Bright Young Collectors | January 15, 2026 | Nate Pedersen

Collector Jaeden Yoshikawa on Real Photo Post Cards and Lovers' Locations

Jaeden Yoshikawa

Our Bright Young Collectors series continues today with Jaeden Yoshikawa of Mankato, Minnesota who was an Honorable Mention in the 2025 Honey & Wax Book Collecting Prize for woman collectors aged 30 and younger. Jaeden can be contacted about her collection at jaedenyoshi@gmail.com:

Where are you from / where do you live?

I am originally from Pittsburgh, PA and currently live in Mankato, MN.

What did study at University? What do you do now for an occupation?

I have a Masters degree in Library and Information Science from Drexel University and a Bachelors degree in English from Penn State University. I am an archivist and soon to be mom!

Please introduce us to your collection. What areas do you collect in?

My collection is an ephemera collection that primarily consists of Real Photo Post Cards (RPPCs) depicting "lover's" locations such as lover's lanes and lover's leaps. The collection aims to explore what defines a space for lovers and how the histories and legends tied to these places might offer deeper insight into human relationships and sexuality. Outside of the lover's collection, I also have a collection of "portal" RPPCs depicting doorways, windows, and other portal imagery.

How many items are in your collection?

There are currently 55 postcards in the collection and 3 pieces of sheet music.

What was the first item you bought for your collection?

The first postcard I purchased was an RPPC of a Lovers Lane located in Viola, Wisconsin.

Jaeden Yoshikawa

Viola

Jaeden Yoshikawa

Mankato

Jaeden Yoshikawa

Ogonquit

Jaeden Yoshikawa

Fox Lake

How about the most recent item?

My most recent postcard purchase is an RPPC of a Lovers Lane located in Newfoundland, PA from around 1908.

And your favorite item in your collection?

My current favorite is a lover's lane postcard that was gifted to me by my partner; it's a rather rare find of flooded lane! Typically the images are more idyllic and this is my first in the collection that depicts a natural disaster.

Best bargain you’ve found?

When I first started collecting I didn't really need to find bargains because they would often be listed for as low as $0.75 and didn't go much higher than $10, but nowadays sellers who know the rarity of some of their cards are listing them between $30 and $50. Ebay tends to be the best place for a bargain, especially if they allow you to haggle.

How about The One that Got Away?

Luckily, I haven't really had one yet! I've had some that I've forgone purchasing due to a high price, but that's more of a collecting budget issue.

What would be the Holy Grail for your collection?

I'd love to find a lover's lane in a beach or desert setting. So far, all of the postcards I have are on wooded paths or fields, usually obscured in some way or another.

Who is your favorite bookseller / bookstore?

This is a tough question! It depends heavily on location, but the one I'm fondest of in terms of nostalgia is Amazing Books & Records in Pittsburgh, PA.

What would you collect if you didn’t collect books?

I had a salt shaker collection for a while that I've since abandoned (they were a nightmare to find storage for). I also press flowers and other nature finds pretty casually, so maybe I would follow that towards a collecting path.