28/11/2016
DOVER CASTLE
ENGLISH HERITAGE
DOVER POSTCARD
Ref: 65451
I bought this postcard on a visit to Dover Castle last year, with my grandchildren. This is an official ‘English Heritage’ postcard, one of a number available in the castle’s gift shop. Although I like to buy those which depict actual photographs of the attraction as a personal memento, it is the more unusual poster styled ones which intrigue me the most. This is a cracking looking piece of artwork, which is modern and beautifully rendered in simple lines, and, only available here at the castle.
We have recently visited a few "English Heritage" run castles, each have this style of postcard, agree excellent designs. They also have a wooden postcard at each castle, excellent and an interesting novelty! Love this site, keep up the good work!
28/11/2016
Wheatcrofts Proudly Announce
PAPA MEILLAND
The Greatest Red Rose in the World
This is a lovely advert and order postcard produced for the company ‘Wheatcroft Brothers Limited’, who were (I believe they still are as there is a Wheatcroft Garden Centre still located in Nottingham) located in Ruddington, Nottingham. This postcard could be used to order up quantities of the depicted rose for delivery in the Autumn of 1963. The front of this postcard is lovely but it is perhaps the reverse side which holds all the interest and, perhaps, value. For anyone collecting the local history of Ruddington this would be a nice piece
REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD
Here you can see all the interesting details that are recorded on the reverse side of this postcard. The card is pre-addressed to the company and there are sections which they needed to complete if they wished to receive the roses, as those so eloquently pictured on the front
28/11/2016
HOMMAGE A CHARLIE CHAPLIN
By
J. P. ROSTENNE
J.P. Rostenne produced a number of modern postcards, mainly towards the end of the 1970’s and into the 1980’s. These depicted his own artwork and designs, and although some are simple they have become collectible and some are quite interesting.
Here you have two identical postcard designs, only they have been printed on two different colour card stock. Charlie Chaplin is a collectible movie icon so these cards would appeal to any collector who specialises in Chaplin, or anyone with a film themed collection. Also, because of the connection with postcard collecting and dealing, these cards also are collected by those who specialise in ‘Modern Postcard Fair & Dealer’ themed postcards.
REVERSE SIDE OF PINK CARD
Here you can see the reverse side of the pink coloured card version. As you can see the card is entirely pink and not just coloured as such on the front. This is the case with all four of the depicted cards. The text is also the same on all four cards, both front and back. As they are the same I have only depicted the one reverse side from this selection.
LA FIBULE
By
J. P. ROSTENNE
This postcard has the same Charlie Chaplin black outline but does not have all the extra writing and headings that the above four have. It is in that respect a far simpler postcard design, but, as I already had the above four postcards I had to have this one to add to the collection.
27/11/2016
WORLD SHOWCASE
EPCOT
WALT DISNEY WORLD
POSTCARD PACK & PASSPORT
The World Showcase at the Walt Disney World ‘Epcot’ theme park is an area sectioned off into different country areas around a lake. If you enter the park and walk up to the lake (which is a mile and a half around) and turn clockwise you will encounter the countries in this order: Mexico – Norway – China – Germany – Italy – United States - Japan – Morocco – France – United Kingdom – Canada.
In each country, there is a ‘Kids Station’ where children can attend and colour in pictures and obtain cachets etc.
You used to be able to buy a packet of postcards, which contained one postcard for each of the eleven countries and one depicting all of the other eleven postcard images, on the one card.
This packet of postcards could be bought separately as a single item or It could also be found in a special ‘Passport’ package, which contained the postcard pack, a set of stickers which contain images from around the World Showcase countries, a passport book and a metal circular badge. This year things were a little different as I could not find the postcard pack being sold on its own. Also, the passport pack only had the postcards on their own, not held within the pack cover.
Depicted here is the front of the package which I bought a couple of years ago.
REVERSE SIDE OF PACKAGE
The front of the pack is quite attractive and shows fireworks and some of the illuminated structures from around the World Showcase. Back when I bought this pack it was only $5, which you would pay now for just one Disney postcard now, so it was a bargain then. Thousands of these packs must have been sold over the years it was available.
If you look at the white boxed bar code area bottom left you will see that the price of $5 is printed here.
DIFFERENT REVERSE SIDE VERSION
NO PRINTED PRICE
This is an image of the bottom area of the reverse side of the postcard package that was included in the Passport pack. As it was included within the passport pack there was no need for the price to be included on it. Therefore, if you come across one of these, without a printed $5 value then you know it came from within the passport package.
WORLD SHOWCASE POSTCARD
This is the single postcard, from the package set, which contains the images of the other eleven postcards in the set.
WORLD SHOWCASE EXPERIMENT
I mentioned above that there are ‘Kids Station’s’ located in each of the World Showcase countries. At each of these you can obtain a cachet. These are designed to be placed on the pages of the passport, which is found in the Passport Package. Lots of children, and some adults, do go around and fill their passports.
This gave me an idea, two years ago, and I took the postcards from my passport package and the stickers. I then applied these stickers to the reverse side of the appropriate postcards (i.e. the Germany stickers on the Germany Postcard, etc). I then took these postcards around the World Showcase with me and attended all the Kids Station’s and had the postcards stamped with the cachet available at each station.
In some cases the people, on the stations, also added little bits and pieces to the passports, and in my case, postcards. These could be stickers, little drawings and text.
Here are the cards as obtained by me on my journey around the World Showcase.
(p.s. If you have children and visit here the passport is a good way of making the visit to the World Showcase area much more ‘Child Friendly’. It has been said, with some justification, that the World Showcase area is more of an adult area than one where kids could have fun. The passport and the Kids Stations do help with this).
JAPAN
WORLD SHOWCASE POSTCARD
Reverse side
The stickers included in the passport package also came with ‘Flag’ stickers for the countries. Here the person on the station has dated and timed the card and added a blue Mickey Mouse face drawing. A blue and a red cachet were available so both were added to this card for me.
NORWAY
WORLD SHOWCASE POSTCARD
Reverse
Only the one cachet here, but a circular Mickey Mouse sticker was also applied (this was not from the passport package, these circular stickers are given out by staff all over the theme parks and can be found with other characters on them as well, although the Mickey Mouse ones are the most common).
Interestingly the stickers I received in my passport package, and applied here, depict images from the old Maelstrom ride which used to be here in the Norway area. This is now the ‘Frozen’ ride. As I did not buy a passport package this year I do not know if they have updated the sticker selection inside yet.
UNITED KINGDOM
WORLD SHOWCASE POSTCARD
TOP
Front
BOTTOM
Reverse
I had a good chat with the girl on the station in the United Kingdom as she was clearly British (all the staff on the different World Showcase areas are hired from the countries in question, and this has been Disney’s policy since the opening). She writes a number of little things on the passports for those attending.
CHINA
WORLD SHOWCASE POSTCARD
TOP
Front
BOTTOM
Reverse
And, lastly, we have one of my favourite areas, China. The shop here is superb and I acquired some lovely Panda postcards from here this year. When I attended a couple of years ago there were not many postcards on sale here at all, but I did get my cachet applied and the lady wrote something for me on the card (I still do not know what has been written here…’Hello’ possibly?)
Well, that was the end of my little experiment, and I was not alone, and definitely not the only adult getting cachets etc. But I was the only adult doing this with postcards...but then, that’s my hobby.
26/11/2016
CHILDREN IN NEED
I missed this years ‘Children in Need’ night as I was in Florida whilst the event was held. From what I have seen from the front of the newspapers it was a successful night and raised a large quantity of money for its extremely good causes.
Although I was out of the country I still ordered my 2016 ‘Children in Need’ postcard from the company ‘Reflections of a Bygone Age’, who issue at least one new postcard each year and all the proceeds from the sale of these cards goes to the BBC ‘Children in Need’ appeal.
CHILDREN IN NEED 2016
Printed by
Adlard Print & Reprographics, Ruddington
Published by
REFLECTIONS OF A BYGONE AGE
The main picture used here is from a 1916 postcard by Adrienne Nash published by the Inter-Art C0., London. The two cartoon images of Pudsey Bear, which have been added to the overall design, are by the well-known modern cartoon postcard artist Rupert Besley.
CHILDREN IN NEED 2015
Printed by
Adlard Print & Reprographics, Ruddington
Published by
REFLECTIONS OF A BYGONE AGE
The main picture used here, on last year’s postcard, is by the artist Mabel Lucie Attwell and is from a 1939 postcard issued by Valentine of Dundee. Again, you have the two Rupert Besley cartoon Pudsey bears (as used on this year’s postcard posted above).
If you would like either, or both (much better idea) of the above postcards for your own collection they are available from ‘Reflections of a Bygone Age (Brian Lund Postcards)’, 15 Debdale Lane, Keyworth, Nottingham NG12 5HT, United Kingdom. The postcards are 50p each (as a minimum donation), but you will need to include postage costs – email brian.lund.keyworth@gmail.com for further information.
23/11/2016
THE SARAH JANE ADVENTURES
DOCTOR WHO SPIN OFF SERIES
Published by
BBC WALES
Sarah Jane Smith was one of my favourite Doctor Who companions and she appeared with both the third and fourth Doctors. Later she returned for a single story with David Tennant’s tenth Doctor, and this was so well received that the character appeared in her own series called ‘The Sarah Jane Adventures’.
The character was of course played by Elizabeth Sladen and she was a delightful person. I had the pleasure of meeting her several times, and had a number of postcards, and other items signed. This publicity postcard is one item which has been signed across the front, although I did not obtain this signature myself..
Elizabeth Sladen sadly passed away in 2011.
23/11/2016
ORLANDO
MICKEY MOUSE
A View of Lake Eola and the Orlando skyline
Published by
THE POSTCARD FACTORY
Ref: WD-OR501
This is a very simple ‘Orlando’, Florida, Disney themed postcard. The Postcard Factory are authorised to use the Disney characters on local based and themed postcards and this is a good example of the type they produce.
This copy is from my collection of these local postcards and was posted to Ireland in 2001. The back of this card was damaged in the post but the stamp and cancel are quite good – see below.
23/11/2016
AMERICAN PENNY ARCADE CARDS
VARIOUS PUBLISHERS/PRINTERS
PART TWO
PLAYING CARD ISSUES
“WESTERN ACES”
At the bottom of this page you will find what was my first selection of these arcade machine plain backed, postcard size cards. Those were single image cards showing photographs of, mainly, western film and TV show actors/characters.
There is another well known, and extremely popular type of these cards which are known as ‘Playing Card Cards’ or 'WESTERN ACES'. These are set up in the format of an image of an actor/character (often one which had also been used on a whole image card) placed in the centre of a shape, sometimes a diamond, club or other obvious playing card suite logo. This then appears in the centre of a playing card layout. The ‘Aces’ have become the most popular with collectors, and were the most popular produced. But, a whole range of playing card numbers were issued.
Here you have a ‘King’ and a 5 of Spades. These are black playing cards, as they would be in a deck. The cards I have seen all depict Western themed actors/characters, obviously, but, many also appeared in other themed TV shows and films.
These two are little more unusual, but no more scarce, as they have the series styled name down the side; WESTERN ACES’. Here the cards are red and depict both the Diamond and the Heart, above and below the image.
The card on the far left depicts the actor Audie Murphy who was also one of the most decorated American soldiers of World War II.
22/11/2016
NATIONAL GARDEN FESTIVAL
GATESHEAD 1990
“THE MOST SPECTACULAR AND EXCITING EVENT OF 1990”
18TH May – 21st Oct
Published by
EXCLUSIVE CARD Co
The ‘National Garden Festival’ has been a regular event, and it has in the past regularly been represented by one or more postcards. This is the official postcard depicting the official event’s logo. I have a small collection of these cards from other National Garden Festivals but most have been obtained because they have related special handstamps, which have also been issued for most events. That was why I bought this one – see below
REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD
This postcard was used by someone, possibly a dealer as there is no written message, but equally could have been a collector of handstamps etc. The stamp has been cancelled with the special cancel produced for this National Garden Festival:
NATIONAL GARDEN FESTIVAL
ROYAL – 18 MAY 1990 – MAIL
GATESHEAD TYNE & WEAR
In a weird value mix up, this card is probably worth less than the hand stamp that has been applied to it. I suspect there are only a few collectors of Garden Festival postcards, but there are many collectors of hand stamps.
20/11/2016
GREETINGS FROM AMISH COUNTRY
Published by
L. E. SMITH WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTOR LTD
Printed by
DEXTER PRESS
For
CONESTOGA CRAFTS
Ref: 62167-C
“Young AMISH people out for a Sunday ride with their traditional horse and buggy. The AMISH are a religious sect who have retained many of their forefathers’ original customs and beliefs, and live almost solely from Farming; without the use, or aid, of modern conveniences.”
(Text from reverse side of Postcard)
As I am still in America I thought I would post an American postcard, and one which is purely American. The Amish people’s way of life is probably quite well known to many these days as they have been the subject of several documentaries on television. They are also popular as a tourist attraction and people visit the area where they live to see them living what people believe is an old style of living (without electricity in most cases). Because of their popularity postcards are sold which depict them. This is one such postcard
20/11/2016
MAGIC KINGDOM
“WALT DISNEY WORLD”
“Follow your Disney dreams to a place where storybook fantasy comes to life for children of all ages. Seek out adventures, create magical memories with characters, and discover the fun where imagination reigns”
(Text from reverse side of Postcard)
This is a nice shiny surfaced postcard which has an image which relates to some of the ride options available in the Magic Kingdom theme park. It is a larger postcard than the normal size (but smaller than A5, somewhere in-between the sizes). I like this one and it was popular with visitors. It is a few years old now and certainly has not been on sale here for a couple of years at least.
17/11/2016
2 ½p LETTER CARD – USED
GREAT BRITAIN
I have mentioned, and depicted, Letter Cards before but these have been mainly mint copies. Finding modern properly used copies is actually harder than one would imagine. This one here has not only been used, it has been used when it required further postage than that printed on it. Thus, you have an extra 1p, 2p and two ½ p machin stamps applied. The extra stamps mean that more cancels were needed, making the item more attractive. Also, this was posted from Bootle Station and has received three very fine strikes of the Bootle Station, Cumbria hand stamp, dated 17th February 1976.
This was addressed to a location in Hockley, Essex, a location known well to me because I patrolled it for many years.
I also like the fact that you can clearly see where this has been opened leaving the perforated edges all around the opened card. Although not too easy to pick , these modern used copies do not have much actual value, but there is some philatelic interest.
17/11/2016
FINDING NEMO
DISNEY PIXAR
FLORIDA
“GREETINGS FROM FLORIDA”
Published by
THE POSTCARD FACTORY
Ref: PC57-NE-FL 001
I have been in the Epcot theme park today where they have a massive aquarium and a smaller area of smaller tanks showing smaller fish and species. Here they have clown fish which are the species depicted as Nemo and is father in the Pixar film ‘Finding Nemo’. To get to the area where these tanks are on display you have-to get on a ride where you enter a booth and travel along seeing Nemo and his friends.
All of this reminded me that I had scanned this postcard before coming out here. It is not an official Disney parks postcard but an authorised postcard design issued by the company ‘The Postcard Factory’ (a great name) for sale in the area around the Disney park land. It can probably still be find in some areas, but I have not seen it myself for a number of years now
Update - I actually came across some of these postcards on my last but one day in Florida - 79 cents and still around - gotta love this card
17/11/2016
ANN EMERY
As
ETHEL MEAKER
Of BBC tv’s
‘RENTAGHOST’ series
Large plain backed BBC TV character card issued as a promotional item to those who wrote in for information or signatures. This has been signed on the front by Ann Emery, who played the character ‘Ethel Meaker’ in the children’s series called ‘Rentaghost’.
As a child, I used to watch this series and it was a favourite of mine (although to be honest I suspect it would not hold up well to re-viewing, but who cares, I loved it as a kid, and it is considered a bit of cult classic amongst those of my age).
Although plain backed, as these television company promotional character cards most often are, these items are collected by those who specialise in TV cards. Signed ones are obviously best, but any popular character, from any popular programme, will always be collectible.
Rentaghost was shown between 6th January 1976 and 6th November 1984 and told the story of Fred Mumford, recently deceased, who decides he can find work for ghosts, and creates the company ‘Rentaghost’. The programme ran for nine series and had 58 episodes.
17/11/2016
BONNE FETE
(Happy Birthday)
Published by
Colorart F
Ref: 1324/1
A nice early ‘Happy Birthday’ postcard showing artwork of a man carrying flowers and a parcel. The BONNE FETE has been embossed and printed in gold coloured ink, which lifts the postcard up a little I feel. Not worth a great a deal but a nice little postcard printed and issued in France.
17/11/2016
BIG BEN, WESTMINSTER, LONDON
Published by
Valentines’s
Ref: G 5795
“The clock tower is 316 feet high and 40 feet square. The clock has four dials each 22 ½ feet in diameter. The minute hands 14 feet long, the hour hands 9 feet. The hours are struck on the famous bell “Big Ben” which weighs 13 ½ tons and whose resonant note is broadcast throughout the world”
(Text from reverse side of postcard)
A nice deckle edged postcard from probably the late 1950’s very early 1960’s. Valentine’s are one of the UK’s most famous postcard publishers. The text on the reverse side tells you all you really need to know.
16/11/2016
FAIRYTALE WISHES FROM ORLANDO
DISNEY FLORIDA PRINCESS
Published by
THE POSTCARD FACTORY
Ref: PC46-PR-OR 005V
Have not seen this one on sale here for a few years but it was once quite common outside of the walls of Walt Disney World. It is not an official Walt Disney World postcard but one authorised for sale outside in the more general areas which surround the theme parks.
My copy is a posted version but the date is quite hard to make out, but the year might be 2007.
This postcard is designed for the young that attend and love the Disney Princess world, you always see lots of very young girls dressed up as their favourite princess walking around the Magic Kingdom, and other, theme parks.
16/11/2016
GREETINGS FROM LONGLEAT
Published by
FRITH’S SERIES, REIGATE
Ref: LGT. 11F
It has been a good few years since I last visited here but I came several times as a child and bought my own children when they were younger. Despite a few visits I never came across this postcard on sale, and I expect it is an older card, possibly missed by myself as a child by only a few years.
It is in the classic multi-view format with a nice lion head central photograph. My copy here was used as a competition entry submission much later in its life (competition entry postcards can often be quite interesting as some regular competition people try and pick out cards which grab the eye, hoping that the person picking the winning card will go for theirs if seen).
I can also, almost, add this to my television collection as several documentary series of ‘Animal Park’ were filmed here (but I might be pushing the edges of my ‘theme’ here).
16/11/2016
25th PHILATELIC CONGRESS OF GREAT BRITAIN
CAMBRIDGE
21ST – 24TH JUNE 1938
The very first Philatelic Congress of Great Britain was held in 1909 from whence it became a yearly event. A postcard was issued for the first congress and this too became a tradition (but not for every single year, but most, I think). I have a small collection of these and am very interested in the early years leading up to the second world war.
In 1938 the congress was held in Cambridge and this postcard depicted here was released for the event. The image depicts a drawing of a market in Cambridge.
Although quite a few years old now this postcard was obtained this year for the price of just £1 (a bargain I feel).
15/11/2016
HEROES
By
JACK TEAGLE
Published by
PAPER PLANES
(URBANGRAPHIC CO UK)
Ref: PAP007
I first came across this postcard in a specialist shop in Cambridge last year, but more recently copies have turned up in one or two ‘paperchase’ branches.
It depicts some very unusual characters – Robert De Niro as Travis Bickle in the film ‘Taxi Driver’ – this black haired female is one that I have so far not identified – Mexican ‘Lucha Libre’ (‘Free Fight’) wrestler – the film director John Waters – Batman – Chewbacca from Star Wars – Red Power Ranger (from the TV series and the new upcoming feature film) – Catwoman – Spider-Man.
An interesting card, and piece of artwork, and an eclectic selection (and who is that dark haired woman at the top?)
Update - 26/03/2017
I now think the top centre character is Enid from the film Ghost World (played by Thora Birch). What do you think?
15/11/2016
AMERICAN PENNY ARCADE CARDS
VARIOUS PUBLISHERS/PRINTERS
These are a product item I only came to be aware of two years ago. They are postcard sized (golden age size) card items which depict a character or actor from the films and television programmes from between the 1930’s and 1960’s. The peak period was around the 1950s but there are many from the 1930’s which are more valuable. I became aware of them through an interest in early television programmes on the theme of ‘Westerns’. Through searches, and further investigation, I became fascinated in their story. The cards are mostly (but not always) plain backed, and sometimes do not even tell you anything beyond the depicted person’s name, or character name (sometimes both – but less often). The cards are often poorly printed and on cheap card, so, cheaply produced.
You obtained these by putting a coin into a machine at an arcade and out popped your card. Because the initial price was a small coin they became known as Penny Arcade Cards. I suspect thousands of different designs were released. You often also find the same picture printed in different single colours, sepia, black & white and Purple seem popular.
After seeing copies on internet articles and collector’s websites I decided I needed to obtain some for myself. Over a period of a year and a half I managed to obtain some. I picture my first selection here (I will post further selections soon).
SELECTION ONE
REVERSE SIDES
(Of the above two penny arcade cards)
Here you have the far more normal plain back, which most of these items appear to be. On the right, you have a far more unusual advert back. Clearly these are not postcards, but in size and feel they are very similar. These are collected in the US by a number of dedicated arcade card collectors, but are almost unknown in the UK.