28/05/2017

TIM PEAKE

BRITISH ASTRONAUT

First British ESA Astronaut

Published by

CoIR CARDS

Ref: 2016.CR.205

 

For something that was, and is, such an iconic piece of British space history, albeit very recent history, I do wonder if this is the only postcard issued to celebrate Tim Peake’s achievement. And if it is, I am not surprised it was issued by CoIR CARDS, as they seem to be the major postcard recorders of current events. This is another cracking card from them.

 

28/05/2017

CHANGE OF ADDRESS NOTIFICATION POSTCARD

FRANCE

Issued by

LA POSTE

 

I have a number of ‘Change of Address’ notification postcards in my collection which have been issued by the Royal Mail, and some other companies. They are designed for a specific and important use and most are thus used. I obviously assumed that there were similar postcards issued in other countries and this one just proves the point. Like many of these ‘mass produced’ official postcards the design is simple.

 

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

 

28/05/2017

MARTYRE

DE MISS EDITH CAVELL

12 OCTOBRE 1915

REMEMBER

Published by

LAUREYS, IMP. EDIT., 17 r. d’ENGNIEN, PARIS

Ref: No 870

 

During the First World War the execution by firing squad of Nurse Edith Cavell, by the German Army, was strongly condemned by the British and their partners. It was also a massive propaganda coup as well, and the British and French used it to highlight that the Germans were the bad guys. A large part of this propaganda campaign was the release of strong worded and pictured postcards which were widely circulated. This one is typical, but one of the better designed, of the type as the picture is quite strong and the depiction of the nurse is deliberately aimed to offend, and she is depicted as much younger than Miss Cavell ‘actually’ was as this adds to the feeling of horror the artist of this picture was trying to invoke.   

 

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

The most well-known photograph of Miss Cavell is reproduced top left – this image appeared on a large number of postcards as the main front image

 

28/05/2017

FAR LEFT –

Wishing you fearless DREAMS from Florida

NEAR LEFT –

Princess Wishes from Florida

Both Postcards Published by

THE POSTCARD FACTORY

And both postcards have the following reference number:

Ref: PC57-PR-FL 001

 

This is a good example of how easy it can be to miss out on a postcard because at a quick first look two cards appear to be the same. The design far left has been artistically touched up and given finer details although the pose and background are identical in content. Anyone who works from a checklist would miss out here as both of these issues have the same reference number. Missing out on one of these, and it would probably be the updated design as it has not been around anywhere near as long.

 

28/05/2017

 

CARS OF THE STARS

MOTOR MUSEUM

Standish Street, Town Centre, Keswick

(Lake District)

 

Untitled postcard from this small but fascinating museum which I was fortunate enough to visit around 1991 on a family holiday in the Lake District. I remember it fondly as the selection of cars on display was quite extensive. So, it is sad that it closed down in 2011 and all of the cars were sold to an American collector and they ended up in America in another car museum.

If you have not realised yet, and if you know the character I suggest you would have, this is Noddy’s car. Or at least a full-size replica of Noddy’s car. I wonder if they know of Noddy and Big Ears in America?

 

28/05/2017

 

THE RIVER LYN

LYNMOUTH

Published by unknown publisher/printer

Ref: PT1561

 

Last year I published a postcard showing the damage caused to this location during a flood in 1952. I have been to this area many times and this is how I know it, as I was born long after the devastating flood tore through here. The wall along the edge of the river, that can be seen on the right side, was built as a direct result of the flood and the damage it caused. Although this is a cheap and cheerful postcard (of the type often found in 5p and 10p boxes) it still has some meaning to me, as a souvenir of my many childhood holidays here.

 

27/05/2017

2016

350th ANNIVERSARY

GREAT FIRE OF LONDON

MONUMENT TO THE GREAT FIRE OF LONDON

2ND TO 5TH SEPT 1666

Published by

CoIR CARDS

Ref: 2016.C.R.212

 

Another cracking CoIR issued postcard cleverly put together and designed. I picked up a few of these at the Woking Postcard Fair and I shall slowly post them here on the webpage.

 

 

27/05/2017

RUSSIAN POSTAL STATIONERY POSTCARD

 

There is very little I can tell you about this postcard as it has no text on it that I can translate easily. It looks to me that this image could be related to a fairy tale or story, something like Cinderella or similar. It is the type of postcard which can be hard to find without searching dealer’s boxes for a long time. It is also a card which postal history collectors would seek out as the stamp on the reverse side has been printed on it.

 

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

Russian Postal Stationery Post Card with pre-printed postage stamp

 

27/05/2017

CND

Design by

KAI AND SUNNY

THE CENTRAL ILLUSTRATION AGENCY

Published by

BOOMERANG MEDIA (free rack cards)

 

CND related postcards were probably being published at their height during the 1980’s. It would be fair to say that few seem to surface these days so it was nice to recently find this one. This one is quite elaborate but then it has been designed by the graphic design partnership of Kai and Sunny who work in the worlds of music, fashion and other graphic art areas. This postcard here is an advert postcard for their company.

 

27/05/2017

PHOTOGRAPH

FRENCH POSTCARD

JIGSAW PUZZLE

“A Provocative and Saucy Jigsaw Puzzle made from an enlargement of an original Carte Postale sold by Parisian Street Peddlers in front of Jacque’s Cabaret on the Rue Maubert”

Rights granted by Societe Historique de Photographie 82 Rue de la Derriere, Paris

(Details from printed label on front of box)

 

Amongst my collection of unusual postcard related items is this jigsaw puzzle I picked up in a charity shop a couple of years ago for a couple of pounds. I have always liked items which fit in around the edge of my postcard collection. I also liked the descriptive front label printed on the box and the story it gave around the postcard image. And, who can resist an address like the ‘Rue de la Derriere’.

 

PHOTOGRAPH

Image of the jigsaw box from the side

 

PHOTOGRAPH

Close up of the label on the front of the box

 

27/05/2017

DAN DARE

“HAVE JUST ARRIVED!”

Published by

VALENTINE & SONS., LIMITED

In their:

“DAN DARE SERIES”

By permission of

THE EAGLE COMIC

Ref: 5089

 

This postcard is actually quite important to me for two extremely good reasons. The first is a simple one as it is the fact that I have always been a huge fan of the Dan Dare comic strips and the stories around this character. I was bought a book as a child which was a collection of some of the original Dan Dare comic book stories originally published in The Eagle Comic and I immediately loved them.

The second reason is a bit more unusual as it involves a story around this actual postcard image. Back in 1994 we celebrated the ‘Centenary of the Picture Postcard’ and during this year a massive ‘Centenary’ event was held in London for a week, covering two large halls at the Royal Horticultural Society. I attended all but one day of this event and I remember it fondly. One of the things done for the event was the printing of large reproductions of, if I remember correctly, 100 (it might have only been 50 becaue of the cost but I am not sure) postcard images. The chosen designs were taken from across all periods of the 100 years of picture postcards. One of the modern postcards chosen was this very Dan Dare card. The images were blown up to even larger than A3 size. These were then professionally mounted on hard foam board and were placed on the walls all around the halls at the Centenary Show. They were impressive and added something to the event. On the final day of the show they were individually put up for sale, if I remember correctly for £15, or possibly £20 each (which was a fair price considering they had cost a lot to produce). They were a bit of an unusual thing for a collector to acquire as they were really more a souvenir of the Centenary Show rather than a collectible postcard item in their own right, and as such, only a few of them, I seem to recall were sold. The Dan Dare one was one of these that did get sold. This was because the buyer had been looking at it all week and loved the image, even though he did not have a copy of the actual postcard. I am sure you will not be surpried to hear that the collector in question ws me.

 

PHOTOGRAPH

 

And here is that actual display board which shows the Dan Dare postcard above. It took me nearly ten years to finally obtain a copy of this postcard, but now I have two, a used copy and the perfect mint unused copy depicted above. This large board is stored in my storage container along with much of my collection of unusual postcard related items.

 

PHOTOGRAPH

 

Another photograph of my purchased board from the Centenary Show. With my hand included you can see how big this one actually is.

 

26/05/2017

POLLING BOOTH

COMPANIONS IN DISGRACE

Facsimile of a Suffragette postcard in the London Museum

Ref: London Museum, 72/5

 

Convicts and Women kindly note,

Are not allowed to have the vote;

The difference between the two

I will now indicate to you.

When once the harmful man of crime,

In Wormwood Scrubbs has done his time,

He at the poll can have his say,

The harmless woman never may.

 

What with all the current political party promotions going on for the upcoming general election I thought this postcard, depicting an older postcard, was quite topical. It also acts as a reminder of the fight women went through to obtain the right to vote. I wonder how many of them will remember the fight of the suffragettes and use it on the 8th June?

 

 

26/05/2017

DOT – TO – DOT

THERAPY

Published by

LEEDS POSTCARDS

Ref: LP982 – Dot to Dot # 4

Design by

Paul Morton

Copyright 2010

 

One of the later issued ‘Leeds Postcards’ issues and the fourth card in their ‘Dot To Dot’ series, although the other cards were issued over a long period to time as one of them came out when Margaret Thatcher was in power and depicts her under very similar conditions to the smiling David Cameron. I picked this card up at the Woking Postcard Fair earlier this month for a £1.

 

26/05/2017

HARRISON FORD

As INDIANA JONES

In

“INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM”

Published by

SANTORO GRAPHICS

Ref: C224

 

Indiana Jones films have always been popular and any release of a new one was greeted, at the time, with the release of new postcards. Santoro Graphics issued a number of cards which depicted actual scenes from this film rather than the more traditional film posters which always seemed to be more prevalent. I do like the poster designs but postcards like this are actually harder to find now.

 

25/05/2017

AN OLD WOODEN ROCKING HORSE

From the National Trust collection at Snowshill Manor, Gloucestershire

Published for the

NATIONAL TRUST

By

DINOSAUR PUBLICATIONS, CAMBRIDGE

Copyright – Althea Braithwaite – 1974

 

There is something about children’s toys which evoke a nostalgia in everyone, even people who did not have such a toy themselves. I did have a rocking horse, a big metal one which I used to love trying to ‘rock off’ of its frame. I would push ever harder in some vain attempt to make the horse break free, it of course, never did. I think it was memories of my own toy rocking horse that made me buy this postcard.

 

25/05/2017

 

CONCORDE – AIR MAIL

Untitled artwork published by

BUNCH OF ARTISTS

 

This is the second Bunch of Artists Concorde design that has appeared on the webpage. They were unusual designs which made for a more artistic addition to any Concorde collection. On this design, the Concorde appears partially top right (the front) and partially bottom left (the rear end). Weird, but I like this one. 

 

25/05/2017

 

ORLANDO

COCA-COLA

Large Shaped Postcard

Ref: #17577

 

This is the last of the large shaped Coca-Cola postcards I bought in the massive Coca-Cola store in Disney Springs, Florida. As this one has ‘ORLANDO’ printed on the front it is ‘definitely’ a local only sale postcard and would not logically be available in any other Coca-Cola shops located in other states (and I assume there are others). Again, this one depicts Polar Bears which were for a long time used in the advertising programme for the drinks company. Check back over past pages to see some of the others. At just $1 each these were one of the few postcard bargains to be found in the Walt Disney World.

 

24/05/2017

SMIRNOFF

‘SALTY DOG’ drink recipe

BEER MAT POSTCARD

(NOVELTY POSTCARD)

Published by

Smirnoff

 

Beer Mat postcards were once not uncommon, but I have not seen one for quite a few years now. This one depicts the image of a very iced over small boat. As with all beer mat postcards this is printed on quite thick cards, well, beer mat card as beer mats are designed for a specific reason and these postcard versions were used for that very purpose so needed to be of the same density and thickness (to absorb all that spilt – as if! – alcohol from the glass placed upon it). Basically, these are novelty advertising items and many were destroyed by being used as proper beer mats. Fortunately, some did get saved and made their way into postcard dealers stocks – this is a fair example.

 

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE BEER MAT POSTCARD

This has the recipe for the Salty Dog drink on it

 

24/05/2017

ROGER MOORE ….. RIP

Sir Roger George Moore KBE

14TH October 1927 – 23rd May 2017

Film and television actor best known for playing Simon Templar in the Television series ‘The Saint’ and James Bond in seven movies from 1972. Moore's first Bond film 'Live and Let Die' was the very first Bond film I saw, at the cinema with my Auntie who was a big Roger Moore fan and who used me and my brother as an excuse to go and see this film. I loved it and was a Bond fan from that very day. As Roger Moore was my first James Bond, and he played the part for another six films, he will always be my favourite Bond.  

 

ROGER MOORE

“IVANHOE”

Postcard size plain backed card from Europe

Contemporary to the TV series

 

Roger Moore played the title character of Sir Wilfrid of Ivanhoe in the 1958 – 1959 television series. Most of the series was filmed in Elstree in the UK but interestingly part of it was filmed in California due to a partnership deal with Columbia Studios.

Although a lovely card this one here should not cost you more than £3, as it is more common than you might expect.

 

THE SPY WHO LOVED ME

Film Poster Postcard

Published by

VINTAGE MAGAZINE Co.

Ref: JB 14

 

This is my favourite James Bond film and was another, like all of the Roger Moore Bond films, that I saw at the cinema and loved immediately. It may not be the best Bond film poster but it is not a bad one.

 

FOR YOUR EYES ONLY

Film Poster Postcard

Published by

VINTAGE MAGAZINE Co.

Ref: JB 10

(The identical image by the same company, but on a slightly smaller sized card can be found referenced as JB12)

 

This film was a return to a more realistic (if you know what I mean) story after the Star Wars like adventure that preceded it which was ‘Moonraker’, my least favourite of the Bond films although I still enjoy watching it.

 

24/05/2017

We are back after yesterday’s computer webpage issues where I just could not ‘open up’ the page to add anything. Never mind. Today we will catch up with the postcards I was going to put on yesterday, and possibly one or two others as well.

 

 

POWERS BOOTHE - RIP

Powers Allen Boothe

1ST June 1948 – 14th May 2017

Film and television actor – On TV appeared in Phillip Marlowe, Private Eye – Deadwood – 24 – Nashville – Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D – and many more. His film appearances include Southern Comfort – Red Dawn – Tombstone – Sudden Death – The Avengers (known as ‘Avengers Assemble’ in the UK) and both ‘Sin City’ and ‘Sin City: A Dame to Kill For’ where he played the character Senator Roark. Unfortunately, the character does not appear on any of these postcards, but I post them here in a belated remembrance of the actor.

SIN CITY

JESSICA ALBA is NANCY

Published by

AVANTCARD AUSTRALIA

Ref: 2005 * #9722

“Whether you’re born with it, or catch it, she’s got it”

 

 

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

Each of these postcards has a different reverse image

 

 SIN CITY

MICKEY ROURKE is MARV

Published by

AVANTCARD AUSTRALIA

Ref: 2005 * #9723

“Sometimes standing up for your friends means killing a whole lot of people”

 

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

Each of these postcards has a different reverse image

 

SIN CITY

BENICIO DEL TORO is JACKIE BOY

Published by

AVANTCARD AUSTRALIA

Ref: 2005 * #9724

“Come on get in the car baby, it’d be nice”

 

 

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

Each of these postcards has a different reverse image

 

SIN CITY

BRUCE WILLIS is HARTIGAN

Published by

AVANTCARD AUSTRALIA

Ref: 2005 * #9725

“Experience taught him never to trust a policeman – and he is one”

 

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

Each of these postcards has a different reverse image

 

SIN CITY

CLIVE OWEN is DWIGHT

Published by

AVANTCARD AUSTRALIA

Ref: 2005 * #9726

“Do I take this cop down and risk it all?”

 

This is a nice set and they were free as well. I assume it is a complete set but I cannot confirm this, but, I have not seen any other cards which are different. I like these, and I like the film although it is brutal and quite vicious in its content, which I don’t mind.

 

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

Each of these postcards has a different reverse image

 

PHOTOGRAPH

Powers Boothe

In

Sin City

 

22/05/2017

HARRODS BATTERY ELECTRIC DELIVERY VAN, 1939

Published by

THE SCIENCE MUSEUM

Ref: Card W4

“Between 1936 and 1939 Harrods built 60 of these vehicles for use in their own delivery fleet”

(Text from reverse side of postcard)

 

Sometimes postcards appeal to me for reasons it is hard for me to explain beyond the fact that when I look at them I like them and they hit a cord with me. This was one of those cards. I was also fascinated by the fact that they built 60 of these things.

 

22/05/2017

WW1 1916

BATTLE FOR VERDUN

FROM FEB UNTIL DEC 1916

(9 MONTHS, 3 WEEKS & 6 DAYS)

Published by

CoIR CARDS

Ref: 2016.CR.196

 

A couple of days ago I posted a WWI Verdun postcard showing a shell wrecked hotel building which was issued at the time. S0, when I came across this anniversary postcard for the Battle of Verdun I thought I would show it here today. Like many of the ‘CoIR’ issued cards it is made up of a really nice combination of material, in this case a period photograph of a French soldier in a trench along with a map of the battle area. I have always found their postcards interesting and they often issue postcards on events and anniversaries not covered by any other publishers.

 

22/05/2017

HIGHLANDER 2

THE QUICKENING

Unknown Publisher

Ref: FA 316 – HIGHLANDER 2

 

Sometimes a sequel really does not live up to the original and this 1991 follow up to the highly successful and very good ‘Highlander’ film does fit that bill, although it is not as bad as some. Despite the film being not as good I do like this film poster issued for it.

 

21/05/2017

MERSEYSIDE POSTCARD CLUB

NATIONAL POSTCARD WEEK

4TH – 10TH May 1986

Royal liver Building Liverpool, Mersey Tunnel, Bidston Hill, Wirral

 

Privately produce postcard designed by The Merseyside Postcard Club for the 1986 National Postcard Week. It has been sometime since we last celebrated the National Postcard Week here in the UK but in America it is still an annual event with privately produced postcards being designed and made for swapping with other collectors.

 

21/05/2017

 

ANDY WARHOL

‘RONALD REAGAN’

Circa 1980 – 1984

Group of four gelatin-silver prints stitched with thread 69.9 x 54.0cm

Published by

NEUES PUBLISHING COMPANY

(New York)

Copyright 1994 The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, inc

 

This is not the first Andy Warhol artwork postcard I have posted on my webpage, but it is the first one which is mostly photographic in composition. I actually have this one in my ‘Political’ collection rather than my art one but it could of course fit in both.

 

21/05/2017

 

ROYAL MAIL POST BUS

Unknown Publisher

(No reference number or title)

 

I would be intrigued to discover the source of this card item. It is postcard size but has a plain reverse side and only the depicted artwork image of the Royal Mail post bus on the front. Therefore, this is a very simple design. I think this might have been designed to be used to receive a special handstamp (or different handstamps) related to the Post Buses. As these red buses were at their height during the 1970’s and 1980’s I suspect that this item is from this same period. Research into items like this is what takes collecting beyond that of just being a hoard of items put together.

 

21/05/2017

 

PUMA

Official supplier to Ferrari

Official Promotional Postcard

 

Formula 1 has always been popular and any postcards depicting the cars are always snapped up. Ferrari is of course one of the top Formula 1 teams and there has been an interest in the name ‘Ferrari’ for many years. This postcard here was initially a free postcard but I had to obtain mine from a postcard dealer.

 

21/05/2017

 

PLAY IT AGAIN SAM

(WODDY ALLEN’S)

ROYAL GEORGE PUB THEATRE

DEPTFORD

 

Advert postcard for a play but I have shown it here because the other week I showed the Boomerang ‘Cinema in Cards’ series postcard for the film Casablanca where they used a proper quote from the film and explained how this particular quote used here was not used in the film. I therefore thought it interesting when I found this postcard at last week’s Woking Postcard Fair.

 

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

 

Details are given here about what this play is about. I like the film connection but am not sure if this would have appealed to me or not, but I might have given it a go.

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