1908 Gondola Kisses Postcard

1908 vintage lithograph postcard featuring a romantically risqué scene and the suggestive caption, "The early bird catches the worm." Produced in 1907 and postmarked in 1908, this undivided back postcard offers a classic example of Edwardian double entendre. At first glance, it's a charming image of a couple caught in a passionate embrace on a quiet lake. But the caption? Well, let’s just say it was cheeky even by early 20th-century standards.

In period slang, "bird" was often used to refer to a young woman, and "worm" - well, use your imagination. This playful pairing of image and innuendo was common in the heyday of postcard flirtation, when lovers and admirers used the mail to sneak in a little naughty fun under society’s prim nose.