26/06/2018

TRAINSPOTTING – THE PARTY

SATURDAY 28^TH SEPTEMBER 1996

TEMPLE BAR MUSIC CENTRE

Plain backed event card flyer

Not technically a postcard, but I suppose you could add a stamp and an address to the reverse side and place it in the post. But, just for a moment lets consider this item. It is the same thickness as a good postcard and is well printed. This card also has a nice image related to a feature film, one of the most popular of modern postcard themes. This image is also of a popular actor in an iconic pose which was one of the main advertising images for the film – Trainspotting (not that you needed me to tell you the title of this film of course). The film is also a cult modern classic, one which is the subject of many different sales memorabilia, including many official and non-official postcards. So, what would you now do with this item? Personally, I have kept it.

26/06/2018

ENCAUSTIC FLOOR TITLE

Augustus Welby northmore Pugin (1812-52)

Earthenware with inlaid decoration

Britain, 1847 – 1850

Official Victoria & Albert Museum Postcard Release

Ref: 085382

This square shaped postcard (a shape this museum seems to like using) would have appealed to me as youngster as I liked to find different and more unusual depictions of animals. These lions, or at least I assume they are lions as they look like heraldic lions used on shield and vests during medieval times and later, are a great example of early animal depiction. This postcard was bought on my most recent visit to the museum last month.

26/06/2018

LIONEL TERTIS INTERNATIONAL VIOLA

COMPETITION AND WORKSHOP

ISLE OF MAN, BRITISH ISLES

Official event postcard

(Unknown Printed)

This postcard would seem to have very little general interest upon first look, but it might appeal to anyone who was interested in or collecting music or instruments as a theme. When I saw this card when going through a dealer’s cheap box I initially rejected it, but then I turned it over and changed my mind…

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

This official postcard has been used with an Isle of Man 8p ‘Milner’s Tower’ stamp which has been cancelled with the events special hand stamp:

1980 LIONEL TERTIS INTERNATIONAL

VIOLA COMPETITION AND WORKSHOP

PORT ERIN

ISLE OF MAN

28-8-1980

This handstamp is referenced as M.91 in the ‘Special Event Postmarks of the United Kingdom’ catalogue (page261 – this catalogue is depicted under the book listing tab at the top of this and the home page). So, when I saw this superb hand stamp applied to this postcard I changed my mind and picked it up for my ‘Philatelic’ themed collection.   

26/06/2018

GREETINGS FROM

GIBRALTAR

Rock Ape in Gibraltar

Police Uniform

Published by

ESTORIL LTD

(GIBRALTAR)

Ref: 07J

Under almost any other circumstances I am not so sure picturing a monkey dressed up as a police officer would be so acceptable, but Gibraltar is so readily connected with its rock monkey population that they depict the creatures on all sorts of tourist items, including postcards. At least he is smiling and seems to be happy at his job here.

26/06/2018

THETFORD OTTERS

Published by

(or at least the photograph is by)

Alan Day

In the series titled:

THETFORD’S GREAT WILDLIFE

“One of Britain’s most charismatic animals, the Thetford otters have developed quite a following and have also featured on BBC Springwatch”

(Text from reverse side of Postcard)

You will have to excuse the ‘Thetford’ themed postcards which have and will be appearing here, but I have visited here a couple of times in the past month so have accumulated a few new postcards and I like the webpage to also be a reflection of my travels and interest’s so you will get blocks of material which is thematically or topographically connected (I picked up a nice selection of postcards on this past weekend’s trip to Walsingham in Norfolk so once these have been scanned expect to see a load of these very soon).

As an end note here, this would make a very unusual addition to my Television themed collection due to the mention of the BBC Springwatch series in the text on the reverse side.

26/06/2018

‘EMERGENCY RATION’

FOOD MINISTRY

RATION BOOK

Published by

HALF MOON BAY

Ref: POSTOP10

An unusual postcard image this one. Despite the mention of RATION BOOK in the title on the reverse side this looks more like the cover to an emergency army/military ration pack, the type to only be opened as a last resort, which is pretty much what the text on this packet label states. I picked this one up in a steam train museum gift shop recently and thought it was unusual enough to spark my interest and possibly fit into my military collection although I would have liked a little more descriptive detail about it on the reverse side, where there is nothing telling you exactly what this is.

26/06/2018

DISNEY’S

POCAHONTAS

Published by

CARTEL INTERNATIONAL

(ATHENA)

Ref: E2204564

Some films have an ability to maintain enthusiasm and fan interest, and so postcards continue to be published depicting images from them or film posters for them, but, the Disney ‘Pocahontas’ animated film from 1995 is not one of these. As a result, most of the postcards which relate to this film seem to have been published around the time of the films release or within its first year, 1995 and possibly into 1996. Very few Disney Pocahontas related postcards, with the exception of a few of the Disney ‘Wonderground’ issues, released in and around the theme parks, have been issued since then. This postcard here was one from the initial 1995 period. Anyone wanting to build up a collection of postcards related to this film would struggle to make this a very big collection, which is a bit of a shame as the film is better than that.

It is now only 24 days until our next trip to Disney World in Florida. so get ready for a few more Disney related cards to appear here around that time - as with the past two trips I will be taking my Laptop with me and will continue to post more postcards throughout my holiday. There will also be facebook postings of interest as well so if you have not linked up to that source then take a look. My love of Disney postcards came before my love of Disney holidays, but the holidays have certainly helped since.    

25/06/2018

TOKYO POP BODYSUIT

FOR THE

ALADDIN SANE

TOUR

Design by

Kansai Yamamoto

Photograph by

Masayoshi Sukita

1973

VICTORIA & ALBERT MUSEUM

DAVID BOWIE EXHIBITION

(EXHIBITION EXCLUSIVE POSTCARD)

Published by the

VICTORIA & ALBERT MUSEUM

Ref: 120114

This is a fantastic photograph of what is an outrageous costume, flamboyant and just so indicative of this period of Bowie’s career. A superb postcard depicting something connected to one of my favourite Bowie albums.

25/06/2018

BAKER STREET STATION

LONDON

By

SENKA CAUSEVIC

Published by

SKYLINE CARDS

(LONDON)

Ref: SC 71

An unusual postcard for anyone, like me, that collects Sherlock Holmes themed postcard images. This is the simple idea, but well-constructed, of placing someone in a Sherlock Holmes costume in the Underground ‘Baker Street’ station and then taking a photograph. I also like the way that most of the image is in black and white but with some important, and relevant areas in colour.

24/06/2018

LONDON

PICCADILLY CIRCUS

Published by

CLINTON CARDS

(‘BRITISH BULLDOG’ Series)

Ref: PC026

I liked this cartoon card as it covers one of my favourite themes and one of my favourite locations, Police and London. It is also a nice reminder that the large stationery chain ‘Clinton Cards’ (still located in many High Streets in the UK – there is a large shop in my home town of Southend-on-Sea) also used to publish their own postcards, which has not been the case for many years now as far as I am aware. This was a nice recent buy at a postcard fair (Bury St Edmunds I believe)

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

I liked the Bulldog boxed logo top centre

24/06/2018

PATIENCE

Anonymous Publisher

Posted 1907

Continuing my current religious theme, I offer you some ‘Patience’. This is a slightly embossed design from the early years of the last century, and this copy was posted in 1907. This was a popular theme and cards normally came in sets with individually cards for HOPE, CHARITY, PEACE and slightly less common 'LOVE' and ‘PATIENCE’. Normally the designs depict either a pretty-women, with a cross or her hands in the prayer position, or Angels. This one has opted for the cross carrying woman.    

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

Used 1907 from Peterborough in the UK

HOPE

Published by

GB, Co

Ref: X826.

This is a ‘HOPE’ card depicting one of the above mentioned ‘Angels’, but on this design you get an added-women, some stars, and some applied shiny gold printing (the afore-mentioned stars and the angels wings). I have noticed that the angels are sometimes depicted on clouds as is the case here. Although these are nearly always attractively painted designs and look nice to the eye they are not expensive cards, possibly because of the often-mentioned lack of interest in religious based postcard issues, but the quality of the artwork means they retain some minor interest.

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

23/06/2018

THE VISIT TO IRELAND

OF HIS HOLINESS

POPE JOHN PAUL II

SEPTEMBER 29^TH – OCTOBER 1^ST

1979

Anonymous Publisher

A religious postcard seemed an appropriate posting today as I sit in my room behind the Church of the Annunciation in Walsingham having spent the day mostly at the Roman Catholic Shrine of our Lady just outside, a mile in fact, from the village of Walsingham.

Walsingham is an important site of pilgrimage and I am here with a party from my wife’s local church who are here for the next two days. I have already walked the mile along the pilgrimage walk from the site to the village (and back again) and even had the chance to buy some postcards from the shrine (images on the facebook page) and from the village as well (these will appear on the webpage next week some time when we return home).

This postcard is from 1979 and commemorated the visit to Ireland of the then Pope John Paul II. Popular with those of a religious order these postcards are unfortunately not popular with postcard collectors in general.

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

Interesting bit of text along the bottom which explains this card could be used to receive special cancels related to the visit and any stamp(s) released.

enlargement of bottom text area

23/06/2018

“I DREAMT ABOUT YOU LAST NIGHT!”

“DID YOU?”

“NO! YOU WOULDN’T LET ME!”

Published by

BROOK PUBLISHING COMPANY LTD

LONDON

Ref: 12112

This is another well used comic postcard joke, at least this one is more amusing than lewd (although now the male would definitely be looking at a work place harassment complaint and/or a sexual harassment complaint).

Just the one quick posting this morning as I am off on my travels again and am about to do a three-hour drive. I may be posting again later but that will depend on what we get to do this afternoon.

22/06/2018

“MAISIE IN THE CITY”

By

AILEEN PATERSON D.A.

Published by

DUCK SOUP DESIGNS

(Edinburgh)

Printed by

INTERPRINT LTD, Scotland

There were a number of ‘Maisie’ cartoon postcards published. Maisie is the small kitten standing beside the bus stop sign in this image. Most of the designs had a more Scottish theme as this is where the artist lived and where the cards were published and printed, but this design shows a rare London scene visit for Maisie. This series was published back when cat themed postcards were last at their height before their current resurgence. These don’t crop up too often and are probably best sourced through modern postcard dealers, but should not cost very much, less than £1 definitely.

22/06/2018

SHELL

Reproduction Postcards depicting older SHELL postcard advert postcards

These even have a full reproduction of the reverse side of an old postcard as well with the postage requirement in the stamp box area shown as

INLAND

½ d

STAMP

FOREIGN

1d

*

TOP:

SHELL

MOTOR SPIRIT

BEST ON LAND AND SEA

If you look in the top right corner of the large Shell in the centre of this design, you will see the number 190, which is for the sender to use to complete with a fourth number to indicate what year it was, so, we know this original design was issued between 1901 and 1909. This nicely gives us some date indication for the original postcards release, although as stated already, these two cards here are part of a large reproduction series which was released in more modern times (1980’s or 1990’s I believe, although I want to go more with 1980’s). The original postcards would be very expensive to buy now, so it is nice that these cheap versions are available, although I hope no one in the early stages of collecting gets caught out, especially on eBay, in thinking that these reproduction cards are originals!

BOTTOM:

TRIUMPHS OF THE AIR

SHEEL MOTOR SPIRIT

This poster advert design would have appeared around the same time as the one depicted top, although this one has no useful date information on the front except for the early designs of the aeroplanes depicted, and as an aside, I really think that women would need a lot more clothing on before she could fly that plane up into the cold air above!

REVERSE SIDE OF POSTCARD

As used on both of the above postcards

22/06/2018

THE HARBOUR,

MONTREAL

Published by

RAPHAEL TUCK & SONS

“OILETTE” Postcard

In their:

‘WIDE, WIDE – WORLD’ series

Ref: Postcard 7385

“The Harbour. Montreal is the chief port of entry of the Dominion of Canada, and lies at the head of Ocean Navigation on the River St Lawrence. It’s Harbour is splendidly situated, and accommodates the largest sea going vessels.”

(Text from reverse side of postcard)

One of the huge output of postcards published by the major British postcard publisher. It also goes to show what a wide range of themes and topics this publisher covered. This card here was posted in the UK in 1905 and is typical of their design style for this period.

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

22/06/2018

THE SUFFOLK PUNCH

Published by

J. SALMON LTD., SEVENOAKS

In their:

‘IMAGES OF SUFFOLK’ series

Ref: 10 / 31 / 00 /24

“The oldest breed of heavy horse in the world, the Suffolk Punch is known for its docile temperament which makes it particularly easy to handle in harness”

(Text from reverse side of postcard)

I picked this up on a very recent visit to Bury St. Edmunds where I found it in a branch of Waterstone book shops (I posted details about this location on the websites facebook page at the time – there are two Waterstone shops in Bury St. Edmunds but only one had postcards on sale). This card, and the one depicted below appealed to my old ‘Wildlife’ collecting instincts. Horses have always been a popular publishing theme and image throughout the history of picture postcards.

THE SUFFOLK PUNCH

Published by

J. SALMON LTD., SEVENOAKS

In their:

‘IMAGES OF SUFFOLK’ series

Ref: 10 / 31 / 00 /25

“The oldest breed of heavy horse in the world, the Suffolk Punch is magnificent animal with a broad, deep body and short, unfeathered legs”

(Text from reverse side of postcard)

Companion postcard to the one depicted above – acquired at the same time and location

22/06/2018

UNTITLED

(Cats on graph – I would have wanted to call this a ‘Cat Scan’)

By

TOBIAS FONSECA

Published by

USTUDIO DESIGN

(PAPER PLANES)

Ref: PAP 090

This one is in branches of ‘paperchase’ at-the-moment, and it is another design which again reinforces my belief that ‘Cat’ themed postcards are currently in vogue (they have been for over a year and half now). This current ‘Cat’ trend is repeating a similar trend which occurred towards the end of the 1980’s and into the early 1990’s, although far more postcards were issued during that time than this one.

I do like the way the artist has drawn this one. From a distance it does look like a scan, a sort of earthquake monitoring machine print, you know the type, the ones that jump up and down during tremors in tv programmes and films. When you see it on the postcard rack from a distance it does not look like much but get in close and the cats appear. This is unusual but still attractive to the eye.

21/06/2018

SMILE PLEASE.

YOU’RE ON

CANDID CAMERA!

By

FITZPATRICK

Published by

BAMFORTH & CO., LTD

In their:

“COMIC” SERIES

Ref: No. 2422

This is one of my favourite Bamforth comic cards because of two very good reasons, firstly it is a cracking television related postcard, and there are very few related to the ‘Candid Camera’ television programme. Secondly, the UK version of this programme co-starred Jonathan Routh (real name John Reginald Surdeval Routh) and Jonathan was a distant relative of mine. The family connection (my Grandfather knew him) always made watching this programme as a kid much more interesting.

21/06/2018

MARILYN MONROE

Photograph:

The Hulton Deutsch Collection

Published by

SANTORO GRAPHICS LTD

LONDON

(SANTORO)

Ref: BW 880

Continuing my love affair with Marilyn Monroe postcards I depict here another of the cracking black and white photographs that were taken of the film actress and model.

21/06/2018

THE NIGHT MAIL

(The Enginemen)

By

SIR WILLIAM ORPEN R.A.

LMS Railway Poster

Published by

GALLERY FIVE

Ref: Railways 08.20- 2M191

Printed in 1980

Gallery Five were an unusual publishing company and their postcards are not that well known, and they crop up even less on dealers stands. Their best-known postcard issue was a large single card issue which was issued for the 1981 royal wedding, a copy of which I have in my collection, but otherwise their cards are hardly known. This would appear to be a shame judging from this excellent railway poster design.

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

The ‘Gallery Five’ postcard issues all have this same interesting reverse design layout

21/06/2018

HOW SENIOR STAFF AT THE ADMIRALTY

BEAT THE RUSH-HOUR TRAFFIC

By

Besley

Published by

DRG J. ARTHUR DIXON

Ref: No 48

(company number PL0-0048-L)

Besley’s London Series

I have been a big fan of the Besley cartoons since they started to appear many, many years ago. There is something about the style of his cartoons which appeal to me, and, for that matter many other people as well as his designs have remained popular and there are many dedicated ‘Besley’ collectors out there and they not only collect the front images, but, also, they hunt down different printing backs and reference numbers. For me it was these ‘London’ cartoons that got me started into collecting these great postcards. I also like that these are slightly larger than the normal modern postcard size.

CHANGING A FUSE

IN PICCADILLY CIRCUS

By

Besley

Published by

DRG J. ARTHUR DIXON

Ref: No 42

(company number PL0-0042-L)

Besley’s London Series

Another cartoon from this excellent series

21/06/2018

BBC ELECTRIC PROMS

LIVE ON THE BBC

Novelty ‘Sticker’ Postcard

Published by

BOOMERANG (MEDIA CARDS)

This is a great ‘Music’ themed postcard as a range of bands and individual singers are named on this card. There is also the bonus that each individually named band or singer is on their own removable sticker strip. That’s a lot of stickers, I couldn’t be bothered to count them, but there are a lot of people here, and I have heard of some of these as well, The Who, Billy Bragg and Kasabian, at least.

21/06/2018

12e FESTIVAL INTERNATIONAL

DE LA CARTE POSTALE

 ET DU GRAPHISME

ENGHIEN – LES – BAINS

3 – 4 JUIN 2000

12^TH International Festival

Postcard

And Graphics

June 3-4, 2000

FESTICART’ 2000

Illustration by

DAN JACOBSON

(Avec la Particpation des Champagnes de Castellane)

(with the participation of Champagnes de Castellane)

This is a French postcard fair postcard for an event held in Enghien-les-Bains in 2000. This location is a commune in the northern suburbs of Paris. Now, although I do like and collect Postcard Fair postcards it was actually the depiction of the flying boat, which caught my eye as it correctly captures the look of a Martin China Clipper Type 130.  

21/06/2018

RED CAMPION

RUSSIAN MATCHBOX LABEL

Published by

ART PRESS

(ART PRESS PUBLISHING LIMITED)

Ref: ZZ5190

An unusual postcard image I thought, but I liked it none-the-less.

This was another recent buy, and in London again.

21/06/2018

BOUDICCA BRINGS

ENLIGHTENMENT UNTO THE ROMANS

THETFORD’S GREAT HERITAGE

Accredited to Anthony Maynard

Colouring by Dominic Andrews

Published by

ARCHAEOART

“Iron Age Thetford is mostly associated with the tribe of the Iceni and their leader Boudica [incorrectly spelt with one ‘c’ here, but two on the front!], with key sites at both Castle Hill and Gallows Hill/Fison Way. Two important Roman hoards and many Iron Age and Iceni artefacts have been found in Thetford”

(Text from reverse side of postcard)

This was a recent buy whilst visiting Thetford just a couple of weeks ago

21/06/2018

TOP:

“WESTWARD HO!”

SMOKING MIXTURE

W.D. & H.O. WILLS

Advertisement

BOTTOM:

“CAPSTAN”

NAVY CUT TOBACCO & CIGARETTES

W.D. & H.O. WILLS

Advertisement

Both postcards are official reprints of old postcard adverts

Authorised Reproductions

Printed by

VICTORIA GALLERY

1988 IMPERIAL TABACCO LIMITED

It seems strange that people would want to reproduce old postcard issues, and these ones here are from the very 1900’s, but it means someone like me can add these designs to their collection without paying the very high prices that the originals would cost.

Smoking as a theme is collected, but it is mainly these early adverts, either on original cards or on re-prints like this that are of real interest to these collectors.

These reproductions cost me just 30p each at a recent fair.

TOP:

WILLS

“GOLD FLAKE”

TABACCO & CIGARETTES

W.D. & H.O. WILLS

Advertisement

BOTTOM:

THE ‘THREE CASTLES’

TABACCO & CIGARETTES

W.D. & H.O. WILLS

Advertisement

Both postcards are official reprints of old postcard adverts

Authorised Reproductions

Printed by

VICTORIA GALLERY

1988 IMPERIAL TABACCO LIMITED

21/06/2018

SUBMARINE B5 ARRIVING AT SUPPLY BASE

Published by

THE PHOTOCHROM CO, LTD

LONDON E.C and TUNBRIDGE WELLS

In their:

“BRITAIN PREPARED” series

Ref: No. 24

“Reproduced from the original pictures for ‘Britain Prepared’, secured by permission of H.M. Government, and presented under the gracious patronage of Their Majesties King George and Queen Mary”

(Text from reverse side of postcard)

The theme of ‘Submarines’ is popular, especially any photographic ones, although this one is an art depiction. This one here is from the First World War period and these are harder to source than those of WWII. As regular viewers of my webpage will know I do like transport related postcards. I especially like those depicting the more unusual forms of transport and submarines certainly fit that category.

HMS B5 was one of 11 B class submarines and she survived WW1 being eventually sold for scrap in 1921. She was launched on 14^th November 1905 and completed on 25^th February 1906. During WW1 she was assigned to defend the Straits of Dover.  

21/06/2018

FRIENDS AT LAST

From ‘TOY STORY’ (1995)

Advert postcard for:

LIMITED EDITION GICLEE PRINT

EDITION SIZE: 750

WALT DISNEY ANIMATION ART

Official promotional postcard

The Disney animation art shops up and down the world sell a range of these art prints, which are not cheap, but are superbly produced. They also often advertise the release of these with free advertising postcards. This is one of these, although it was only free initially, if you want one now then these are quite expensive on the second-hand market (eBay they sell for £4 - £6 each, which is way too high in my opinion, but then I do not decide what something will sell for!).

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

These can be found with different official store applied cachets - this one is from Paris, France

21/06/2018

SUPER GROVER

THE WORLD OF SESAME STREET

30 YEARS AND COUNTING

Published by

AD CARD

This is a superb postcard featuring Grover from the highly popular and long lasting American children’s television series ‘Sesame Street’. Although there is some English text on this card the vast-majority is in Japanese, and this country is the original source for this postcard release. I have postcards featuring Sesame Street characters from all over the world (especially Germany where it is also extremely popular) and it is these foreign issues which I like to add to my TV collection.

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

21/06/2018

TAY BRIDGE FROM N. DUNDEE

“Should auld ac-quain-tance be for-got

Published by

E. T. W. DENNIS & SONS, LTD

(London & Scarboro’)

British Manufacture Throughout

This postcard was posted out of Dundee in 1929 and depicts the famous ‘Tay Bridge’, although technically it doesn’t as the famous Tay Bridge was the one that collapsed during a winter gale on the night of the 28^th December 1879. A train with six carriages was crossing at the time and all seventy-five passengers and crew were killed when they were plunged down into the freezing waters of the river.

The bridge you see here is the second Tay Bridge the construction of which was commenced in 1883 and concluded in 1887, the bridge was opened officially on 20^th June 1887. The bridge has a span of 2.75 miles and is a mainline railway crossing which serves rail traffic between Dundee and the suburb of Wormit in Fife.

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

This card was locally used, and the stamp has received a DUNDEE – ANGUS – 19 JUL 1929 wavy line machine cancellation. The message written by sender makes mention of the depicted bridge.