10/10/2018

AFTERNOON AT HOME

By

LOUIS WAIN (1860 – 1939)

Design for a Postcard

Published by the

VICTORIA & ALBERT MUSEUM

Ref: 087526

Louis Wain is well known to collectors of old postcards as he is one of the more famous postcard artists. He specialised in cat cartoons and his style is very distinctive. Some of the original postcards can now raise some really high prices at auction, but even the more common designs reach double figures. So, it is nice to be able to buy this modern museum postcard showing one of his designs for very little money. The V&A have been selling this postcard design for a long time, so it can be found with different reverse postcard layouts. As an aside, I collect Tiger themed postcards, would the tiger skin rug on the floor make this the most unusual 'Tiger' postcard ever?!!

09/10/2018

STAGE SET MODEL

FOR THE DIAMOND DOGS TOUR

Designed by

JULES FISHER AND MARK RAVITZ

1974

VICTORIA & ALBERT MUSEUM

DAVID BOWIE EXHIBITION

(EXHIBITION EXCLUSIVE POSTCARD)

Published by the

VICTORIA & ALBERT MUSEUM

Ref: 120116

What I like about the items illustrated on the postcards in this museum series is that I doubt these have ever appeared on postcard before and will again unless another museum with the kudos of the V&A puts on a similar styled exhibition, but to be honest the V&A has excelled at this type of exhibition for many years and they are not often bettered.

09/10/2018

AFTER THE BATH

By

Hilaire-Germain-Edgar DEGAS (1834 – 1917)

Published by

THE NATIONAL GALLERY

(LONDON)

Ref: CARD No. 1223

Degas is probably best known for his ballet related paintings, although as can be seen here he also painted other figures and images. I admit that I like this painting and Degas’ style of artwork. For a while I did consider placing this in the Censored area of the webpage, where most nude images are posted, but surely a classic piece of artwork like this can be shown on the main webpage, after all thousands of people enjoy seeing the original piece in the gallery every day.

08/10/2018

SO YOU’RE FIVE TO-DAY!

FOUR LITTLE DWAFS

AND SNOW WHITE TOO,

TO BRING THE BEST OF FUN TO YOU,

THIS BIRTHDAY MORN

“WALT DISNEY”

CUT OUT NUMERAL

Reproduced by permission of

Walt Disney Mickey Mouse Ltd

By

VALENTINE & SONS, LTD

DUNDEE

One of my very first postings was one of these ‘cut outs’ featuring Walt Disney characters (I think it was Donald Duck). This one came in a charity bundle of postcards I received earlier this year. It was extremely cheap, but it should not have been, so I added some money to what was being asked because it was for a charity (but it was still extremely cheap in comparison to what it would have cost me from a dealer – which would potentially be £8 - £12).

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE SHAPED CARD

(POSTCARD)

This one was for Violet on her 5^th birthday from her Mum and Dad. It has one corner crease, but it is otherwise quite cleanly used, and it is therefore a lovely example.

08/10/2018

DISCOVERY COVE MONTAGE

Printed by

LANTERN PRESS, SEATTLE

For

DISCOVERY COVE, FLORIDA

Ref: Image # 67789

This is one of two official Discovery Cove postcards I picked up on this-years visit to this wonderful water themed wildlife experience, part of the Seaworld organisation.

People often ask me if this is worth the money, it is an expensive day, and I try and explain why I have been here four times now. The cost, if you don’t do the Dolphin Swim (if you have never swum with dolphins then by all means give this a go, but its inclusion does skyrocket the cost of the day – we did it the first year and thoroughly enjoyed it, but once done I don’t feel the need to do it again) includes, if you plan your day properly, breakfast (my advice is get there really early, before the official opening time and have a leisurely breakfast), Lunch (which is quite reasonable, and as much as you want), free soft drinks (the frozen lemonade is wonderful), free crisps and cookies and free ice cream (I think!). So, you can fill up on goodies. So, the cost includes what could be, potentially, most of that day’s food intake. But, the best additional value is 14 days free entry into Seaworld itself, which is quite a saving. So, if you add up the cost of Breakfast, Lunch, Snacks and free entry into Seaworld, then I think it is not too bad.

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

DISCOVERY COVE – DOLPHIN JUMPING

Printed by

LANTERN PRESS, SEATTLE

For

DISCOVERY COVE, FLORIDA

Ref: Image # 67786

The Second of the postcards I bought on my last visit. Now, if I am correct, and here I am not that positive, there were six postcards originally in this series. I think I bought all six some years ago and my presumption is that these are the remaining two cards that they now have for sale (but don’t quote me on this one).

08/10/2018

THE LEGENDARY DELTA QUEEN STEAMBOAT

Distributed by

THE DELTA QUEEN STEAMBOAT Co

NEW ORLEANS

Copyright 1985

Ref: JSP/OVLC/30M/12-85

The front of this card would have been enough to make it one for my collection, but as with so many of my cards this has something interesting on the reverse side.

Text on the reverse side also tells me that this is a famous steamship and one which is listed in the Department of Interior’s National Register of Historic Places. She travels along the Mississippi from New Orleans to St Paul and up the Ohio as far as Pittsburgh.

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

The stars and stripes 15c USA stamp used here has been cancelled with what a take as a special cancellation for use on mail posted on or from the steamships as it reads: ‘DELTA QUEEN STEAMBOAT MAIL – DELTA QUEEN CONT(?)A(?)Y STA [station] – U.S. POSTAL SERVICE. It was this cancellation that appealed to me.

08/10/2018

THA CASUERINA TREE

GRAND CAYMAN, B.W.I

Photo – F.E. ROSS

Published by

MAEDAC SUPPLY CO., LTD

GRAND CAYMAN – 1992

Ref: 59

“This huge Australian Sea Pine, about 22 years old, now 15ft. around, shades about 100ft. of beach on Seven-Mile Beach (1989)”

(Text from reverse side of Postcard)

This is the type of postcard I class as a typical tourist view card, not that there is anything wrong with that, its just that this card would normally have very little (very little!) value, and dealers would certainly not be looking to stock it or place it out for sale at a fair, normally, but this one has a little something extra on the reverse side which changes everything.

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

This card, which I bought from a stamp shop I found on Grand Cayman Island whilst on my cruise earlier this year, has a lovely green coloured cachet on it for: ‘HELL – GRAND CAYMAN – B W I.’ It was this cachet that caught my eye (and you know I love cachets). Hell is a place which is apparently on Grand Cayman, who knew? The addition of this cachet makes this a cracking card and makes it far more valuable.

HELLO FROM HELL

HELL, CAYMAN ISLANDS

Published by

T. J. R. SPORTSWEAR INC,

MIAMI FLORIDA

Ref: Unknown (may have been located under were the stamp now is – or not!)

This great postcard gives you all the information you need to know about Hell, on the Cayman Islands. I bought this one at the same times as the above card and from the same stamp shop. The front is a little more interesting than the above postcard, but again it was the reverse side that made me buy it.

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

This has been used (philatelically – i.e. this was done by a stamp dealer for selling onwards to collectors like myself) with a nice 20c Cayman Island ‘Maypole Dancing’ stamp which has been cancelled with a ‘HELL POST OFFICE – CAYMAN ISLANDS’ double circle cancellation dated 30 October 2017. It is worth noting that on the cancel stamping the stamp the OCT is upside down, but it has been corrected for the second strike which is clear of the stamp. I liked this and thought it went well with the cachet postcard depicted above.

07/10/2018

U. S. MARINE CORPS WAR MEMORIAL

ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA

Published by

CAPSCO WHOLESALERS., INC

Ref: C-300 (89876)

“Felix W. DeWeldon’s masterpiece depicts one of the most dramatic events of World War II, the raising of the Stars and Stripes on Mt. Suribachi, Iwo Jima. Dedicated November 10, 1954, it is the largest sculpture ever cast in bronze”

(Text from reverse side of Postcard)

We arrived in Washington DC just after lunchtime today and commenced a coach tour of some of the well-known sites to be seen. I was really pleased that this included a visit to the Arlington Cemetery, which is in Virginia, but only just across the border. Here we visited this famous statue, one which I had really wanted to see. Before leaving home, I had scanned in an image of this postcard from my collection which depicts the statue from its early days. It has a nice 1957 issued ‘Stars and Stripes’ US 4 cent postage stamp, a highly relevant stamp to be applied to this postcard all considered. This stamp has been cancelled first day of issue: 4^th July 1957.       

PHOTOGRAPH

6^TH October 2018

My photo of this memorial, taken from the other side of the memorial than the one on the above postcard

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

07/10/2018

ROADSIDE AMERICA POSTCARDS

WANTED BY

HAL OTTAWAY

NATIONAL POSTCARD WEEK

MAY 4 – 10, 1986

Design by

RICK GEARY (1986)

Published by

HAL OTTAWAY

Printed in a numbered Limited Edition of 700

Three days of New York themed postings could be described as excessive, but, I hope I have shown a variety of different approaches to the theme of New York which I hope has been more interesting than off-putting. This one rounds it off with the Statue of Liberty making an unusual appearance beside Hal Ottaway himself in his car.

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

My copy is number 520 of 700

07/10/2018

NATIONAL POSTCARD WEEK

MAY 4 – 10, 1986

Design by

RICK GEARY (1986)

Published by

WICHITA POSTCARD CLUB

Statue of Liberty making another ‘Rick Geary’ appearance for National Postcard Week 1986. This is my favourite of the two designs, but as I love all Geary postcards this is not saying anything bad about the top card.

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

07/10/2018

TIMES SQUARE

TIMES Bldg [building]

PARAMOUNT Bldg

HOTEL ASTOR

N. Y. C (New York City)

Produced by

FOTO SEAL,

NEW YORK

Ref: 119

I was standing here two nights ago, and it now looks nothing like this! This is a nice indication of how it used to look before all the many signs and advert boards went up lighting this area up like a massive light display. I enjoyed visiting here (It has a massive ‘Disney’ store worth a look) and it should be on everyone’s ‘Must Do in New York’ list, but it does not take long and after 5 – 10 mins and a few photographs you can move on to the nearby Rockefeller shopping complex.

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

This postcard was posted to London in 1950 using a ‘CALIFORNIA CENTENNIAL OF STATEHOOD’ 3 cent USA postage stamp, issued in 1950, which has been cancelled with a ‘NORTH DARTMOUTH, MASS’ duplex No 6 styled cancellation dated 20^th September 1950, so used in the year of the stamps issued, which is a nice properly times usage.

06/10/2018

METROPOLITAN POST CARD COLLECTORS CLUB

25^TH ANNIVERSARY

1946 – 1971

NEW YORK CITY

Official Club Postcard

Ref: R24383

Printed by

DUKANE PRESS, NEW YORK, NY

A nice American postcard club issued postcard issued for their 25^th anniversary. This is still New York themed as this is where the club is from.

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

The club had a special cancellation authorised for use: METROPOLITAN POST CARD CLUB STA [stands for STATION, which means they had a specific location authorised for the use of this cancellation and that was designated as a ‘Station’ location] – NEW YORK, NY – NOV 6 1971.

There was also a cachet which was applied to postcards as well:

‘25^TH Annual Picture Post Card Exhibition – Nov 6 – 7, 1971’

I think the combination is very attractive. I believe quite a few were produced and I have seen a number over the years, mostly priced quite reasonably, although a copy appeared on eBay this year priced at £8!

06/10/2018

NEW YORK

Design by

PATRICK HAMM

(A French postcard artist)

Published by Patrick Hamm under his company:

NAVILIAT

Ref: No. 560

Limited Edition of 530

Rare ‘SPECIMEN’ copy

Signed on the reverse side by the artist

There were several reasons why I had to have this one when it came up on eBay recently. Firstly, it is New York themed and I knew I was visiting here this year. Secondly, it is by an artist I have grown to quite like, despite his very unusual style, and lastly, it is a SPECIMEN card, and I had not seen a specimen Hamm card before.

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE CARD

Note that Patrick has signed this and there is an added word in his hand writing, something I had also not seen before. The SPECIMEN print can be seen in big letters bottom left.

06/10/2018

GREETINGS FROM NEW YORK CITY

HIGHLIGHTS OF NEW YORK CITY

Published by the

MANHATTAN POST CARD Co., INC

Printed by

PLASTICHROME

(COLOURPICTURE)

BOSTON, MASS

Ref: R8

I make no apologies for the proliferation of NEW YORK themed postcards, but then I am in New York as I type this out. The cards I have depicted are all from my collection back at home, which I scanned in before I left. This one was posted out of New York in 1977 and depicts all the things I have visited in my 24 hours here – The Empire State Building, Times Square and the Statue of Liberty.

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

Used 1977

Stamp cancelled with a special slogan cancellation:

STRIKE BACK AT CANCER

- GIVE –

AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY

Dated 12^th July 1977 – New York

05/10/2018

THE NEW EAST RIVER BRIDGE, NEW YORK

Published by

S. HILDESCHEIMER & Co., LTD

LONDON & MANCHESTER

Ref: Series No. 5354

Some scenes are so iconic that they appear on postcards issued in completely different countries to where the depicted landmark is located. This one here depicting the East River Bridge on a painting was printed and published in the UK. I picked this one up recently in London at the last Stampex show for 50p. Knowing I was to visit here this month I bought it in case I got to see this bridge as it would be a nice reminder, and I did get to see the bridge on the horizon yesterday, so it was a good buy.

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

This is an undivided back layout which indicates an early issue

05/10/2018

NEW YORK

THE STATUE OF LIBERTY

WITH THE LOWER NEW YORK SKYLINE IN THE BACKGROUND

Published by

ALMA

ALFRED MAINZER, INC, 40^TH AVE, LONG ISLAND

NEW YORK

Ref: 1343

(Printed in Italy)

This is an iconic skyline image as this older view depicts the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center which, as we all know, were destroyed during that awful terrorist attack. Postcards like this, which depict them, are not difficult to find as many, many thousands, hundreds of thousands I suspect, were printed and sold, in fact, before they came down postcards depicting the towers were almost worthless catalogue wise (unless they depicted something else which was collectible on them). Now of course, they are valued much higher and collected by a whole range of collectors who add them to a specific 9/11 themed collection.

05/10/2018

STATUE OF LIBERTY AT NIGHT

NEW YORK CITY

Published by the:

MANHATTAN POST CARD PUBLISHING CO., INC, N. Y.

Ref: 2

We have a tour booked today which includes a river journey during which we will be able to see this iconic statue, possibly one of New York’s most famous landmarks. Again, I am looking forward to finally seeing this as she appears on many postcards throughout her history, and again I found her depicted here on postcards I bought last night. This one is a much older issue which I picked up at a stamp fair in the UK.

05/10/2018

NEW YORK SKYLINE

FACING SOUTH

Published by

ALMA

ALFRED MAINZER, INC, 40^TH AVE, LONG ISLAND

NEW YORK

Ref: 1309

(Printed in Italy)

As we drove into the City from JFK Airport yesterday I got to see the Empire State Building for the very first time. I have always collected postcards of it because of its connection with the early days of American television, so it has been a pleasure to have now looked upon it for real.

This is an older postcard from my collection, scanned before we left, but I was delighted during my walk to Times Square last night to find many postcards on sale which depict it still.

P.S - the AMTRAK wifi is superb - so I can at last post some cards

03/10/2018

GREETINGS FROM

AMSTERDAM AIRPORT

SCHIPHOL

Published by

EURO COLOR CARDS

Ref: ecc 3

As I am sitting in my hotel room just outside Heathrow Airport, from where I will be flying to the US in the morning, I thought an airport themed postcard would be appropriate. I found it quite amusing that the airline plane depicted is an AIR FLORIDA one as this current trip to the USA will be my first one to somewhere other than Florida, which is currently the only place in the US that I have so visited!

02/10/2018

“YE CAN HAVE ME BOOTY

- BUT –

LEAVE ME CHEST ALONE!”

CAYMAN ISLANDS B.W.I.

Published by

T.J.R. SPORTSWEAR INC, Miami, Florida

This card is one full of double-entendre and sexual connotation, something which has always been a factor in postcard design and production. This and the postcard depicted below were bought on Grand Cayman Island during my one-day visit whilst on my recent Disney cruise.

SURRENDER THE BOOTY

CAYMAN ISLANDS B.W.I.

Published by

T.J.R. SPORTSWEAR INC, Miami, Florida

I do wonder if this type of postcard has, or even should have, a future. In todays current climate I think the sexulisation of women is headline material, pushed a lot by the #Me Too movement that came out of the sexual harassment of women in the film industry, initially, although it has branched out beyond this arena since. Will this type of busty portrayal on postcard become a piece of history… I am not sure it would be a bad thing if it did, but for the moment they are still out there.

02/10/2018

CAYMAN ISLANDS

Published by

T.J.R. SPORTSWEAR INC, Miami, Florida

This is one of the postcards I picked up myself whilst in the Cayman Islands on the day we visited on our Disney cruise. I like wildlife postcards and this one just appealed to the eye.

02/10/2018

SHIPS OF THE SOLENT

UNITED STATES – CANBERRA

QUEEN ELIZABETH II

PATRICIA – FRANCE

Published by

J. SALMON LTD., SEVENOAKS

Ref: 1 – 58 – 03 – 16

I have always loved the world of the old ocean liners, although I also have an interest in the ones which were around when I was younger. This card depicts five well known ocean liners from the 1970s period. Personally, I picked up this postcard because it depicts the SS Canberra and the Queen Elizabeth II and both of these liners were involved in the Falkland Islands War 1982 which I collect as a specialist subject.

02/10/2018

STAR WARS

THE FORCE AWAKENS

DECEMBER 17

Published by

AVANTCARD AUSTRALIA

Issued 2015

Ref: #19358

Star Wars related postcards have always been highly collectible and it is great when you find one that you were unaware of. I remember well when the expectation for ‘The Force Awakens’ was so high, and fans could not wait for its release that December 2015. This webpage did not start until the January 2016, but we started off by fairly- soon depicting some postcards related to this film. This Australian one depicted here I only received last month, but what a nice simple design. I think this caught the feel of the Star Wars world nicely, took me right back to 1977.

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

02/10/2018

“I WANT A DRINK”

CLOVELLY

Published by

E. A. SWEETMAN & SON LTD

TUNBRIDGE WELLS

a

“SWEETMAN PUBLICATION”

Ref: 5798

Clovelly is famous for its donkeys and it can be said with near certainty that nowhere in the whole of England has produced more Donkey themed postcards than this decorative, but steep, little village in Devon. The steep cobblestoned pedestrianised main street is too steep to allow wheeled vehicle to use it. Although sledges are used these days to transport goods up and down this used to be done by Donkeys with baskets and as a result this village became synonymous with these donkeys. I know people who collect Clovelly Donkeys as a theme there are so many. This one was posted locally in 1959.

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

02/10/2018

KING EDWARD VII and

QUEEN ALEXANDRA

Unknown Publisher and Printer

Ref: 2442

This particular-postcard has an undivided back which indicates a very early release in the reign of King Edward VII as undivided backs started to be phased out after 1902 when the divided back was invented, and King Edward VII came to the throne on 22^nd January 1901, which was not long before this.

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

02/10/2018

CABARET DU NEANT

PARIS MONTMARTRE

No 3 CAVEAU DES TREPASSES

PREMIERE PHASE

(Cabaret of None [or ‘Cabaret of Nothingness’ or ‘Cabaret of the Void’]

Paris Montmartre

No 3 – Caval of Trepases

First Phase)

Published by

POTONNIEE FRERES, IMP., 3, CITE BERGERE, PARIS

At first look this appeared to be a very ghoulish postcard of a funeral photograph. But looking into it a bit and getting my rough translation through Google Translate, I now know that this image may have perhaps an even more weird background than that.

The Cabaret du Neant was in fact one of the first ‘Themed Restaurant’ locations. Here they dealt with the various aspects of mortality and death, including morbid magic tricks and illusions. It was founded in 1892 in Brussels, but soon moved to Paris. So, this is not a funeral but some sort of show.

For anyone who collects morbid and, or, unusual postcards I think this one would really appeal. I was fascinated throughout my research into this location and it made my acquisition of the postcard worth every penny of the £1 it cost me (ignore the £2 pencil mark as I got a deal from the dealer who said I could have anything I liked for a £1 a card).

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

02/10/2018

THE WOMEN WHO LIVED

Amazing Tales for Future Time Lords

DOCTOR WHO

Published by

BBC BOOKS

Official Advertising postcard for the book of the same name by:

Christel Dee & Simon Gurrier

Today I bought the November 2018 (Issue 530) DELUXE EDITION issue of the DOCTOR WHO MAGAZINE (the Deluxe Edition is £9.99). The magazine came in a package which included, beside the magazine, the following items:

1. This postcard (although this was not advertised on the packages cover, so this came as an added bonus for me)

2. Souvenir Guide booklet

3. 4 x Double-Sided A5 size Art Cards (see below)

4. Doctor Who CD talking book (I received a Tom Baker story read by Louise Jameson – Leela in the Tom Baker years)

I thought this was a great package and I bought mine for the A5 Art Cards of the New Doctor and her companions (and this is the first time I have used the word ‘Her’ in relation to the Doctor, and I am looking forward to doing so for some time).

This is the second postcard I have so far come across which features the new Doctor, I hope there will be more and that she becomes popular as I am all for the change.

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

Here you can see the books cover in full does appear on the front of this postcard

JODIE WHITTAKER

As

THE DOCTOR

A5 ART CARD

Free with

DELUXE EDITION issue of the DOCTOR WHO MAGAZINE

November 2018 (Issue 530)

Not a postcard obviously, but this is a nice early representation of Jodie as the Doctor and this has come out prior to us being able to see her portrayal of the part. Unfortunately, I will be in America when the first three episodes air, but I will be recording them and upon my return they will be the first things I watch.  

BRADLEY WALSH

As

GRAHAM

A5 ART CARD

Free with

DELUXE EDITION issue of the DOCTOR WHO MAGAZINE

November 2018 (Issue 530)

I love Bradley Walsh and I think he will bring some humour to the programme, hopefully, as he is very funny.

TOSIN COLE

As

RYAN SINCLAIR

A5 ART CARD

Free with

DELUXE EDITION issue of the DOCTOR WHO MAGAZINE

November 2018 (Issue 530)

MANDIP GILL

As

YASMIN KHAN (YAZ)

A5 ART CARD

Free with

DELUXE EDITION issue of the DOCTOR WHO MAGAZINE

November 2018 (Issue 530)

PHOTOGRAPH

02/10/2018

FULL FOUR ART CARD MONTAGE PICTURE

On the reverse side of each art card is a segment of a fuller image. Here you can see the four cards laid out to reveal the complete artwork image. Whilst I accept that these Art Cards are not postcards, I have to say that I love them and am happy to have them in my collection.