The Pickle Wizard

The Pickle Wizard promises that if you pay him $5.99, he'll send a slice of pickle to a person of your choosing. He writes:


Here on WU, we've previously posted about Feces by Mail and Mail-a-Spud, so the Pickle Wizard is the latest variation on that theme of Mail-a-Prank. The Pickle Wizard claims that, to date, he has mailed 520 pickles.

Posted By: Alex - Wed Sep 02, 2015 - Comments (4)
Category: Pranks, Postal Services

USPS Forecasts Its Own Future

From a 1968 issue of NEW YORK MAGAZINE.

Posted By: Paul - Mon Jun 01, 2015 - Comments (5)
Category: Internet, 1960s, Postal Services

Mail Yourself

Yesterday, the New Daily paper reported that Australia Post will soon begin offering a service to allow people to mail themselves across country:



Of course, it was just an April Fool's Day hoax, but had to share it since it touched on a theme (people posting themselves through the mail) recently discussed here on WU.

Posted By: Alex - Thu Apr 02, 2015 - Comments (8)
Category: Postal Services

The man who posted himself to Australia

On the theme of People Who Have Posted Themselves Through The Mail, so far we have already noted the achievements in this line of activity of Henry Bray, May Pierstorff, and Johann Beck.

We can add to our list Reg Spiers, about whom the BBC News recently ran an article. In the mid-1960s, Spiers posted himself from London to Australia as a way to cheaply get back home in time for his daughter's birthday. The cost of a plane ticket was actually cheaper than the cost of shipping such a heavy crate, but Spiers knew that he could send the crate cash-on-delivery, so that payment would only be required once he was in Australia.

His plan succeeded. When he arrived in Australia, the crate (with him inside it) was put in a storage shed from which he managed to escape and hitchhike home. He never had to pay the shipping fees.

Posted By: Alex - Mon Mar 09, 2015 - Comments (6)
Category: 1960s, Postal Services

The Englishman Who Posted Himself

So long as Alex has brought up this theme, I thought I would reference this great book, which I reviewed at the B&N REVIEW upon its release five years ago.

Posted By: Paul - Sun Feb 15, 2015 - Comments (1)
Category: Eccentrics, Books, Europe, Postal Services

The Return of Weird Postcards

[Click on any of them to enlarge.]

I bought these just yesterday at Raven Used Books in Northampton, MA. Hundreds more awaiting your visitation.

Posted By: Paul - Wed Nov 07, 2012 - Comments (7)
Category: Humor, Outsider Art, Twentieth Century, Postal Services

Four Weird Vintage Postcards

Click on any image to enlarge.

Be sure to use Number Four in all anti-Romney campaigning.

Posted By: Paul - Thu Sep 06, 2012 - Comments (7)
Category: Art, Religion, Stereotypes and Cliches, Postal Services

Two Postcards

I just bought these yesterday from my favorite used-book store, Cellar Stories Books, and thought I would share them with you all.

Posted By: Paul - Tue Aug 14, 2012 - Comments (4)
Category: Beauty, Ugliness and Other Aesthetic Issues, Stereotypes and Cliches, Sex Symbols, Gambling, Casinos, Lotteries and Other Games of Chance, Postal Services

Zip Code with The Swinging Six

Fifteen minutes to explain adding five digits to your address?!?

Posted By: Paul - Wed May 18, 2011 - Comments (3)
Category: PSA’s, 1960s, Postal Services

Englishman in the Mails

As a creator of "mail art" (you can see some of my stuff here), I immediately dived upon the book pictured to the right. It tells the life story of W. R. Bray, who invented the concept of messing with the mails, even going so far as to mail a live dog and himself! It's full of Grade-A weirdness, and beautifully illustrated.

Posted By: Paul - Sun Sep 12, 2010 - Comments (5)
Category: Outsider Art, Europe, Nineteenth Century, Postal Services