Palm Springs

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I've long known that hand colored black & white photographs were the most common source material for linen postcards, and with this one, I have some proof. Credited on the back, "PHOTOGRAPH BY STEPHEN H. WILLARD, PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA." Willard was born in Illinois in 1894 and as a young man moved to the Palm Springs area where he built a career as photographer and artist. He was especially know for his hand painted black & white photographs. I found an example of one, the original photo painted over with oils, on sale for $600 at a gallery in Santa Monica, California. Willard died in 1966, and his daughter donated over 16,000 pieces of his work to The Palm Springs Desert Museum as The Stephen H. Willard Photography Collection and Archive. The card's caption reads, "The many and colorful costumes of the desert lend pleasure to outdoor living in this delightful spot." Postmark, "PALM SPRINGS CALIF., NOV 28, 3 PM 1942." The card was addressed to "Mr. J H. Rutland c/o Kirtland's St. Petersburg, Florida." The message, "Dear Jeff, 11/28 You certainly would disappointed if you came here. We are having a nice trip. Regards from Mrs. Lord. Myself to Ma Rutland, (name obscured), and yourself. Irving" I can only imagine that Irving was in a hurry and left out not be between would and disappointed in his note to Jeff Rutland.