Vintage 1960s H. Dean Comic Sleeping Bunny Plastichrome Postcard

Historical Context & Overview

Mid-Century Vacation Humor and the Art of the Postcard Punchline

During the post-World War II economic boom, the American vacation evolved into a defining cultural ritual. As highway networks expanded and two-week paid leave became a standard perk of employment, millions of workers took to the open road each summer. Naturally, with this newfound leisure came a distinct strain of mid-century humor—one that lightheartedly poked fun at the fleeting nature of time off, the fatigue of traveling, and the universal dread of returning to the workplace. This original 1960s comic postcard captures that relatable sentiment with whimsical art and clever wordplay.

Illustrated by commercial artist H. Dean, the front of the postcard features a peaceful white rabbit slumbering against a wooden post in a grassy field dotted with spring flowers. Surrounding the relaxed bunny is a stylized hand-lettered rhyme utilizing numerical wordplay with the number "2": "VACATION Consists of 2 WEEKS WHICH ARE 2 SHORT AFTER WHICH YOU ARE 2 TIRED 2 RETURN 2 WORK AND 2 BROKE NOT 2 !!" The tongue-in-cheek message resonated deeply with mid-century tourists looking to send a quick, funny greeting back to friends, family, or coworkers stranded back at the office.

The Legacy of Colourpicture's Plastichrome Process

Produced under the catalog number P17120, this item was manufactured by Colourpicture Publishers, Inc., based in Boston, Massachusetts. Colourpicture was one of the premier post-war postcard producers in the United States, famous for trademarking the "Plastichrome" process. Plastichrome cards revolutionized the souvenir market by pairing high-gloss, protective plastic coatings with rich chromatic ink saturation. This process allowed bright graphic artwork, like H. Dean’s vibrant cartoon palette, to maintain crisp edges and brilliant color over decades without yellowing or dulling easily.

Collector Value and Mid-Century Pop Culture Appeal

For collectors of vintage ephemera, comic postcards from the 1950s and 1960s occupy a charming niche. Unlike traditional landscape or landmark postcards, illustrated humor cards reflect the social norms, colloquialisms, and lighthearted ironies of everyday life during the mid-twentieth century. Artist-signed cards from prolific mid-century illustrators like H. Dean are particularly sought after due to their distinctive line work and expressive character designs. Whether displayed in a framing glass, added to a specialized collection of postcard humor, or kept as a nostalgic ode to summer breaks of yesteryear, this Plastichrome release remains a delightful artifact of mid-century Americana.