Step into the haunted charm of an Edwardian Halloween with this evocative 1910 postcard, postmarked October 28, 1910, from St. Louis, Missouri.
A classic piece of early 20th-century Halloween folklore and superstition, this postcard captures the eerie magic believed to take place on All Hallows' Eve, when the veil between worlds is thin—and the unknown peers back.
The illustrated front shows a frightened man gazing into a hand mirror by candlelight. Behind him, a ghostly feminine figure hovers in the shadows, silently pointing—perhaps guiding him… or warning him. A wall clock ticks down the final hour, and the border of grinning jack-o’-lanterns frames the supernatural scene in traditional Halloween festivity.
Beneath the image, a haunting little rhyme reads:
"There is a maid for every man
And every man be free
At this last hour of Hallowe'enBy him to find the 'she.'"
A vintage “Halloween Greetings” in green letters marks the bottom of the card, completing this perfect mix of romance, dread, and mysticism.
A Glimpse into Halloween Mirror Lore:
This postcard depicts a now-forgotten Halloween ritual once popular in the 19th and early 20th centuries. At the stroke of midnight on Halloween, it was said that if a person looked into a mirror by candlelight—often while eating an apple or walking backward—they would see the face of their future spouse over their shoulder. What began as a romantic folk tradition quickly took on a spookier edge in popular imagery, with postcards like this capturing both the hope and the horror of seeing someone—or something—unexpected in the glass.
The ghostly woman pointing over the man’s shoulder may be a spectral bride, a spirit guide… or perhaps a warning that some doors, once opened, cannot be closed.
The postcard was sent to Mr. C.D. Evers, Jr., right in St. Louis.
Condition:
Displays light edge wear, a small tear on the right side, and a minor stain on the back—just the kind of imperfections that lend authenticity to a piece over a century old.
Whether you're a collector of Halloween memorabilia, antique postcards, or early supernatural ephemera, this card is a chilling and charming portal into the strange customs and spectral flirtations of Halloweens past.
