05/09/2019

CUNARD WHITE STAR LINER “534”

THE WORLD’S LARGEST LINER

Published by

VALENTINE’S

Ref: 34-2

Interestingly. Although Queen Mary is depicted in the cameo picture top right the actual name of the ocean liner is not given here on the postcard. Here the ship is just referred to by its number, 534. This is interesting as the company kept the name of the ship secret up until its launch, which was by Queen Mary. There is a story that the ship was to be called ‘Victoria’, but when a company representative asked the kings permission to name the ship after Britain’s ‘Greatest Queen’ the king apparently replied that his wife, Mary of Teck (Queen Mary) would be delighted. Therefore, the company were left with no other choice but to name the ship the ‘Queen Mary’. It is a great story, and it may even be true.   

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

05/09/2019

UNTITLED

NOVELTY “BIRD” POSTCARD

The bird is attached to the card by a plastic strip and can be lifted up

Unnamed Publisher

When I recently saw this postcard in an antique’s shop for just £2, I knew I had to have it. I love novelty postcard items and I also love wildlife cards, especially bird related. This was made for me really.

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

PHOTOGRAPH

This shows me lifting up the cut out shaped bird to show the full flower image underneath

04/09/2019

HADERER “FRISURENWETTBEWERB”

‘HAIRDRESSING COMPETITION’

Published by

INKOGNITO

Ref: 51435

Inkognito publisher some truly weird artwork postcards and I have been collecting examples of their cards for many years. This one I suspect is a recent one, one which I found last month whilst in Berlin. Today seemed to be a good day to post this one as although I have not heard of Trump dropping any clangers today, I can see our ‘Boris’ in the background there and Boris Johnson, our Prime Minister (at the moment anyway) is definitely not having a good couple of days. So far over the last two days Boris has had his first Prime Ministers Question Time in the House of Commons, he swore in the House of Commons, lost his majority, lost his parliamentary first vote in the House of Commons, sacked 21 Tory MP’s for voting against him in the pre-mentioned lost vote (these include Winston Churchill’s grandson, and an ex-chancellor – and may I just point out that Boris voted against the last Prime Minister…and kept his job), he was ‘told-off’ by the Speaker of the House for not following procedure by referring to Mr Corbyn by name and not referring to him as the honourable gentleman (a long standing rule and tradition of the house) and, if I am right, Boris is currently trying to trigger a vote on a General Election, but may be losing this as well. All in all, not a prestigious first couple of days in power.

Also, as an aside, who is that other bloke on the right, because I think he has the best hair!

04/09/2019

FRIENDLY CITIES

POSTCARD EXHIBITIONS 1966

“SOUVENIR”

Top: THE LANDING STAGE, LIVERPOOL. YEAR 1930

Bottom: MARKET STREET, MANCHESTER. YEAR 1932

Published by

VALENTINE & SONS LTD (Dundee & London)

VALENTINE’S “REAL PHOTO”

Ref: M 7645

I did not visit this one, but then I was only 3 at the time! So, I only found out about this one through buying this postcard. I think this is a great postcard and it is one which does not turn up very often and when it does should cost you a pound or two.

04/09/2019

GUINNESS’S BREWERY,

LOWER LEVEL,

DUBLIN

Printed by

REAL PHOTO-PHILIP G. HUNT – LONDON

Ref: 16181

What I like about this postcard is that it is mainly a photograph, certainly it is for the buildings and structures across the top half of the image, but, the vehicles, the lorries, across the bottom look like they have been artist drawn onto the photograph! I am wondering if it was too difficult to get the photograph done during the time all the delivery lorries were in place, and that when the photograph could be taken. they were all out doing their deliveries. So, they needed to be placed here as drawings.

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

04/09/2019

EDWARD VIII CHINA

TRANSFER-PRINTED FOR HIS CORONATION CELEBRATIONS,

1937

Published for the

LONDON MUSEUM

Copyright 1972

Ref: 72/13

Printed by

CAMPFIELD PRESS, ST ALBANS, HERTS (Hertfordshire)

I have a large Royalty themed collection, but to be honest with you many of these are portrait photographs and paintings of members of the current and past royal families. Having said this, what I really like to hunt down is the more unusual royal postcards, like this one. Here you have the china which would have been available in 1937 for the coronation of Edward VIII if he had not abdicated in December 1936.

04/09/2019

LAKER AIRWAYS

DC10 SKY-TRAIN

Published by

CHARLES SKILTON & FRY LTD., LONDON

“CHARLES SKILTON’S POSTCARD SERIES”

Ref: 268

The Laker Airways charter airline was a wholly private, British independent airline founded by Sir Freddie Laker in 1966. The airline became a famous low-cost ‘no frills’ airline in 1977 flying between Gatwick airport and the John F. Kennedy Airport in New York. Unfortunately, the company crashed during the recession filled early years of the 1980’s with their last flight occurring on the 5^th February 1982 (the company went bankrupt that same day). It was the flamboyance of Freddie Laker that led to the company growing in popularity with the public and which made such a well-known aviation company. As a result of this celebrity this postcard here is quite a popular one and can sell for £2 (£2+ on eBay)

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

04/09/2019

STARSCHNITT MAUS

By

I. SCHMITT-MENZEL

COMPOSITE POSTCARD

Published by

ART CONCEPT

Licence: BAVARIA SONOR

Ref: Best.-Nr. 1000-266 STARSCHNITT MAUS 1

This is the first card in a four-card composite issue which I bought in Munich about ten years ago. I think this is the type of postcard issue, which is both attractive and fun, something often missing with postcard production, but I think fun is very important.

STARSCHNITT MAUS

By

I. SCHMITT-MENZEL

COMPOSITE POSTCARD

Published by

ART CONCEPT

Licence: BAVARIA SONOR

Ref: Best.-Nr. 1000-267 - STARSCHNITT MAUS 2

STARSCHNITT MAUS

By

I. SCHMITT-MENZEL

COMPOSITE POSTCARD

Published by

ART CONCEPT

Licence: BAVARIA SONOR

Ref: Best.-Nr. 1000-268 STARSCHNITT MAUS 3

STARSCHNITT MAUS

By

I. SCHMITT-MENZEL

COMPOSITE POSTCARD

Published by

ART CONCEPT

Licence: BAVARIA SONOR

Ref: Best.-Nr. 1000-269 STARSCHNITT MAUS 4

03/09/2019

RED CROSS

AND ST JOHN

‘HELP US TO HELP HIM’

WWII HANDBILL

“The Order of St John and the British Red Cross first came together in WW1 to provide help to the Armed Forces Medical Service”  

ROBERT OPIE

ROBERT OPIE COLLECTION

Ref: NURSING SERIES

01NS03

03/09/2019

SEAGERS

SPECIAL DRY GIN

SHOWCARD c1935

“By the 1930s cocktails were all the rage for high society. Giving ladies extra dash and bravado”

Published by

ROBERT OPIE

ROBERT OPIE COLLECTION

Ref: GLAMOROUS LADIES SERIES

01GL10

I thought this was a stunning advert poster and could not resist it.

03/09/2019

CORNISH SHIPWRECKS

ANDROMEDA: Portscatho 1915

SALUTO: Mounts Bay 1911

BENCOOLEN: Bude Breakwater 1862

MARY BARROW: Porthminster Beach, St Ives 1908

From a watercolour by

HARRY McCONVILLE, Cornwall

Published by

JBA TRELEIGH EST, REDRUTH, CORNWALL

Ref: PC3019

My son and his family bought me this one whilst on a holiday in Cornwall. I like transport and history and shipwrecks happen to combine both in a very interesting, and sadly often tragic way. The artwork here is very good and each image captures the horror and the bravery of each situation extremely well. The bravery comes from the lifeboat team that can be seen in the image top right.

03/09/2019

SUMMER HOUSE

WHERE “ENOCH ARDEN”

WAS WRITTEN

Published by

RAPHAEL TUCK & SONS

Ref:

“OILETTE”

Postcard 7101

TENNYSON’S COUNTRY SERIES 1

‘Enoch Arden’ is a poem by Alfred Lord Tennyson published in 1864 during Tennyson’s tenure as poet laureate.

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

This has a nice clean strike of the HULL SORTING CARRIAGE cancellation (dated 27^th January 1906). This cancellation is my favourite thing on this postcard.

03/09/2019

THE SHELL SEEKERS

BY

ROSAMUNDE PILCHER

“Available from June 1^st at your local branch of WH Smith”

Official Promotional Postcard

I can remember when this postcard appeared in the shops to promote this book. The book came out in 1987, so I assume logically that this card is from the same year. It never sounded like my sort of book, but I have always liked this piece of artwork, which was used on the cover.

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

03/09/2019

HEAVY METAL

FAKK2

DO YOU WANT TO PLAY WITH ME?

“If you like your action hot, you’ll love it heavy”

Published by

BOOMERANG (CINEMA)

An advert for a certain type of computer game using a very un-pc image, but one which follows the type of images that originated in the original ‘Heavy Metal’ magazine, which I assume this game is based on. A bright and garish image, but a not unappealing one.

02/09/2019

IOLA

IN THE HEART OF SCENIC WISCONSIN

CELEBRATING NATIONAL POSTCARD WEEK

1985

Compliments of:

POSTCARD COLLECTOR MAGAZINE

Published by

KRAUSE PUBLICATIONS, INC., IOLA WI 54990

Copyright 1985

When I saw this postcard, I was intrigued by the text on the reverse side which read ‘Compliments of: POSTCARD COLLECTOR MAGAZINE’. I like postcards which have a bit of a story behind them and I felt this one probably did, and it was initially free (but I had to pay 50p to a postcard dealer)

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

02/09/2019

PLAYFUL LITTLE CUSS,

ISN’T HE?

Published by

TICHNOR QUALITY VIEWS

TICHNOR BROS., INC., BOSTON, MASS

Ref: 730

79067

A ‘Linen’ print American cartoon postcard which would have been considered quite risqué at the time of its release, although nothing like the cards published here in the UK. There is very little nudity here in comparison to what would have been on show with a saucy postcard from England, but who is to say this is not a bad thing.

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

02/09/2019

JOHN PAUL II

PILGRIM IN ASSISI

(ASSISI: TOMBA DI S. FRANCESCO)

Published by

UMBRIAGRAF TERNI

FOTOCOLOR

Ref: 984

I have often lamented the lack of interest in religious themed postcards, but the bonus for the few that might be interested is that they are cheap, extremely cheap. Having said they are hardly collected by collectors, there are a whole number of religious people who buy this type of card and mount them on the wall or keep them as a souvenir of a papal visit.

02/09/2019

TIGER, PANTHER AND KING TIGER

THE TANK MUSEUM, BOVINGTON CAMP,

DORSET

Published by

THE TANK MUSEUM

Printed for the museum by

J. SALMON LTD., SEVENOAKS, KENT

Ref: 5 – 02 – 06 – 80

An old friend of mine posted on facebook today from this tank museum. It is a museum I have a range of postcards from but have never personally visited. I will have to amend this soon! I am definitely going to arrange a visit as tanks fascinate me and I collect images of first world war tanks on postcard and am fascinated by German WWII tanks, which is why I bought this card from a dealer.

02/09/2019

FILLING UPPER MIRAFLORES LOCK,

PANAMA CANAL

Published as an advertising postcard by

SUCESION DE I. L. MADURP, JR.,

34-46 CATHEDRAL SQUARE, NEXT TO CENTRAL HOTEL,

P. O. BOX 281,

PANAMA

(Panama Hats, Silks, French Perfumes, Souvenirs, etc., etc)

Ref: 79171

The image here is quite interesting, especially to anyone who has an interest in the Panama Canal. I thought this side had some interest but to be honest it is the reverse side which fascinated me more.

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

This card has been posted using a one cent ‘CANAL ZONE POSTAGE’ stamp which has been cancelled with a ‘NEW YORK. N.Y. 31 – PAQUEBOT’ cancellation. The Paquebot mark means that this postcard was posted at sea on board a boat or more likely a ship. There is an interesting range of dates and locations here as the hand written message is dated the 7^th August 1938, and appears to have been written in Kingston Jamaica, although the postcard would have been bought at the advertised shop in Panama, and I am assuming the card was posted, possibly, whilst the ship was travelling through the Panama Canal, thus the Canal Zone Postage stamp. The card seems to have only taken a few days to be cancelled as the Paquebot mark is dated 11^th August 1938. I think this has a nice and unusual usage and for just 50p a real bargain as well.

02/09/2019

KENT

Exclusive design by

LAUREN RADLEY

For

NATIONAL TRUST

Copyright 2017

Published by the

NATIONAL TRUST

I have found this map postcard on sale at two National Trust locations in Kent so far, Chartwell (Winston Churchill’s home – depicted on the map with Jock the cat who lives here and who appears on his own postcard sold at the house, a card which I have previously posted on the webpage) and Ightham Mote, which I have recently posted about. So, this map postcard should be easier to track down than each of the location’s exclusive postcards. If map postcards do ever come back into vogue this should be a collectable one.

02/09/2019

DOVE AND COVER

By

MARK HATFIELD –

THE CENTRAL ILLUSTRATION AGENCY,

36 WELLINGTON STREET,

COVENT GARDEN, LONDON

Free Rack Card

Published by

BOOMERANG (BAR)

This is a nice design which has an almost cartoon like style, although the message is obviously a more adult one, and one cleverly wrapped up in the title and the use of doves of peace and the CND logo which appears on the flag being raised by the soldiers bottom right, soldiers which mirror those who were photographed raising the flag on Iwo Jima during World War II. Overall, I think this was a nice free postcard design.

02/09/2019

TRACTION ENGINE

“PRIDE OF THE SOUTH”

A BURRELL SHOWMAN’S ENGINE No. 2870

“PRINCESS ROYAL”

Published by

J. ARTHUR DIXON LTD

Ref: T.6478

I was with my grandson when I came across this postcard in an antique’s shop on the Isle of Wight. Initially I was going to pass on it, but as I was looking at it my grandson, Leo, got all excited because he has driven this traction engine at a steam show. Well, how could I resist it after that?

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

Posted 5th September 1971

Addressed to the Isle of Wight

30/08/2019

I’M ON CLOUD WINE

Unknown artist

Published by

Paperchase

What more needs to be said?

Popular I suspect with a certain clientele

30/08/2019

MANGA SUGOROKU

(MANGA BOARD GAME)

1929

OKAMOTO IPPEI (1886 – 1948)

Published by the

BRITISH MUSEUM

Ref: E15910

This is another exclusive postcard from the Museums ‘Manga’ exhibition which finished just four days ago. I bought a small selection of the postcards produced to coincide with this exhibition and they are all unusual. Two have already appeared on the webpage previously, and more will appear in the future. This is one of the older items from the exhibition depicted on postcard. I also think it would grace any collection based on ‘Toys & Games’.

29/08/2019

(LEFT)

CATNIP THE CLOWN

By

MATT DINNIMAN

2011

Published by

ART PRESS PUBLISHING LIMITED

Ref: MD5059

(RIGHT)

TINY TOM THE TEACUP CHIHUAHUA

By

MATT DINNIMAN

2011

Published by

ART PRESS PUBLISHING LIMITED

Ref: MD5061

These two go with the penguin card I posted two days ago. These two were also presents from my daughter alongside the penguin one. I like these.

29/08/2019

M. T. SUN XX

Built: 1957. Gross Tonnage: 192. H.P.: 1210

Owner: W.H.J. Alexander (Sun Tugs) Ltd

Sold to Ruiniti Nnapoli Naples now SOLE SECUNDO

Original Painting

By

IAN H. BOYD

Published by

LEANDER (Gravesend, Kent)

Ref: TUG SERIES No. 5

TB – 005  1993

C14341X

Limited Edition of 1650

It is nice to find a postcard that gives you lots of information about what is depicted. All of the above text appears on the reverse side of this postcard.

29/08/2019

POSTER 1944

“Never again! The struggle of Germany and your work will save Europe from Bolshevism”

Published by

DAL VOLUME “STORIA VIVA” – EDIZ. GOLDEN ITALIA – ROMA [Rome]

Ref: DOCUMENTI STORICI

N. 384

NAZIONE: Germania 1944 (Per la Russia occupata)

PROVENIENZA: Berlino – Staatsbibliothek

AUTORE: Anonimo

DA: Manifesto

NATION: Germany 1944 (For occupied Russia)

ORIGIN: Berlino [Possibly ‘Berlin’] State Library

AUTHOR: Anonymous

FROM: Manifesto

A modern postcard showing a grotesque poster from the second world war. By 1944 things were becoming desperate for the German army and its leaders and their poster designs became even more, if that’s possible, ethnically racist. Desperate to keep their army fighting on the Eastern front and extreme posters like this, aimed at both the occupied peoples and the army were designed to achieve this.

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

29/08/2019

MAGICASTLE

Free Rack Advertising Postcard

Published by

K-RACKS POSTCARD ADVERTISING

FLUSING, NEW YORK

Mistakes, especially when I am looking through postcards at a fair and stacking up cards I want, can always lead to something different. This was the case with this one. Now, you all know I collect Disney related postcards and when I first looked at this one, I thought immediately of the Magic Castle in Walt Disney World! Oh, but later I found out just how wrong I was. Apparently ‘Magicastle’ is a stationery store in New York (which explains the Flushing, New York connection I later found on the reverse side). So, something different then, but still in my mind a delightful and simple postcard which I still want in my collection.  

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

I was unaware of this free postcard advertising company and I assume their postcards were distributed via free postcard racks, I also assume that this was in the area of New York, but was it only New York? It is always nice to come across something new and I will look out now for more cards from this company.

29/08/2019

LES BASSES-PYRENEES

BIARRITZ

PLACE DE LA MAIRIE ET HOTEL DE FRANCE

Published by

L F TOULOUSE

PHOTOTYPE LABOUCHE FRERES, TOULOUSE

Ref: No. 1228

A nice early issue with hand colouring to a higher standard than many of this type. It is a great postcard with a ‘really’ well balanced and appealing local view photograph. Anyone who collects historic views of Biarritz would love this one, and it cost me just 50p!

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

29/08/2019

EAST AFRICAN GAME (LIONS)

Published by

D. FRANK

FRANK STUDIO, MOMBASA

Ref: EDITION EAST AFRICA 1426

Bromocolor

A nice deckle-edged African issue both produced and sold in the country. This one was posted by someone from a ship who bought the postcard in Africa, and then posted it on board a British ship therefore allowing for a UK stamp (Queen Elizabeth II  3d Wilding issue) to be bought and used. The stamp is then cancelled with a POST OFFICE – MARITIME MAIL cancellation.

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

29/08/2019

VICTORIA COACH STATION

1933

By

GRAFTON

Published by the

LONDON TRANSPORT MUSEUM

Ref: LTM 598

This one has all sorts of staff of interest in it, nice architecture, a military band and a police officer. Military and Police are two themes which I really like, so this was probably always going to come my way. I think this is a great poster and one which probably no other publisher has released on postcard.

29/08/2019

OSBORNE

LITHOGRAPH COMMEMORATING QUEEN VICTORIA’S

DIAMOND JUBILEE IN 1897.

FOUR GENERATIONS OF THE ROYAL FAMILY, ALL OF WHOM SPENT TIME AT OSBORNE.

Published by

ENGLISH HERITAGE

Ref: 12145 PC Osborne House Four Generations

This was on sale at and may be exclusive to Osborne House on the Isle of Wight. I have a collection of Queen Victoria related postcards and this is a nice new addition to this. The collecting of Royalty postcards is in a bit of a decline at the moment, but it always has fluctuated as a theme and it will become popular again at some point, probably after or around the next coronation!