Postcard – The 8th Gathering in Prague, 1926

Product detailed description

Condition: found, traces of time, minor damage

Dimensions: 13.8 cm x 8.8 cm

The atmosphere of the First Republic’s greatest gymnastics festival! A real-photo postcard of the 8th All-Sokol Slet in Prague 1926, photo by Vojta, Praha III. It shows a mass performance on the slet ground before packed stands, with gymnasts in costume, women in white dresses, warriors with shields and men with tools. On the reverse, the printed slet emblem marked Biograf. odbor, a 50 haléř T. G. Masaryk stamp and a handwritten greeting from the slet dated Prague, 4 July 1926, addressed to Dlouhá Třebová near Ústí nad Orlicí.

Facts at a glance

• Item: black and white real-photo postcard, postally used, written, with stamp
• Event: 8th All-Sokol Slet (VIII. všesokolský slet), Prague, 1926
• View: mass performance by costumed gymnasts on the slet ground, packed stands
• Photographer: Vojta, Praha III (credited on the front)
• Reverse: printed emblem of the 8th All-Sokol Slet in Prague 1926, Biograf. odbor; LEONAR 3372 photo paper
• Stamp: Czechoslovakia, 50 haléř, T. G. Masaryk
• Text: greeting from the slet, dated Prague, 4 July 1926
• Destination: Dlouhá Třebová near Ústí nad Orlicí, Czechoslovakia

Expert note – FAQ

What was the 8th All-Sokol Slet of 1926?
The 8th All-Sokol Slet took place in Prague in 1926 and was one of the largest gymnastics events of interwar Czechoslovakia. Sokol slets were mass gymnastics festivals with performances by thousands of participants and parades that strengthened national and community pride.

How can I tell a real-photo postcard from a printed one?
A real-photo postcard is made directly on photographic paper, so its reverse often carries the paper brand, here LEONAR. It shows finer detail and smoother tones than a printed card. Real-photo postcards of slets by local photographers are sought after by collectors of Sokol memorabilia.

Why is a postcard sent from the slet itself valuable?
A postcard sent during the slet itself, with a date in the message, is a personal record of taking part in the event, not just a souvenir. Collectors value the combination of a period postmark, a stamp of the time and a handwritten greeting linking the image to a participant’s experience.