Vintage 1935 Shortwave Listener (SWL) QSL Postcard Lot (5 Cards) – All Sent to W3BFK / F. Lee Terry
Up for auction is a fantastic, historically cohesive collection of five (5) original 1935 Shortwave Listener (SWL) QSL cards. This rare lot offers a fascinating snapshot of mid-Depression era radio history, featuring excellent typography, postal history, and detailed technical logs.
All five cards were sent from various operators across the Midwest and East Coast to the same dedicated operator/listener: F. Lee Terry (W3BFK) at 28 N. Second Street in Reading, Pennsylvania.
🗂️ Detailed Inventory of the Lot
- SWL-W9 (Chicago, Illinois) – Hank Green (Opr.)
- Front: Large bold "SWL-W9" and "CHICAGO U.S.A. ILLINOIS" typography. Signed by "Hank" at the bottom. Mentions a "6 tube Grunow" receiver.
- Back: Postmarked Dec 22, 1935 from Chicago, IL. Features a green 1-cent Benjamin Franklin stamp with a "Buy U.S. Savings Bonds" postal cancellation.
- W8MFV (Vandalia, Ohio) – Duke Bettelon
- Front: Massive, striking bold black block lettering for call sign W8MFV. Hand-written equipment specs list a "G.E. Sentry Box" receiver.
- Back: Postmarked Dec 21, 1935 from Vandalia, Ohio. Features a green 1-cent George Washington stamp and a long, hand-written note from the operator running up the left margin.
- SWL (Dayton, Ohio) – Ted Saunders
- Front: Vibrant, eye-catching deep red cardstock with bold black text. Proudly marks Dayton as "The Home of Aviation." * Back: Postmarked Nov 11, 1935 from Dayton, Ohio with a rare "Red Cross Roll Call - Join" slogan postal cancellation. Features a green 1-cent Washington stamp.
- W3 SWL W3 (Camden, New Jersey) – Steve Krawchuk
- Front: Clean, classic bordered design tracking a 75-meter phone band signal log.
- Back: Postmarked Jan 3, 1935 from Camden, NJ. Features a green 1-cent Washington stamp.
- "The Ole Eavesdropper Al" (Montauk Point, Long Island, NY)
- Front: Typed report card layout detailing excellent reception testing from the "very Eastern Tip of Long Island" using an 18-tube Imperial receiver.
- Back: Postmarked Mar 9, 1935 from Brooklyn, NY. Features a green 1-cent Washington stamp.
📏 Condition & Dimensions
- Size: Each card measures approximately 5.5" x 3.25" (Standard vintage postcard dimensions—see photo next to ruler for scale).
- Condition: Beautiful vintage condition overall with an authentic, uniform aged patina. Cards are crisp with solid corners and no major tears or heavy creases. Minor handling wear, edge toning, and ink transfer consistent with 90+ year-old postal ephemera. Stamped addresses and postmarks on the reverse are highly legible. Frame pictured is not included only swl cards.
📦 Shipping & Collector-Grade Packaging
- Safe Delivery: Each card will be placed in its own individual, crystal-clear archival sleeve. The entire lot will be securely flat-packed between heavy layers of rigid cardboard to completely prevent bending or moisture damage during transit.
- Tracked Shipping: Ships promptly via USPS Ground Advantage fully insured, with full tracking provided.
*A wonderful instant collection for any amateur radio shack, postal history archive, or vintage ephemera collection. You rarely find a 5-card lot sent to the exact same recipient in this condition—bid today to add this piece of 1930s Americana to your collection!