Displayed on the following pages is my personal collection of "Mainzer Dressed Cats" postcard images. Also shown are the "Dressed Mice," "Dressed Dogs" and "Dressed Hedgehogs" images, for a total of 248 cards at present.These cards, known as the Humorous Dressed Cats postcards or Mainzer Dressed Cats postcards, were originally published from the 1940's through the 1960's by Alfred Mainzer Inc. in New York City, known worldwide for their postcards and greeting cards. The early postcards had a rough finish, brilliant colors, and scalloped ("deckled") edges. The cards were printed in Switzerland, Belgium, Turkey, Thailand, and Spain. An additional series of Mainzer dressed cats were published as the "Kunzli edition" - these appear to be set in older European environments, and are typically not as brightly colored as the American editions. Mainzer also did a smaller series of "dressed dogs," "dressed mice," and "dressed hedgehogs."
The artist was Eugen Hartung (or Hurtong), who lived from 1897-1973. His signature logo was a little heart with a loop or “tongue”
in the center. That symbol should appear in one of the bottom corners on the front of the postcards, though there are a few occasions when it was cut off during the printing process. The Kunzli postcards will show "Copyright Max Kunzli, Zurich 6/35" or "Edition Max Künzli, Zurich 6" imprinted on the back either with or without an “Alfred Mainzer, Inc.” address. Some of the Mainzer and Kunzli postcards will show where they were printed. Most of them will be numbered.
The charm of the postcards is not just in the fact that the cats are in everyday "people" situations, but in the amount of detail in each picture - note the pickpocket on the train, for example, or the fact that most of the "better dressed" female cats have poodles as pets.
Alfred Mainzer, Inc., recently published a new collectors' set of 126 dressed-animal postcards. The set features a die-cut deckled edge, just like some of the older print runs. They are printed on wonderfully textured linen stock. The colors are bright and the images are crisp. Included in the new set are 118 dressed cats, 7 dressed dogs, and 1 dressed mice postcards.
The cost of this set, which includes shipping and handling, is $47.00 for shipments made within the United States and $52.00 (USD) for all other locations. You can order these online using PayPal or send a check or money order payable to Kute Kats, Inc.
Pay online with your credit card or PayPal
OR
Mail check or money order
If you are in the United States:
If you are located elsewhere:
Kute Kats, Inc.
PO Box 606
Melville, NY 11747
Email: kutekat@cutecatcard.com
Click on any category below to begin your journey!
If you've been here before, click on INDEX and pick the page(s) you haven't visited yet.
If you're a collector, visit the INDEX for postcard numbers and thumbnail images.
Enjoy the pictures; but what you see here, let it stay here.
(Do not copy or direct-link to these images.)
Images © Alfred Mainzer, Inc.; permission for this display was obtained from Alfred Mainzer, Inc.
Web display and arrangement © 1998-2007 Glenda Moore
