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Barrel cactus on the desert, circa 1930s

Card type
Linen
Date
c. 1932 (Linen)
Front of Barrel cactus on the desert, circa 1930s, Mr. & Mrs. A.B. Phelps, NY, USA, c. 1932 linen postcard
Front
Back of Barrel cactus on the desert, circa 1930s, Mr. & Mrs. A.B. Phelps, NY, USA, c. 1932 linen postcard
Back

About this postcard

A desert scene with a large ribbed barrel cactus in the left foreground, surrounded by low desert scrub, yellow-flowering bushes, and a small red bloom, with hazy blue mountains under a pale sky beyond. The card's own caption names it simply "Barrel Cactus on the Desert," without identifying a state or park. Barrel cacti (Ferocactus) are native to the deserts of the American Southwest and northern Mexico, and views like this were popular souvenir subjects for tourists traveling by rail and automobile in the early twentieth century.

Postcard Details

Message · English, in pen

Dear Clara & Bunn Appreciated your Christmas greeting much. Hope you are both well. Our best wishes to you & to Helen. Did Dorothy get the picture I sent her? Give her my love. Affectionately, Florence

PublisherT. American Art Colored
314 BARREL CACTUS ON THE DESERT 1102-30 --- This peculiar type of cactus, found in the more arid parts of the desert, contains an abundance of moisture and in cases of extreme necessity has many times been a life saver. This cactus is also of commercial value being the foundation for Cactus Candy. POST CARD THIS SPACE FOR ADDRESS ONLY T. AMERICAN ART COLORED HARRY HERZ 754 E. CULVER ST. PHOENIX, ARIZONA
PostmarkedTucson, AZ, December 23, 1932, 13:30
Stamp
Addressed to
Mr. & Mrs. A.B. Phelps

Morris, NY

FromHarry Herz, 754 E. Culver St., Phoenix, AZ

Postcard record

Postmarked, Tucson, AZ
PublisherT. American Art Colored
Series314
ConditionGood
Place addressedMr. & Mrs. A.B. Phelps, Morris, NY
Place sent fromHarry Herz, 754 E. Culver St., Phoenix, AZ
Stamp1c George Washington, green, issued 1909
NotesWhite border; visible crosshatch/halftone screen texture typical of linen-era stock; small dark specks and surface blemishes in the sky area. Postmark: TUCSON ARIZ. DEC 23 1:30 PM 1932. Divided back, white border, coarse halftone "American Art Colored" print; light edge wear and a few foxing spots.

Cite this card

Barrel cactus on the desert, circa 1930s, postcard, c. 1932. PostalPast Collection. https://postalpast.com/postcard/barrel-cactus-on-the-desert-circa-1930s. Accessed October 25, 2026.