FELZMANN Auction Catalogue - 2017

If a collector wants to learn more about his area of special interest then that person needs to look out for any auction house catalogue that is being issued. Through these you can learn what items are available, what they look like, as most are illustrated in these special catalogues, and, most importantly, what they are really worth.

This catalogue here was full of details about zeppelin mail and space related items, both subjects which I collect. Now, accepting that I can not afford much of the material listed in this particular one, I still enjoyed looking through it and adding to my knowledge. 

This is one of the pages from the above catalogue - I collect zeppelin mail and this page depicts a number of used items of zeppelin mail. A collector can obtain so much information from auction house catalogues, so much so that I always pick up ones that are available at stamp shows.  

SPECIALISED CATALOGUE OF POST OFFICE REGIONAL POSTCARDS - 1979

This extremely old little privately produced catalogue is an essential guide to the early issues of the post office regional postcards. As a collector of these issues I have always found this to be one of the best of the early guide books - if you collect these postcards then the illustrations contained within this little catalogue make it worth seeking out. 

FANTASY POSTCARDS

This is a well known book published many years ago. It is also a large soft cover edition. This one is worth seeking out for the abundance of interesting images contained within it.

I was fortunate and found this on a book stall at a summer market fair in the country - it cost me just £2.  

THE J.B. CATALOGUE OF MALTA STAMPS & POSTAL HISTORY - TENTH EDITION - 1993

I picked this up for just £1 on a stand at my recent Stampex Exhibition visit in London. For that £1 I gained a full colour catalogue which has a section on the modern Postal Stationery post cards published by Malta up until 1993. For this information alone this was worth the money - of course, if you collect Malta this is an ideal catalogue (but you may wish to hunt down a more recent edition)

BATHING BEAUTIES - FRENCH PHOTO POSTCARDS OF THE 1920's.

I picked this one up in an Oxfam charity shop for just a couple of pounds. It is a very specialist book re its content, but I would not be surprised if it also appealed to some non collectors as well.

R.M.S. TITANIC - THE STORY ILLUSTRATED WITH POSTCARDS OF THE PERIOD

This one is one of a number of books about the RMS Titanic based on related postcards (I have at least three different books myself). This one is smaller in size to the others but no less illustrated or worthwhile as a result. I can recommend this one to anyone interested in this ship. 

A SOCIAL HISTORY OF BRITAIN IN POSTCARDS 1870 - 1930

This book makes a study of how people lived and it has sections on transport, shopping and food, all looked at through the medium of postcards. This is nicely illustrated, mainly with topographical postcards, but a good source of history.

CATALOGUE OF POSTCARDS AND ENVELOPES WITH IMPRINTED STAMPS OF ORIGINAL DESIGN - RUSSIAN FEDERATION - 1992 - 2015

This is a very recent addition to my collection (April 2018). Clearly this is a very specialised catalogue, but if you collect this material it is an excellent one printed in full colour and fully illustrated.

Two pages from the above catalogue - extremely well laid out and presented, and packed with details.

LET THE ZEPPELINS COME

I bought this book originally because I collect, and am fascinated by the zeppelins of both WWI and the inter war years (although this book is just about the war years). I was delighted to discover that there are at least 130 postcards illustrated in this book. It is not only a fantastic read, with many illustrations beyond just the postcard ones, it is a superb reference book. This is a good example of a history book which is also a good postcard reference book as well (the image on the cover is from a WWI postcard issue).  

HIGGINS & GAGE WORLD POSTAL STATIONERY CATALOG'S

These are the essential works for any collector of world early postal stationery post cards (envelopes and letter cards). It took me many years to acquire a full set, and a lot of money as these are not cheap - expect to pay around £250 for a full set with all the update sheets as well.

For some of the more unusual countries around the world, and especially those in South America, Africa and other lesser catalogued countries these books are the best source of information.

THE PICTURE POSTCARD & ITS ORIGINS

By Frank Staff

The classic work on the history of the picture postcard and the postal stationery post card. For anyone looking into the origins of the postcard this has always been the best published book ever produced. As it has been out of print for many years I was delighted to get hold of a copy. It is well written and an enjoyable read for any postcard fan.

This is one book I can not recommend highly enough.

THE POSTBUS HANDBOOK

I have always collected the postbus related postcards (and there were many), now long gone as the services have all been closed down. For awhile they were everywhere and a very popular collecting theme. There were so many services you need a book like this to work out which bus ran where. There is also a useful little section on the postbus tickets (which I have a collection of).

Definately a book for the specialist, but if you are into the Postbuse's, then an essential book. 

COLLECT BRITISH POSTAL STATIONERY

This is the catalogue book which most British postal stationery collectors use. It is a classic and essential book for collectors of this material. When I buy postal stationery material from dealers I often find that they have used the reference numbers from this book.

Illustrated in full colour and extremely detailed in content. A superb book. 

One of the authors of the above book - Colin Baker - displayed some of his collection at a stamp club evening I attended and he kindly signed my copy of this reference book.

THE PENGUIN BOOK OF NAUGHTY POSTCARDS

This is a thin, soft-cover book but it is in full colour and has lots of illustrations - a very funny collection of images (this book was popular with the general public -and was probably aimed more at them - as well as collectors) 

THE ILLUSTRATED ENCYCLOPEDIA OF STAMP COLLECTING

This one is the book you go to if you want to know about all the different forms of postal service available, and the history behind the stamp and every form of delivery of letters that has been invented. This book is about the system of the postal service and its many items. Postcards do make appearances, but this book is about so much more.   

THE EVOLUTION OF BRITISH STAMPED POSTCARDS & LETTER CARDS

Their History & Documentation.

Large hardbook book which gives the most detailed history about the origin of the Postal Stationery Post Card in Great Britain. This is extremely detailed and a tome which is definately for the more experienced collector of these early cards.

Because of its limited subject matter - limited but extremely well covered - this is an extremely expensive book - expect to pay £30+ for a copy.

(I love this book)  

PROPAGANDA POSTCARDS OF WORLD WAR II

Large sized, soft-covered, full coloured postcard book which was not aimed specifically at the specialist colector, but generally available in major bookshops. It is a very good book, but, without this being a criticism, very American based, but with cards from all other countries involved.    

OFFICIAL RAILWAY POSTCARDS OF THE BRITISH ISLES

Part 2

There were a number of different issues of books in this series which covers much of the country. This is the only one I have, which I managed to pick up cheaply from a card dealer.

These are very specialist books, but well illustrated in black and white.

GOOD OLD SOCCER - THE GOLDEN AGE OF FOOTBALL PICTURE POSTCARDS

This one is a specialist book which is very informative if you are collector of the older football related postcards. One for the ardent collector rather than any casual collector.

My copy of the above book has been signed by the author Eric Krieger

POSTCARDS FROM THE EDGE OF FOOTBALL

This is a beautifully produced book, well illustrated with both old and modern postcards and written with wit, humour and knowledge by the iconic writer Hunter Davies. This is a large hardback book - if you collect football postcards, or are just interested in football history this is a cracking book.

OLD LONDON POSTCARD ALBUM

I bought this one cheaply from a seond hand book shop in London - it has a smashing selection of old London postcards.  

THE AUSTRALASIAN STAMP CATALOGUE 1980

I bought this when it came out in 1980. It is in full colour and clearly a specialised catalogue about Australian, and its territories, stamps. It was also my introduction to postal stationery cards as there is a section on these included. 

KENT TRANSPORT IN OLD POSTCARDS

By

ERIC BALDOCK

I often visit Canterbury and on one visit many years ago I came across this soft-cover large sized book. I love any postcard book so bought it. It is a specilaist book, and many of the postcards in this one are quite scarce, so I was delighted to find that I had one of the depicted cards in my collection.  

The above book can also be found with the front text printed in black (a second copy I picked up from a charity shop in Kent in 2022) 

THE POSTAL HISTORY OF THE ANSCHLUSS - THE GERMAN ANNEXATION OF AUSTRIA 1938.

These specialist catalogues, produced by collectors themselves, are often some of the best sources of information on the specific subject covered.

This one is in full colour and covers all the stamps, covers, cancellations, cachets, postcards and cinderella material issued around this event. I really like this one and often use it for its fantastic range of information. 

I picked up my copy of the above catalogue when one of the authors - Ian Nutley - came to one of my stamp clubs and gave a display on the Anschluss. He kindly signed my copy 

LOVE FROM CORK - POSTCARDS OF THE CITY & COUNTY.

Although this would mainly seem to be aimed at those interested in the postcards of Cork I have to tell you that this is one of the best designed, and superbly illustrated postcard books I have seen. It is a perfect example of how to do a local postcard book - despite having never visited Cork, and not being a collector of Cork postcards (as such) I absolutely love this book 

A PENNYWORTH OF ART - THE RED ALBUM

Ronnie Barker was a big postcard collector (I met him once at a postcard antique shop way back in the early 1980's). This was a collection of images from his collection.

There was also a 'The Green Album' but I have so far failed to pick up a copy of that one.

This is a nice book which was not just for postcard collectors but also appealed to many non-collectors, possibly because of the comic and glamour elements of his collection - which was, to be fair, most of his collection.

This is an annual release (sold in branches of WH SMITH) - I bought one in 2006 then another in 2013 (there is no reason to buy one every year unles you are a dealer).

This is another stamp catalogue but this one is priced by dealers and the values are far more realistic than the Gibbons catalogues.

I use these for the PHQ Stamp Card values and for information about UK stamps (this is different information price wise than the Gibbons catalogue shown below).

There is a 2018 edition of this catalogue in the shops now (if you are reading this in 2018!). 

This is a stamp catalogue with all stamps shown in colour - this one gives me the exact release date for each issue and Gibbons values for PHQ Stamp Cards. It is a specialist book which I use for information on stamps used on my postcards.

My issue is from 2014 but this is an annual release I believe.  

This is my 'go-to' book for any information about UK postmarks from any period. It also has a smashing section on special cachets for locations up and down the country, which I use a lot.

This is the 8th Edition (a present from my daughter a few years ago). There is a 9th edition issued since but I am not sure it contains much more information, and so far this one has answered all the questions I have had. 

If you are interested in postmarks in the UK then this is an essential catalogue.   

MICHEL Catalogue for European postal stationery items issued up to 1960.

A lot of this material is also covered by the Higgins & Gage catalogues - but this Michel catalogue has far more illustartions and is the only catalogue still issued and which can be bought today easily (expensively admittedly - this one here and the two blue covered catalogues shown below can cost, together, over £100 - but then a complete set of Higgins & Gage catalogues, no longer issued since the mid 1980's, can cost £250+).

I use the two catalogues below more, but this is still a very useful book.

All Michel catalogues are in German, which can cause some issues but then we have Google Translate these days which solves much of those probems. 

MICHEL catalogue - Part 1 - postal stationery items (including post cards) from 1960 to 2011.

This catalogue usually goes with the Part2 (depicted below). For me, despite being in German, this is an essential catalogue - but then I collect postal stationery post cards and this is the only catalogue I have found which covers the more modern material.

pages from above catalogue

MICHEL catalogue - Part 2 - for the postal stationery items for 'All Things Europe 1960 - 1913.

This catalogue is in colour and comes with an additional CD disc of information.

This one is again completely in German - but it is the only catalogue which supplies the information I need about modern postal stationery post cards.

MICHEL German catalogue of private German postcards (pre-stamped) 1873 - 1945.

This is an extremely specialist catalogue, but an essential one for anyone collection this material. Despite not speaking or reading German I still find this an essential catalogue (and a very expensive one - second hand copies are £60+) - thank goodness for 'Google Translate'  

pages from above catalogue

pages from above catalogue

pages from above catalogue

I bought these two catalogues at a local stamp club auction for just a few pounds - a bargain as a new set these days is over £100 -  but this is an older set dated to 1990.

These are stamp catalogues, from the famous German catalogue company 'Michel'. These are essential to me as these give me the first day of issue dates for all the stamp releases for the European continent (the 'Stanley Gibbons Complete Stamps of the World gives me the year, but not the exact date).

I have used these catalogues a lot lately when looking up details for my webpage entries. As you can see these two are well used copies! 

Although I find these essential they are in German, which can be a bit problematical.

These are two very thick books - lots and lots of information here.

TOPOGRAPHICAL BOOKS

LOCAL HISTORY BOOKS

Clearly as I live in Southend-on-Sea my collection of this type of material concentrates on the history of this Essex Town and its surrounding areas.

This selection shows you what can be put together for almost any area – obviously these ‘particular’ books are only going to be of interest to people born, raised, living in and have lived in this area. Check out your own local bookshops for your local equivalent.

These books are packed with images and information, with many of the images being illustrations of old postcards, as often postcards are the major source of pictorial early history of any area from 1900 onwards.

AROUND SOUTHEND

The added bonus here is that this collection is by Francis Frith who were a big postcard publishing company as well - so, a double interest here.

SOUTHEND PIER

Southend Pier is a major attraction in my home town - specialist loctaions and monuments and building will have similar styled books for other areas.

As I collect Southend Pier postcards these specialist books are essential 

THE STORY OF SOUTHEND PIER

The best Southend Pier related book I have so far found - this is packed with images of old postcards

SOUTHEND AIRPORT THROUGH TIME

This one is a recent book - packed with local aviation history, including World War II. This is another location that I collect on postcards.  

SOUTHEND ON SEA PAST & PRESENT

Another one with postcard images included

KURSAAL MEMORIES

The Kursaal is another Southend landmark - this book has provided me with lots of information for my postcard collection of Kursaal images.

My copy of the above Kursaal book is signed by the author and one of the 'Wall-of-Death' motorcycle riders - it is always nice to get a signed edition of any book.

SOUTHEND ON SEA PAST & PRESENT 

(another version of the book depicted further up above)

Another 'Past & Present' styled book - it is amazing how many books one can pick up for your local area.  

A HISTORY OF SOUTHEND

This one I wanted for a more detailed ancient history of Southend from before the postcard period, although the later part of the book does also contain cards from the early days of postcard output.

SOUTHEND-ON-SEA IN THE GREAT WAR

One of my favourite local history books, which conatins many postcard images. This one I have used often as a source of information behind postcards in my collection. This was a present from my wife, who knows me too well, clearly.

THE ESSEX POLICE FORCE - A HISTORY

Police and Law & Order is a specialist postcard topic of mine - I was of course also a police officer for 30 years - so this book is one I was bound to end up with (although I inherited this one from my Father-in-Law, who was also a police officer for 30 years).

There are hardly any postcards here, but lots of information.

HADLEIGH POSTCARD MEMORIES

I was the Beat Officer for the Hadleigh area (just outside Southend) and, as a result I have collected the postcards of this area for many years. This book is obviously packed with images of these cards and the information I need behind them.  

RAYLEIGH THROUGH TIME

Rayleigh was where my Police Divisional HQ was located for many years (Rayleigh is no longer a Divisional HQ - it is now part of Southend Division again, having been so once before in the past - it has changed a few times). I am also a member of the Rayleigh Philatelic Society, so I have an interest in this area. This book is from a series of books which cover all areas across the country - this one just happens to be local to me (the books are all written by local historians) 

The authors of the above book gave a display at the Rayleigh Philatelic Society one evening and that is when I got my copy of this book, which they both signed for me - another signed book in my collection.

So, there you have it. My selection of local history books, all of which I have bought and use because of my interest in my local postcard history.

I am sure many other local postcard collectors, from other ares have similar styled collections.  

SPECIAL EVENT POSTMARKS OF THE UNITED KINGDOM - Volume 4

1994 - 2003

This is a very specialist book and only for those who collect this material. I use these when I look up information on modern UK special postmarks

SPECIAL EVENT POSTMARKS OF THE UNITED KINGDOM - Volume 5

2004 - 2013

THE POSTAL SERVICE GUIDE TO U.S. STAMPS - another annual issue catalogue - this one is only for those who colect American stamps (which are all depicted in colour in this issue).

My interest in this one, beyond the specialist stamp information, is the listing of U.S. Postal Stationery Post Cards.

One of the Postal Stationery Post Card listing pages from the above catalogue.

PICTURE POSTCARD VALUES is a catalogue issued each year. I pick up the odd one depending on what the illustrations are, as they change each year. British postcard collectors often have at least one or more of these issues as the information is superb. 

PICTURE POSTCARD VALUES 2011

This was a good issue 

RAILWAY PICTURE POSTCARDS

One of the best books on old UK Railway Postcards - this is a classic book and one all railway postcard collectors should try and obtain.

This one is packed with both images and information.

PICTURE POSTCARD ARTISTS

This one has some lovely illustrations but I recommend it for its individual biography's of postcard artists. One for the specialist collector interested in the people behind the images.

AN AMERICAN POSTCARD COLLECTOR'S GUIDE

Although American based - obviously - this is an information packed book with many illustrations. I can recommend this one for any basic postcard collector.