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W. F. Gerecke, Miami, Florida, U.S.
W. F. Gerecke was a Miami photographer who, like C.H. Price of England, was in the right place at the right time to take photographs and make Real Photo postcards of the airport near where he lived. He was the most prolific photographer at the Pan American Airways sea base in Miami during the 1930's. His cards are high quality and most are not that expensive. His earliest postcards have hand written captions on the front of the card. There are some scarce to rare ones in that group. They generally have high image numbers printed with the captions. Soon he switched to a more formal block letter text system for the captions using lower numbers with the images. Some images are available in both types. There are some instances where the hand written text and the block text versions have the same number. There were two different Real Photo card stocks used for the Gerecke postcards. Most common are the cards with the DOPS stamp box on the back of the cards. Some cards also come with an EKC stamp box on the back of the cards. They are probably a second print run for that particular card. This album only shows the Real Photo postcards by Gerecke. There are some Linen and Black and White Litho cards using Gerecke images also. They are shown in the Miami Airport and PAA Flying Boat albums.
Album by Barry Hepsley. 1 - 44 of 44 Total. 1735 Visits.
Start Slideshow 
Enlarge photo 1
1
Early Series

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2
251 Ready for Flight to Rio
Hand written text.
Gerecke photo.


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3
252 Where Nations Meet
Hand written text.
Gerekce photo.


Enlarge photo 4
4
253 Air Gateway
Hand written text.
Gerecke photo.


Enlarge photo 5
5
255 Spacious Cabins
Hand written text. Rare card. This image was used for a fairly common PAA issued 4th Series postcard.

Enlarge photo 6
6
261 Cuba. Native Rumba Dancing
Hand written text. 2-1/2 Hours from Miami by PAA. No photographer reference.

Enlarge photo 7
7
263 Visitors Day Pan American Airport
Hand written text.
Scarce card.
Gerecke photo.


Enlarge photo 8
8
268 Cuba, Havana. "The Prado"
Hand written text. 2 Hours from Miami via PAA. No photographer reference.

Enlarge photo 9
9
275 At the controls of a Giant Clipper
Hand written text.
Photo by Hoit. Obviously part of the numbered series but not a Gerecke postcard.


Enlarge photo 10
10
294 Wings over the Spanish Main
Hand written text. Pan American Airways System reference.

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11
313 Brazilian Clipper Ship taking off
Hand written text.
Gerecke photo.


Enlarge photo 12
12
313 Brazilian Clipper Ship taking off
Hand written text.
Without Gerecke reference.


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13
317 Trinidad Clipper at Pan American Air Base
Hand written text.
Gerecke photo.


Enlarge photo 14
14
319 Boarding a Giant Clipper
Hand written text. Wake Island shows on the ramp. Gerecke photo.

Enlarge photo 15
15
601 Boeing 307 Stratoclipper NC19903
A later postcard from Gerecke NOT related to the Pan American Sea Base in Maimi. The card has an EKC stamp box.

Enlarge photo 16
16
Later Series.

Enlarge photo 17
17
1 Off to South America
Block text.

Enlarge photo 18
18
6 Clipper Ship back from Spanish Main
Block text.

Enlarge photo 19
19
7 Pan American Airways Terminal
Hand written text.

Enlarge photo 20
20
7 Pan American Airways Terminal
Block text.

Enlarge photo 21
21
9 Air Gateway between the Americas
Block text.

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22
12 Pan American Baby Clipper over West Indies
Block text.
Scarce card.


Enlarge photo 23
23
15 Original Type Clipper Ship at Miami
Hand written text.
Scarce card.


Enlarge photo 24
24
17 Flying Clipper
Hand written text. It is possible this is not a Gerecke card.

Enlarge photo 25
25
19 Visitors are welcomed at Pan American Air Base
Block text.

Enlarge photo 26
26
20 Flying CLipper Linking the Americas
Block text.

Enlarge photo 27
27
21 Boarding Pan American Clipper
Scarce card.

Enlarge photo 28
28
22 19 Ton Clipper Ship ready to leave Miami
Hand written text.

Enlarge photo 29
29
22 19 Ton Clipper Ship ready to leave Miami
Block text.

Enlarge photo 30
30
23 Routine inspectiion Pan American Clipper
Block text.

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31
24 Aerial view of Pan Americn Airport
Block text.

Enlarge photo 32
32
26 Interior of Clipper Ship S-43
Block text.
Scarce card.


Enlarge photo 33
33
28 Off for Ports South
Hand written text.

Enlarge photo 34
34
28 Off to Ports south
Block text.
There are many different postcards using this image.


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35
30 Home Port of famous Clipper Ships
Block text.

Enlarge photo 36
36
33 Pan American International Air Terminal
Block text.

Enlarge photo 37
37
34 Clipper off for the Spanish Main
Block text.

Enlarge photo 38
38
38 Passenger boarding Pan American Giant Clipper
Block text. Wake Island is crossed out on the ramp.

Enlarge photo 39
39
45 Clipper over Terminal
Block text.

Enlarge photo 40
40
45 Clipper over Terminal
Postmarked January 15, 1938.

Enlarge photo 41
41
61 Tractor pulling ship out of water 1a
Block text.

Enlarge photo 42
42
No Number Wings over the Spanish Main
Block text with no number.

Enlarge photo 43
43
1st Back with DOPS stamp box
Most of the cards have this back.

Enlarge photo 44
44
2nd Back with EKC stamp box
Usually a second print run for the card.

 
   
 
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