11/05/2017

THE VICTORIAN HEXAGONAL PILLAR BOX 1866 – 1879

Published by

THE BATH POSTAL MUSEUM

Ref: No 2 in an ongoing series

(2^nd Print – December 1983)

“Designed by J. W. Penfold. There are only 87 ‘Penfolds’ still in use in Great Britain & 2 are in Bath. One is is outside the Museum & this one is close by in Laura Place”

(Text from reverse side of Postcard)

I have been to the Bath Postal Museum a couple of times and whilst it has been in more than one location, as it has moved. I have also bought a few of the postcards produced by the museum and as can be expected they all have a postal theme. This one I bought because of the reverse side.

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

This copy of the postcard has received one of the 9p’ BATH POSTAL MUSEUM – SPECIAL CHRISTMAS DELIVERY 1983’ cinderella label (which is used like a postage stamp – here the idea was that the Postal Museum would run their own Christams postal service. People would buy this special label and apply it to a card or envelope and then post it at the Museum’s special post box and the museum would deliver it. The service was not available for long and genuine used examples would be worth a little bit. This one is clearly a philatelic item designed to be sold in the museum’s shop). The label has been cancelled with a BPM (Bath Postal Museum) duplex styled cancel, and although this is not dated it states it is first day of issue. Items posted in te museum’s post box also received a special cancel whict states: ‘POSTED IN THE VICTORIAN WALL BOX – BATH POSTAL MUSEUM – 5 DEC 1983’. This adate also gives you the date of issue for the special Christmas delivery label, although I suspect this card never saw the inside of the post box because, as already stated, this was produced for sale in the museum shop.     

11/05/2017

SOUVENIR DES ROBOTS MUSICIENS

“Cette carte est vendue au profit de la ‘Federation des CEuvres Girondines de Protection de l’Enfance et de la Croix Rouge Francaise”

(Text from reverse side of Postcard)

MUSICIAN ROBOTS SOUVENIR

“This card is sold for the benefit of the Federation of Girondine Works of Protection of the Childhood and of the French Red Cross”

These three robots were called ‘The Trio Fantastique’ and the group consisted of a guitarist called ‘Wink’, a drummer called ‘Blink’ and a saxophonist called ‘Nod’. They were designed by a Belgian engineer who went by the really science fiction sounding name of Zenon Specht. The robot band was a feature of the ‘Robot Club’ in Antwerp, but they also appeared at some fairs and also went on tours of department stores in Paris and Lens in 1954 and 1959, which is where I believe this postcard originated, although I do not know if it is from either the 1954 tour or the later 1959 one.

The individual robots were all controlled, or operated, via a ‘piano roll’ technology which is where a punched paper tape feeds through and controls electric switches that in turn control the bands movements, and they apparently actually played the instruments. They played a range of music including bepop, jazz, tango’s and classical tunes.

When the band was in the ‘Robot Club’ customers would pay a nickel and the band would play three songs, at the end of the three songs the band would sit down. When another nickel was fed in they would stand back up and play another three songs.

The band even had a record released (The album cover is shown below).

This postcard cot me just 5p, but researching the background of the robot band was fascinating.

PHOTOGRAPH

Album cover

11/05/2017

THE MAN FROM

U. N. C. L. E.

Postcard Series

Published by

C. G. Williams

U1 – U.N.C.L.E. Agent Napoleon Solo (Robert Vaughn)

I have been watching some of the old ‘The Man from U.N.C.L.E.’ television series episodes and I have been enjoying them tremendously. It might be typical of the 1960’s in style and content but it travels well and so far the few episodes I have watched have been entertaining.

There are not a large number of postcards related to the series, well, not that many that I have found. But, one small set that is worth seeking out is one from the time of the original programme being on. This was a series published by C. G. WILLIAMS LTD and printed by ‘Plastichrome’. So far I have only been able to find three different myself but I am aware of least one more.

There is a superb book titled ‘A COLLECTOR’S GUIDE TO TELEVISION – Volume 1 THE SIXTIES’, by J. Buss (published by ‘Cardheroes’ in 1999) which is for people who collect all the toys, books, action figures and other related material produced in relation to the more popular programmes from the 1960’s. This book has a large section dedicated to The Man from U.N.C.L.E.’ and this postcard set is listed. Mr Buss lists the following cards:-

U1 – U.N.C.L.E. Agent Napoleon Solo

U2 – U.N.C.L.E. Agent Illya Kuryakin

U4 – Illya Kuryakin (profile in pink)

U5 – Illya Kuryakin, Napoleon Solo and Mr Waverly

U2 – U.N.C.L.E. Agent Illya Kuryakin (David McCallum)

Those of you reading the above list will have noticed that there is no card number ‘U3’ in the listing. This is because the author had not seen a card numbered as such (although he makes the assumption that the card, if issued, depicts Napoleon Solo because that would make two each for each of the two main characters – he could be right although over the years of searching I have not seen one either and I do wonder if it does actually exisit or was dropped leaving the series without a card of that number).

This postcard here depicts the agent who worked alongside Agent Solo (depicted on the card above).

U5 – U.N.C.L.E. AGENT ILLYA KURYAKIN – U.N.C.L.E. AGENT NAPOLEN SOLO – U.N.C.L.E. CHIEF MR WAVERLY

This was the postcard that I struggled to most to find (not withstanding the missing U3 card if it exists). It also the only one that has the two main characters together with their boss Mr Waverly.

These are nice cards and the only ones I have found which were issued at the time. For some reason I have seen more copies of card reference U1 than any of the others, but I don’t know why. If you are lucky you can pick up U1 for £1.50, or anything up to £3. If your not lucky these can be £5+, but the real fun is trying to get them all.

REVERSE SIDE OF POSTCARD Ref: U5

The basic layout is the same for each card except for the name of the character depicted

11/05/2017

POLAND

POSTAL STATIONERY POST CARD

1991 SPECIAL HAND STAMP

“Jan Pawel II Z Mlodzieza swiata – Wystawa Filatelistyczna – Czestochowa”

This roughly translates as:

‘Jan Pawel II (John Paul II) From the Youth of the World – Philatelic Exhibition – Czestochowa’

I have mentioned before the apparent lack of real interest in religious themed postcards, but this does not mean that they all lack appeal. This one clearly is related to the Pope and amongst all religious based themes and religious personalities the Pope is high up on the collectable grading. Pope John Paul II is also one of the most popular of modern era Popes and he appears on a wide range of postcards.

This is a postal stationery card as the stamp is printed onto the card and is of a design which is unique to this card (i.e. the design was not issued as a stand alone postage stamp).

John Paul II was born in Poland, which is why Poland have issued so many stamps and other related philatelic items, including postcards which depict him. The postcard has a printed dte of 1991, and the special hand stamp is also dated 1991. I am aware that there was a Papal visit to Poland in 1991 and I assume this card relates in some way to this visit.

10/05/2017

“CINEMA IN CARDS” SERIES

Published by

BOOMERANG

I have previously posted some of the postcards from this long series before. They consist of quotes from movies with an individual quote from a movie on each postcard along with some sort of image or background which helps denote the film in question. Some are quite famous and immediately the film will be known to you and in this selection here, there are some very well-known ones indeed. Each individual postcard is numbered.

NUMBER 78

“With great power comes great responsibility”

This is the famous line said to Peter Parker by his uncle, who, sadly not long after (SPOILER ALERT) is killed by a petty criminal. Peter Parker is of course also known as ‘Spider-Man’.

NUMBER 127

“Here’s looking at you, kid”

I liked the fact that they did not go with the obvious, and perhaps better known ‘Play it again Sam’ but, then of course they wouldn’t would they, because no one ‘actually’ says this line in the film. The closest anyone comes to saying this is when the character Ilsa Lund (Ingrid Bergman) says “Play it, Sam. Play ‘As Time Goes By’”. The character Rick Blaine, played by Humphrey Bogart, as pictured here in shadow on this card, at one point simply say’s “Play it”. So, I think it is very authentic of the company to issue a card in this series which goes for a correct quote… and, as you all know the film is called ‘Casablanca’.

NUMBER 124

“Nobody puts baby in a corner”

This is actually a film I have not seen yet, mainly because I suspect It is outside my normal film interests, but, even I would have to admit that it is extremely popular, and has even been turned into a stage musical. And, of course it is ‘Dirty Dancing’

NUMBER 98

“I’ve been…working out”

If you did not know who spoke this line, and the symbol around the words had not been placed there, you might struggle to know that these words were spoken by ‘Superman’, in the best of the series of films; ‘Superman II’.

09/05/2017

READERS DIGEST

COMPETITION

LUCKY NUMBER WEEK – IN YOUR AREA – AND YOU HAVE BEEN SELECTED TO RECEIVE A LUCKY NUMBER

1971

The older amongst us will remember the Readers Digest competitions, and many people took part in them, although only a very few ever won anything along the route from collecting a lucky number and the final winning hurdle.

For some reason, one which even I have never fully got to grips with, these competition postcards become quite collectible in the late 1980’s and into the 1990’s. It may have been because the theme of advertising was popular around this time, but I did wonder if there was not also a little bit of nostalgia involved as well. This example here is typical of the type and was always a popular one.   

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

These had a printed message, designed to look like it had been hand-written in blue pen. The addresses were always typed on and I often wondered what the machine looked like that individually typed what must have been a very large number of these cards. For those interested in postal history there is always the unusual ‘POSTAGE – R – PAID’ hand stamp as these were only used in certain circumstances and can be quite collectible.  

09/05/2017

HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN, THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH AND THE PRINCE OF WALES

A ‘COLOURMASTER INTERNATIONAL’ Postcard by

PHOTO PRECISION LIMITED

Ref: PLX6

The Duke of Edinburgh announced earlier in the week that he will be retiring from public engagements, but then he is now 95years old. I have a lot of time for Prince Philip because I took part in the ‘Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme’ as a teenager and was fortunate, with some hard work, to achieve the Gold Award. As a result, I got to meet Prince Philip personally with a large group of other Gold Award achievers. I found him to be a most approachable and humorous man and he stopped and chatted with everyone in the hall. I wish him all the best in his retirement.

08/05/2017

SOUTHEND-ON-SEA

Published by

LANSDOWNE PRODUCTION Co., LONDON

In their:

‘LP SERIES’

I admit that most of the topographical (local view postcards, as they are technically called) postcards I post are of Southend, but this is my home town and clearly my main area of topographical interest. But, where ever you live there will be similar postcards like this one for your area. The formats were, and are, common across the country and sometimes the same companies were use so you find the same boarders and edging designs used for different locations across the UK. And, when the postcard is a multi-view design, like this one, historians get several images which can be used to study local history.

08/05/2017

GREETINGS FROM

CENTRAL CITY

Unknown Publisher

This is an unusual postcard which I obtained from a large specialised ‘Sci-Fi’ themed store in Florida back in November 2016. This was one of a few postcards I bought from here, but, this one was the most unusual as it is, so far, the only postcard I have found related to the television series ‘The Flash’, which is based on the DC Comics character. If you don’t already know the character, or have not seen the series (which is quite good), The Flash wears a red costume and can move at incredibly fast speeds, thus the name. The character originally appeared on the television series ‘Arrow’ but was so well received over his two appearances that the character received his own series.

The Flash, episode one (a ‘Pilot’ episode), premiered in North America on 7^th October 2014 and became the second-most watched premiere in the history of the channel. It has gone on to become a popular programme and series three was aired in 2016 and a fourth series will be shown this year.

So, the TV version has only been around for two and half years so finding a postcard related to it was a plus, especially when it is as good as this one is, and the programme’s title is not even shown or mentioned on the card (although the characters ‘Flash’ logo does appear in the centre). It cost me $2 and was worth every penny (and was the only copy left in the store).

PHOTOGRAPH

The Flash – the television character

08/05/2017

COCA-COLA

DELICIOUS AND REFRESHING

“You can’t beat the feeling” (1989)

Official Coca-Cola Postcard

Ref: #15834

LARGE SHAPED POSTCARD

This is another of the postcards I bought in the Coca-Cola store in ‘Disney Springs’, Florida. I have shown a few of these which use the Coca-Cola Polar bears, but, this one depicts a ‘Six Pack’ of classic Coca-Cola bottles. I will be going back in September and I will interested in seeing if they have produced any new cards.

07/05/2017

DOCTOR WHO

THE COMPLETE FIFTH SERIES

Limited Edition Metal DVD Box Set

PHOTOGRAPH

LIMITED EDITION DVD BOX SET COVER

This is the front of the metal case, which is damaged on the right side towards the top, but then I bought this cheaply on eBay because I wanted the free ‘Artcards’ which were an exclusive with this ‘limited edition’ DVD set. You can see the sticker on the front of the case advertises that this comes with 4 x Illustrated Artcards. Although properly described as ‘Artcards’ rather than postcards these are the same size as good postcards, the illustrations are superb and are printed on good quality card, but they are plain backed. The designs are not titled or numbered so the titles used here are my own

DOCTOR WHO AND AMY POND

SONIC SCREWDRIVER

DOCTOR WHO AND AMY POND

SONIC SCREWDRIVER AND DALEKS

THE TARDIS

GOLD DALEK

So, that’s the four free cards (Artcards) and think they are very good and worth the cost of the DVD box set if you are already a fan of the programme, especially as this season had some very good episodes in it

PHOTOGRAPH

The inside of the Box Set showing the six discs

06/05/2017

WONDERGROUND GALLERY

WALT DISNEY WORLD

FLORIDA

Original Artwork of

“OPPOSING FORCES”

By Artist

Joey Chou

I know it’s another Star Wars postcard, and another where I have used a stamp on the front but this cheeky morning posting is because I am off soon to London and the O2 to see the Star Wars Identities Exhibition. I shall check and see if there are any postcards – fingers crossed.

On this postcard, I attached the Luke Skywalker 1^st Class Royal Mail Star Wars stamp and decided to have it cancelled with a special first day of issue postmark which reads ‘GODD vs EVIL’, from Bristol dated 20/10/2015. I liked this one because I thought the ‘Good vs Evil’ was a good match for the postcards title ‘Opposing Forces’. It all seemed to come together nicely. I was certainly pleased when I got it back from the handstamp centre.

05/05/2017

REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA

3 Cent Postal Stationery Post Card

Mayo 1882

Unfortunately, I do not have access to the section of the Higgins & Gage catalogue hat covers the countries which begin with the letter ‘N’. So, I cannot look at the release date, and information behind this card. This is a shame as it is a nice one but one day I will get some more details but in the meantime, I still think it is worth posting here.

10/05/2017

Update

Having now obtained the correct copy of ‘Higgins & Gage’ I can now state that this is an 1884 issued 3 cent blue on buff board issue reference No 2 in the catalogue

05/05/2017

DISNEYLAND

THE MAGIC KINGDOM

‘PIRATE SHIP’

‘Fantasyland’

(ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA)

Official Postcard

Ref: 010314

“Guests in Fantasyland enjoy visiting aboard the Pirate Ship as it lays at anchor in the cove at Skull Rock, a picturesque setting from the story of Peter Pan”

(Text from reverse side of postcard)

I like this postcard because although I have never been to the California park they do have a pirate ship and a skull rock at the Magic Kingdom park in Disneyland Resort Paris, where I have visited. What I do also know is that there is no pirate ship in the Florida Disney park. I Paris you can walk into the skull and look out through the eye holes, I don’t know if you can do this in the one depicted here. Can anyone answer this question for me?

05/05/2017

GERMAN POSTAL STATIONERY POST CARD

FREIHERR VON STEIN

1831 – 1931

This postal stationery post card was posted from Germany to Holland in 1931 and it required an additional postage stamp to cover postage outside of Germany. Both the pre-printed stamp and the additional postage stamp have been cancelled with a Berlin – Charlottenburg date stamp.

If I am right this card commemorates the 100^th anniversary of the death of Heinrich Friedrich Karl Reichsfreiherr vom und zum Stein who was a Prussian official, statesman and reformer (25/10/1757 – 29/06/1831). The fact that this postcard was posted from Berlin is interesting as he was the Minister of Economics and Finance in Berlin and was a chief proponent of the Prussian reforms of 1807, although he had to go into exile in 1808 because of his anti-Napoleonic feelings. I think this card was issued because of his role during the liberation war as head of the Central Administration. He managed the reconquered territories in Germany and France.    

05/05/2017

THE GARDENS (NORTH ENTRANCE)

THE BRITISH EMPIRE EXHIBITION 1924

Printed and Published by the sole concessionaries

Fleetway Press Ltd, 3-9 Dane Street, Holborn WC1

Ref: 33

COPYRIGHT – CAMPBELL GRAY

This is one of many postcards issued for the 1924 ‘The British Empire Exhibition’ held at Wembley, Middlesex. The event ran from 23^rd April 1924 until 31^st October 1925. These cards are not expensive but are widely collected by a dedicated band of ‘Exhibition’ collectors. They also depict almost every aspect and area of the exhibition and a lot of information is contained on them.

REVERSE SIDE

05/05/2017

FLOWER PARADE

SPALDING

Published by

SPRING PHOTOGRAPHIC LTD, SPALDING

“A SPRING COLOUR PRODUCTION”

Printed by

Jarrold & Sons Limited, Norwich

Ref: KSF 44

“Some of the many decorated floats to be seen in the famous Annual Flower Parade held in Spalding, Lincolnshire each Spring”

(Text from reverse side of above postcard)

Over the years there have been many postcards issued depicting the wonderful floats that appear in the Spalding Flower Parade. Some of the floats can be interesting because of what they depict. I have previously mentioned my ‘Tiger’ collection, and one appears here, but, I also like panda’s so here I get two for my money.

SPALDING IN SPRINGTIME

Published by

SPRING PHOTOGRAPHIC LTD, SPALDING

“A SPRING COLOUR PRODUCTION”

Printed by

Jarrold & Sons Limited, Norwich

Ref: KSF 53

“Some of the many colourful attractions to be seen near Spalding, Lincolnshire each Spring”

(Text from reverse side of above postcard)

This postcard only has one photograph of a parade float but it’s a cracker. It depicts a representation of the character Dougal from the television series ‘The Magic Roundabout’. This means that this is another unusual postcard for my TV themed collection. These are worth seeking out for something unusual and they normally quite cheap as well, which is a bonus

04/05/2017

“MAY the 4^th Be With You”   

WONDERGROUND GALLERY

WALT DISNEY WORLD

FLORIDA

Original Artwork of

“IT’S A SMALL GALAXY AFTER ALL”

By Artist

Jerrod Maruyama

Today of all days it had to be a Star Wars themed posting and I have picked another of the Disney ‘Wonderground’ issues on which I applied some of the 2015 Royal Mail Star Wars stamps:

Top Left – 1^st Class ‘AT-AT WALKERS’ – from the Star Wars stamp miniature sheet.

Bottom Left – 1^st Class ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ stamp.

Top Right – 1^st Class ‘X-WING STARFIGHTERS’ – from the Star Wars stamp miniature sheet.   

Bottom Right – 1^st Class ‘The Emperor’ stamp.

The four stamps have been cancelled with the special first day of issue ‘Elstree, Borehamwood’ hand stamp which features the rebel alliance logo, and which has been printed in blue ink (an unusual colour for a UK hand stamp) – dated 20/10/2015.

I think the addition of these four stamps, which is probably a unique combination, makes this now a very nice postcard indeed.

The characters depicted on the card artwork itself are obviously based on the characters from the Star Wars films but here they are depicted as if they were part of the ‘It’s a Small World’ ride which is located in the Disney World ‘Magic Kingdom’ theme park (time for everyone to start singing “it’s a Small World After All”… and repeat! – and the ride is also located in other Disney Parks around the world – I have been on the one on Florida and the one in France).    

03/05/2017

BULGARIA

POSTAL STATIONERY POST CARD

Issued 1896

Higgins & Gage Ref 15a – Type A

This postal stationery post card features an image of the Crown Prince Boris as a child. I have previously, last year, posted a card of the same design but where the image of the crown prince was printed in rose red (see below) so when I saw this one with the image printed in blue I knew I needed to add it to my collection so that it can go with the other card. I just now need to find the one with this image printed in brown then I will have the set of three

Here is the previously posted version

02/05/2017

NAPOSTA ‘97

Official German Postal Stationery Postcard

09 – 05 - 1997

The special cancellation for this event was a nice airplane themed one and it was this special handstamp that first appealed to me. This type of exhibition/show postcard (with pre-printed stamp) is common in Germany and many events issue such items. This though is a nice one.   

02/05/2017

LEVITT – WEINSTEIN

MEMORIAL CHAPELS & CEMETERIES

ATTENTION ALL VETERANS!!

“You’ve honored us by serving your country… Now we would like to honor you by explaining your veteran burial benefits to you!”

“Relieve your family of emotional and financial burden on the worst day of their lives… Show them how much you really love them… While you still can!”

(Text from, what I am calling, the front side of this postcard)

This advert postcard was posted in Hollywood on 19^th September 2007 and is clearly designed as an advert for a burial service offer for veterans (in America the word ‘Veterans’ relates to ex-servicemen).

This postcard fits into my military themed collection.

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

This is the address side of this card and the postage has been applied by a red eagle stamped postage paid mark from ‘Hollywood’. It is an unusual item but one which tunes in with the current American feelings towards veterans, which are honoured in many areas.

02/05/2017

SALLY FIELD “THE FLYING NUN”

Published by

KLASIK KARDS

Ref: 1589

I am going to be honest and say that I was very surprised to find this card on sale in the UK, despite the company ‘Klasik Kards’ being located here in the UK (as far as we are aware, or believe). This is because the television programme ‘The Flying Nun’ is little known here in the UK and I believe it was not even shown on television here (I can find no record of it having been shown). So, there would seem to be little likelihood of this card selling much (and I suspect it ended up being the case as it rarely turns up now).

The flying Nun was an American sitcom which originally ran from the 7^th September 1967 to the 18^th September 1970 and was broadcast on the American ABC Channel. In all there were 82 episodes and it was initially very popular, but lost viewing numbers later in the first series and in further seasons.

The idea of the programme was that a nun, Sister Bertrille, who weighed very little (under 90 pounds), could fly using just the wind and her rather stout, strong, wing-like headgear, called a ‘Cornette’, which can be seen being worn in this publicity photograph. The part of Sister Bertrille was played by the actress Sally Field. Quite how they constructed 82 episodes out of this idea I do not know, but in America this series is well thought of and related items are collectible.

The only other related postcards that I am aware of is a quite large series issued in Europe, Holland I think, but these were issued at the time the programme was on and now cost £10+ and I only have a handful of them (I shall hunt them down and post them here when I find them). It is a set I doubt strongly I will ever complete, especially at £10 each (which I admit is what I did pay for the five odd cards that I have managed to obtain)