letter-card
[Cf. F. carte-lettre, G. kartenbrief.]
The official designation of a folded card, having a gummed and perforated edging, so as to be closed and sent through the post (with an impressed or an affixed stamp) as an ordinary letter.
Introduced in Belgium in 1882, in Great Britain in 1892, and now used in many countries of the world.
| 1892 (Feb.) Instructions on Letter Card, To open the letter card, tear off the edge at the perforation. 1892 Daily News 12 Feb., Letter-cards impressed with a penny postage stamp..are now on sale at every post-office... The letter-cards will be subject to all the regulations affecting letters. 1898 G. B. Shaw Philanderer ii. 107, I wish you'd ask her not to write on letter-cards. 1939 E. Ambler Mask of Dimitrios x. 194 He bought a pneumatique letter-card. 1954 I. Murdoch Under Net viii. 116 We..bought two letter cards. 1971 D. Potter Brit. Eliz. Stamps ix. 94 A popular item in the suite of stationery is the familiar letter-card. They combine the convenience of envelope and paper with the secrecy of an ordinary letter. |