Harold and Geraldine Haskins Cuban Postcard Collection
Scope and Content
This collection contains 254 postcards and two postcard leaflets from Cuba, depicting major sites in Havana and Santiago de Cuba, images of everyday life, nature and ocean views. Approximately 40 of these postcards are signed and dated with dates ranging from March 2, 1907 to June, 8 1958. Series 1 includes signed postcards, which provide not only an image of Cuba but a glimpse of intimate correspondence. Series 2 includes views of Havana and is categorized into "buildings and structures," "streets and walkways," "statues and monuments," "parks," "forts and fortresses," and "sea and ocean views," while Series 3 includes nature views. Series 4 "depictions of people and everyday life" includes images of agricultural production, sports such as jai alai, and family life such as courting and baby feeding. Series 5 includes views of Santiago de Cuba, and Series 6 includes other.
Dates
- Creation: 1907-1958
Creator
- Haskins, Harold. (Person)
- Haskins, Geraldine. (Person)
Language of Materials
Includes materials written in English, Spanish, and French.
Access
The collection is open for research.
Biographical/Historical Note
Postcards serve not only as ways to keep in touch with people over large distances, but also as artifacts that reveal important elements of history, art and communication. Postcards emerged during the nineteenth century thanks to improvements in the postal system, including making postal stamps more affordable to the public. The first postcards of Cuba were printed in Spain during the late 1800s.
Harold Haskins, owner of the Antiques Mall Downtown in Micanopy, Florida, began to collect postcards in the early 1970s when he bought a small collection of Florida postcards from an antique shop. His collection expanded immensely to include not only local postcards, but also postcards from different parts of the United States, and other regions of the world, as seen with this collection of Cuban postcards.
Extent
.38 Linear feet (1 Box (254 postcards))
Abstract
This collection includes 254 postcards and two postcard leaflets from Cuba depicting major sites in Havana and Santiago de Cuba, images of culture and everyday life, and views of the ocean and nature.
Arrangement
Within series, the collection is arranged in chronological order.
Physical Location
University of Florida Smathers Library Building
Alternate Form of Finding Aid
This guide is available in Spanish at https://www.uflib.ufl.edu/findingaids/Spanish/mss0410.pdf.
Acquisition Information
Transferred from the State Archives of Florida in 2017.
- Title
- A Guide to the Harold and Geraldine Haskins Cuban Postcard Collection
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Finding aid created by Katiana M. Bagué
- Date
- November 2017
- Description rules
- Finding Aid Prepared Using Dacs
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Description is written in English.
Repository Details
Part of the Special and Area Studies Collections, George A. Smathers Libraries, University of Florida Repository
George A. Smathers Libraries
PO Box 117005
Gainesville Florida 32611-7005 United States of America
352-273-2755
special@uflib.ufl.edu