14/02/2017
There might not be a posting tomorrow as I am attending the STAMPEX philatelic show in London. I may though post some images on the facebook account and I will of course be reporting on my Stampex visits over the weekend.
Also I am attending a friends retirement party on friday (two days time) so dont expect any postings until the weekend.
14/02/2017
HAPPY
VALENTINE’S DAY
In the Metro newspaper, on the 3rd February, I saw an article about a postal service from the village of ‘LOVER’. Reproduced here is a scan of that very article. Each card bought, a valentine’s day greetings styled card, so not a postcard this time, but I like philatelic curiosities so thought I would give it a go.
ENVELOPE RECEIVED
The envelope receives a large red circular cachet which reads ‘LOVER – SALISBURY, WILTS – 14TH FEBRUARY 2017 – LOVER VILLAGE POST’.
The 2nd class Machin Queens Head stamp has been cancelled with a Royal Mail slogan postmark that reads “SEND A CARD TO SOMEONE SPECIAL ON FEBRUARY 14TH 2017”.
It’s an unusual item which will fit nicely into my postmark and cachet collection. I did one for my wife and one for me for my collection. This one here is my one.
13/02/2017
CARING FOR CATS
(Registered Charity No: 1060280)
2 Irvine Gardens, South Ockendon, Essex RM15 5JP
Printed by
JUDGES OF HASTINGS
I recently posted some cat charity postcards which came from my Wife’s Auntie, who loves cats. These postcards here are from the same source. They all have a perforated top edge so although I do not know their original source for sure, I suspect they came connected to a calendar.
Details about the individual cat depicted on each postcard is recorded on the reverse side of each card. All the cards here are mint, unused, and have no indication of their date of issue.
CARING FOR CATS
Ruben – rescued by Joan and now living in Aveley
13/02/2017
REVOLTING RHYMES
Based on the classic stories by ROALD DAHL
DVD Release
Includes a set of DVD exclusive postcards.
This was an animated series which was shown over this past Christmas period and I watched it with pleasure. When my children were young, I read them the Roald Dahl ‘Revolting Rhymes’ and we did enjoy them. When I saw that there was an animated series I knew I had to watch it. The version they put together was so typical of Dahl and had lots of horrible deaths and very adult like storylines folded into the mix.
So, when I saw this DVD I was interested in buying it. The deal was sealed when I saw the sticker on the front which stated ‘INCLUDES FREE POSTCARDS’. The DVD was £8 and is worth having even if the added postcard version sells out, but if you are quick then they should still be around, I bought mine in an ASDA superstore.
THE DVD COVER
Here you can see the actual DVD Cover, with the round yellow sticker on the front which explains that this comes with free postcards
POSTCARD
REVOLTING RHYMES
UNTITLED
The postcards in this set, all four of them, have no titles or descriptive text beyond that of the title of the series, which appears top left. These do otherwise have a full postcard reverse.
This one here depicts Jack, from the story of Jack and the beanstalk, he is shown here with his cow.
POSTCARD
REVOLTING RHYMES
UNTITLED
I missed the Roald Dahl Cinderella version as I only caught the latter stories when I saw them about to come on TV. So, I have not yet seen this story, so I am assuming this is based on Cinderella, but the fairy godmother like character seems to fit the bill.
So, four exclusive postcards, all of them with a nice television connection so they fit into my favourite theme. I can highly recommend this little collection.
12/02/2017
CORONATION STREET
CORONATION STREET WITH WEATHERFIELD COAT OF ARMS
Published by
KARIZZMA ENTERPRISES LTD
Copyright GRANADA PROMOTIONS LTD 1985
Ref: KK37
Karizzma Enterprises Ltd produced a wide range of postcards related to the long running television soap opera ‘Coronation Street’, depicting both scenes and characters from the series. In-fact, if you collect television related postcards in the UK you almost certainly have copies of their postcards, or know of them. These postcards were also sold in the gift shop attached to the old Granada Studios tour. The ‘Studio Tours’ closed down many years ago, and this was then followed by the studios themselves closing down and moving to a new location. So, this image here is of the old set.
REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD
People who went on the old ‘Granada Studios Tour’ could not only buy souvenir postcards but could also post them on site. The postcards that were thus posted received a red WEATHERFIELD Meter Mark which had a boxed illustration of the street. The one applied to this postcard is dated from 1992. If the postcard was then actually posted on the Coronation Street Set, then the postcard could also receive a black circular cachet which reads ‘POSTED IN CORONATION STREET’. This cachet is worth around £2, despite many postcards being posted this way. They are, by their very nature, always slightly marred by passing through the post, but still worth hunting down.
12/02/2017
WISH YOU WERE HERE
THE CHARLES DICKENS TAVERN
“Greetings… from THE CHARLES DICKENS, MELBOURNE”
I have previously posted an advertising postcard for this Australian Tavern (see Jan 2017 Blog 4 tab) but then I came across this one and thought I might as well depict this one as well, as I would have posted it with the other one if I had found this one sooner. Actually, I think this one, is the better of the two.
12/02/2017
WE ALL LIVE IN A YELLOW SUBMARINE
Large ‘Hard Plastic’ Postcard sign
‘I SAW THIS AND THOUGHT OF YOU’ Series
Published by
INSTANT GIFTS
Ref: FN007
I found this card, and the one below, in a gift shop in Canterbury a few years back (Dec 2015). They were amongst a spinner of these large plastic sign postcards, which have a full postcard reverse layout. The fact that they are made of hard plastic and are designed to be stuck up on walls and doors, and the like, makes these of interest to me for my ‘Novelty’ themed collection. This one here has the ‘added’ bonus of being related to the pop group ‘The Beatles’, always a collectible theme.
BEWARE OF THE DOG, THE CAT CAN’T BE TRUSTED EITHER
Large ‘Hard Plastic’ Postcard sign
‘I SAW THIS AND THOUGHT OF YOU’ Series
Published by
INSTANT GIFTS
Ref: FN032
This one I bought because I found it quite funny. We have had both a dog and a cat in the past and our cat could ‘definitely’ not be trusted.
12/02/2017
EINSTEIN’S THEORY OF GENERAL RELATIVITY
JERSEY POST 2016
Stamps designed by Hat-Trick Design (London) Ltd
Incorporating photographs from 48p/60p/76p/£1 stamp © Corbis
66p stamp © Bettmann/Corbis, 85p © dpa/Corbis
Issued by Jersey Post on 11 May 2016
At the Autumn STAMPEX show last year I picked up this set of postcards from the Jersey Post stand. As is apparent from my collection I have an interest in philatelic related postcards, and especially those that reproduce stamp deigns. These cards here show the Jersey Post Albert Einstein ‘Theory of General Relativity’ stamps, one stamp per postcard, and one depicting a stamp miniature sheet that was issued the same day and which compliments the stamp issue.
Jersey Post do not issue postcards for all their issues, like the Royal Mail do here, so sets like this are less common and I try and pick them up when they do occur.
Top - 48p Design
Bottom - 60p Design
12/02/2017
LONDON LIFE
CONTROLLING THE TRAFFIC
Published by
Raphael Tuck & Sons
London Life Series – Postcard 9015
“Controlling the Traffic – Always clam and cheerful, no matter fine or foul weather, the London Policeman is at his post, with uplifted finger protecting the tired pedestrian and controlling the roaring traffic. He is a feature of London, and has no counterpart in any other capital in the world”
(Text from Reverse side of Postcard)
This ‘Golden Age’ picture postcard was published by the famous postcard publisher ‘Raphael Tuck & Sons’, one of the great publishers from the start of the last century. Their ‘London Life’ series was a very popular series and cards from it still sell well. This one, understandably, is my favourite of the set.
I was out last night at a retirement party for a friend of mine and whilst I was chatting to all those present I thought about this postcard and decided I would post it here today.
11/02/2017
GREETINGS FROM WALES
CYFARCHIADAU O’ GYMRU
Printed by
J. ARTHUR DIXON
Colour Photograph by
J. T. Pullen
Ref: Wales 2227
I know a couple of people who collect postcards depicting the Welsh National Costume and they are well served by postcard issues. This one here is from the 1960’s and is typical of the collectible ‘Welsh Costume’ output.
10/02/2017
BUILDING MEMORIES IN FLORIDA
MICKEY’S FLORIDA COLLECTION
Published by
LAWSON MARDON POST CARD
Distributed by
Scenic Card & Novelty
Ref: LMPC/3125SC
The company ‘Lawson Mardon’ have issued a ‘large’ number of postcards which depict Disney characters (and, also Looney Tunes characters like Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and Elmer Fudd, etc) and their cards are available all over Florida and across America in almost every state.
This postcard here, featuring Goofy, was one of my finds of last year when I visited Orlando in November. It is an older postcard and this one here was the last copy in the store, possibly in the whole area as it was the only one I have ever seen. I was really pleased to get it.
10/02/2017
COCA-COLA
THE COCA-COLA COMPANY
COCA-COLA STORE
Ref: #16331
Shaped Postcard
Polar Bears
This is another of the postcards I bought at the large Coca-Cola store located in the Disney Springs area of Walt Disney World, Florida back in November 2016. If you visit this store on holiday then look on the middle floor where they have a nice range of postcards, many of which have already been posted on this website.
10/02/2017
OLD MELBOURNE GAOL
VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA
These four postcards are exclusive to this museum and the depict images of the inside of the gaol and exhibits that relate to the person who was probably their most well-known inmate, Ned Kelly, who was hanged on the premises.
For anyone collecting crime and punishment related postcards these are a nice addition. These were kindly sent to me by a friend who knew that I was interested in this theme. The story of Ned Kelly is of course well known as is the image of his metal armour which he wore when he was finally caught. The armour is so iconic it is depicted here on three of the four depicted postcards.
10/02/2017
FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE
1820 – 1910
Illustrated by
John Holmes
Published by
CAMEO STAMPS LTD., LONDON
The company ‘Cameo Stamps Ltd’ produced postcards related to British stamp issues prior to, and during the first five years, that Royal Mail issued their PHQ Stamp Cards. Therefore, if people want first day of issue postcards for these earlier issues this is the company that is needed to be looked out for. Although they can also be found with related hand stamps that are not first day of issue. The postcards are very popular with stamp collectors and philatelic collectors in general. The stamp is a single stamp from a set of five which was titled ‘Anniversaries’ and which was released on 1st April 1970. This 9d Florence Nightingale stamp (SG 820) depicts her attending to patients, and the artist John Holmes has painted a design which mirrors much of the design that appears on the stamp only with more background detail.
The stamp has been cancelled with a special hand stamp dated 12th May 1970, so this is not a first day of issue cancel. But, it is clearly a strongly related cancel and the date is the 150th anniversary of her birth, which was on the 12th May 1820.
09/02/2017
RICHARD HATCH ….. RIP
Richard Lawrence Hatch
21st May 1945 – 7th February 2017
Actor, writer, producer. Probably best known for his portrayal of the character Captain Apollo in the television science fiction series ‘Battlestar Galactica’.
PHOTOGRAPH
RICHARD HATCH as CAPTAIN APOLLO
in the television series
BATTLESTAR GALACTICA
TOP POSTCARD
BATTLESTAR GALACTICA
Concept Artwork
Battlestar Galactica Volume 6
When the Battlestar Glactica television series was released on video each release came with a free exclusive postcard. I did not manage to obtain a full set of these, but I managed to pick up three. All the postcards depicted concept artwork pieces which I believe were used to initially create the series.
The postcards have proper postcard backs but have no titles or descriptive text to explain what is depicted. The BATTLESTAR GALACTICA logo does appear across the top.
This one shows an early version for the Cylon spaceships. This postcard came with volume six (earlier postcards did not have the details of which volume they came with.
BOTTOM POSTCARD
BATTLESTAR GALACTICA
Concept Artwork
This is one of the postcards which does not have any details of which volume it was released with and again has no descriptive text. This one depicts an early concept version of what a Cylon would look like, this changed quite a bit before they reached the screen.
TOP POSTCARD
BATTLESTAR GALACTICA
Concept Artwork
Another concept artwork postcard which came with a video volume release (the details of which volume are not known or shown for this one). This image shows the home planet for those who are on board the Battlestar Galactica, a planet which is attacked and destroyed by the Cylons in the opening episode of the original series.
These postcards were only issued for a while and are quite hard to obtain, I very rarely see these.
08/02/2017
ALAN SIMPSON ….. RIP
Alan Francis Simpson OBE
27th November 1929 – 8th February 2017
Television series writer – wrote for Hancock’s Half Hour (1954 – 1961), Comedy Playhouse (1961 – 1963) and Steptoe and Son (1962 – 1974). Best known for his co-writing partnership with Ray Glaton, with whom he worked with on the afore-mentioned series’.
POSTCARD
RADIO TIMES
From the Box Set titled
‘RADIO TIMES 101 CLASSIC COVERS’
Ref: No. 34
HANCOCK’S HALF HOUR (Tony Hancock, Sidney James)
Photograph by
Don Smith
Issue date – 28th February – 5th March 1960
This is from the same box set of postcards as the Fawlty Towers postcard I posted upon the sad death of Andrew Sachs. As previously mentioned this was a boxed set which was sold through the Radio Times and was advertised within the magazine (I am not sure it was available from any other outlet).
07/02/2017
DRIVER AND BUS WHO SERVED
Published by
MAYFAIR CARDS OF LONDON
Distributed by
THE POSTCARD WAREHOUSE
Ref: 33
“This bus, B43, was chosen for preservation as a reminder of amazing work done by London’s busmen and vehicles during the First World War. Driver E. Arkell, of Tottenham Garage worked from 1905 until 1956 and is seen here with his medals. On the radiator cap is the figure of Ole Bill”
(Text from reverse side of Postcard)
The bus B43 was an AEC built bus which was named ‘Ole Bill’ after the famous WW1 Bruce Bairnsfather cartoon character. It was built in 1911 and initially worked Route 8 (Willesden – Old Ford) before being purchased by the War Office in 1914. The bus served in both France and Belgium throughout the war and was used as a troop carrier taking relief forces to the front line and returning with those who had been on the front line and were relieved by those brought forward.
After the war, in 1919, it was repurchased by the London General Omnibus Company. On the 14th February 1920 HM King George V boarded the bus when it was presented for inspection at Buckingham Palace, it was the first bus the king had ever been on.
Bus B43 continued working in the London area until 1924 when it was handed over to the Auxiliary Omnibus Companies Association. The bus the regularly appeared in Armistice Day parades and other special events.
You can now still see this bus, and 1000’s of people see it every year without knowing its full story. This is because this is the, now painted red, bus that is in the main hall of the Imperial War Museum in London.
07/02/2017
MABLETHORPE
Published by
BAMFORTH & Co., Ltd., HOLMFIRTH, YORKSHIRE
Ref: M.016513L
Mablethorpe has a small fairground and I wonder if this carousel is/was located here. There is no title or descriptive text on this postcard to indicate where this carousel could be found. But, Mablethorpe has the traditional seafront amusement arcades which go with the award-winning beach. The town of Mablethorpe is in the county of Lincolnshire, on the coast and has existed as a town here for many centuries (although part of the town was lost to the sea in the 1540’s).
At first it was the carousel that interested me, I like images of amusement parks and related rides and attractions, and the old carousels are a standard ‘fun-fair’ ride. Also, I was intrigued by the letters around the top of the carousel where I could make out the words ‘BY THE ROYAL FAMILY AND’. I wonder if a member, or members of the Royal family have ridden this carousel. Once I had checked out the front of this postcard, posted in the 1990’s, I looked at the reverse side and then knew I had to have this. I think it cost me 10p.
REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD
1000,000’s of postcards have been sent through the post, most with a holiday message written by a family member. Sometimes attempts are made to write humorous messages or clever coded messages, but the clear majority have the ‘wish you were’ type of common holiday written adornment.
But, this one has been crafted by, what I assume, are a group of children, or funny older kids, and, the result is a colourful illustration drawn especially for ‘Dear Mum’.
This has no monetary value but that does not mean I like it any the less.
06/02/2017
STAMPEX
THE BRITISH NATIONAL STAMP EXHIBITION
15TH – 18TH FEBRUARY
2017
I like to give everyone some advance notice of this bi-annual stamp show, which is held in London. Helpfully they send out advertising leaflets (postcard size) which gives all the details required by anyone attending. I depict this leaflet here. I shall be attending on the first day, the 15th, and the last day, the 18th. I will of course give you information afterwards about the postcards I obtain on my visits, much as I did for both of last year’s shows.
06/02/2017
ANCIENT BRITAIN
PHQ STAMP CARDS
Published by
ROYAL MAIL
Stamp set issued on the
17th January 2017
The first of 2017’s stamp issues came out last month and I have just received the PHQ Stamp cards which depict the images that are shown on these stamps. Thankfully this first set is quite a good one. I think these images have been very craftily designed and display the subject matter well. So, a good start to 2017.
ANCIENT BRITAIN
BATTERSEA SHIELD, LONDON 350-50 BC
1st Class Stamp
Ref: PHQ 424 (1) 1.17
05/02/2017
GENERAL VIEW OF THE DINOSAUR GALLERY
BRITISH MUSEUM (NATURAL HISTORY)
Official Postcard
Ref: Card A7
“Left, Iguanodon bernissartensis from the lower Cretaceous of Belgium : right, Diplodocus carnegii from the Upper Jurassic of Wyoming. But were plant-eating dinosaurs”
(Text from reverse side of Postcard)
I remember well when the long Diplodocus dinosaur skeleton (the one on the right) was located here in the dinosaur gallery. It is of course better known for its later position, when it was in the main central hall, which you walk into once you pass through the main entrance. The skeleton, affectionately nick-named ‘Dippy’ has been in London since its arrival way back in 1905. It moved to the main hall in 1979, so this postcard photograph pre-dates that move.
‘Dippy’ remained the first thing people saw when the entered the museum right up until the 4th January 2017 when ‘Dippy’ was removed. The skeleton is not finished with though as it is currently undergoing conservation work, where the delicate plaster-of-Paris work will be prepared for a tour. The skeleton is of course not a real one but a model, which was made from plaster-of-Paris, but this fact by no means lessons the impact it has had at the museum. To increase ‘Dippy’s impact it is going to be touring the country between 2018 and 2020 (the work to prepare the skeleton for transit during this long tour will take 12 months).
The tour will take in the Dorset County Museum, Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, Ulster Museum, the Glasgow Kelvin Art Gallery and Museum, the Great North Museum: Hancock, Newcastle upon Tyne, National Assembly for Wales, Number One Riverside, Rochdale and lastly Norwich Cathedral (check local press or the internet for the date, which run right through to 2020).
05/02/2017
SIR BRADLEY WIGGINS – STEVEN BURKE MBE
SKY – BRITISH CYCLING TEAM
Sir Bradley Wiggins will be appearing tonight in the return of the Channel 4 television programme ‘The Jump’. Personally, I have no interest in watching this as it is not my type programme but I have a lot of respect for Sir Bradley Wiggins and what he has achieved in his career. So, I wish him all the best in the contest, and I hope this second series is not plagued with the injuries that the contestants in the first series suffered.
These two cards are more ‘Information Cards’ than postcards but they are the same size and are printed on similar card stock. They were promotional items issued by the Sky television company and the reverse side of each gives a selected career highlight list for each (see below).
THE REVERSE SIDES OF EACH OF THE TWO INFORMATION CARDS
These two cards would be a nice addition to any sport theme collector, and clearly to anyone who specialises in the sport of cycling. I was interested in these cards because I have a collection themed around the 2012 London Olympics and I believe these postcards came out in 2013, so only a year after the event itself, and on Bradley Wiggins’ list the 2012 Olympic Games as the most recent of his career highlights listed, but for Steven Burke his 2013 silver in the ‘Team Pursuit’ at the UCI Track Cycling World Championships comes after his London Olympic Games gold in the ‘Team Pursuit’.
05/02/2017
DISNEYLAND RESORT PARIS
Official Postcard
Ref: FAC-022768-16037
This is a very large, round topped postcard which my daughter picked up for me at Disneyland Resort Paris last month. It cost 2 euro’s but compared to the prices of postcards in the American theme parks this is cheap. The scan depicted here does not do full credit to this postcard because it does not show up the fact that the firework bursts are improved with applied with different coloured glitter and they shine when tilted in the light. The large size, the shaped top and the applied glitter all go to make this a ‘novelty’ themed postcard. As this is a Disneyland Paris theme park exclusive it will be hard to obtain unless you actually visit the theme park, know someone who is going and can ask them or you are very lucky and one turns up on eBay (although it will probably be quite expensive from this source).