24/11/2021
(TOP)
SAINTES
ARENES GALLO-ROMAINES
Published by
ARTAUD FRERES – EDITIONS – AS DE COEUR
Ref: 1117415 – 003
(BOTTOM)
SAINTES
AMPHITHEATRE GALLO-ROMAIN ET EGLISE SAINT-EUTROPE
Published by
EDITIONS MARCOU
Ref: 178416
As stated earlier below, I have been in France for a couple of weeks. It was out first trip abroad since February 2020, and although it was enjoyable it was also unfortunately a working holiday as we were over there to work on the house that we inherited from my in-laws, who have both passed away. Sadly, my mother-in-law, Chris, passed away form coronavirus last year but because of restricted travel conditions it has taken us over a year and half to be able to go back to the house. There was a lot of gardening required, in fact it was more like a trek through the Amazon jungle, but it had to be done. Although a lot of work was required, we still got the chance to pop into the nearby town of Saintes. I have posted postcards from here before because of the family connection (both in-laws were alive when I commenced this blog and because of many visits I have a number of postcards of the area and have wanted to share these with you here. These two postcards show images from the roman era arena, which is a major local attraction.
(see above)
24/11/2021
WAVE FROM THE INSTALLATION:
‘BLOOD SWEPT LANDS AND SEAS OF RED’
Barge Pier, Shoeburyness
12th April – 25th June 2017
Co-Published by
SOUTHEND ON SEA BOROUGH COUNCIL
&
IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM
Ref: PPO1899
I also missed Remembrance Day & Remembrance Sunday, which is the first time I have not posted a related postcard for this important day. So, better late than never I show a postcard of a poppy display held here just down the road from my latest house (although I was not living here when this display was up in 2017). I did visit this art piece and found it as amazing as its earlier counterpart held at the Tower of London. This postcard was sold at my local library.
24/11/2021
CHILDREN IN NEED 2021
(Adapted from a 1914 postcard design)
(Pudsey Bear artwork by Michael O’Brien)
Published by
REFLECTIONS OF A BYGONE AGE
I have been away in France for a couple of weeks and missed posting on days which I normally commemorate with a postcard or two. The annual ‘Children in Need’ charity day was one of these, but I had managed to obtain a copy of this years ‘Reflections of a Bygone Age’ postcard. The proceeds from the sale of this card all go to the charity and they have been issuing a related postcard each year for many years now.
31ST October 2021
HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE
HAPPY HALLOWEEN
– TOWER -
THE INTERNET’S REAL RECORD STORE
Published by
GO-CARD
(NATIONWIDE POSTCARD ADVERTISING)
USA FREE ADVERTISING POSTCARD
18/10/2021
COSTUMES MAP – SWITZERLAND
Published by
EDITIONS G. JAEGER, GENEVE (GJG)
Ref: No. 407
This lovely map postcard shows the different regional area costumes for the regions of Switzerland. Printed on matt card stock (quite usual for this period within Europe) the card was posted to the UK in 1957 which is a period of postcard issues which are becoming more and more sought after by collector. Previously this was a neglected era, but I think people are realising that the 1950’s cannot really be classed as a modern postcard era anymore, especially as it is now between 60 and 70 years ago! Believe it or not I found this card recently (STAMPEX I think) in a pound box. It was worth every penny.
REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD
04/10/2021
WALT DISNEY WORLD
30TH ANNIVERSARY
Official Walt Disney World Package Postcard
On the 1st October of this year, just three days ago, Walt Disney World in Orlando Florida celebrated the started of its 50th Anniversary celebrations. This anniversary will have events which will play out throughout the coming year. I am sure there will be a special 50th Anniversary postcard (hopefully a few) but I have not seen any yet on the blogs I have been watching of the special sales merchandise. So, in the meantime I show you this 30th anniversary postcard from 2001 which came from a package of 12 special postcards (see below package cover). Further down I also show a 40th Anniversary card from 2011.
REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD
PACKAGE COVER
For set of 12 Postcards issued for 30th Anniversary
Although I have this nice package, I only have a few of the 12 postcards which would have originally come in it. I bought this as a ‘really’ cheap eBay buy which was cheap because the package was incomplete (this was despite the fact that individually the postcards were worth much more than the seller sold the incomplete pack for!)
WALT DISNEY WORLD
40TH ANNIVERSARY
Official Walt Disney World Postcard
I really liked this one and although it did cost me a few pounds I thought it was worth every penny.
REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD
02/10/2021
HELLO
WORLD POSTCARD DAY 2021 – 1ST OCTOBER
FINEPAPER WORLD POSTCARD DAY CONTEST 2021
Artist (Winner) – SHAO-HUA WU (From Taiwan)
Joint issue postcard – FINEPAPER and POSTCROSSING
Sponsored by TECNIMPRENSA
A copy of this lovely postcard was given away free to all attendees at the recent STAMPEX exhibition in London. The STAMPEX shows have been on hold during the pandemic with the last one being held in 2019. There were two online virtual shows but no physical ‘face-to-face’ shows until this most recent show, which I attended on the second day – 30th September 2021. Previous STAMPEX shows had resulted in a series of free exclusive show postcards with one being given away at each of the usual two bi-annual shows. This postcard here is not part of that series so it may be that the STAMPEX postcard series has come to an end (which is sad as the series resulted in some great philatelic themed cards).
Anyway, this card was given away free as a reminder by the people connected with the POSTCROSSING craze that the 1st of October (the third day of the STAMPEX show) was ‘World Postcard Day’, something which the ‘postcrossing’ hobby had previously celebrated last year, 2020, which was the 150th anniversary of the first British post card.
28/09/2021
CHIP & DALE
DISNEY CRUISE LINE EXCLUSIVE POSTCARD
Published by
DISNEY CRUISE LINE
(Exclusively on sale in the on-board gift shops)
Well, got back home from our weekend Disney cruise on-board the Disney Magic cruise ship yesterday. It was nice to have a return to what I call a proper holiday. I have previously sailed on the Disney Magic (and the Disney Fantasy as well) so I had a good idea what to expect whilst on-board the ship. The only cruises I have ever done have been Disney ones and I do enjoy them immensely although I am not a theatre show/musical person, so Jo and my daughter went to these (I went to the cinema instead and watched ‘The Black Widow’ and ‘Shan Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings’). As with previous cruises I have returned with a feeling that I have eaten way too much food, and that is probably true. The dinners are superb and there are four courses at each (both Jo and Rebecca opted to cut it down to three by the last day, but I managed the full four).
The ‘Magic’ has been in the UK throughout the pandemic and lockdowns and is returning to America next week (a staff member told me it will be an 11 day return journey with no passengers, but staff will be doing what they call a ‘Deep Clean’). In the months leading up to its return the ship has been doing what have been titled as ‘Staycations’. The two- and three-day cruises have been leaving from several locations including Southampton and Tilbury (in Essex from where we set sail last Friday). The ship set sail again yesterday on another short cruise after which there is just one more before its return. There were no stop offs as this is a cruise set entirely at sea with the captain ‘chasing the sun’. Our cruise went up to somewhere off Great Yarmouth with much circling, but this led to some great weather with shorts and tee-shirts being the clothing of the cruise.
Sadly though, mainly because no stock remains after the ships long UK stay, there were no postcards available on this, and previous staycation cruises, so this card depicted here is from one of my previous cruises.
Lets hope that a Disney cruise ship returns to the UK next year.
23/09/2021
DISNEY CRUISE LINE
Official Disney Cruise Line Postcard
Published by
DISNEY CRUISE LINE
This time tomorrow I will be on board the Disney Cruise Line ship ‘Magic’. We have booked on one of the short three-day cruises out of Tilbury harbour. Now, we have been on Disney cruises before, both in the Mediterranean and the Caribbean and although the weather may have been a little different on both of those, I am aware that on these UK cruises the captain chases the sun around rather than having any specific planned route. So, to celebrate the fact that (assuming we all pass the covid-19 tests – fingers crossed) we are again having a cruise, and for that matter a holiday, something much missing over the last 19 months, I have decided to depict a postcard which I bought on a previous cruise. This postcard was (it may be that it still is on sale) an exclusive onboard item and was on sale in the main onboard gift shop. The grand staircase depicted is used for a number of shows incorporating Disney characters, especially the princesses, although here it has the main onboard characters on it all dressed in their specific Disney cruise line outfits.
Reverse side of above Postcard
11/09/2021
9/11
20th ANNIVERSARY OF 9/11
NEVER FORGET – 09.11.01
Published by
IZZO DESIGNS INC
Design by
STEPHANIE IZZO
I still remember that day. I watched live as the second plane hit the second tower when it became obvious that what was going on was no accident. I also watched live as both the towers collapsed. I knew that there were emergency service personnel in those towers. The visuals have remained with me ever since and each year on this date I pick a Twin Tower (World Trade Center) postcard from my collection to depict here in remembrance of all those who lost their lives on that day.
This remembrance postcard is copyrighted to 2011 which would have been the tenth anniversary. I found this on sale when I visited New York in February 2020 (on what was to be currently my last trip abroad because of the current world pandemic situation). I suspect it is still on sale today and it is a nice design which evokes the New York spirit.
REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD
09/09/2021
CAPTAIN SCARLET
SPV (SPECTRUM PURSUIT VEHICLE)
Published by
Gebr. Spanjersberg N.V., Rotterdam
Ref: 3
Copyright 21 Ltd 1968
These Dutch 1960’s Captain Scarlet postcards can be quite collectible, and I have seen them priced anywhere around £8 - £12. I have always liked these, and I have quite a few different and will buy any that I have not seen before. This one here cost me £8, but that was a few years ago now! Out of interest I have just checked eBay and there is not-a-single one of these Dutch cards currently being offered. For collectors of television related postcard’s the 1960’s was a very productive period and it is cards from this decade which I love to hunt down, especially from Holland and other mainland European countries.
07/09/2021
IT’S A FREE COUNTRY – PRETTY SOON WE’LL BE NEEDING A LICENCE TO BREATHE!
Published by
BAMFORTH & CO., LTD
Ref: “COMIC” Series No. 1212
It has been a while since I last posted a card on the website, and this is mainly because we have been trying to get life back to a bit more normality. We have had a break away in the camper van and had a night away in a hotel before attending the Nottingham Postcard Fair last weekend (we attended the Canterbury Postcard Fair the weekend before). It has been nice to have some travel again although I do carry my mask and wear it when ever I am around other people. I think I will be wearing my mask for some time yet, and that thought came to me as I saw this card amongst my scanned images. The man wearing the mask is topical as ever all-be-it that the reasoning here is different. This card came my way for several reasons, firstly I do like the Bamforth comic cards and try to hunt down any that have a television reference. This one mentions television but calls it ‘Televish’, and this is the only card I have found which uses this abbreviated name for TV. Then of course you have the addition of a policeman, and I do like my policeman cards.
21/08/2021
STANDARD TRIUMPH
THE STANDARD TEN
Official Promotional Standard Ten Postcard
Published by
The Standard Motor Company Limited, Coventry, England
We are off on a short break in the morning, but we will be driving around in our camper van and not one of these old cars. If I am correct, and my research has taken me to the correct car, this is a 1954 Standard Ten Saloon. This postcard is probably from the late half of the 1950’s and I have mentioned before, these car promotional postcards have steadily been rising in value of the years and are now highly collectible. Is this because some elder gentleman collectors are looking back at their parent’s cars (see how I completely bypassed any references to these collectors looking back at their own previous cars… their first perhaps if we are talking about the 1950’s!)
REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD
14/08/2021
EUROPEAN YOUTH OLYMPIC FESTIVAL
EY OF 2019
SARAJEVO & EAST SARAJEVO
BH POSTA (One of the official postal authorities in Bosnia Herzegovina)
Official BH POSTA Postcard
Considering everything that has gone on sports wise over the last few weeks I should probably have posted an Olympic Games themed postcard, but somehow my heart was not in this year’s games, although it was nice that the England team did well, and I am sure the Paralympic team will also achieve some gold medals. This is not your typical Olympics themed card, but it is one which I really liked when I saw it, and who had heard of the European Youth Olympic Festival before seeing this postcard? I had not.
REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD
13/08/2021
BALLON MIT STEUERRUDERN
(VERSAGTEN ALS LENKUNG) DES VINCENZO LUNARDI, 1784.
1. OSTERR. BALLONPOST – AUSSTELLUNG SALZBURG
‘Balloon with steering oars
(Failed as Steering) by Vincenzo Lunardi, 1784
1. Austria Balloon Post – Exhibition Salzburg
Balloon Post Philatelic Postcard
There has always been an interest in hot air balloon related postcards with a very strong and specific fascination in balloon flown postcards and cards which commemorate past or current balloon flights. This cards front image depicts a balloon with steering oars, which according to the cards text was a system that failed which seems probably obvious today, but we know so much more than we did, and you have-to applaud these early attempts at air travel.
The reverse side of this card has two stamps from Austria applied which have been cancelled with a special pictorial cancellation:
1. OSTERR. BALLONPOST – AUSSTELLUNG SALZBURG
Pro Juventute
28-7-78 (28th July 1978)
This type of postcard is common, although trying to hunt down any specific flight event card can be a bit harder. I come across lots of this type of card in dealer’s boxes and if they are reasonably priced, which is often the case (50p to £1) I try and pick them up.
REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD
06/08/2021
POLONUS PHILATELIC SOCIETY
POLPEX 74
MARCH 9 – 10, CHICAGO
WINCENTY WITOS 1874-1974
Published by
POLONUS PHILATELIC SOCIETY
Official society stamp fair postcard
(Plain Backed card)
If you are wondering who Wincenty Witos was, well, he was a polish politician who served three times as the Prime Minister of Poland during the 1920’s as the 6th, 11th and 14th Prime Minister. There are a number of Polish philatelic societies around the world and over the years they have produced a wide selection of philatelic covers and postcards with related special postmarks and cancellations all related to the special events these items were produced for. They are relatively easy to come across and are nearly always amongst the cheaper items on dealer’s stalls. Personally, I like these postal cancelled items.
06/08/2021
POST-IMPRESSIONS (No. 6 of 6)
By
BRIAN PARTTIDGE
Published by
P.H. TOPICS
Print Run of 500
Ref: No. 246
The artist Brian Partridge produced a selection of artwork pieces for the PH Tropics series with many having a post box theme. Another major interest of Brian’s is Alice in Wonderland and this design features Alice seated down on the right side. Brian is always precise with his artwork and designs, and you may be interested to know that all the many postcards’ flying around this post box, where the fronts can be seen, are images of actual postcard releases. As an example, the one depicting a woman in a red and white polka-dot bikini on a light blue background, down in the bottom left corner is a card depicting the actress Brigitte Bardot published by ISV back in the late 1960’s early 1970’s. Where Brian has depicted a range of postcards like this, I have always enjoyed identifying the cards he has chosen to depict. The work put into these images by Brian I always found pleasing
03/08/2020
PODCAST
I have appeared as a guest on Episode 139 of the Photo Detective podcast. If you wonder what I sound like and for some reason would like to hear me discuss postcards then this podcast is now available from wherever you access your podcasts from, and via:
https://www.facebook.com/MaureenPhotoDetective
https://www.instagram.com/.photodetective
Another Podcast poster sheet and I apologise as this one has a photograph of me on it.
01/08/2021
CARCHARODON CARCHARIAS
GREAT WHITE SHARK
CISKEI POSKAART (Postcard)
Official CISKEI Maximum Postcard (Maxi-Card)
Ref: No. 5 (v)
Limited edition of 1000
Stamp Cancelled 13th April 1983
Although technically a limited edition this is an easy enough postcard to source, especially as these South African area maxi-cards were widely dispersed. Some are better than others, but when I saw this shark one, I liked it. There is something fascinating about white sharks. Perhaps it was the book and the film ‘Jaws’ which has caused some of this fascinating, but I think people have been interested in sharks, and fearful of them, for longer. Shark postcards are certainly popular.
REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD
27/07/2021
I’M SUPPORTING THE GREAT DAFFODIL APPEAL
MARIE CURIE
Official Charity Appeal Postcard
2021
This nice daffodil postcard came inside an envelope circulated in junk mail distributions, not that an envelope of material relating to the Marie Curie charity could ever be described as ‘Junk’, so please excuse my use of this well-known descriptive term. This postcard was circulated early in 2021. For a free postcard this one is well produced and printed on good quality card. I also think the front image is delightful. I depict the reverse side of this postcard below should anyone wish to contribute to this deserving charity.
REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD
26/07/2021
PARIS –
LA TOUR EIFFEL
Published by
EDITION SPECIALE DE LA TOUR EIFFEL
Ref: 8376
We have been trying to get across to France for some months now as we have work that needs to be done over there, although nowhere near Paris. Postcards like this remind me how much I love France, but it is the countryside that I like the best rather than large cities like this. I have mentioned many times that my interest in the Eiffel Tower relates to its connection with the world of television history. This black and white postcard is a nice one and it is an official postcard as well. I also like the embossed stamp like image which can be seen best on the reverse side top left.
REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD
25/07/2021
BOWS OF H.M.S. ‘ACHILLES’ (1757)
Contemporary model of a 60-gun ship
Published by
SCIENCE MUSEUM
Printed by
ADAMS BROS. & SHARDLOW LTD
There is a trio of London museums all in South Kensington which I have loved visiting since being a kid. These are the Natural History Museum, The Victoria & Albert Museum (to be honest I was not so intrigued in this one as a kid, but as I have grown up this has become one of my favourites) and the Science Museum. I am not sure many people collect specific museum postcards, except perhaps the London Transport Museum series, but some older museum postcards can be interesting, collectible and quite hard to source. The postcard depicted here is from a period of Science Museum postcards which depicted models and artifacts from the museum’s collection, but it is the model cards which seem to be popular and are often priced around £1.50, which is quite a reasonable value for a museum issue.
REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD
This is the reverse layout that you need to look out for in respect of Science Museum older postcards. If I see this reverse style and I like the front image I will always buy the card, this is especially so if the card is cheaply priced (anything under £1).
17/07/2021
SUPERMAN
Published by
b.k. edition
Ref: Best.-Nr. 0214-261399
The 1978 Superman film was directed by Richard Donner who sadly recently died on the 5th July (2021). Although best known for the Superman film he also directed the ‘Lethal Weapon’ movies that I was a big fan of.
This black and white postcard I bought in Germany in the German city of Nuremberg on a visit a couple of years ago (but it seems so much longer ago now). I have a real thing for superhero themed postcards and it is another of the many topics that I have built up a reasonable collection around.
11/07/2021
WORLD CUP WILLIE
Copyright – FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION 1966
Printed by
THE PHOTOGRAPHIC GREETING CARD CO. LTD., LONDON
SIGNED BY
GORDON BANKS (England 1966 goalkeeper)
USED WITH
The 1966 Football World Cup UK stamp issue overprinted:
ENGLAND WINNERS
CANCELLED:
WEMBLEY First Day of Issue – 18th AUGUST 1966
The EURO 2020 football final is today, and England have gained their place against Italy. It has been a long time since England fans have last had a final to cheer at, 1966 in fact, and that was the world cup, but I think excitement for the Euro’s is up there. I am not a big football fan, but I still wish my country’s team all the luck in the world… COME ON ENGLAND!
02/07/2021
DAVIS CUP WIMBLEDON
INTERZONE FINAL - JULY 18, 20 & 21
CHALLENGE ROUND – JULY 25, 27 & 28
POSTER DESIGN BY GOETZ – 1936
Published by
LONDON POSTCARD MUSEUM
Ref: LTM 557
Considering that Wimbledon has returned this year and is on as I am typing this it seems that this is an appropriate poster postcard to depict. The London Underground produced a wide range of event advertising posters both before WW2 and after, but I think the designs from the 1930’s are superb.
27/06/2021
HAPPY 'PRIDE MONTH' EVERYONE
FUSION (A FRAGRANCE)
FABERGE’ PARIS
Illustration By
JASON BROOKS
Official Promotional Postcard
As its ‘PRIDE MONTH’ (but rapidly coming to its end - but better late than never) I have decided to depict this lovely advertising postcard, for obvious reasons.
26/06/2021
“DID YOU PASS YOUR DRIVING TEST DARLING?”
“DON’T KNOW YET MUM, THE EXAMINER’S STILL IN HOSPITAL!”
-A BAMFORTH COMIC-
By
Arnold Taylor
Published by
BAMFORTH & CO., LTD (Holmfirth and Yorkshire)
Ref: ‘COMIC’ SERIES No. 1638
Possibly less saucy than many of the cards in this series, although the young woman still has the top of her brassiere showing, which would have been naughty still. This is a nice card and although postal used is still in great condition.
REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD
Posted from Skegness, Lincs and cancelled with a wavy-line machine cancellation dated 5th August 1963.
06/06/2020
L’ANGE BLEU
(THE BLUE ANGEL)
By
CLAUDE COUDRAY
Published by
EDITION PCV PARIS
Today is the anniversary of D-Day 1944, when the allied forces landed on the beaches of Normandy and started their advancement across German held France. This anniversary is more subdued than those which fall on a ‘0’ or ‘5’ ending year, but it is a day which needs to be remembered every year. Although this postcard does not mention D-Day it is a D-Day themed image. It is also a great French issue and one which was worth the £1.50 I paid for it many years ago.
23/05/2020
50TH ANNIVERSARY OF LIBERATION OF LA ROCHELLE
1945 – 1995
8TH MAY 1995
Maxi-Card
This is a superb maxi-card with the joint connection between the black and white photograph of a tank (a French Tank, I believe) in one of the streets of La Rochelle along with the 50th anniversary of liberation stamp cancelled with a special hand stamp which also celebrates this 50th anniversary.
REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD
As is often the case with French maxi-cards there is another strike of the special handstamp on the back.
17/05/2020
TIGER
Published by
RAPHAEL TUCK & SON’S
Ref: EDUCATIONAL SERIES OF POSTCARDS – No. 2 “WILD ANIMALS”
A recent acquisition and a card I have sought for some time. I love tigers and have collected them on postcard throughout my postcard collecting time. This one I had to have as it is a cracker and a part of a series that I am looking at collecting more of. Really pleased with this purchase.
Footnote:
There have not been quite as many posts as normal recently. This is because I am working on a project which is taking up much of my spare time. I am writing a book on one of my themed collections. I will continue to make posts, like this, but perhaps not daily for a while.
REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD
10/05/2020
UNTITLED
(PEACOCK BUTTERFLY)
Published by
KUNSTVERLAG E. A. SCHWERDTFEGER & CO. AG. BERLIN
Ref: 9328 – L/0983
This lovely card is from the same series as the previously, recently, depicted Tiger Swallowtail butterfly postcard. Another superb postcard.
04/05/2021
MAY THE 4TH BE WITH YOU
Happy ‘Star Wars’ Day everyone
THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK
Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew), Han Solo (Harrison Ford), Princess Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher), and Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) at the Rebel Base on the ice planet, Hoth.
Official Lucasfilm copyrighted image
Published by
DRAWING BOARD GREETING CARD INC
Ref: 32-905
This is a single card from a great series which came out at the time the second Star Wars film was released. These are not common, and I have seen single cards from this set sell on eBay at £8+ (but I have also picked up one at a postcard fair for £1.50, so it depends, if the seller knows what the card(s) are worth), so they are very collectible, but then Star Wars items can be, especially items issued around the time the original films came out.
03/05/2021
TIGER SWALLOWTAIL BUTTERFLY
(Although this is not named on the postcard)
Published by
KUNSTVERLAG E. A, SCHWERDTFEGER & CO. AG. BERLIN
Ref: 9327 (L/0983)
This is a beautifully printed postcard, printed on a matt board card. When I first saw this, I thought it was a swallowtail butterfly, but something was not quite right about the wing pattern. I did a little research on swallowtails and discovered the patterning that appears on the wings of the Tiger Swallowtail and knew that this was what I was seeing on this card.
REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD
29/04/2021
MICHAEL COLLINS ….. R.I.P.
31ST October 1930 – 28th April 2021
American astronaut and member of the Apollo 11 crew, Test Pilot, Major General in the U.S. Air Force Reserves and awardee of the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal, Distinguished Flying Cross, Legion of Merit, Presidential Medal of Freedom, NASA Distinguished Service Medal and the NASA Exceptional Service Medal and the Congressional Gold Medal.
SIGNED PHOTOGRAPH
(from my collection)
Michael Collins was my favourite member of the Apollo 11 crew and an incredible and humble man considering his position. Collins had to fly the command module (Columbia) around the moon whilst his two crewmates took the lunar module down for the first manned landing on the moon in 1969. Because he did not walk upon the moons surface he was often forgotten, but his was possibly the hardest of jobs, left alone circulating the moon without any contact to confirm that the landing went well or that their departure from the moons surface was successful. How hard must it have been knowing that if anything had gone wrong, he could have ended up returning to Earth alone. That must have been a tough period especially as he orbited the Moon 30 times. I also was impressed that he had already turned down the opportunity to take part in the next moon landing and to be able to walk upon the moon. He had told his family and NASA that Apollo 11 was his job, he did not need to go again. He had of course previously gone into space as a member of the Gemini 10 crew and had taken part in EVA’s (extravehicular activities – otherwise known as ‘Space Walks’). Collins was the first man to perform more than one EVA - space walk.
Collins went on to be the Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs and was a director of the National Air and Space Museum which he held until 1978 when he stepped down to become the Undersecretary of the Smithsonian Institution.
An amazing man and a member of a famous Apollo crew for which he deserves much more recognition than I believe he often received.
27/04/2021
1908 ROLLS ROYCE SILVER GHOST
THE GUERNSEY MOTOR MUSEUM
La Charroterie, St Peter Port
Printed for the museum by
BERIC TEMPEST & CO. LTD, ST IVES, CORNWAL
Four Stamps from the:
GUERNESY PUBLIC TRANSPORT CENTENARY 1879 – 1979
Cancelled first day of issue – 7th August 1979 – with special hand stamps.
This is from my collection of philatelic related postcards, which contains a wide range of postcards used with commemorative stamps cancelled first day of issue or with a related special cancel. These are often neglected by postcard collectors, and I do understand this as these items cross the boundary between postcard and stamp collecting and it is trueful to say that they are far more collected by stamp collectors.
24/04/2021
JOUR DE RECOLTE AU POTAGER
By
M. C. ROY
Published by
EDITIONS D’ART JACK
Ref: COLLECTION MINIJACK [SERIES NAME]
C 68
I bought this lovely card some years ago in France and as the series name – COLLECTION MINIJACK – suggests this card is smaller in size to your normal postcard size, even smaller than golden age size. There were a few cards in this size, but it was this one with the children and animals which appealed to me the most (I wanted to have an example of this series and I suspect it was my old collecting interest of animals which led me to this one).
REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD
23/04/2021
WE’RE GOING CAMPING!
‘HAS IT STOPPED RAINING YET?’
RETRO DAYS
By
MARTIN WISCOMBE
Published by
J. SALMON LTD
Ref: 09/80/05/23
Well, maybe not yet, but camping will be happening soon and today our campervan passed its MOT first time, and it has been a good year and a half since its last one! This postcard does remind me of better times.
22/04/2021
AUSTIN ROVER MAESTRO VAN
Copyright BRITISH MOTOR INDUSTRY HERITAGE TRUST
Published by
ATELIER DESIGN
I have an interest in all aspects of the world of postal history including the many vehicles that have been used by the post office and Royal Mail. It is a topic which is extensively covered by postcard releases. I suspect most of the worlds postal vans have appeared either in photographic images on postcard or as art, which is my preference. Despite also collecting the old horse drawn carriages from the early days of letter delivery I prefer the postcards which depict the more modern vehicles being used, like this one. This postcard is not an easy one to source and this copy here is the only one I have seen.
20/04/2021
THE MOOMIN SHOP
LONDON, 43 COVENT GARDEN
Published by
THE MOOMIN SHOP, LONDON
This postcard is understandably an exclusive to this wonderful little shop located within Covent Garden, the well-known shopping area in London. I have been here many times in the past (obviously pre covid) and have bought a lot of Moomin related postcards from here, including this exclusive one. When things get back to a position where travel is safer, and when more shops are back open, which is close now, I will pay another visit to this great little establishment (assuming it has survived the lockdown closure period).
REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD
19/04/2021
REMEMBER SWANAGE
Published by
MARTIN’S PURBECK MEMORIES
Design & Print by
ghpm
Copyright 2018
There is not much to say about this postcard except that it is indicative of what can be found locally when you visit places on holiday (when we can all do that again, which is hopefully not that far away now). You will only find this card in the locale it was made for and who could resist a steam train and what I believe are the Red Arrows (I mean, who else could it be?)
17/04/2021
HAPPY 80TH YOUR MAJESTY
‘NATIONAL POSTCARD WEEK’
MAY 7-13, 2006
Design by
RICK GEARY
Published by
HAL N. OTTAWAY
Limited Numbered Edition of 500
This postcard design represents happier times for Her Majesty the Queen but having said that I thought she showed everyone how to behave at the funeral of a loved one.
Today in Windsor the funeral of Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, was held. Like any funeral held in these lockdown times only 30 people were allowed in the church itself, but the streets were lined by members of the public with military personnel escorting the flag covered coffin which was taken to and from the service in a green land rover, as per the wishes of the Prince himself.
I thought this was a nice postcard when it came out 15 years ago and as it features the late Prince, I thought it was worthy of posting today.
REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD
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