15/11/2016
ITALY
WALT DISNEY PRODUCTIONS
Published by
GRAFICHE BIONDETTI – VERONA
(Untitled)
Ref- 107
As I believe I have already mentioned once, in Italy a wide range of Walt Disney postcards have been published (a wide range and a considerable quantity).
Because of certain local and different copyright rules in Italy they could produce their own images. This means that you sometimes get some very unusual character combinations, as with this image here.
The Native American Chief (although technically I suppose he should be called the Never Never Land Chief!), depicted smoking the pipe is from the animated film ‘Peter Pan’. But, here he is sitting with Donald Duck and Mickey Mouse, and I know that didn’t happen in the film as I watched it before coming out here to Florida. Interestingly on Sunday I rode the ‘Peter Pan’s Flight’ ride in the Magic Kingdom (twice, as it is one of my favourites) and on this you fly above the Indians (I know this term is not politically correct, or even highly appropriate these days, but it is what they are called in the film, and the book) and they are definitely - not - joined by Mickey or Donald. The other rather unusual addition is the character to the right of Donald Duck, as this is ‘Little Hiawatha’ who appeared in a Walt Disney ‘Silly Symphony’ animated short cartoon released in 1937.
This combination of characters makes this a very interesting and unique image, and one which could only have come out in Italy.
The postcard depicted here was posted from Italy in 1989 and is one of the many ‘Craig Shergold’ postcards. Craig was then seven-year old diagnosed with brain cancer who requested people send him postcards/greetings card’s so he could get into the Guinness book of records – which he achieved.
The 1992 ‘Guinness book of Records’ records him receiving 33 million cards (eventually the number went on to reach 350 million – and cards were still being sent in 2013).
The happy ending to Craig’s story is that he received an operation in the US (courtesy of a Virginia billionaire) and this was successful and he went on to reach a healthy adulthood (although one who was desperately trying to stop the continuing flow of cards!!).
Interestingly his name is spelt wrong on my card here – see below.
REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD
Here Craig’s surname is spelt as SHEROLD – it was not uncommon for his name to be spelt wrong and there are a number of spelling varieties – SHELFORD – SHEFFORD – SHERWOOD and others
NOTE
Please do not send any cards to this address - as Craig and his family moved, some time back - to avoid the constant arrival of new mail!!!
I wonder if Craig's old house address is up for sale? Would love to reside there and receive a daily flow of cards.
13/11/2016
PARTY PACKS
8 x INVITATION CARDS and 8 x ‘THANK YOU’ POSTCARDS
When I am in Florida I always pay a visit to the large ‘Walmart’ Store and check out the ‘Stationery’ section. Over the past four years I have picked up from here a range of different invite/postcard packs. They each contain eight identical invite cards, folded like greetings cards and the like (with envelopes for these), and eight identical ‘THANK YOU’ styled postcards, with complete postcard backs. The pictures you can see are the front of the folded invite cards, the postcards are completely different but are contained within the packs so when I get home I will open these up and post here the actual postcard designs.
The sets I have bought this year are:
ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN
CAPTAIN AMERICA : CIVIL WAR (appropriate as I watched this on the plane flying over)
JUSTICE LEAGUE (here you get Batman, Superman, The Green Lantern and The Flash – they all also appear on the postcard)
THE LION GUARD (Disney Junior animated TV series based on the son of the film characters – my first postcard relating to this series)
BLAZE AND THE MONSTER MACHINES (a TV series from the Nickelodeon channel – never heard of this one!)
THOMAS THE TANK ENGINE (cracking postcard in this pack)
MOANA (the brand new ‘Disney’ animated film – my first postcard related to this film)
BATMAN (another smashing postcard here – I will post it when I get back – have a feeling I might already have bought this one on a previous trip! But, it is so good I could not take the chance)
MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE (directly related to the children’s animated Disney Channel TV series, which I have watched with my grandson in the past)
As a TV theme collector you can probably see why I have such a fondness for these, and of course you can-not buy these in the UK (the trend has not quite caught on over in England yet – but I keep checking just in case).
The only other pack was a STAR WARS one which I have already bought and which has been posted way back in January I think (I had them used with the Star Wars stamps from last year – have a look)
13/11/2016
MELBOURNE 1956
ALWAYS FOR THE FANS
1956 MELBOURNE OLYMPICS
COCA-COLA – OLYMPIC PARTNER
Published by
PROPAGANDA SPREAD THE WORD – FREE POSTCARD ADVERTISING
Visited the massive, three floored, Coca-Cola store in ‘Disney Springs’ last night. It sells everything you can possibly imagine with a Coca-Cola logo or poster design on it. Seeing the stuff reminded me I had scanned this postcard showing people drinking Coca-Cola in 1956.
There was a cracking range of postcards on sale as well which I intend to pick up later in the holiday (and I shall scan them when I get back home and post them on the website).
This postcard here has a lovely little colour logo on the reverse side – see below.
12/11/2016
THE U. S. POSTAL SERVICE
HAS ISSUED THESE
COMMEMORATIVE STAMPS
HONORING
DOGS
Not a postcard, but a plain backed card, which is quite large, over A5 size, slightly. The card has had the four USA Dog stamps applied, in a block of four as they were printed throughout the sheet. These have then been cancelled with a first day of issue NEW YORK – FIRST DAY OF ISSUE cancel dated September 7th, 1984. More of an unusual philatelic card rather than a postcard, but still, I think, a lovely item. And as I am currently in the USA as I am writing this it seemed an appropriate time to place it on the webpage.
I do not know if this was an official US Postal Service promotional/advertising item, or if it was privately produced, not that it matters greatly, but it would be nice to know.
12/11/2016
WAR MEMORIAL, SOUTHEND-ON-SEA
Locally produced postcard
Ref: 3291
This postcard sits well with yesterday’s commemoration. It is the war memorial in my home town, and I have attended Remembrance Sunday services here, and parades, as a scout leader in the past.
The memorial was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens (it is now a Grade II listed building/structure). Lutyens was responsible for the design of the London Cenotaph so Southend’s memorial was designed by one of the best architects of the time (the original Lutyen design for the Southend memorial was another Cenotaph but the cost was to prohibitive, so this obelisk design was chosen instead. But this still cost £5,500 at the time – 1921).
The memorial was unveiled by Lord Lambourne, the then Lord Lieutenant of Essex, on the 27th November 1921. The Bishop of Colchester also blessed the memorial that same day.
This copy here was posted to London in August 1923, so it is an early postcard of the memorial.
REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD
Posted to London on 28th August 1923 the stamp was cancelled with a SOUTHEND ON SEA machine roller cancel with wavy-line pattern.
So, here you have a card with local history interest (and it is fascinating what you discover when you look into the background of your local postcard images) and local philatelic interest as well. Not bad for £1.75, which was a few years ago, but a reasonable price.
11/11/2016
REMEMBRANCE DAY – 11 NOVEMBER
AT THE ELEVENTH HOUR OF THE ELEVENTH DAY OF THE ELEVENTH MONTH
WE WILL REMEMBER THEM
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them
POSTCARD
Published by
AVANTCARD AUSTRALIA
Ref: #4817 (issued in 2000)
Published on behalf of the
COMMONWEALTH DEPARTMENT OF VETERAN’S AFFAIR’S
11/11/2016
WALT DISNEY WORLD
OFFICIAL POSTCARD
Top Left – RICHARD F. IRVINE STEAMBOAT
Top right – GOOFY, MICKEY AND PLUTO
Bottom left – RIVER COUNTRY
Bottom right – CONTEMPORARY RESORT HOTEL
There was no posting yesterday as we spent over nine hours on a plane! But it was all worth it as we are now in Walt Disney World, Florida. Over here it is now 06:30hrs in the morning (but my brain is telling me its 11:30hrs!!!, Gotta love the time difference) and I am sat up in my room at the Riverside Resort (this is the first time we have stayed here at this particular resort area), using the free Disney Guest Wifi.
So, this postcard here seemed an appropriate one to post, despite it actually being an old one posted from America to Shropshire (to the town of Telford in the UK) way back in 1982.
The picture bottom left depicts a water slide at the ‘River Country’ Disney water park, which closed in 2001. So, even this postcard has some Disney history to it.
08/11/2016
PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA
20TH JANUARY 2009
Published by
‘POLITICAL POSTCARDS by RICK GEARY’
Artwork by RICK GEARY
Tonight, the voting will come to an end in the current Presidential election. Tomorrow, when I wake up America will have voted in a new president (assuming the voting all goes well and the counting brings up no problems delaying any result). I wonder who it will be, Clinton or Trump?
Whoever it is they will be taking over leadership from the out-going President, Barack Obama. This postcard here came out at the commencement of his run as President and depicts him making his declaration. From tomorrow, I shall be looking for postcards that depict the winner of today’s election voting. Because, I guarantee you that whoever it is, they will appear on a host of new postcards.
08/11/2016
POCAHONTAS
WALT DISNEY FILM
ODEON LEICESTER SQUARE OCTOBER 6
NATIONWIDE OCTOBER 13
Published by
LONDON CARDGUIDE
This was a free rack postcard printed on behalf of the promoters of the Walt Disney animated feature film ‘Pocahontas’. As with many of the London Cardguide issues there was a touch of class to the design. Here you get a simple, but attractive front image which is not blighted by any text. The company assume that you will recognise the front image or that if intrigued you would pick the card up and read the information printed on the reverse side.
The film was released in 1995 with the dates listed above being for the premiere in the UK, and the UK general distribution. This was back in the days when America got to see films long before we in the UK (no longer the case since the internet has taken hold – someone would place the film on long before it was released in cinemas in the UK. So now we get films almost at the same time, and occasionally a few hours, or a day earlier!). In American the film was released on 23rd June 1995. Despite its box-office success, $346.1 million, and praise for its animation, the film was knocked for its lack of historical accuracy.
Up until this past weekend I had only seen the film from start to finish once before, on video. But, it is currently being re-played almost daily on the Disney film Channel. So, I took the opportunity to watch it again. It is perhaps not a classic, but I enjoyed it more than I thought I would and more than I remembered.
08/11/2016
THE NORTH OF IRELAND PHILATELIC SOCIETY
POST OFFICE VAN, NEWRY – 1925
Issued by The North of Ireland Philatelic Society
Ref: P. C. 13 (1998)
“The photograph shows the first post office van purchased for Newry 1925. Features J.P. Doran, Peter Doran, Dessie McAlister the main drivers at Newry Post Office. The Wicker Basket Cart was pulled manually back and forward to Edward Street Station to collect and drop off mail. Reproduced by permission of The Newry Post Office Historical Society”
(Text from Reverse side of Postcard)
What at first appears to be a tatty, creased photograph (notice the white areas at the side where some of the photographs image is missing) turns out to be an historically interesting, and locally important picture. All the details of which are recorded on the reverse side. It nice to know the names of those depicted. The reverse side is also of interest.
REVERSE SIDE OF POSTCARD
A small number of the postcards were postal used with the stamp being cancelled by the highly appropriate ‘NEWRY, CO, DOWN’ single ring cancel dated 28th March 1998, which is a kind of first day of issue for the postcard. The card has also received, on the left side, a red cachet shaped like the post office van in which is the name of the society and the relevant date. This is a nice postcard for those who collect philatelic related items as it has a strong postal history content in the depicted front image and then a philatelic connected hand stamp on the reverse side. Not an expensive item, and catalogued no more than around £1.50 – but as previously stated, value should never be the main target of a collector (it’s nice when it happens, I admit), you should buy what interests or appeals to you, this way you will always enjoy looking at your collection.
08/11/2016
RMS TITANIC DISPLAY – 07/11/2016
THE STRAND, LONDON
There was no posting last night because I travelled straight to London from work to give a display to a society based in The Strand, London. This was my RMS Titanic display and it seemed to go well. Here are a few pictures from the evening.
06/11/2016
LE FEU DANS LE TUNNEL
Le 18 Novembre
“THE FIRE IN THE TUNNEL”
18th November 1996
Published by
L’ACTUALITE – CARTO. TIRAGE : 100 EX.
Limited to 100 copies
During the 1990’s nearly every event, incident, disaster or other ‘thing’ that occurred was made the subject of a postcard release. On the 18th November 1996 there was a fire in the Channel Tunnel. A train was badly damaged by fire, which was seen as the train was entering the tunnel, but at the time the policy was to try and drive right through and have the fire sorted out at the other end. The train in question was travelling from France to the UK and was a Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGV) train.
Unfortunately, the fire caused so much damage the train was forced to stop 12 miles into the tunnel (at 21:58 hours). The train was quickly enveloped in thick smoke but once the ventilation system was refigured the passengers and crew were all safely evacuated, at 22:30hrs with just some minor injuries.
The fire was dealt with firefighters who got it out by 11:15hrs the following morning.
500 metres of tunnel was damaged and the HGV system was not back working on that track, the other track kept running) until 15th May 1997.
Quite why a disaster like this would appeal to a postcard publisher I do not know, but, it is a smashing postcard, and due to its very low printing number, quite scarce.
05/11/2016
PADDINGTON
(Paddington Bear)
Published by
P & Co Ltd
Copyrighted to the year 1975
The image used here is taken from the television series, so, this must be a very early related postcard, as although the copyright date, on the reverse side, is 1975 the actual series did not air until 1976 (on BBC 1). The card itself is a little smaller than the normal and has no reverse descriptive text, just the publisher details down the centre. Although an old postcard I only obtained this copy this year! I had not previously been aware of it. It cost me 75p, and was worth every penny, and I would have had to spend more if this had been on eBay.
PADDINGTON
(Paddington Bear)
“Visit my Exhibition and shop during the Summer at Longleat Warminster Wiltshire England”
Published by
P & Co Ltd
Copyrighted to the year 1975
So, imagine my surprise when looking further through the dealer’s same stock I came cross a second copy! Not only was it a second copy, but this one had added printed text on the front. This text related to a Paddington Bear Exhibition which was being held at Longleat. I clearly had to have this postcard as well, just 50p this time because it was postal used, posted in 1979. The message on the reverse side reads:
“Thankyou for pleasant weekend, Jackie, Wendy and I went to Longleat today for a breath of fresh air. While there went to see Paddington and got this for you”
So, clearly this overprinted, or to be more precise, reprinted version with added printed text, was obviously from that year, 1979. I am really pleased that I have both versions.
05/11/2016
Krumelmonster
(COOKIE MONSTER)
SESAME STREET
Published by
IGEL – Qualitatsspielzeug
“Krumelmonster aus der Sesamstrasse, Best.-Nr. 53803
Copyrighted 1996
Sesame Street is popular around the world, and, as a result you can pick up postcards featuring characters from this children’s show all across Europe, but especially I think in Germany.
This postcard is another buy from this year and cost me £1.50. My main reason for buying it though is that the Cookie Monster is my favourite Sesame Street character.
05/11/2016
CAPTURING LIGHT
An exhibit of photographic images by Edward W. Wallace III
2nd June – 24th August 2016
Library, 112 St Martin’s Lane, London
(image copyrighted to 2008)
This promotional postcard is a real cracker and as I collect Superman related postcards I was pleased to come across it. It is also topical as Barack Obama, featured here as Superman, is soon to step down from his position as President when either Hillary or Donald take over (the final voting finishes up next week – I will be in America as of next Thursday so it could be interesting!)
05/11/2016
NORTH EASTERN RAILWAY
CROSS-COUNTRY TOURS AND EXCURSIONS
FIAT CHARABANC
Published by
DALKEITH
Ref: PICTURE POSTCARD No. 110
1900 SERIES
For many years ‘Dalkeith’ issued sets of six related postcards in a packet/envelope especially printed for that set. Many of the sets were poster related whilst others were used depict artwork, with both being heavily railway themed.
This card here is from one of these sets of six which were related to the North Eastern Railway. This one shows a coloured picture of a charabanc, a type of vehicle which was used to transport people on a visual tour of somewhere, often cross country or around a county or town. Charabanc trips were very popular at the turn of the 20th Century.
05/11/2016
MUM’S IN CHARGE
Photograph by Mike Hollis 1994
Published by
ART UNLIMITED, AMSTERDAM
Ref: C 5311
A postcard from my ‘Police’ themed collection. I have a number of friends working for our Police Dog Unit, and for many years I worked around police dogs. When I retire, which is not that far away, it will be postcards like this which will bring back fond memories. And, who can resist a line of puppies?
04/11/2016
POSTMAN PAT
- Although to be fair, he’s Black & White Cat –
Unknown Publisher / Printer
Around about now, those in the know, who had kids at the right time, will be singing “Postman Pat, Postman Pat, Postman Pat and his black and white cat…”
Anyway, this rather strangely shaped long and thin postcard depicts the said ‘Black and white cat’, who is called ‘Jess’.
Unfortunately, there is no indication of who printed, or published this postcard. Although, I do wonder if it came from some sort of stationery package or collection (it might even have been a freebie from a magazine, video, DVD or other type of pack). Whatever its source, its TV connection makes it a must for my collection.
04/11/2016
AUDREY HEPBURN STAMP
2016 Auction House free Advertising Postcard
This postcard was a free card advertising the sale of the depicted Audrey Hepburn used stamp. The story behind this stamp is fascinating.
In 2001 the German Post Office decided to issue a set of stamps featuring movie stars. The set was to include an Audrey Hepburn stamp. The stamps from this set were printed in sheets of ten, which is the normal format for German issues. The Audrey Hepburn stamp depicted her smoking from a long stem cigarette holder. 14 Million stamps were printed.
At the last minute one of her sons, Sean Ferrer objected to the stamps design. Audrey Hepburn had died from cancer in 1993 and the stamp depicted her smoking, a scene from the film ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’. Her son Ferrer is an active campaigner against alcohol and tobacco addiction and abuse. And from this it is clear why he was against the design. He first became aware of the stamp after receiving a single stamp and a sheet of ten from the German Post Office. It seems the German Post had not sought permission to use the image from the family. The German post subsequently ordered that all 14 million printed stamps be destroyed (a new design was later released on 11th October 2001).
But, although all ordered to be destroyed, three sheets of ten had already been sent out to the German Ministry of Finance. These were not returned or destroyed. It is thought that they were used on mail.
To date five used copies of this unissued stamp have come to light.
In late 2004, three years after the supposed destruction of all the stamps, a used copy of the stamp turned up. The stamp was found in a bundle of used stamps. On the 6th October 2006, this stamp was auctioned for the price of 53,000 euros.
On the 1st June 2005, a second used copy was auctioned and realised 69,437 euros. Then a third used copy was discovered, like the previous two in stamp ‘Kiloware’ (bundles of stamps sent out for sorting by collectors). This third copy was auctioned on 7th October 2005, for the incredible price of 135,000 euros (which with commission and taxes came to a total of 169,000 euros!). This sale was broadcasted on television.
This third example is the one depicted on this card. This was because the stamp was to be auctioned again in New York this year. This card advertised the fact that the stamp was up for sale. So far I have not been able to find out what it sold for – but whatever it was, it was way beyond my budget. The closest I will ever get is the stamps appearance on this free card.
03/11/2016
WINNER – LOSER
KENNEDY vs NIXON
TELEVISION DEBATE
Printed on
KODAK PAPER
(Publisher unknown – but looks privately produced/printed by someone)
This has obviously come my way because of the very interesting, and important Television connection. The image on the left was taken from a television screen, which is why it is so grainy and unclear.
This was the very first televised presidential debate, and it was live. The story goes that American viewers who watched it on television picked Kennedy (now of course better known by the initials JFK) as the clear winner, whilst those who had listened to the debate over the radio thought Nixon had come out on top. This was because Kennedy looked better, was not depicted sweating and did not appear off colour (more grey, which Nixon apparently did). I have read that this TV appearance was instrumental in helping Kennedy win the Presidential Election, but I don’t think it’s quite as clear cut as that. The TV appearance may have helped, but clearly there was more concerned.
But, having said that it was Kennedy who listened to the television people, and used their make-up artists (thus he did not appear to sweat, and had a better-looking complexion). Kennedy also relaxed in his hotel room that day and came to the debate more relaxed and was happy to take all the advice he was given. Alternatively, Nixon campaigned all day and came to the debate a lot less relaxed, and was, in appearance more strained. Nixon also did not take the advice of the make-up people, in-fact I believe he declined make-up, and as a result, his appearance on the TV screen looked decidedly less Presidential.
So, for me this is a superb TV themed postcard, and if you are interested the debate took place at the downtown Chicago CBS TV facility, and was held on the 26th September 1960
REVERSE SIDE OF POSTCARD
Quite a few American photographic based postcards of this, and earlier, eras were printed on Kodak Paper and had this, or a very similar, reverse layout. This format of printing was used by smaller locations and more private individual publishers and postcard producers. For some Americans it is an iconic postcard back.
03/11/2016
ONE PENNY LETTER – CARD
VICTORIA (Australia)
Price: 1/3 Per Dozen
“This card may pass through the Post to any place within Victoria and without additional postage to Queensland and Tasmania : but an additional One Penny Stamp must be affixed if addressed to New South Wales, South Australia, Western Australia, New Zealand or Fiji”
(Text on front of Letter Card)
This is a very early Australian state Letter Card, possibly one of the earliest in my collection. It is a little tatty around the edges, and has one small corner section missing (bottom right), but, I really like this item. And, amusingly, especially as it is from somewhere called ‘Victoria’, the design of this just has ‘Victorian’ written , or more appropriately printed, all over it.
Unfortunately, I do not know anything about early Australian postal stationery so I am missing the normal dates and details I normally have access to, but then information can always be looked for later…having the item itself is the first priority, surely?
03/11/2016
Mr. Men Little Miss
ROYAL MAIL PHQ STAMP CARDS
Stamp set issued
20th October 2016
I love this set, although here has been some controversy amongst stamp collectors because it does not seem to relate to any specific anniversary or event! Who Cares? I think the stamps are superb, and the postcards are a complete delight. Each single stamp features either a Mr Men or a Little Miss, and in my opinion no one needs a specific anniversary to celebrate this fantastic book (and of course later, the Television series… thus my excitement at this set) series, which was of course for children.
This stamp set was announced with short notice. We knew a stamp set was due to come out in October, but Royal Mail withheld its content and theme to the last minute (if I remember properly they did something similar with the Star Wars set issued last year).
Mr. Men Little Miss
ROYAL MAIL PHQ STAMP CARD
MR HAPPY
Ref: PHQ 422 (1) 10.16
Mr. Men Little Miss
ROYAL MAIL PHQ STAMP CARD
LITTLE MISS NAUGHTY
Ref: PHQ 422 (2) 10.16
This last one could perhaps have been my daughter when she was younger!!
Mr. Men Little Miss
ROYAL MAIL PHQ STAMP CARD
LITTLE MISS CHRISTMAS
Ref: PHQ 422 (9) 10.16
Now, I will have to admit that I was unaware of this character, but considering her name she would probably have been better off coming out next month.
Mr. Men Little Miss
ROYAL MAIL PHQ STAMP CARD
MR MESSY
Ref: PHQ 422 (1) 10.16
This one is definitely me!!
Although I really love both the stamps and the Stamp Cards I did think that the hand stamp designs were a bit poor for this issue, but I suspect this may have been because they were announced with very short notice (possibly this delayed the ability to construct better hand stamps for submission and authorisation prior to the stamps release). It is a shame that such a delightful set had such mundane cancels.
02/11/2016
BE A HERO – SAVE CURZON SOHO
London’s iconic cinema is under threat and we need your help to save it!
I have previously posted a vertical postcard related to the campaign to save this cinema. That one depicted a photograph of two people dressed as Batman and Robin standing on the top of the entrance to the cinema. My interest in that card was the Batman content. So, when I saw this artist drawn card I knew I had to have this one as well. The design also includes Jane Fonda as the character Barbarella, and Jamie Foxx as Django. For me to, there is also a little Disney connection with Tinkerbell making an appearance.
The cinema is under threat of being demolished to make way for the Crossrail 2 project. Because of this threat, there is a campaign to save the cinema. This is also because this is one of London’s flagship arthouse cinemas. As a lover of films, and of history, I hope they do save this theatre.
Although technically an information/campaign card rather than a true postcard, I still like it.
01/11/2016
“Ik vind ‘t heerlijk in het bad, maar met een trui. Da’s niet zo nat.”
("I think 't delicious in the bath, but with a sweater. That's not so wet.")
Published by
VALENTINE & SONS LTD (DUNDEE AND LONDON)
BY PERMISSION OF WALT DISNEY – MICKEY MOUSE, LTD
MICKEY MOUSE SERIES
Ref: 5528
This nice Donald Duck postcard was, despite being British printed, posted from the Netherlands in 1958 (it was posted in Amsterdam to Australia). Although British in production, with British text on reverse side, this postcard has text on the front printed in Dutch for use in the Netherlands. These early(ish) Disney postcards can be quite expensive, often anywhere between £6 and £12 depending on condition (with those with foreign, i.e. non-British front text being towards the higher value end in the UK) and which character(s) appear. Donald Duck is a popular character but appears on quite a few designs. Mickey Mouse is always popular, but Donald has always been my favourite, so to me these ones are the ones I prefer.
01/11/2016
1870 – POST CARD – 1970
CENTENARY
Pillar Box. Palm Grove. Birkenhead.
W.P.S. Exhibition, Williamson Art Gallery
This black and white photograph postcard depicts an early fluted post box which is in Birkenhead. It is, on first appearance, a simple postcard image and one of main interest to those interested in philatelic history.
But, the main interest here is in the different versions that were made available. Here I intend to show you a few of the different used and mint options.
4D POSTAGE
POSTAL STATIONERY VERSION
‘Cancelled’
As this version has a pre-printed stamp on it then it could of course be hand stamped. This one has a handstamp which relates directly to the issue of the postcard, which was released for a Philatelic Exhibition in Birkenhead. The handstamp features an image of the same post box (pillar box) which is depicted on the postcard. The handstamp is also for BIRKENHEAD, the location of the post box in question, and was the location of the Exhibition mentioned above, and is dated 14th November 1970.
1970 was of course the year that we celebrated the 100th anniversary of the first United Kingdom postcard (which was of course a ‘Postal Stationery Card’). This anniversary was the reason why this postcard was issued.
VERSION ISSUED WITHOUT THE
PRE-PRINTED 4D POSTAGE STAMP
This version did not have the pre-printed red Machin Head stamp applied. This is shown by the, I think deliberate, placement of the real applied postage stamp some distance away from the right-hand side of the card, thus showing that there was no pre-printed stamp underneath.
The stamp used is the 1970 ‘PHILYMPIA’ Stamp Exhibition 5d depicting the Penny Black stamp (SG 835), which is a highly appropriate philatelic history styled stamp, but it was also from the then most recent issued special stamp set (released 18th Sept 1970). This stamp has been cancelled with the same handstamp as used on the above postcard.
31/10/2016
“HAPPY HALLOWEEN”
Published by
AVANTCARD AUSTRALIA
Ref: #19334
Released 2015
Happy Halloween everyone
Halloween has of course been strongly celebrated for years in America, and you can find postcards which depict a Halloween related content from all eras of postcard production. Here in the UK we have had Halloween, of course, but we did not really celebrate it when I was young. But, that has changed, and over the past twenty odd years it has escalated into something which is now a major event (much like as in the US). And, that is why there is now three carved pumpkins outside my home and why we have a big bowl of sweets awaiting the expected attendance of any number of little zombies, skeletons, witches, goblins and, strangely, Yoda’s which will come a knocking…
30/10/2016
COSTA RICA
POSTAL STATIONERY ‘REPLY’ POSTCARD
“SPECIMEN” OVERPRINT
The 4 centavos postal stationery postcard was issued in 1883, and I assume this attached ‘reply’ version was issued in the same year, or very soon after. The ‘reply’ card version of any postal stationery card is where you have two postcards printed on the one double sized card. The sender writes their message on the reverse side of the outgoing card, which here is along the bottom, thus the 4 value in the pre-printed stamp in the right top corner, of the lower card. The receiver could then use the other half of the card to ‘Reply’ to the person who had sent them the card, and without any further payment. Most countries who issued postal stationery postcards also issued these ‘reply’, double postcard versions.
The postcard itself is described as a black on buff card issue with the head of President Fernandez in the pre-printed stamp design. This particular copy depicted here has ‘MUESTRA’ printed in red over the top and bottom central pictorial text areas. MUESTRA stands for SPECIMEN, and this is a specimen copy of the reply card double.
This is a lovely item, and a recent addition to my collection. It is items like this, from the early days of postal stationery, and for that matter, postcards in general, that I really like, and I believe they show us how postcards evolved. This design was in-fact the first postcard to be printed in Costa Rica.
30/10/2016
BLOOMSBURY COLLECTORS FESTIVAL
APRIL 16TH
“ROLL UP, ROLL UP!”
THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH!
Computer Generated Postcard designed by ‘Joz’
Limited Edition of 1250
Published by
IPM Promotions
Ref: B34
I have been following with interest the newspaper articles and internet stories about people who have been dressing up as scary clowns and frightening people on the streets of, initially, America, but then the UK. This seems to have been some sort of lead up to Halloween, now almost as popular in the UK as it has been in the US for many, many years.
Of course clowns are not really scary…..are they?
This postcard was given away free to people visiting the Bloomsbury Collectors Festival (not sure what year – but the event is usually held on a Sunday and here that was the 16th April). To be fair, I think the clown depicted here does look a bit scary, or possibly just very sad, which has turned him a bit scary.
30/10/2016
DALYAN – KAUNOS
TURKEY
Published by
GUNEY
Ref: B-0462
When I go on holiday I normally post a postcard back home to myself, especially when it is a either a foreign country, or a country I have not visited before. This enables me to add new stamps into my collection via the used cards.
So, in the first week of my two-week Turkey holiday I did just that. This is the postcard I chose, because it depicts the rock tombs which have previously been mentioned in a webpage post, and, also, depicted on a number of postcards, that went along with this post (see posting under Oct Blog 2).
REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD
Tw stamps were required to post cards back to the UK and they are shown here on my card. The stamps have been cancelled with a black circular cancellation which I was surprised to see had a red date line across the centre. I have not come across this before.
Interestingly, although I posted this card in my first week in Dalyan, Turkey, it did not arrive until nearly two weeks after my return – which means it took three weeks to arrive!!! That is quite a long time, especially when you consider that back in 1900 it took less time!!