Witch You Were Here: Witches on Halloween Postcards

Feast your eyes on bewitching correspondence from the early 20^th century. As Halloween gained popularity in the United States, spooky mail proliferated between 1905 and 1915, during what’s known as the Golden Age of Postcards. Numbering over 3,000, these pieces of snail mail worked to codify Halloween imagery and create cultural icons—especially the witch. From wizened old hags to beautiful young women and cherub-like girls, witches cast their spell on society and became synonymous with All Hallows’ Eve.

Witches on Halloween postcards engage in all sorts of magical pursuits, like riding broomsticks, stirring cauldrons, and casting spells. They’re often depicted with their familiars, typically black cats and owls. And you can be damn certain you’ll never catch a witch without her pointy hat. 🧙‍♀️

As you take an enchanted tour through these vintage postcards, be careful, lest you be bewitched!

Witches on Halloween Postcards

Circa 1900, Toronto Public Library

1900, The New York Public Library

1900, The New York Public Library

1910, The New York Public Library

1900, The New York Public Library

1910, Newberry Library

Circa 1910, Ellen H. Clapsaddle, Toronto Public Library

1910, Raphael Tuck & Sons, Totally Historic

1913, Barton & Spooner, Enoch Pratt Free Library

1913, E. Nash Company, Enoch Pratt Free Library

Raphael Tuck & Sons, Toronto Public Library

Circa 1912, Toronto Public Library

Circa 1909, American Postcard, Toronto Public Library

1911, Frances Brundage, Samuel Gabriel Company, Enoch Pratt Free Library

1910, Samson Brothers, Toronto Public Library

Circa 1914, Fairman Co., Toronto Public Library

1920, Gibson & Co. (Cincinnati, Ohio), Enoch Pratt Free Library

Gibson & Co. (Cincinnati, Ohio), Enoch Pratt Free Library

George C. Whitney, Enoch Pratt Free Library

Samuel Gabriel Company, Enoch Pratt Free Library

Metropolitan News Co., Enoch Pratt Free Library

1908, Raphael Tuck & Sons, Toronto Public Library

Whitney Co., Toronto Public Library

Circa 1909, Ellen H. Clapsaddle, S. Garre, Toronto Public Library

1907, Reichner Bros., Enoch Pratt Free Library

1912, Raphael Tuck & Sons, Enoch Pratt Free Library

1910, Indiana State Library and Historical Bureau.

Circa 1909, International Art Pub Co., Toronto Public Library

1910, Raphael Tuck & Sons, The New York Public Library

Gibson & Co. (Cincinnati, Ohio), Enoch Pratt Free Library

Enoch Pratt Free Library

Circa 1915, Toronto Public Library

Circa 1923, Whitney Co., Toronto Public Library

1909, L.R. Conwell, Enoch Pratt Free Library

George C. Whitney, Enoch Pratt Free Library

1913, Gibson & Co. (Cincinnati, Ohio), Enoch Pratt Free Library

Calling All Collectors

If you’re a vintage postcard aficionado and would like to start your own collection of Halloween postcards, the following collectors’ guides will aid in your journey. Alternatively, you can pick up a copy just because you like pretty pictures!

*The following links are Amazon affiliate links, which means I earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no cost to you.

For more beautiful vintage postcards, check out the following posts:

• Vintage Halloween Postcards in the Early 20^th Century
• Haunted Greetings: A Gallery of Halloween Postcards
• A Grateful Gallery of Thanksgiving Postcards
• Vintage Christmas Postcards That Will Melt Your Frosty Heart