Biography / Administrative History
Werner von Boltenstern was born in Berlin, Germany in 1904. He worked for several years as a photographer, which brought him in contact with the field of postcards. He traveled throughout Europe, selling photographs of points of interest for use on postcards. He emigrated to the United States in 1947, settling in Los Angeles where he married and raised a family. Although he changed careers to become a real estate salesman, his interest in postcards and postcard collecting continued. He was active in several Southern California postcard clubs and amassed a huge personal collection, which he donated to Loyola Marymount University in 1967. During 1969 and 1970, he also published a series of 24 monthly bulletins on the history of postcards and postcard collecting.
From the guide to the Werner von Boltenstern Postcard Collection, 1898-1970, 1907-1960, (Loyola Marymount University. Library. Department of Archives and Special Collections.)
