Description
Wonderful 1908 Brooklyn social-history postcard showing the original Prospect Park Menagerie, the early animal collection that preceded today’s Prospect Park Zoo. The photograph captures a substantial crowd gathered around the rustic menagerie enclosures, with excellent period detail in the clothing, hats, architecture, and park setting.
Published by The Rotograph Co., New York City and printed in Germany, this is identified as D 106. The exact Menagerie view appears notably difficult to locate compared with the more commonly encountered Rotograph Prospect Park landscape scenes.
The postcard is personally dated “Aug 26 1908” on the front and was mailed during the Golden Age of American postcards. The reverse contains a lengthy handwritten message written in multiple directions to Miss Rose Richardson in New York City.
Important features include:
* Prospect Park Menagerie, Brooklyn, New York – predecessor of the modern Prospect Park Zoo
* Early 1908 photographic view with a large crowd and excellent period social-history content
* Published by The Rotograph Co., N.Y. City
* Printed in Germany, characteristic of high-quality Golden Age Rotograph production
* Rotograph identification D 106
* Front personally dated August 26, 1908
* Franked with a 1¢ Benjamin Franklin, Scott #300, 1903 Second Bureau Issue
* The 1¢ Franklin correctly paid the contemporary domestic postcard rate
* Period Brooklyn/New York postal cancellation
* Lengthy original handwritten correspondence
* Particularly appealing subject for collectors of Brooklyn, Prospect Park, early zoos, New York City history, Rotograph postcards, and social history
* Scarce Menagerie subject with the exact D 106 image proving considerably harder to locate than standard Prospect Park scenic views
Condition: Attractive antique condition with expected light edge/corner wear, age toning and handling consistent with a mailed postcard from 1908. Original writing appears across the lower front, including the date, while the reverse is extensively written and retains the original cancelled Franklin stamp. Some period/later notation is present on the address side. The photograph remains strong with excellent crowd and Menagerie detail.
Please view all the photos for the complete condition and all handwritten, postal, publisher, and photographic details.
Single cover ships via eBay Standard Envelope (tracked). If you purchase 2+ covers/postcards or request rigid packing, I’ll upgrade to USPS Ground Advantage (tracked) and combine shipping.
Because this postcard is priced above $20, it should ship via USPS Ground Advantage (tracked) rather than eBay Standard Envelope.
