miranda and National Bookstore then started to issue their own postcard series.

  This one has a white border and has a serrated edge perforation

Linen Postcard

Linen postcards were printed in the United States from the 1930’s until the late 1950s. The majority of the issued postcard for the Philippines, Guam, Marianas and Puerto Rico during this time period were printed in the United States.

Unknown to many,these were not made out of linen, which is derived from flax, but they did have a high rag content, which means the paper contained a certain amount of cotton fiber. Instead, linen actually refers to the surface texture of the postcard.

This postcard was probably kept in an old photo album because of the sticky back side and some damages incurred by the previous postcard collector.

At the back, includes Genuine Curteich, Chicago “C.T. Photo Colorit” postcard US Pat. Of.

Curt Teich Company was founded in Chicago, Illinois, by Curt Teich (1877–1974) in 1898. The company printed postcards, view postcards, and advertising cards, and became the world’s largest printer of postcards.

Japanese Occupation

Importing of postcards ceases during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines ( from 1942- 1945) and very few reached the country. Most of the highly sought after postcards are on the hand of serious postcard collectors. Postcards that circulated within the country where the old stocks held by PECO or secondary retailers. Most of the interesting postcard collection just before and after the war were presumed destroyed or lost during the liberation of Manila.

What ever remained in the hands of early postcard collectors ( deltiologists), souvenir hunters or memorabilia collectors were either lost in time, eaten by termites,mishandled,thrown in garbage bin or lost in fire.

This type of postcards is quite rare or even scare even in stamp club swap meet or some collecting club’s auction.

I bought this postcard along with the Nipa Hut Muslim House Seascape postcard  and Moro Carabao Sled postcard at the recent RetoCon2019.

References and Sources:

Personal interview with postcard collectors

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