This small collection of postcards came to USC chiefly through the California Historical Society. Many of them appear to have originated with the same few families, based on notes and addresses on them. The images are of geographic subjects especially California, but there are also many European scenes and some non-geographical postcards.

The collection reflects the activities of the California Historical Society’s Southern California Branch from the late 1970s through the early 1990s. The primary visual collection was the C.C. Pierce photographic collection, acquired by the Society from the Title Insurance and Trust Corporation (TICOR) in 1941. The majority of the photographic materials have been digitized and incorporated into the USC Digital Library.