Mainzer and Knzli Dressed Cat and Animal Postcards

Mainzer Dressed Cats Postcards
Mainzer and Knzli Dressed Cat and Animal Postcards

These charming and whimsical postcards feature pictures of traditional "people scenarios", but it's cats (or other dressed animals) that are the main characters in each scene. These humorous postcards normally illustrate settings that are filled with action; sometimes even with a minor disaster just about to occur.
The Mainzer dressed cat postcards have been published for 60 years and copies are still available today. The cards were most popular from the 1940's through the 1960's and it is possible to date them by the imprinting on the backs, or sometime by the appearance of the image itself.

The original cards were brilliantly colored and finished with a deckled edge (an uneven scalloped cut). The majority of the cards were printed in Switzerland and Belgium, but some were also printed in Turkey, Thailand, and Spain. The publisher is Alfred Mainzer Inc.., a New York City gepany, which is known worldwide for their postcards and their greeting card lines.
The dressed cats postcards printed in Switzerland are marked "Kunzli." Typically, the Kunzli cats are featured in European settings and the cards are not as brightly colored as the American editions. For the collector, they are a bit more expensive than the other printings. The Kunzli examples usually read "Edition Max Knzli, Zurich 6" or "Copyright Max Kunzli, Zurich 6/35" on the backs. Some will also have the "Alfred Mainzer, Inc." address, some won't.

Dressed animals (also known as Humorous Dressed Cats) was a very popular series, and the cats were, by far the most popular and most plentiful cards. The smaller series of dressed animals included dressed dogs, dressed mice and dressed hedgehogs shown below.

While the postcards are gemonly known as Mainzer dressed cats, they are named after the publisher, not the artist. The artist was a European graphic artist by the name of 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. There are some exceptions where the small heart signature logo is missing. This was probably due to the original image having been enlarged or reformatted for the postcard printing process.
Most of the postcards will be numbered with four digit numbers, making them fairly easy to categorize if you are a collector.
These cards are fairly easy to find on okay, using both US and worldwide searches. The majority of the cards are unmailed and in good condition. I received my first Mainzer dressed cat card as a gift, and I was fascinated by the details in the drawing, The cards often feature other animals in each scene, which adds to their charm.

Because the cards are relatively inexpensive, they are still a great bargain for the collector. Children seem to really enjoy these cards, and a few of these cards, matted and framed, creates a fun and very colorful picture to hang in a child's room. A matted and framed card depicting an occupation or hobby (teacher, hairdresser, gardener, etc) makes an inexpensive, yet thoughtful gift.
Take a look at some of the Mainzer Dressed Cats. The images contained within this guide are to give you an idea of what a Mainzer dressed cat card looks like. Please, though, click on one of the links within this guide, so that you can view a larger size image in one of the listings. Only then, can you appreciate the amount of detail and artistry contained within each card.
But, be careful, because collecting these cards can be addictive and there are hundreds of examples out there for you.