The Postcard Age Selections from the Leonard A. Lauder Collection

Postcards enjoyed a boom in the early 20th century with millions sent, adorned with illustrations, photographs and advertising art created by the leading designers of the day. This book, published to accompany an exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, showcases an unrivalled collection of international cards from the 1900s to the 1930s reflecting the historical and cultural themes of the period.

Leonard A. Lauder, the billionaire son of Estée, has spent a lifetime scouring kiosks by the Seine and souvenir shops off Portobello Road for rare vintage postcards. He began his quest as a boy, in the 1930s. buying postcards of famous New York City buildings at Woolworth's with his allowance of 5 cents. Lauder is now 79, and his peerless collection is finally getting its day in the sun with "The Postcard Age" ($45), a book and corresponding show (through April 14) at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. (T: The New York Times Style Magazine)

"The Postcard Age," opening Wednesday at Boston's Museum of Fine Arts, features 700 examples from the era, drawn from the collection of Leonard Lauder, chairman emeritus of Estée Lauder Cos. (His collection numbers more than 160,000 in all.) The cards offer a window into the past, writes Mr. Lauder in the book that accompanies the show. But even beyond that, "postcards help remind us that history is lived and experienced by individuals." (The Wall Street Journal)