23/05/2018
“TRY THIS ON A TITCHY BREAKFAST!”
WEETABIX ADVERT POSTCARDS
‘WEETA-CARD’
Anonymous Printer but these are Official Advertising Postcards for Weetabix
There were a number of television adverts in the early 1980’s featuring this rather rough and tumble Weetabix family. I remember them well as I used to like Weetabix cereals, but I used to put a lot of sugar on them, so they were less than healthy when I ate them. These postcards were released at the time of the adverts at their height, 1983 according to the copyright date along the bottom of the cards.
I have a feeling they were given away inside the cereal packets, but I a not positive. For awhile they were quite easy to pick up, but these days they are a bit harder and are probably going to cost you around £2 a card on eBay (I have just checked and there is just the one card on there at this time – the shark one – which is £1.50 but with £1.50 post & packing – so, £3 in all! At This price it would cost you £15 for a set!)
The cards are not titled or numbered and have no descriptive text beyond the same comment used in the speech bubble on each design. So, the descriptive titles used here are my own:
SEASIDE CRICKET GAME
SHARK FISHING
CRAZY GOLF GAME
SANDCASTLE BUILDING
FAIRGROUND ‘TEST YOUR STRENGH’ MACHINE
REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD
WEETA - CARD
All of the five postcards have the same simple basic postcard layout
23/05/2018
THE CORONATION JUBILEE COIN
BAILIWICK OF JERSEY
Published by
WESTMINSTER (orders)
I did a posting on some of these some time ago now, but I recently came across this one which I had not seen before. It makes a nice addition to my royalty themed collection. There are also collectors out there that collect postcards which depict banknotes and coins from all over the world and these ‘Westminster’ issued advert cards are worth seeking out for such a collection.
‘Westminster’ is a company that sells stamp and coin related items with many of these being special produced first day covers and stamp sheets and of course coins.
23/05/2018
HORSESHOE
‘GOOD LUCK’ POSTACRD DESIGN
Published by
P. C. PARIS
(made in France)
Ref. 6561
The horseshoe is recognised in many European countries as a good luck symbol. It appears on postcards from these countries as such and that is the reason for its inclusion in this postcard design. I have been looking at this design and wondering if the child was used here because of their smile and look or if this was a family created specific souvenir. I think it was the former and that this was a general sale postcard and one which would have sold purely on the attractiveness of the design and the rather androgynous looking child.
REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD
At some point in its recent past this card was sold for 2 euro’s, the price is still written on the reverse side, but this was one of the 20c specials I picked up from a French antique shop in Sainte on my last visit.
22/05/2018
DAD’S ARMY
2016 FEATURE FILM
MOVIE PROPS
Printed postcard fronts
For the 2016 feature film version of the Dad’s Army television series they would have created many props and artefacts for use in the film. In one scene they are in the High Street and there is a shop with a postcard rack with a range of postcards on display. They wanted traditional seaside style postcard images and where possible images of postcards from the correct period, i.e. WWII. The design department printed off a selection of designs on paper which were only printed on one side because only the one side would be seen, the front. They were also printed on paper rather than card as this would suffice for the shoot. Some of these paper postcard film props have been sold to the public now that they are no longer required. I have been fortunate to obtain two of these paper movie props which are depicted here.
Unfortunately, I do not think the film did very well in the cinemas. Not many people went to see it but I did go and quite enjoyed it for what it was, but I too do not think it really managed to catch the comic essence and excellence of the original TV series, but they gave it a go and as a stand alone film its not unwatchable.
PHOTOGRAPH
Film poster for the 2016 film
(I’ve not found this on a postcard yet)
PHOTOGRAPH
Scene from the film where they are seen marching down the High Street
(I have not been able to find a photograph of the scene where the postcards are on display yet)
22/05/2018
ACRYLIC POSTCARDS
LONDON TRANSPORT MUSEUM
On my last two visits to the London Transport Museum (9th Dec 2017 and last week) I found a rack of something called Acrylic Postcards. These do not have the normal London Transport Museum reverse printing and appear to have no reference numbering, but they do depict poster designs which, at least some of them, appear, or have appeared on the normal postcard issues.
These acrylic postcards are cards which have a thick piece of acrylic plastic applied to the top (see photographs below). These are quite heavy and are an unusual novelty postcard. They are £3.99 each, but although this seems expensive I think it is worth noting that wooden postcards are £3.99 and often £5, so I think these are reasonably priced.
UNDERGROUND
OFF TO THE ZOO
BOOK TO REAGENTS PARK
OR
CAMDEN TOWN
Poster By
Reginald Rigby
(1915)
ACRYLIC POSTCARD
Anonymous producer
But these are clearly made for sale at the
NATIONAL TRANSPORT MUSEUM
RUGBY AT TWICKENHAM
BY TRAM
FROM HAMMERSMITH
OR
SHEPHERDS BUSH
Poster By
Laura Knight
(1921)
ACRYLIC POSTCARD
Anonymous producer
But these are clearly made for sale at the
NATIONAL TRANSPORT MUSEUM
please note that these are hard to scan clearly because of the thickness of the plastic block on top of the card image - the actual cards posters are much clearer and sharper than they appear here.
GO TO KEW
Poster By
Maxwell Ashby Armfield
(1915)
ACRYLIC POSTCARD
Anonymous producer
But these are clearly made for sale at the
NATIONAL TRANSPORT MUSEUM
PHOTOGRAPH 1
This is an image of the three postcards depicted above
PHOTOGRAPH 2
Here you can see some of the thickness of these cards, along with some of the postcard images still visible
PHOTOGRAPH 3
Total side view of the three postcards stacked together
METROPOLITAN RAILWAY
STAMFORD BRIDGE GROUNDS
SATURDAY FEB 17TH
CHELSEA
V
ARSENAL
BOOK TO
WALTHAM GREEN
Poster By
Unknown Artist
(1913)
This acrylic postcard poster postcard would be of interest to both railway and football related collectors, especially I think the football theme collectors.
REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD
All the above acrylic postcards have the same basic reverse layout with the obvious exception of the title and artist details for the poster depicted on the front. This reverse type looks nothing like the normal London Transport Museum backs, but I am pretty sure the images are from posters held in the museum’s collection. I would like to know if the museum has had these acrylic postcards specifically made for them and therefore if they are only for sale at this one location, i.e. the museum’s shop here in London.
PHOTOGRAPH 4
Close-up of one of the above acrylic postcards on display in the museum shop
PHOTOGRAPH 5
Taken 9th December 2017
Photograph of the whole rack of acrylic cards on sale in the museum.
All four of the above postcards can be seen here on this rack.
22/05/2018
ORBITAL COMICS
8 GREAT NEWPORT STREET, LONDON
Advertising Postcard Size ‘Flyer’ Card
Double-Sided Card
This was the comic shop where I picked up the ‘Underground Train’ plain backed flyer card I posted on the webpage on the 20-05-2018. At the same time, I picked this card up. I have a collection of comic book character postcards and it is one theme I can not resist and despite this not being a true postcard, it is a double-sided advert card, I could not resist picking up a couple of these.
I have posted Moomin related postcards on the webpage already so the fact that Moominpapa appears here, with his top hat, made this a nice addition to that collection. Unfortunately, my knowledge does not go so far that I can recognise most of the others in the main group, except ‘Tank Girl’ who I believe is at the top of the stack. What I do know is that Judge Dredd is chasing them. I know Judge Dredd because I was there from his first appearance in the children’s comic ‘2000AD’.
REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE ADVERTISING CARD
This is also worth a look as I don’t believe I have a postcard which depicts Judge Death, a character from the Judge Dredd 2000AD comic strip stories. I know this is not a postcard, but I still think it’s a great card item, and these are becoming more and more collectible with some turning up on modern postcard dealers stands.
22/05/2018
ST PAUL’S, LONDON
(ST PAUL’S CATHEDRAL)
Published by
CHRIS HUNTLEY PHOTOGRAPHY
(No reference number)
When I was in London last week I came across three postcards which I initially thought were paintings, although I am still not sure with the Tower Bridge one, but which appear to be photographs, but ones which I think have been ‘touched up’ or photo-shopped as I believe the correct term. They have ended up looking nice and I thought they were a far nicer series of London view cards than the bog-standard colour photographs which abound. I ended up buying the three I saw, although there may well be more and as I am back in London next week I will have a further trawl around the souvenir shops to see. I depict all three here.
THE LONDON EYE
Published by
CHRIS HUNTLEY PHOTOGRAPHY
(No reference number)
TOWER BRIDGE, LONDON
Published by
CHRIS HUNTLEY PHOTOGRAPHY
(No reference number)
I still think this looks like a painting, but it may just be that the work done on the photograph has made it look so good that it no longer looks real, despite possibly being so! Either way this is a superb picture/photograph of the bridge, which I have walked over many times. I am also in the unusual position of having once been responsible for closing-down this bridge! At the time, back in 1996 I was on attachment to the Metropolitan Police and was doing security work after the IRA bombing of Canary Wharf. I had been placed at Tower Bridge and was performing vehicle checks when a car on Irish plates pulled up really-quickly at the side of the road just by one end of the bridge, close to where I was standing, and the driver got out and ran off. Now, even I could work out the unlikeliness of the IRA using a car on Irish plates as a bomb, but I still needed to call it in, which I did, resulting in the traffic being stopped and the bridge being cleared of vehicles and pedestrians. Needless-to-say the vehicle was not anything to worry about, but the incident does give me an unusual story to relate at dinner parties.
REVERSE SIDE OF ST PAUL’S POSTCARD
With the obvious exception of the title of the location depicted the three postcards all have the same basic reverse layout.
22/05/2018
SCENES AND TYPES
LABOUR DANS LA FORET D’OLIVIERS
Ploughing in the forest of Olive Trees
Published by
EDITIONS C. LEVY
(TUNIS)
Ref: 322
This is a clear example of a hand painted black and white photograph, although not as bad as some I have seen in the past. The ‘animal collector’ in me was attracted to this one and I also liked the idea of farming using a camel, which seems so visually unusual, but when you think about it such an obvious option for this area as camels are used for just about everything else. This has deckle edging so I am assuming it is circa 1950’s.
22/05/2018
LA BRETAGNE EN COULEURS
VOILIER ECOLE “SAGRECE”
Published by
EDITIONS D’ART JOS
(IRIS – JOS)
Printed in MEXICHROME
Ref: MX 7547
I do like Tall Ships like this as we often get ones, especially Russian ones, visiting the end of the pier here in my home town of Southend (the ‘Sedov’ has been several times and I have been down and been on board his one, which is a Russian Tall ship). There is something elegant about these sail ships and I do understand why they are maintained and why people get so attached to them. The result of our fascination is that there are quite a few of these around now and they are worth visiting as many sell postcards on board which depict them, sometimes with special cachets applied (although there are none on this card).
21/05/2018
COIN CARD WITH NATIONAL FLAG
GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND
‘NOVELTY EMBOSSED COIN CARD’
Anonymous Publisher
These coin postcards were very popular, and you can find these for many different European countries, and some more worldwide locations. They are a known and collected novelty postcard variety and some copies can be quite expensive, although not this one. Each individual coin on the postcard has been embossed and their shape can also be seen when you view the reverse side (see below).
REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD
21/05/2018
PEUGEOT D4B
VEHICULES UTILITAIRES
Published by
CENTENAIRE EDITIONS
13, rue Rabelais – 1700 SAINTE – FRANCE
Ref: 12 - VEHICULES UTILITAIRES
(This is the series of postcards which I discovered in the town of Sainte, which is located close to where my In-Laws house is located, in Venerand, France. The cards depict old adverts from all periods, but I particularly like the ones from the 1950’s, 1960’s and 1970’s, and those depicting farm equipment & vehicles, Cards, Vans, Motorcycles and other forms of transport – many of which I have not seen on postcard before. I also like the fact that these postcards were locally published in Saintes. I like this series a lot and I have previously posted some examples)
Another of these superb advert postcards by this French based company. Most of the adverts I have seen on their postcards I have not seen on any other publications. They also seem to pick out images which really appeal to me. I loved this one.
20/05/2018
SPEED RACER
ON THE ROAD OF LIFE THERE ARE PASSENGERS
AND THERE ARE DRIVERS.
VOLKSWAGEN DEALER ADVERT
Published by
GO-CARD (USA)
Free Rack Card Postcard
Copyright 1996 Volkswagen and Speed Racer Enterprises
Being in the UK I was unaware of this joint advertising promotion between the animated series ‘Speed Racer’ and the car company ‘Volkswagen’. It does seem to have resulted in this superb related US postcard. There is a cult following for the animated ‘Speed Racer’ cartoons (which were turned into a live action feature film in 2008 – although it needed a lot of CGI Green screen work). So, this could be a neat postcard for anyone who is a Speed Racer fan.
20/05/2018
REVEREND WILBERT AWDRY
Creator of
THOMAS THE TANK ENGINE
Plain backed photographic Card
Used on the front first day of issue with the 2011 issued
1st class Thomas The Tank Engine stamp issued by
Royal Mail
Special first day of issue hand stamp:
‘CENTENARY OF REVEREND W AWDRY
SODOR MAIL
AMPFIELD, ROMSEY, HANTS
14 – 6 – 2011’
This is an unusual addition to my extensive Thomas the Tank Engine postcard collection.
20/05/2018
DIPLODOCUS CARNEGI SKELETON CAST,
THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM,
LONDON 1905
Official Museum Postcard
“In December 1904, 36 crates containing the replica Diplodocus skeleton arrived in London. Andrew Carnegie the Director of the Carnegie Museum, where the original skeleton is located, came over to oversee the installation and it was unveiled on 12 May 1905”
(Text from reverse side of postcard)
I have a nice little collection of images of this now famous skeleton replica from the museum. As many people remember it was eventually moved to the main entrance hall where it stayed for many years (I did a postcard posting when the skeleton was removed last year). The skeleton is called ‘Dippy’ and it has now gone on a tour of the country after being replaced in the main museum hall by the skeleton of a blue whale.
DIPPY ON TOUR
A NATURAL HISTORY ADVENTURE
Official ‘Dippy’ Tour postcard
I found this postcard on sale in the Natural History Museum, but I wonder if it is not also on sale at the locations where the ‘Dippy’ skeleton is on display during its tour. If so, then this will be a far more accessible postcard than if it is just on sale at the main museum. It is a lovely postcard design though and one which compliments the above photographic one.
REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD
This has a list of all the locations for the ‘Dippy’ skeleton tour along with the dates, which go right through to October 2020. I would be interested in hearing from anyone who visits any of these locations as to whether this postcard was on sale there.
20/05/2018
ONIWAKA-MARU SLAYING
A GIANT CARP (detail)
By
Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797 – 1861)
Colour print from woodblocks
Japan 1845-6
Official ‘VICTORIA & ALBERT MUSEUM’
Postcard
Ref: 109724
I picked this one up because of my early love of wildlife themed postcards. It caught my eye on one of the many racks in the main museum shop. I like oriental, especially Japanese artwork anyway, so this ticked two of my interests.
REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD
One of the museums standard reverse printing layouts
20/05/2018
SOUTH LONDON
COMIC & ZINE
FAIR
SATURDAY 14TH JUNE (2018)
Free Advert card
(Postcard Size – Printed on Postcard quality board – but plain backed)
I found this free plain backed card in London last week in a specialist comic-book shop. This would make a great addition to any ‘Underground Railway’ train collection. This is a great piece of comic-book artwork.
20/05/2018
BIKANER GANGA RISALA
RATORE RAJPUT
Watercolour by
Major (later Brigadier-General) A. C. LOVETT, CB, CBE
1910
Published by
NATIONAL ARMY MUSEUM, LONDON
This museum has issued some very interesting artist paintings relating to military costumes and material. This one depicts a camel mounted soldier in India. It is a cracking image on a rather strangely shaped card. This is because it has very wide white boarders at each side but much thinner ones at the top and bottom. I liked this one very much and I found it in a box of postcards on sale in a second-hand book shop in Charring Cross, London. The cards were priced at 3 x £1, and this was one of the nine postcards I found which made it into my collection.
20/05/2018
MULTI-VIEW POSTCARD
CANADA IMAGES:
Top Left:
JASPER AVENUE, EDMONTON, ALTA, CANADA
Top Right:
WHEAT FIELD NEAR CLOVER BAR,
ALTA, CANADA
Bottom Left:
BRIDGE OVER KAMINISTIQUA,
FORT WILLIAM, ONTARIO, CANADA
Bottom Right:
PORTAGE AVENUE, WINNIPEG, CANADA
Official Emigration Promotional Postcard
Issued on behalf of
J. OBED SMITH
ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT OF EMIGRATION
(Charring Cross, London)
The images here are of Canada and I suppose are meant to be images which would lead the postcard viewer to consider emigration to Canada and therefore apply for the free illustrated literature advertised. I wonder how successful this postcard was?
REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD
20/05/2018
CAMDEN GRAPHICS
UNTITLED ‘FILM STAR’ SERIES
All four postcards published by
CAMDEN GRAPHICS
HUMPHREY BOGART
Photo By
Scotty Welbourne
1941
Ref: PC 1038
MARILYN MONROE
Photo By
Frank Powolny
1953
Ref: PC 1039
JAMES DEAN
Photo By
Studio Portrait
1955
Ref: PC 1040
ELVIS PRESLEY
Photo By
Virgil Apger
1957
Ref: PC 1041
I thought this was a superb little series, and there may be more at either side of these issues, but I am not sure, I think this may be the lot, but do let me know if you know otherwise. Four major film stars and, yes, I know Elvis Presley was a singer, but I remember all of his films which I watched on BBC 2 in a season of his films, and they are not as bad as often stated. I like them.
20/05/2018
WHISKY AND SOFA?
NO THANKS
GIN AND PLATONIC
Published by
BAMFORTH & CO., LTD (HOLMFIRTH, YORKSHIRE)
In their:
‘SLIM COMIC’ Series
Ref: No. C4
There is an old saying that ‘You learn something new every day’, and even after 47 years of postcard collecting this is still true for my hobby. I was, until I found this postcard at the recent Woking Postcard Fair totally unaware of this ‘SLIM COMIC’ series of postcards issued by the well known saucy comic seaside postcard publisher ‘Bamforth & Co’. Since I have a small collection of this companies postcards and have even visited their old printing works in Holmfirth which used to a museum, now sadly long closed down, I am amazed that this was the first time I had seen one of these (it just goes to show that you can’t know everything – and what a boring world it would be if we could not still be surprised by our hobby!). I was really pleased to find this card.
REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD
20/05/2018
SYNTH HARRY
&
MEGHORN MARKLE
Published by
BRAINBOX CANDY LTD
Ref: BCP256
(Copyrighted to 2017)
Comic cards about celebrities are not uncommon, certainly where politicians are concerned they can be more frequent than normal photographic postcards! I came across this one about a month ago in a branch of ‘paperchase’ somewhere (possibly the Bluewater Shopping Centre in Kent). I had thought that it would be my card to display yesterday but thankfully I found a more suitable one for the special day itself. So, this more irreverent one has been moved to today. I am not sure if calling someone ‘MegHORN’ is that funny, but, after all I suppose it is just a play on words. This was the first non-engagement related postcard I have found. I am now ready to start the search for any postcards featuring images taken yesterday at the wedding. I wonder how many there will be – I have been amazed to find that the Gibraltar postal authority have already released details and images of a stamp sheet depicting images from yesterdays wedding, already, less than 24 hours after the event – now hats fast. I expect the postcards to take a little longer, but I am sure they will come out. As I find them I will post them here on the webpage.
19/05/2018
“WELL, NOBODY’S PERFECT”
SOME LIKE IT HOT
Published by
BOOMERANG
In their:
“CINEMA IN CARDS”
Series
Ref: No 4
BOOMERANG
“CINEMA IN CARDS”
SERIES
Time for another postcard from this very large series of cards which depict a phrase or quote from a specific film. Some of these are easy to work out, some from the fact that the quote is famous, some from the design of the card and others from personal fandom for that film.
One of the very early cards in this series, and from a well known and popular film. Marilyn Monroe was always going to make an appearance here and I was not surprised it was so early in the series. A really-nice addition for any Monroe collection.
19/05/2018
Three new cards have been placed on the CENSORED page of the webpage under the tab CENSORED and then CENSORED 1. There is a photographic card, a photo-montage card, which I think is supposed to be an art card and then a cartoon card.
19/05/2018
GET READY FOR HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
FOR SUNSHINE, HEALTH AND HAPPINESS
By
Martin Wiscombe
Published by
J. SALMON LTD
In their:
DRIFTWOOD ART
Series
Ref: 09/80/00/54
I do like this series even with the cards being a little larger than the normal modern size. I think they are colourful and eye catching and coming from a seaside town I am not surprised they are being sold here in Southend-on-Sea (is it me though or is that a big dog!)
19/05/2018
UNTITLED
NOVELTY SHAPED CROWN POSTCARD
Published by
paperchase
paperchase (with a small ‘p’ at the start of their name) have been releasing a range of shaped postcards for a couple of years now, with an interesting selection having been released quite recently. This was one which I found on my last visit to a paperchase store in the Bluewater shopping centre. It could also be considered a topical card for today.
REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD
19/05/2018
THE ROYAL WEDDING
H.R.H. THE PRINCE OF WALES
TO LADY DIANA SPENCER
ON 29TH JULY 1981
AT ST PAULS CATHEDRAL LONDON
Published by
POWIS PRINTERS (BAYSWATER) LTD,
LONDON
Despite having collected the 1981 Royal Wedding related postcards for many, many years I still come across ones missing from my collection every so often. This was the case at the recent Woking Postcard Fair when I came across this one. It’s a basic illustrative text design but still a nice addition to my collection.
19/05/2018
TO COMMEMORATE THE MARRIAGE
OF PRINCE WILLIAM OF WALES
AND MISS CATHERINE MIDDLETON
29TH APRIL 2011
(Photo Nick Harvey)
Published by
JUDGES OF HASTINGS
Ref: C-41105
It has been seven years since the last royal wedding and you can still to this day find related postcards on sale in London in the souvenir shops and on stalls around the central London monuments. This is one of these postcards. It will not be long before I will be searching these to see if there are any postcards released for today’s big wedding between Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. I will have an added interest in these as there is a direct television link, due to her staring in the TV series ‘Suits’. So, postcards depicting Meghan Markle are now contained within my television themed collection, and I hope to add many more before the year is out.
19/05/2018
OK, I was only kidding below… obviously all the celebrating today is due to the royal wedding…
So, congratulations to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on their special day and I hope all goes well for them. They both seem to be very popular with the public and I suspect today's event will be watched live by many people.
H.R.H. PRINCE HARRY AND MS. MEGHAN MARKLE
ON THE OCCASION OF THEIR ENGAGEMENT
Published by
KARDORAMA
Ref: SV-431
(Photo Daniel Leal-Olivas)
19/05/2018
The Union Jack flags are out, everyone is celebrating in London and around the country so today must be a big day. Of course, it is. Its Pete Townshend’s birthday. Pete is of course a musician, singer and songwriter best known for being lead guitarist with the band ‘The Who’…
THE WHO
Published by
CULT IMAGES
(LONDON)
Ref: PC 26 - WHO
Print 