Administrative History

The American Colortype Company (1904-1956) was a publisher of books, stereo-views, advertising items, and tinted halftone postcard of views, greetings, expositions, and military subjects.

The American Colortype Company was founded in 1904 and was based in Chicago, Illinois. They published halftone postcards that included views, greetings, expositions, and military subjects. They also produced coloring books, paper dolls, stereo-views and advertising items. In World War One, they used stock photography from Brown Brothers to produce postcards depicting different branches of the United States military and would include on the back of the card an extensive narrative evaluating the military service. The produced about 250 lithographic type stereo-views of decent photographic quality on poor-quality cardboard stock from about 1900 to 1927. These stereo-views had a broad coverage, including both the United States and Canada, but they had a specific series of stereo-views of the Klondike in Alaska in 1925. They merged with the Rapid Electrotype Company of Cincinnati to become Rapid American.

Citation:

Metropostcard.com, via WWW, July 3, 2017 (existed 1904 to 1956; based in Chicago; publisher of books and tinted halftone postcards that included views, greetings, expositions, and various military subjects; used Brown Brothers stock photography on postcards to show the U. S. military, and included narratives on the back; later merged with Rapid Electrotype Company in Cincinnati to become Rapid American).

The Yellowstone Stereoview Page, via WWW, July 3, 2017 (issued lithograph type stereo-views on very poor cardboard stock from roughly 1900 through the 1920’s; produced approximately 250 titles of decent photographic quality; coverage of their stereo-views was broad, including much of the U.S., Canada, and a noteworthy series of views of the Klondike in Alaska dated 1925; also produced coloring books, paper dolls and advertising items; stereo-views were issued to at least 1927).