FAGA CATALOGUE No 6

This listings (originally printed on A4 sheets before moving to these smaller booklets) are a great source of information on printing types, special hand stamps used and varieties. Any FAGA collector should seek these out as invaluable sources of information on this amazing postcard artist

FAGA CATALOGUE No 7

THE POSTCARD MAGAZINE Issue 10

This little magazine ran for a few years, under two titles (see below). I wrote a number of articles for this magazine, all either TV or Film related as a semi-regular feature. The article for this issue was themed on the TV series Doctor Who.   

THE POSTCARD MAGAZINE & PHILATELIC CORNER 

Issue No 18

This was the magazines updated title (I must check what issue this changed)

THE POSTCARD MAGAZINE & PHILATELIC CORNER 

Issue No 20

There were three interesting Titanic themed articles in this issue

THE POSTCARD MAGAZINE & PHILATELIC CORNER 

Issue No 22

My article for this issue was themed on the TV series 'Last of the Summer Wine' 

THE POSTCARD MAGAZINE & PHILATELIC CORNER 

Issue No 37

This has a nice article on the artist Rosalind Wicks and an article on new releases by the London Postcard Company (once a truely great modern postcard company but sadly now long gone)

THE POSTCARD MAGAZINE & PHILATELIC CORNER 

Issue No 38

This issue had a 2 page article by me on Snoopy and his creator Charles Schultz and related postcards 

THE BRITISH POSTCARD COLLECTORS MAGAZINE - Issue 41 

Autumn 1991

By

RON GRIFFITHS

This was the second best UK postcard magazine (just behind Picture Postcard Monthly). This ran for many years.

This issue is a faviurite because it had a great article on the French Limited Edition GULF WAR postcards. 

THE BRITISH POSTCARD COLLECTORS MAGAZINE - Issue 42 

Winter 1991

By

RON GRIFFITHS

This issues had a follow up article on the GULF WAR related to American postcard issues.  

POSTAL ISSUES OF LITHUANIAN REPUBLIC CATALOGUE 1990 - 1991

Published 1991

This independent Republic was only formed on the 11th March 1990 so this was the very first specialised catalogue with just 32 pages but illustrated in full colour throughout. This booklet contains details of all stamps, postal stationery, special cancellations and Maximum cards (although by this time only 3 maximum cards had been produced). An unusual and collectible little issue.  

CAMBRIDGESHIRE IN EARLY POSTCARDS

By

MICHAEL ROUSE

49 pages and nicely illustrated, but unlike many more recent such like books this one also has a lot of written information.

Published 1978 

BRITISH MUSEUM (NATURAL HISTORY) PICTURE POST-CARDS

This official museum release (N.H.M. Form 170) is a 39 page listing of all the museums postcards. Released in 1926 this is a superb piece of reference for any collector of this museums early postcard sets. A scarce and hard to source piece of postcard writing.  

IVY MILLICENT JAMES 1879 - 1965 - A CHILDREN'S POSTCARD ARTIST.

A WOODSPRING MUSEUM PUBLICATION  1980

This may only have 19 pages but it has an excellent check list and a biography which helps any collector of this artists cards.  

POSTCARD COLLECTING - A BEGINNERS GUIDE

By

BRIAN LUND

This was first issued in 1985 and was a very useful starter book. Brian Lund was the original editor of Picture Postcard Monthly.  

POSTCARD   COLLECTING - A BEGINER'S GUIDE 

Updated version of above release

DISNEY A TO Z

By

DAVE SMITH

I collect Disney themed postcards of all types, characters, films, animated scenes and especially those related to the Disney theme parks. This brilliant book, with its 630 pages, has all the background information I need on every aspect of the world of Disney. 

If you love Disney, and or collect Disney themed postcards then this book is a must have for all the background information. 

PICTURE POSTCARD ANNUAL 2020

By

REFLECTIONS OF A BYGONE AGE

There was no annual for 2019, so it was nice that there was one for this year. It is a fascinating read but sadly it also now relates to what has been a very bad year for postcard events, fairs and shows. but does still detail much information. This issue does have a very nice price guide to picture postcards, which is worthwhile and which has been missing in the hobby for a few years now.

TRADE AND COLLECT COLLECTABLES (Revised Edition 2012)

This is another multiple collectibles book, but it is a rather good one and printed in full colour and illustrated on every page. Postcards has its own three page section with the prices of the illustrated postcards being actual auction prices that the depicted cards did sell for (with the date this occurred). Postcards also appear under Miscellaneous, Zoo, World War 1 (6 cards), Valentine Cards, Tennis (1 card), Smokerama (smoking related items - 2 postcards), Shipping (5), Royalty, Railwayana (2), Noddy, Motor Racing, Militaria, Greetings Cards, Blue Peter, Advertising and Aeronautica. So, there is a lot to look at in this book.

Also, at the back of this one is a few useful information guide pages like 'Roman Numerals', Ephemera Reference Numbers (re paper ephemera items) a very useful 'Ephemera Date Finder' (which you can use when you know a specific day of the week and month but do not know the year - this I have found very useful where postmarks on postcards are not clear what year the card was sent).

So, there is quite a lot to this little book - I like this one a lot.     

THE EASTER REBELLION 1916

DUBLIN, IRELAND

I visited Dublin in 2016 and was there for the Easter Parade which celebrated the 100^th anniversary of the 1916 Easter Uprising. I am interested in history in general and can be enthused about a specific incident through contact with it in some way. Whilst in Dublin I collected all the 100^th anniversary postcards I could find (some of which have appeared on the webpage since), but I wanted to learn more. Now, as a postcard collector I am interested in images, I would rather see something than read about it, so I tend to go for the more illustrated guides. Now don’t get me wrong, I love reading about history and a detailed book will always enlighten, and there are many books on the history of the 1916 uprising and many are worth a read I have no doubt, but you cannot beat looking at a photograph of a house involved and seeing it, the same with the faces of those involved. As my interest was sparked, I searched in Dublin for a book that visually would take me through the locations, people and history of the incident. I ended up with these two because I could not choose between them. The first has a lot more postcards depicted within it and is the better of the two re the background history, but the second book has more location photographs and maps allowing a real run through visually of the fighting. I love both of these because they each give a different feel to the rebellion.

THE EASTER REBELLION 1916 - A NEW ILLUSTRATED HISTORY

By

CONOR McNAMARA

COURAGE BOYS, WE ARE WINNING - AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF THE 1916 RISING

By

MICHAEL BARRY

This one has fewer depicted postcards than the one above but has more location photographs allowing you to see and find the specific areas of fighting and defence.

Also, interestingly, despite there being some obvious duplicatuion of pictures across the two books, there is far less than you would imagine which makes buying both books an option (one which I clearly took)  

ART DECO POSTCARDS

By

PATRICIA BAYER

This is a massive collection of postcard illustrations all depicted in colour where issued as such (and many were). There are 288 pages in all with 240 with a postcard, sometimes two displayed on them. 

There are also eight detachable postcards at the back of the book which add a nice little different dimension to the book.

I love this one and really enjoy looking through it. Well worth seeking out. 

One of the 8 detachable postcards that can be found at the back of the above book.These are all facsimilie postcards depicting actual postcards as issued in the past. They are all well printed and on thick shiny card so I doubt anyone with any knowledge would be fooled into thinking a detached card was an original, so I think these are a nice extra with this book. 

Another of the detachable postcards contained within this book.

Reverse side of one of the detachable postcards inside the above book.

Further cards can be seen below. 

BORING POSTCARDS

By

MARTIN PARR

There is no text in this book. No descriptive text, no details of publishers, or anything itself. It is just a book of illustrations of postcards that the author considers boring.

Having said that there are some postcards in here which are, in my opinion, great, especially the Motorway selection which starts off the book ( see below for three of these). Not a book for the specialist, but fun to look through.   

This was a best selling book which lead onto the author issuing one for Germany and one for the US, amongst some sequels I believe and some copycat books.   

The first page from the above book. I think this motorway postcard would cost you £6 - £8. Boring perhaps, but not a cheap postcard and a very collectible one.  

Page from above book

I actually have a copy of this postcard. I would expect to pay £4 to £6 for a good copy of this one.

Page from above book

I would give you £5 for this card !!

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Page from above Book

I would happily pay a pound or two for a copy of this one as I worked here for 5 years

COLLECTING POSTCARDS 1894 - 1914 in colour

By

WILLIAM DUVAL with VALERIE MONAHAN

For awhile this was the best book on the history of postcards through this early period. It is still highly recommended and well worth seeking out.  

HOWE'S TRANSCENDENTAL TOYBOX

By

DAVID J. HOWE & ARNOLD BLUMBERG

If you collect something of a specialised theme, then sometimes you can find books based on the numerous types of collectibles of this theme which may contain a section on the postcards related to this theme.

I collect Doctor Who postcards and have a very specialised collection, so I found these four books here very useful. All four have a postcard chapter which although smaller in the later thinner editions (the first two books are much more hefty, with the first book having 486 pages and the second 596 – who knew there was this much Doctor Who material out there!) all have useful information.  

HOWE'S TRANSCENDENTAL TOYBOX: SECOND EDITION 

By

DAVID J. HOWE & ARNOLD BLUMBERG

HOWE'S TRANSCENDENTAL TOYBOX: UPDATE No. 1 - THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO 2003 MERCHANDISE

By

DAVID J. HOWE & ARNOLD T. BLUMBERG

HOWE'S TRANSCENDENTAL TOYBOX: UPDATE No. 2 - THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO 2004 - 2005 DOCTOR WHO MERCHANDISE

By

DAVID J. HOWE & ARNOLD T. BLUMBERG

LONDON - MEMORIES OF TIMES PAST 

With Paintings by

ROSE BARTON

Written by

ANNE EVANS

I saw this in a charity shop and picked it up to have a look through and was delighted to find that it contains many illustrations of postcards included within it. 

The book is quite beautiful with the majority of it laid out with a London landmark painting on one page opposite a write up with some postcards depicting the same landmark on the other side. At the back of the book are some old London maps with postcards illustrated down each side.   

For £3 I thought this was a bargain and it is now in my Postcard/Philatelic book collection. 

Page from above book

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THE BEST OF FRAGMENTS FROM FRANCE BY Capt BRUCE BAIRNSFATHER

By

TONIE & VALMAI HOLT

The postcards depicting the cartoons by Bruce Bairnsfather are probably amongst the best known of the World War 1. This book shows one cartoon on each page with the cartoon pretty much filling out each page. This is wonderful illustrated book with very strong postcard connections.  

A POSTCARD FROM THE FIFTIES

By

GILLIAN JACKSON

This soft cover A4 sized book covers a period of postcard production which is otherwise rarely featured; the 1950's. I like this one a lot and it is packed with both illustrations and information. 

EDWARDIAN CHILDHOOD - ON OLD PICTURE POSTCARDS

Published by

REFLECTIONS OF A BYGONE AGE

This one is full of images of golden age period topographical postcards, usually two big half page images per page.

HOME FOR CHRISTMAS - CARDS, MESSAGES AND LEGENDS OF THE GREAT WAR

By

PETER T. SCOTT

A collection of World War 1 Christmas cards including postcards. A well illustrated and interesting book about an era well covered by postcards

HAYNES COLLECTABLES MANUAL

By

JAMIE BREESE

Another of the many 'Collectables' books available that gives a little bit of information about a lot of themes and different types of collectable items. This one has one page devoted to postcards

The one page on postcards from the above book 

POSTERS IN HISTORY

By

MAX GALLO

One of my collecting themes is 'Posters', and there is nothing better than gaining the background story behind a postcard image and this book gave me loads of information, and it is also packed with superb images.

THE COMPLETE ILLUSTRATED GUIDE TO STAMP COLLECTING

By

DR JAMES MACKAY

I have mentioned before that there is a strong connection between the Postcard world and that of stamps. Some knowledge of stamps is a useful tool for postcard collectors. This book is a basic one but a very good one, and the author, Dr James Mackay was a renowned and proficient author of stamp books and articles (and this is not the first book on this webpage that he was the author of)

POSTCARDS FROM THE BOYS

By

RINGO STARR

This one is actually a great postcard book and one packed with images. It contains images of postcards sent to Ringo Starr by the other members of the Beatles, mainly after the group split up. 

What I found fascinating, from a postcard point of view, was the normality of the postcard designs picked up and sent by Paul, John and George. 

You also get a great insight into the movements and lives of the band members in the post band years.  

THE ‘MILLER’ COLLECTABLES

PRICE GUIDES

These books have been around for years and each year a new issue is released completely updated with new images and prices across all the themes and subjects contained within.

But, postcards only appear on one or two pages per book, so these are not going to be a source of much information on this one form of collectible, but I have found that many postcard collectors are also interested in other items and collectables such as photographs, comics, signatures, books, posters, newspapers and other paper ephemera, and these all appear in the basic guides (although I admit that a large segment of these books are themed around ceramics and pottery items, which are not my thing, although Jo likes to look these).

Only buy these books if you have a general interest in nic-nacs, and the general history of collectable items and like looking at this type of item as every item is illustrated (so there are hundreds of pictures in each guide).  

The two pages on postcards from the above book. As you can see there is not a lot of information here and the price range of £1 to £5 is too broad for any expert usage or interest.  

Another 'MILLER'S COLLECTABLES PRICE GUIDE'. This one has a section on Mabel Lucie Attwell (see below)

The above Millers book had a section on the artist Mabel Lucie Attwell and although no postcards are shown on this page there are some on the third page of this section. This is a good example of how these Miller guides can give you information on other aspects connected to our postcard world (you could of course just buy the Mabel Lucie Attwell book which appears elsewhere amongst my depicted books)  

The above Miller's book had three pages of postcards, which is quite a lot for one of these books. This is the first page. 

MILLER'S COLLECTIBLES PRICE GUIDE

This edition Issued 2004 (first published 2003)

Three pages of postcard illustrations all in colour 

1997 - 98 VOLUME IX

Another copy of a Millers Collactables Price Guide from my collection

The above book only has 6 postcards depicted and four of these are reduced to one small block (and not a complete set either). So, this is a good example of how little the subject is covered in some of these books - they still make a good read, but not postcard wise. 

1998-99 VOLUME X

Better than most as this has five pages of postcard illustrations and information 

MILLER'S - COLLECTING PRINTS & POSTERS

By

JANET GLEESON

One of the specialist Miller guides, and a very good one. Many of the posters depicted have also appeared in postcards, old and modern.  

COLLECTING SCI-FI & FANTASY

By

PHIL ELLIS

This is a good example of one of the specific topic books this company produce. This one has no postcards in it but as I collect TV & Film postcards there is information about other collectables I sometimes come across. 

MOVIE COLLECTIBLES

By

RUDY & BARBARA FRANCHI

Another Miller's guide which, like the book above, does not have any postcards in it, but which is still a fascinating read and a release with lots of topical full colour illustrations and details. As you can see by the price sticker on the front this one cost me just £2. I recommend looking in charity shops for these books.