30/10/2018

CASTAWAY CAY

Disney’s Private Caribbean Island

Located in the Bahamas.

Plain Backed Official Postcards

Sold exclusively at the ‘Post Office’ located on the island.

Official plain backed cards

Disney’s cruise ship tours of the Caribbean stop off at Castaway Cay for a whole day. Once you leave the ship at the dockside the first real building you reach is the official Bahamas post office building. You can take postcards with you from either an earlier location or bought on board the ship (I have already posted on the webpage a range of Disney Cruise Line postcards which I posted from here) and have these posted from here. But, if you want to buy a card from this post office they have some great images, but the cards are all plain backed. I decided to buy a complete range of these postcards (or if you like…cards) and post these to myself. Here are the cards I sent with images of the Whale stamp I was given to use (the only stamp available to post cards to the UK).

MickeyMouse

Castaway Cay

Bahamas

Minnie Mouse

Castaway Cay

Bahamas

I SAID NO PHOTO’S.

DONALD DUCK

Castaway Cay

Bahamas

DAISY DUCK

Castaway Cay

Bahamas

CASTAWAY CAY

BAHAMAS

Goofy, Pluto, Minnie Mouse, Mickey Mouse and Donald

CASTAWAY CAY

BAHAMAS

Minnie Mouse and Mickey Mouse

REVERSE SIDE OF THE FIRST THREE CARDS

These were all posted on the Disney island on the 10^th August 2018. These make a great memento of any trip to this island. I believe a large number of postcards are posted from here, but other than my own cards I have never come across any.  

REVERSE SIDE OF THE NEXT THREE CARDS

CASTAWAY CAY

BAHAMAS

Stingray Card - thats the Disney Cruise ship in the background

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE CARD

30/10/2018

ALASSIO

Published by

CARTONOVA S.N.C.

GRAFICHE BIONDETTI SRL (VR)

Ref: 241-404

Alassio is in Italy and this is one of the many postcards issued by this company which depict a location along with one or more Disney themed images. This card has six Disney images across the top and another six across the bottom. I collect Disney themed postcards and there were many issued in and across Italy during the 1980’s and the 1990’s (and I suspect beyond). Some of these can produce some very strange combinations as with the selection of Disney characters depicted here, and there are two for each film, which are, across the top: The Fox and the Hound, The Sword in the Stone and Cinderella, and across the bottom: The Rescuers, Pinocchio and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Also, why is one of the Sword in the Stone images on its side? Would it have been so hard to place this around and crop it so that it was around the right way? Other than this strange placement of the Sword in the Stone image, I like this card and there are not too many cards featuring Merlin and Arthur on them.

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

This is another of the many record-breaking number of postcards addressed to ‘David’ via Miss MC Williams in 1988. Two of the 1980 issued ‘Castles’ definitive stamps have been used here: Estense Castle, Ferrara (120L ref: SG 1660) and Rocca di Vignola, Modena (380L – ref: SG 1667).

30/10/2018

A SURGEON IN AN OPERATION ROOM

XXVIIe CONGRESS DE LA SOCIETE INTERNATIONALE DE CHIRURGIE

(27^th Congress of International Society of Surgeons)

Published by

JAPAN STAMP PUBLICITY ASSOCIATION

Ref: No. 324

This is a maxi-card, or perhaps more correctly a ‘Stamp Card’ as the image on the card is the same as used on the released postage stamp, which has been applied to the front and cancelled, possibly with a first day of issue hand stamp (which is most likely what this cancel is for).

The stamp release is as per the title at the top, and the stamp was issued in 1977 as a single stamp issue (so there are no missing other cards as if in a set). In the Stanley Gibbons catalogue this stamp is reference SG 1474. Medicine is not a massive postcard collected theme, although there are stamp collectors who have this as a theme, but postcards not so much, but this is still a lovely card, in my opinion.

30/10/2018

‘POSTCROSSING’

Now that I have signed up to the ‘postcrossing’ craze, where you send postcards out to randomly chosen addresses across the world and receive a postcard from a randomly picked person also on the ‘postcrossing’ webpage site, I am receiving unusual postcards from all over the world.

You have no idea what you are going to receive, and I think that is part of the fun of this craze.

I will be depicting the cards I get here on the webpage.  

KIDS EATING CHOCOLATE BAR

Poster design (possibly from 1958 as this date appears on the reverse side)

JAPANESE ISSUE POSTCARD

Published by

SAVIGNAC L’ENCHANTEUR

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

An interesting use of an older Japanese issued postage stamp from 1997 which commemorated the 50^th Anniversary of Labour Standards Law (SG 2473). It does add a different stamp to my collection. I also liked the message which mentions earthquakes and typhoons! We don’t get these much in the UK, so I hope the sender, as she states, remains safe.

30/10/2018

ALL THE WAY FROM

DUNOON

Published by

E. T. W. DENNIS & SON LTD

(LONDON & SCARBOROUGH)

Ref: D. 0819

This is a very typical late 1950’s (into the early 1960’s) tourist postcard, as published by the company ETW Dennis. The blueish tint and overall look of this card is indicative of the company’s output around this time. Although a typical multi-view tourist postcard this one has some thematic interest due to the main image of the steamer passenger boat. Boats and ships are a big thematic collectible although this particular-card is unlikely to ever be worth a great deal.

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

Posted from Dunoon in 1961

30/10/2018

AVANTCARD 1992 - 2017 – ELVIS HAS LEFT THE BUILDING

The Final Postcard Issue

Published by

AVANTCARD AUSTRALIA

Ref: #20850

Issued 2017

I have wanted to show you this postcard for some time, but it has taken me awhile to get my hands on a copy. This was the final free rack postcard produced by the company Avantcard Australia. I really liked their postcards and was saddened to hear the announcement that no more cards were to be issued. At least they finished up with a cracker. Elvis was a clever way of finishing up their output as it gave them the opportunity to end the text on the reverse side, of their final card with the well-known phrase: ‘Elvis has left the building’. This I feel will become a very collectible future card, partially for its thematic content, but mostly because of its important connection and position in the Avantcard Australia story. (I still have many of their cards in my collection which will be shown in the future, this may well be their last card, but it will not be the last of the company's to appear on the webpage) 

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

I was pleased that the company used a different colour for the reverse side of their final postcard as this was a ploy that the company often used. It is a nice nod to their issuing past.

30/10/2018

LEOPARD

SOUTH AFRICA

Published by

ART PUBLISHERS (PTY) LTD

DURBAN, JOHANNESBURG, CAPE TOWN

I still cannot resist a nice wildlife postcard, especially a good photographic one. This postcard is from South Africa.

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

Not sure about the date on the cancellation so its probably good that the sender wrote the date in their message – 19/06/2008. The stamp used here is the 2007 ‘AIRMAIL POSTCARD’ RATE (4r,01) lion stamp (SG 1630) from the ‘Wildlife – The Big Five’ self-adhesive set. This card was sent to Australia from South Africa and has ended up in a collection in Great Britain, that’s quite a journey.

30/10/2018

UN SALUTO DA POMPEI

TEMPIO DI NETTUNO E QUELLO DI CERERE

CASA DE VETTII

ANFITEATRO

Published by

TIP. LIT. FOT. G. MODIANO & C – MILANO

This is a lovely early postcard which was posted in 1900 from Naples to Derby in the UK. These early undivided back European postcard issues were beautifully printed and very attractive I think. This postcard is now at least 118 years old!

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

This card was posted from Italy using an Italian 10c red King Umberto I postage stamp issued in 1891 (SG 57). This has been cancelled with a NAPOLI [Naples] circular date stamp dated 14^th February 1900. The card was addressed to Derby in the UK and upon arrival received a DERBY small single ring date stamp dated 17^th February 1900. This has nice clear postal marks as is often the case with these early undivided back designs.

30/10/2018

HELLO FROM

METROPOLIS

“DAILY PLANET”

Published by

SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTE

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN HISTORY

This is an older postcard, dating back to the late 1980’s (1987 or just post 1987) and quite a popular issue which is much sought after by Superman collectors. Clearly you are aware that ‘Metropolis’ is the home city of Superman. The Smithsonian National Museum of American History has some Superman themed exhibits amongst just about everything else you can imagine that has anything to do with the American past. It is an amazing museum and one which I can now thoroughly recommend after my recent visit it to it. It also has a great gift shop and an interesting range of postcards, although this one here has long been out of print.

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

30/10/2018

THE QUEEN MARY

Official On-board Postcard

Printed by

IMPACT PHOTOGRAPHIC’S

Ref: 76096

This is the postcard that they sell in the gift shop onboard the Ocean Liner Hotel RMS QUEEN MARY, which moored in the harbour at Long Beach California. There is a postcard package also available, but this is the only single postcard that can be bought onboard and I suspect this might be a design unique to the ship.

One of the things I like to do is post a card from a location as a souvenir of my visit. But, I have learnt that it is best to post at least two cards as the postal system can be a nightmare and damage to cards is not unknown. This was the case here. I posted two copies of this card. I did ask if there was any sort of special postmark, cancel or cachet used, but there isn’t. This I thought was a shame, but I still wanted to post my cards. I asked at the gift shop counter about stamps and they advised me that stamps were sold at reception. At reception I asked about postage to Europe, but the nice staff did not know how much that was. They asked their boss, someone in the back room, and they did not know either. To their credit they took my postcards and said that they would sort it out. The man said: “Looks like we are going to be paying the postage for you”, and he said it with a big smile, and that’s exactly what they did.

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

SECOND COPY OF ABOVE POSTED POSTCARD

The card above arrived on the 27^th October, whilst this one arrived on the 29^th October, although I have no explanation of why they came separately as I assume they were posted together! I like actual posted items as the show the marks of transit, and these two certainly have that. What interested me was that they both have the same damage bottom right corner. I assume this is a pressure scratch from where the card went through the sorting machine, or possibly the franking machine which applied the red postage paid mark ($1.15, so I saved myself $2.30). I know that these two cards look pretty much the same, but I am still pleased I posted the two.

REVERSE SIDE OF SECOND POSTCARD

30/10/2018

I LOVE SOUTHEND

Design by

CHARLIE STENNER

Published by

CHARLIE STENNER

Copyright 2017

I found this postcard, which is new to me, in a card shop in one of my local towns shopping centres, the Victoria Plaza. I bought a few cards here in this shop and had a chat with the shopkeeper. He was pleased that I had bought this card as apparently it is one which does not sell well, he asked me why I had chosen it and I explained that I was a collector. This, I think, explained why I was buying a handful of their postcard stock. This will fit nicely in my local history collection and having been designed in 2017 this brings my collection right up to date.

30/10/2018

MOVE UP THE BUS!

TICKETS PLEASE!

DING! DING!

BUS STOP

Design by

MARTIN WISCOMBE

Published by

J. SLAMON LTD

Ref: 09/80/05/82

In their:

RETRO DAYS series

Red buses are iconic, and as a result these are collected on postcard and it does not seem to matter too much whether it is a photographic image or an art design, like this one. I recently bought this in my home town of Southend, yesterday in fact, so this is a very recent addition to my collection.

29/10/2018

EURO DISNEY

Official Theme Park Postcard

Produced for Disney by

CHRISTIAN DESBOIS EDITIONS

I am always looking for postcards which are titled ‘EURO DISNEY’ as the French theme park only had this name for ten years, from 1992 to 2002, before the name changed to Disneyland Paris. Obviously, a range of postcards were issued during these ten years, but it never ceases to amaze me how often I come across designs which are new to me. This one arrived in a charity bundle whilst I was away on holiday. I think it is a smashing design (this copy was posted in 1996).

29/10/2018

UNION STATION

WASHINGTON D. C.

Published by

B. S. REYNOLDS CO., WASHINGTON D.C.

Ref: Z 138

Travel opens-up new horizons and collecting routes for me. A few weeks ago, I was in Washington for the first time. When I entered the Union Station I was amazed by how impressive it was, the same feelings were there when I stepped outside and saw the exterior structure for the first time. It was also my first introduction to the fact that all the major cities we visited seemed to have a ‘Union Station’ of their own, with each being impressive in its own individual way. But, the one at Washington was the most impressive, at least in my opinion. My visit led me to check eBay out and see what, if anything was available postcard wise. This was one of the cards I found, and I decided to add this one to my collection.

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

This card was posted from Washington on 29^th June 1909 with the stamp being cancelled with a superb clear strike of the straight line machine cancel: WASHINGTON D.C. – STATION O – 29 JUN 1909.

PHOTOGRAPH

6^TH October 2018

This is the inside of the station, a fantastic main hall.

29/10/2018

AUSTRALIA

Film Poster Advertising Postcard

“LOSE YOURSELF IN THE MOVIE.

FIND YOURSELF IN THE COUNTRY”

Published by

BOOMERANG (MEDIA CARDS – Free Rack Card)

Autographed on the front by:

NICOLE KIDMAN (Actress - Silver ink)

HUGH JACKMAN (Actor - Red ink)

BAZ LUHRMANN (Director – Blue ink)

A mint copy of the ‘Australia’ film poster postcard should cost you no more than 50p, but this one depicted here is far more special, and would cost you £100+. The value here is from the additional signatures which have been obtained on the front. The first two are the stars of this 2008 feature film, Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman, both of whom should need no introduction because they are both well-known and are confirmed movie stars. The third signature is that of Baz Luhrmann who was the director of this feature film.

Everyone has the odd special item in their collection, and this is one of mine. The addition of the signatures adds value to the card as it now crosses collecting interests and they make it of interest to autograph collectors.

28/10/2018

SAN FRANCISCO

Published by

E. F. CLEMENTS, SAN FRANCISCO

THE CONTINENTAL CARD

Ref: B4804

San Francisco, what a glorious city. There is so much to see in this city that in my few days here I only brushed the surface of its entertainments. The bridge you can see here is the San Francisco – Oakland Bay Bridge, known locally just as the Bay Bridge. It was this bridge that we crossed into the city after arriving at the Amtrak railway station in Oakland. This postcard is an older issue, with this one being posted sometime in the 1970’s (the cancellation on the reverse side is unclear, although I suspect it was 1974).

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

Used with two nice lightly cancelled US postage stamps, an 8c President Eisenhower and a 10c crossed stars and stripes flags.

28/10/2018

PEEPING TOM

“WE ARE FAMILY”

By

JESS GREENFIELD

Published by

AVANTCARD AUSTRALIA

Ref: #14958

Issued in 2011

This is another of those artist issues which Avantcard Australia were so good at issuing. I like these, especially any which have an animal or wildlife content. This one is simple but delightful.

28/10/2018

CESSNYCA HK 1351

DC-3 SOBREVOLANDO LA CIUDAD

DE MEDELLIN

(DC-3 Overflying the city

Of Medellin)

Published by

BANCO DE FOTOGRAFIAS MOVIFOTO

Ref: 1351 – 4

The DC-3 is a common plane and I have many depicted on postcard, but I had not heard of the city of Medellin before researching this postcard and its descriptive text. Medellin is the capital of Colombia’s mountainous Antioquia province. Medellin is nicknamed the ‘City of Eternal Spring’, it is also the second-largest city in Colombia and is in the Andes Mountains.

28/10/2018

TOMMY STEELE

Series of Photographic Postcards

Published by

FORLAG: CUMULUS, STOCKHOLM

I picked these up recently from a cheap box at the Woking Postcard Fair. I have just five from what is clearly, by the numbering system, a much larger set/series. The ones I have here, lead me to believe these are older postcards from the period of Tommy Steele’s early teen star rock and roll career, so possibly even from the very late 1950’s (his career commenced in 1956). I had never seen any of these before, so to come across five in one go was a nice surprise and another indicator of just how much there is still to learn for any collector, no matter how experienced or how long they have been collecting.

The Five Postcards are all numbered

And these are, from top to bottom:

N:r FL 014/58

N:r FL 015/58

N:r FL 016/58

N:r FL 013/58

N:r FL 009/58

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

All the cards, with the exception of the reference number, have the same reverse text and layout  

28/10/2018

GLAMIS CASTLE

THE ANCESTRAL HOME OF H. M. QUEEN ELIZABETH

Published by

VALENTINE’S

Ref: 201423

Collecting royalty related postcards can also lead into a collection based around the royal residences located up and down the country. Glamis Castle is one of these. Sometimes an image of one of the royal family is included, initially to increase the cards salability, but this also opens-up the card to future thematic collectors.

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

28/10/2018

COLDSTREAM GUARDS

LEAVING BUCKINGHAM PALACE,

LONDON

By

W. B. WOLLEN

Published by

VALENTINE & SONS LTD, DUNDEE AND LONDON

Ref: A33

William Barnes Wollen (06/10/1957 – 28/03/1936) was an English painter who was mostly known for his battle paintings and military themed artwork, although he also covered historical scenes and sporting events. Wollen was born in Leipzig and later attended the University College London. From 1879 to 1922 he had paintings exhibited at the Royal Academy. Although his first Royal Academy exhibited painting was a football themed one, his second was military themed. In 1900 he went to South Africa as a commissioned special artist for the newspaper ‘The Sphere’ to cover the Boer War. He mostly lived in London and died in the city aged 78.

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

Although this is an English postcard it looks like someone has taken it to Switzerland and then posted it back to the UK. Two Swiss stamps from the 1949 ‘Landscapes’ issue have been used here; 20c purple – Grimsel Reservoir (SG 514a – Michel 533 Type II you need to be careful re the difference between a Type I and a Type II here as the catalogue price difference is extreme – a used Type I is £55 whilst a used Type II is just 15p) and the 5c orange – railway viaduct over River Sitter near St. Gall (SG 511 – Michel 530).

Although the location on the cancellation is partially missing I believe this is from Bursinel in the district of Nyon in the canton of Vaud, Switzerland. The date on the cancel is the 20^th July 1951.