04/11/2017
MY COUNT DOWN TO ARMISTICE DAY – Day 4
UNTITLED
Harry Jeacock
Published by
THE LYNN TAIT GALLERY
Collectors Series – THE CENTENARY OF WW1
Reference: RRP41
“Winning designs from The Lynn Tait Gallery Art Competition to honour the sacrifices made by Lynn’s Grandfather, Ralf (Bertie) Robinson killed in WWI and his son Ralf killed in WW2 –
All proceeds from the sale of this card will be donated to “Help For Heroes””
(Text from reverse side of Postcard)
Lynn Tait, who sadly passed away this year, organised this competition where children of all ages took part in designing a poster like piece commemorating the 100th Anniversary of World War 1. I believe 100 different postcards were issued depicting some of the entries (I do not have a complete set – yet).
I loved the use of tinfoil to make the ‘100’ across the top and the shapes of the medals. I also notice that the cap badge is also tinfoil. I think this is a very clever piece of art.
UNTITLED
Dainis Grinbergs
Published by
THE LYNN TAIT GALLERY
Collectors Series – THE CENTENARY OF WW1
Reference: RRP80
One of the things that I really like about this postcard set is that it incorporates images and pieces from children of all levels of ability. It is not so much the quality of the artwork that truly matters here but the sentiment, time and work that went into producing it. This design here is a good example of the variety contained within the designs. I like this card for all these reasons.
04/11/2017
PLEASE DISPOSE OF YOUR WORRIES RESPONSIBLY
ISLE OF MAN
DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM AND LEISURE
2008
Competition entry postcard & Holiday & Lifestyle Magazine request
This type of free postcard was often found inside magazines, like the Radio Times. Most often these were either thrown away or, if someone was interested in the area mentioned, submitted so that they received the tourist magazine (I assume someone also won the Family Break prize as well). As a result, these can be hard to find, but, this matters little as they have next to no value either – although in another 100 years this might not be the case.
04/11/2017
“HAVE YOU PLANNED FURTHER THAN YOUR NEXT CUPPA?”
“YES, AT 6PM IT’S TIME FOR SUPPER”
National Palliative Care Week
21 – 28th May 2017
Published by
AVANTCARD AUSTRALIA
Ref: #20681
Issued 2017
The loss of Avantcard Australia earlier this year means that we will no longer have unusual postcards like this. Always interesting, and often very weird, the postcards of this company, which were of course free to the public, were never anything but collectible.
04/11/2017
NICARAGUA
POSTAL STATIONERY POST CARD
3 cents
Dark Blue printing on Buff coloured card
Issued 1893
There is a dull green background pattern (which can best be seen looking at the top left corner of my card), but, due to the very light printing of this background colour design – on this card that’s Green – and the quality of the stock the printing has all but disappeared in many instances (I was unaware of it until I read about and then saw it on this card)
Higgins & Gage, World Postal Stationery Catalog
Section 13
Nicaragua - Page 2
Reference No: 291
I have mentioned before that the early postal stationery post cards of the Central America region are amongst the most attractive. This is another good example. Although these are very attractive looking cards they are not very expensive, and most can be picked up for £1, or sometimes less (unless postal used, as these rate a higher catalogue price – i.e. the mint version of this card is in the catalogue at 25p, whilst used its £4.50)
02/11/2017
MY COUNT DOWN TO ARMISTICE DAY – Day 3
UNTITLED
Lily Marlow
3RD Place in the Card category
Published by
THE LYNN TAIT GALLERY
Collectors Series – THE CENTENARY OF WW1
Reference: RRP95
“Winning designs from The Lynn Tait Gallery Art Competition to honour the sacrifices made by Lynn’s Grandfather, Ralf (Bertie) Robinson killed in WWI and his son Ralf killed in WW2 –
All proceeds from the sale of this card will be donated to “Help For Heroes””
(Text from reverse side of Postcard)
Lynn Tait, who sadly passed away this year, organised this competition where children of all ages took part in designing a poster like piece commemorating the 100th Anniversary of World War 1. I believe 100 different postcards were issued depicting some of the entries (I do not have a complete set – yet).
This is quite a dark themed one, but it does depict poppies (after Day 1 when I mentioned that many of these designs incorporate Poppies in their design I noticed that yesterday’s two cards – Day 2 - did not contain any poppies in their designs). It is amazing what these children managed to achieve, and I think this is a very surprising collection of images.
UNTITLED
Samuel Bird
1st in the Card category
Published by
THE LYNN TAIT GALLERY
Collectors Series – THE CENTENARY OF WW1
Reference: RRP95
I really liked this design and think it probably deserved 1st place. The way the poppies are incorporated into the title – 100 YRS – REMEMBER OUR HEROES – is very well done. I also liked the sentiment used with the crosses – DIED FOR YOU – DIED FOR ME – DIED FOR ALL OF US. So, well done Samuel.
03/11/2017
THE WISTOW MAZE
SHERLOCK HOLMES
Wistow, Leicestershire
There is a very nice man called Bob who kindly sends me the new Wistow Maze postcard each year. The shape of the maze changes each year, sometimes to a topical theme, and they do an aerial photograph and issue it as a postcard (I think it was the BFG – Big Friendly Giant last year – when the Spielberg film version was also released – I believe it was depicted here on the webpage). This year it was Sherlock Holmes. These make for great thematic postcards.
03/11/2017
TARAWERA CRATER
NEW ZEALAND
Produced by
Colin Branch Wholesale, Rotorua, New Zealand
Ref: CB 114
“An aerial view of the mighty Tarawera Crater formed when the mountain erupted in 1886”
(Text from reverse side of postcard)
This is an impressive view of a crater that I was unaware of prior to buying this postcard. To be honest I bought this for the stamps that appear on the reverse side and was unaware of it depicted until I looked at it later once I had got it home.
Apparently Mount Tarawera had one of New Zealand’s largest historic volcanic eruptions in 1886, which killed 120 people.
REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD
I bought this card because I liked the three stamps which had been used to post it. It only cost me £1 and I did not know, at the time, anything about these. I now know that his is a complete set of stamps that were issued on the 6th August 1975. The stamps are as follows:
HEALTH STAMPS
3c + 1c – Girl feeding lamb (SG 1079)
4c + 1c – Boy with hen and chicks (SG 1080)
5c + 1c – Boy with duck and duckling (SG 1081)
Obviously, this is not a first day usage as the cancel is dated 16th Sep 75, but this is clearly a philatelic item as I do not believe the three stamps add up to the correct postage from New Zealand to Scotland (unless anyone knows better). So, I think this has been sent to a stamp collector so that they could have the full set postal used. The stamps do not catalogue at much - £2.10 in my 2004 edition of Gibbons Stamps of the World – but it is nice to get the complete set on one item.
02/11/2017
MY COUNT DOWN TO ARMISTICE DAY – Day 2
UNTITLED
Claudia Turner
Published by
THE LYNN TAIT GALLERY
Collectors Series – THE CENTENARY OF WW1
Reference: RRP 15
“Winning designs from The Lynn Tait Gallery Art Competition to honour the sacrifices made by Lynn’s Grandfather, Ralf (Bertie) Robinson killed in WWI and his son Ralf killed in WW2 –
All proceeds from the sale of this card will be donated to “Help For Heroes””
(Text from reverse side of Postcard)
Lynn Tait, who sadly passed away this year, organised this competition where children of all ages took part in designing a poster like piece commemorating the 100th Anniversary of World War 1. I believe 100 different postcards were issued depicting some of the entries (I do not have a complete set – yet).
This one is designed like a recruitment poster. The colours used in the background are an interesting choice, very bright which kind of works.
01/11/2017
MY COUNT DOWN TO ARMISTICE DAY – Day 1
UNTITLED
Clara McConkeyName
Published by
THE LYNN TAIT GALLERY
Collectors Series – THE CENTENARY OF WW1
Reference: RRP58
“Winning designs from The Lynn Tait Gallery Art Competition to honour the sacrifices made by Lynn’s Grandfather, Ralf (Bertie) Robinson killed in WWI and his son Ralf killed in WW2 –
All proceeds from the sale of this card will be donated to “Help For Heroes””
(Text from reverse side of Postcard)
Lynn Tait, who sadly passed away this year, organised this competition where children of all ages took part in designing a poster like piece commemorating the 100th Anniversary of World War 1. I believe 100 different postcards were issued depicting some of the entries (I do not have a complete set – yet). The designs come in a range of quality, to be expected with a range of ages, and an amazing variety of artistic styles. What a superb way to bring the human loss of WW1 to the current younger generation – let the countdown begin.
Over the next eleven days I intend to display, on each day, two postcards from this large set. This is in commemoration of all those who lost their lives in the first world war. Considering the recent news items circulating around about the wearing of the red poppy I was interested how often the children involved in this competition used red poppies in their designs. Over the next eleven days count how many appear in these designs.
01/11/2017
CATH KIDSTON
WALT DISNEY
MICKEY MOUSE
Competition Card
“WIN £500 SHOPPING SPREE!”
ADVERT NON-POSTCARD CARD
I found this lovely item in the Cath Kidston shop in the Lakeside Shopping Centre in Essex at the weekend. It is the same size as a postcard and the same thickness of card. It is, of course, also a free item, although it designed to be completed on the reverse side as an entry into this competition.
Free postcards are becoming a little harder to source as I travel around now, but if something is nice, and the right size then I don’t mind adding something unusual like this to my collection. As a Disney collector myself I thought the front of this item as very eye-catching, as I suppose it has been designed to be. If you like the look of this then visit your local Cath Kidston and see if they have on their counter, then complete one for your yourself, or your partner (I did complete one for Jo) and then ask for one for your collection
31/10/2017
HALLOWEEN
DISNEYLAND RESORT PARIS
2008
THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS
(Tim Burton)
LARGE SHAPED YEAR POSTCARD
Dated postcards like this obviously have a short sales shelf life so can be hard to source after the event or date has passed, although it should also be stated that probably many thousands are printed and sold so they are not numerically scarce. The issue is that people who buy these are souvenirs often keep them as such, and clearly, if you are a collector like me then you are hardly likely to want to part with it.
This is also of course an ideal postcard to post on the website today so,
Have a HAPPY and SAFE HALLOWEEN Night everyone
30/10/2017
LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE
Artwork by
John Bond
Published by
OHH DEER LTD
Ref: MMLM-PO-009
I recently posted an image of Mr Happy on another postcard by this company by this same artist. So, when I came across this one at the weekend (another purchase from a ‘paperchase’ branch, this time at the Lakeside Shopping Centre in Essex) I knew it had to be pictured here. It goes well with ‘Mr Happy’.
30/10/2017
CEYLON
1903 - 1905 Issue
2c YELLOW OLIVE (TO BROWN) STAMP ON WHITE CARD
Stamp depicts head of King Edward VII
Higgins & Gage, World Postal Stationery Catalog
Section 3
Ceylon - Page 3
Reference No: 38
A smaller sized postal stationery post card, which is not unusual for both Ceylon and India where postal stationery cards were printed in smaller sizes I suspect because of the cost and availability of raw materials like card and paper. This is a simple design printed in one colour, although as the Higgins & Gage catalog states this printing ranges in its colour from an olive yellow through to Brown, another aspect directly connected to the quality of printing control in this part of the world at that time. In the 1982 appended issue of the catalog I have access to this card is valued at just 25p (I think a £1 would not be a bad price to pay today).
30/10/2017
REPUBLICA DE COLOMBIA
1946 (this is the correct date of issue – quite a late issue)
2c RED STAMP ON WHITE CARD
Stamp depicts the Municipal Palace in Medellin
Higgins & Gage, World Postal Stationery Catalog
Section 3
Colombia - Page 2
Reference No: 22
Overprinted
“DE OFICIO”
(I think this may be something equivalent to a ‘SPECIMEN’ overprint, which can be found on other postal stationery items – but this is not confirmed)
This is a mint postcard which I found in a £1 box at Stampex. I bought it for my collection because I like it but the catalogue (I have the appended 1982 issue) values this (without the overprint) at £10, so I may have picked up a bargain.
30/10/2017
ROMANIA
1894 ISSUED POSTAL STATIONERY POST CARD
10 bane pre-printed postage stamp - RED to CARMINE coloured printing
New International card (originally, previously printed on different backed card in 1893)
Printed on buff coloured card stock (same colour front and back – which indicates the 1894 issue)
Higgins & Gage, World Postal Stationery Catalog
Section 15
Romania - Page 2
Reference No: 29
Another cheap postal stationery post card, but, one which has been nicely used. The pre-printed 10 bani stamp has been cancelled with a ‘BUCURESCI’ [Bucharest) double ring hand stamp dated 23rd April 1898. This was a pre-paid International post card, so no other postage was required for this card to travel to Belgium, where it was addressed to the port city of ‘GAND’ [Ghent] where upon arrival it received a single ring GAND cancel dated 26th April 1898.
29/10/2017
MANCHESTER METROLINK LRV 1007 AT G-MEX
“The first new tram through the city centre 27 April 1992”
Published by
REGUS PUBLICATIONS
Ref: REGUS COLLECTOR CARD 1
This postcard was printed by an old friend of mine who lived (may still live, but he retired some years back) in the Stockport area of Manchester. He wanted this postcard so that he could obtain some special cancellations but, it is still a lovely modern transport postcard, even without the special hand stamps which the card was designed to receive
REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD
Here there is a 24p 1992 issued ‘Protection of the Environment’ stamp cancelled with a first day of issue hand stamp:
MANCHESTER METROLINK
THE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY TRANSPORT
MANCHESTER
15 SEPT 92
This hand stamp is of course highly relevant to the front image on this postcard and its use here makes this a very interesting postcard. It does of course also add value to this postcard.
REVERSE SIDE OF A SECOND COPY OF THIS POSTCARD
Here, again, there is a 24p 1992 issued ‘Protection of the Environment’ stamp cancelled with a first day of issue hand stamp:
MANCHESTER METROLINK
THE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY TRANSPORT
MANCHESTER
15 SEPT 92
My friend Arthur also arranged for this card to receive a red slogan meter-mark, without any value (it thus did not cost any money to have applied) which read:
MANCHESTER
GREATER MANCHESTER PASSENGER TRANSPORT AUTHORITY
METROLINK
TAKING PUBLIC TRANSPORT INTO THE 21ST CENTURY
15 – 09 – 92
29/10/2017
TOP
OMNIBUS
BBC Worldwide
YES, SIR NIGEL
“Renowned for guarding his privacy, Sir Nigel Hawthorne traces his unhappy early career in the UK through to Yes Minister and his Oscar-nominated performance in ‘The Madness of King George’”
(Descriptive and programme advertising text on reverse side)
This was a 50-minute programme from the BBC show ‘Omnibus’ team. I am not sure about the complete reasons behind the issue of this postcard, but I believe it may have been as a promotional postcard for companies and people who distribute programme’s like this. Whatever the reason this is a nice addition to my television collection.
BOTTOM
OMNIBUS
BBC Worldwide
THE WHIRL OF VANITY FAIR
“Filmed in London and Manhattan, this Omnibus accompanies the BBC blockbuster drama; Vanity Fair, examining the novel’s easy transferral to today’s world, with its society gatherings and ‘brain-for-business, bod-for-love’ heroine, who manipulates everyone to get what she wants”
(Descriptive and programme advertising text on reverse side)
I bought this one at the same time as the one above, and from the same dealer. Of the two this is my favourite as it depicts a behind the scenes image of war injury make-up being applied. Behind the scenes images are not as common as scenes from the programmes themselves so anything like this is a bonus for any television collector.
29/10/2017
AVRO LANCASTER B.1 ‘CITY OF LINCOLN’
From the ‘Battle of Britain Memorial Flight’
Published by
E.T.W. DENNIS & SONS LTD (Scarborough)
Ref: Photocolour M.053362L
A lovely view of this famous WWII bomber taken from above looking down whilst the plane is in flight. I have had the privilege of looking over this warplane when it was parked up overnight at Southend Airport between the two days of one of the old Southend Airshows. I got to look up into its open bomb bays and see up into the cockpit. The pilot there was there, and he gave me a tour around and inside the plane. Sometimes work does give me a little bonus now and then.
REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD
I used my copy of this postcard to obtain a couple of Dam busters related special hand stamps.
On the right side you have a 1991 ‘Maps – Bicentenary of Ordnance Survey’ 24p stamp cancelled with a special hand stamp which reads:
DAM BUSTERS RAID – DORTMUND EMS CANAL SEP 44 – 617 [SQUADRON] – WOODHALL SPA LINCS – 23 SEPT 91. This is a pictorial cancel which depicts bombers flying low over water, as the 617 squadron pilots did both in training and on the actual bomb runs against the dams during the war. This was not a first day of usage hand stamp though as the stamp was issued on 17th Sep that year.
On the left side you have a 1996 ‘Centenary of Cinema - 100 years of going to the pictures’ 25p stamp cancelled with a special hand stamp which reads: No 617 SQUADRON – THE DAM BUSTERS – BRITISH FORCES 2501 POSTAL SERVICE – 16TH April 1996. This cancel is for the first day of issue of this stamp.
This was an interesting project where I double hand stamped a range of postcards with a view to selling off the doubles. The company sticker – J A CARDS – is for a company I once had a view of starting up but never put my time behind, and I always wanted to keep the better cards in my collection anyway (Like this one!)
29/10/2017
CHARTWELL HOUSE
PART ONE
Yesterday I visited the National Trust run Chartwell in Kent. This was the home of Sir Winston Churchill who was of course the Prime Minister during World War II. The house is fascinating, for some reason more so because it is not the typical size of a stately home. Because of the size you can easily tour this in just under an hour, although if you want to take it slowly and read everything you may need an hour and a half. But that is just the house, there are also the grounds and a nice long woodland walk and Winston’s painting studio which is detached from the main building. In the shop, which is also detached from the main building (it is at the end of the car park area) they have a nice range of postcards at 50p each or three for £1.
The garden front from the south, showing Tilden’s stepped gable
Published by
NATIONAL TRUST
Ref: 15191
This photograph depicts the rear of the house looking at it from one corner of the rear garden. This is my favourite postcard image of this house.
CHARTWELL, KENT
The south end of the house rebuilt by Philip Tilden in 1922-4
Published by
NATIONAL TRUST
Ref: 194399
A more distance view of the side of the house which appears on the top postcard. This is a lovely photograph which gives only a partial idea of the grounds in which the house is located.
CHARTWELL, KENT
The Library with relief model of Port Arromanches in Normandy
Published by
NATIONAL TRUST
Ref: 54923
There are a number of postcards which depict the rooms in the house, but this was the one which interested me the most. This is because of the wall mounted WWII map model of the Arromanches man made harbour. So, this fits into my military history collection (although, in a way all of these postcards have a minor link to this theme through the Winston Churchill connection)
LADY CHURCHILL AT THE LAUNCHING OF H.M.S. INDOMITABLE 1955
Oil on canvas by Sir Winston Churchill
Published by
NATIONAL TRUST
Ref: C-50619X
Winston was an ardent painter and painted many images of Chartwell and other locations, some of them from locations around the world. This is one of his portraits, not as common as his landscape paintings, and this one also has pride of place in the house.
BLACK SWANS AT CHARTWELL
1948
Oil on Canvas by Sir Winston Churchill
Published by
NATIONAL TRUST
Ref: C-53040X
Personally, I can see that Winston enjoyed his painting and that he was a reasonable painter and had some skill, although I am not a massive fan of his work. I like the above portrait, which is different from his normal straight forward landscape paintings. This black swan one I bought because I like bird postcards and I always try and see these swans when I visit here. I did manage to see one of them yesterday and they are a reminder f Winston’s time here as he had Black Swans and would go down to the lake to feed them in the morning.
28/10/2017
THAILAND
THE COMMUNICATIONS AUTHORITY OF THAILAND
Stamp Maxi-Card set
INSECTS (2nd SERIES)
First Day of Issue
4th JULY 2001
ENVELOPE FOR SET
This is a set of four insect postcards which have photographic images of the insects which appear on the stamps which have been applied to the front and cancelled first day of issue. The four cards came in this rather nice one colour envelope. I bought this set at STAMPEX from a 50p box and was amazed to find that it was 50p for the entire set of four and its envelope. How could I resist that?
28/10/2017
WONDERGROUND GALLERY
WALT DISNEY WORLD
FLORIDA
Original Artwork of
“PRINCESS JASMINE AND RAJAH”
By Artist
Jasmine Becket-Griffith
Jasmine’s artwork style is one of the most distinctive types published by ‘Wonderground’. Her depiction of Disney characters, I believe all female, with their large eyes are extremely popular with the collectors of these cards and quite a few have been released (I have already previously posted a Tinkerbell one). This one is her interpretation of Princess Jasmine from the animated film ‘Aladdin’.
28/10/2017
POLISH POSTAL STATIONERY POSTCARD
1966
Pre -Printed Polish ‘Football’ related 40gr Stamp
I have an interest in football related postcards and this one fits the bill because of the stamp that is depicted on it. The stamp has been cancelled with a special cancel which is shaped like a cyclist and which is dated 10th May 1967 and which I suspect is related to a road race between Warsaw – Berlin and Prague. The large double XX, top left of the hand stamp, I think relates to the 20th anniversary of this event. This hand stamp is for Warsaw. This is an unusual item which would appeal to a Cycle thematic collector, because of the hand stamp, obviously, but it may also have some minor interest for a football collector (after all, this is why I bought it).
28/10/2017
EINDHOVEN CELEBRATES THE PHILIPS JUBILEE
AS SEEN BY ARTIST
D. WILDSCHUT
Official Postcard
This is the copy of this postcard that I first saw and bought. The front painting depicts a festival street parade and building in and around Eindhoven and was commissioned to celebrate the electrical company ‘Philips’’ 60th anniversary. Although the front of this card is attractive and bright it was the items on the reverse side which lead to me buying this.
REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD
The Nederland 2c + 2c postage stamp has been cancelled with a special cancellation which reads:
‘PHILIPS – SIXTY YEARS OF PROGRESS – 1891 – 1951 – EINDHOVEN – 21-05-1951’
The cancel also has the company’s logo included within the design. When I saw this I quite liked the printed message in the bottom inner left corner:
‘ATTENTION! – Postmarks and stamps on this card are of special interest to philatelists’
This is always a good indication that there might be something interesting here. This is clearly philatelic as there is no message and the address has been nicely typed on and I think it is the company itself that has produced this. Clearly, for me it was the handstamp which appealed and wondered about the date – 21st May 1951 – and if this was a special date…but then (see below)
REVERSE SIDE OF A SECOND POSTCARD
The front of this postcard is identical to the one above. But here the special hand stamp - ‘PHILIPS – SIXTY YEARS OF PROGRESS – 1891 – 1951 – EINDHOVEN’ is dated 16th May 1951. This is dated five days prior to the one depicted above. So, clearly this hand stamp had usage beyond just the one day. Also, this one has a very nice blue cachet – ‘PHILIPS – 1891–1951 – EINDHOVEN – SIXTY YEARS OF PROGRESS – POSTZEGELTENTOONSTELLING [stamp exhibition]’. So, was there a dated hand stamp for every day of this stamp exhibition?
REVERSE SIDE OF THREE POSTCARDS ‘OVERLAID’
Then I obtained these three postcards, again, all depicting the same front image as the top postcard, and all baring the same blue cachet: ‘PHILIPS – 1891–1951 – EINDHOVEN – SIXTY YEARS OF PROGRESS – POSTZEGELTENTOONSTELLING [stamp exhibition]’. Here we have some dates:
TOP – 17-05-1951 (17TH May 1951)
MIDDLE – 18-05-1951 (18TH May 1951)
BOTTOM – 19-05-1951 (19TH May 1951)
Having now obtained, over three different purchases, five different dated postcards I am on the look-out for one dated the 20th May 1951 (although I may well find out that the exhibition ran for longer, in either direction, before the 16th and/or after the 21st May – and, at the moment, I can-not seem to be able to find out any more details about this particular exhibition). At least this gives something to look out for and, I have the added-bonus that these postcards are cheap as well as I have not paid more than a £1 for any of them.