11/12/2019
NEW TAB
For the STAR WARS fans amongst you I have placed a new tab on the webpage today titled:
‘STAR WARS: GALAXY’S EDGE’
In this I have posted all 24 poster styled images from the postcard book sold in the Galaxy’s Edge area of the Disney theme park, Florida.
‘GALACTIC DESTINATIONS’
24 POSTCARDS
GALAXY’S EDGE
“SCARIF”
WALT DISNEY WORLD
POSTCARD BOOK
11/12/2019
THERE’S NO USE ARGUING
No Publisher details or Printer details given
Posted in America
I came across this postcard on a stall at an American antiques fair in Florida (the one that was an outdoor event in Mount Dora). I have always liked animal related postcards and the hippo on this one caught my eye. I think the man depicted is a doctor or something (hopefully not a dentist as he would have a lot of work to do!)
The person selling this postcard clearly thought little of it as I got it for just 50 cents, which considering its age, I thought was quite a bargain.
This postcard is in a style called ‘Write Away’, which is a postcard with a first line of text printed to assist the sender with writing a message. Here the line is ‘There’s no use in Arguing’. This was a very popular type of postcard around the turn of the last century.
REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD
This has a nice 1 cent US postage stamp applied which has been cancelled with an American flag ‘Stars & Stripes’ cancellation for AUBURN dated 9th August 1905 and times at 2.30 [pm]. The card was addressed to Portland and was cancelled upon arrival with a PORTLAND, ME wavy line machine cancellation dated the same day and timed at 6 pm. I think this was worth every penny of 50 cents.
10/12/2019
20 SETTEMBRE 1890:
THE FIRST TRAMWAY TO FIESOLE AND 25TH ANNIVERSARY
OF CESARE MARCHINI’S STRAW ARTICLE FACTORY
No Publisher Named
And no further details given on this postcard
I like trams so bought this card when I saw it. With only the above text, which is on the reverse side (see below) I needed to do some research to find out more.
Fiesole is a town and commune of the Metropolitan City of Florence in the Italian region of Tuscany. So that covers the location, and I was surprised that its location in Italy was not mentioned on the card. I assume this is because the card was locally sold, and possibly locally produced so the belief was that everyone seeing the card would know the location just from the towns name.
But I have not been able to find out anything concrete about Cesare Marchini’s straw article factory, but with its mention here on this postcard I can only assume that locally, in Fiesole, the factory is better known. I do know that the Marchini Carrozza House, located in Fiesole was built by the Marchini firm for the exhibiting of their straw products. This does mean that I have more work to do here, but that is the joy of old postcards.
10/12/2019
LANTERNES MAGIQUES
Printed by
CARTCOM
For
FRANCOIS BINETRUY
This is a postcard produced to promote this dealer’s extensive collection of antique stock. For me the interest here is the superb looking Eiffel Tower lantern. I have a collection of Eiffel Tower related postcards and I like to add unusual images of the use of the Eiffel Tower. I thought this one was a cracker.
10/12/2019
“I’VE BEEN WAITING
A WHOLE BLOOMING
YEAR FOR THIS!”
IT’S SHEER HEAVEN!
Artist
A. TAYLOR
Published by
BAMFORTH & CO., LTD
Ref: “SEASIDE COMIC” Series No. 2386
A classic Bamforth seaside comic postcard, perhaps not one of the classics, but ‘definitely’ drawn and in appearance what people consider to be a classic seaside card, something which is almost uniquely British. A little bit of British history and humour.
10/12/2019
A LIBRARY PHOTO OF SINGER CLIFF RICHARD
DURING REHEARSALS AT HIS HOME, 1963
Published by
PRESS ASSOCIATION IMAGES
Ref: PA. 1164221
This is not the first Press Association Images postcard I have depicted on the webpage. What I like about them is that the images they have used are all ones which do not seem to have appeared on postcard before. This fact makes them well worth seeking out, although they do not seem to be too easy to pick up.
10/12/2019
STAR WARS DEFENCE
Designed by
KAL-TOONS
Published by
GINKGO LTD
Ref: GNK 07
Anyone who was around during the presidency of Ronald Reagan will remember his Star Wars defence policy plan. I am not sure it ever really got far off the ground, but it was a massive boon to cartoonists as he was then regularly connected with the idea of Star Wars. This postcard was one of many that used this connection.
10/12/2019
LULU’S BOX
‘Do not forget to write to Lulu’s Box’
Published by
GO-CARD
KOBENHAVN (Copenhagen)
Ref: # 829
Lulu’s Box appears to be a clothing company, not that I knew any of this when I bought this postcard. I just saw the foreign red post box, and now that I type this fact, I am finding it a little disturbing that I only saw the attractive women after seeing the post box!
10/12/2019
PRETTIGE VAKANTIE
BOOMERANG GAAT LEKKER MET VAKANTIE.
IN SEPTEMBER ZIJN WE WEER TERUG.
WIJ WENSEN IEDEREEN EEN GOEDE ZOMER!
“Have a nice day
Boomerang goes tasty with holidays
We will be back again in September
We wish everyone a good summer!”
Published by
BOOMERANG SCHOOLCARDS
POSTBUS 763
1000 AT AMSTERDAM
Text on the reverse side reads: UIT PORTANJE’S VESPA SCOOTER COLLECTIE. POSTBUS 10, 3980 CA BUNNIK, which all translates as: FROM PORTUGAL’S VESPA SCOOTER COLLECTION. POSTBUS 10, 3980 CA BUNNIK.
This design has a bit of everything in it, a nice motorcycle, a sailing yacht and a bikini wearing, glamourous looking lady. I picked up this great Dutch card for just 25p.
10/12/2019
For those who are always intrigued by what I post on the CENSORED section of this webpage, then today is worth a look. I have placed three rather naughty cartoons here, all drawn by the famous late French cartoonist and artist Albert Dubout.
10/12/2019
THE GUAGGA [Sic]
(QUAGGA)
Copyright 1909
M. J. MINTZ, CHICAGO
Text on the reverse side (see below) starts off ‘THE GUAGGA [I don’t know the source of this spelling as I have always known it as Quagga] is of an equine form; is found in the plains of South Africa’. This was a very optimistic statement to make as the Quagga was ‘actually’ considered to be extinct by the time this card was released (1909 I assume as per the copyright date). The Quagga became extinct towards the end of the 19th century sometime around 1878. They once roamed in great numbers in Cape Province and the Orange Free State, but Dutch settlers hunted the animal into extinction.
I came across this postcard whilst visiting an antiques fair in Mount Dora, Florida just over three weeks ago. When I saw it, I had to have it, but for a very personal reason. When I was in my final years of school, I had History as one of my exam subjects (probably no great surprise - I was collecting postcards even then). Part of the exam pre-work involved putting together a written and illustrated project on a specific history theme of my choice. My self-chosen subject was ‘Animals made Extinct by Man’. One of my chapters was on the story of the Quagga. Ever since doing this project I have been fascinated with extinct creatures, especially those from the last five hundred years or so. This postcard therefore had to come my way.
10/12/2019
BALD EAGLE
(AMERICAN BALD EAGLE)
PHOTO POST CARD
Printed on
KODAK PAPER
I have a small number of American postcards from the 1950’s which are printed on Kodak Paper and have what appears to be a standard KODAK reverse layout. There is no additional text on either side of this card to help with where exactly this card was sold. Was it a widely spread issue, or one which was sold locally in a smaller area? If you know then email me (email address at bottom of page).
Whilst I was in Florida recently, I saw two American Bald Eagles, which was a vast improvement on my visit last year when I saw none. I don’t know if they are becoming endangered in this area, but I seem to see less and less of them these days when I visit. It was only ten years ago when I saw six of them flying together over where I was staying, and three years ago I saw four in one spot with two of them gripping claws and tumbling down through the sky. This is one of my favourite bird watching US experiences.
10/12/2019
CSC NEWSLETER
Journal of the Concorde Study Circle
DECEMBER 2019, Vol. 41, No. 2
This is issue of Concorde Study Circle’s journal arrived today. It came with two free postcards, a free stamp sheet and a leaflet. Most issues come with at least one free item and the journal itself is a fascinating read with a regular postcard update listing supplied by member Peter Cooper.
The front cover of the latest issue is shown here (much reduced)
1969 – 2019
The 50th Anniversaries of the first flights of respectively the first French and the first British prototype of Concorde
2 MARCH 1969 AND 9 APRIL 1969
Published by
HENK HEIDEN
Henk is a member of the study circle and has produced a range of postcards, many of which are produced in very low numbers. These are often also supplied free to members of the circle, as was the case with this card here, which came today with the above journal.
The other free postcard included is the recent STAMPEX INTERNATIONAL Autumn 2019 postcard which featured Concorde, and which I have previously depicted here on the webpage.
THE GAMBIA
STAMP SHEET
The Concorde flying above Queen Elizabeth 2
(with the Red Arrows – who do not get a mention on this sheet!)
I don’t collect Concorde stamps, but who can resist a freebie, and it is a nice freebie. The items I receive, postcard or otherwise, always make membership of this excellent study circle a pleasure, and I also enjoy our get togethers at the London STAMPEX shows.
10/12/2019
RENE AUBERJONOIS ….. RIP
Rene Murat Auberjonois
1st June 1940 – 8th December 2019
Actor and singer well known for his parts in stage, film and television with perhaps his portrayal of the character Odo in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine being best known, especially here in the UK. His film appearances included MASH (Father Mulcahy), Police Academy 5, The Patriot (2000), Batman Forever, Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, McCabe & Mrs Miller, The Hindenburg, King Kong (1976), Eyes of Laura Mars and Inspector Gadget (1999). He also voiced the character of Louise the Chef in the animated Disney film ‘The Little Mermaid’. On television he also had long running parts in ‘Benson’ and ‘Boston Legal’, but he also had cameo parts in many television series.
CREW PHOTOGRAPH
STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE
Published by
CLASSICO SAN FRANCISCO
Rene Auberjonois can be seen top left as the character Odo
09/12/2019
ORLANDO 2019
FLORIDA
DOLPHINS
Photo by
D. COLE
Published by
THE POSTCARD FACTORY
Ref: PC57-FL 101
I have decided to depict this nice postcard because whilst I was in Florida (just last week, and the two weeks prior to that) I visited the natural wildlife reserve at Merritt Island and we saw three wild dolphins swimming down one of the waterways. I have been here several times, but this is the first visit that I have seen dolphins on. So, this seemed a good enough reason to illustrate this card here, but also, I wanted to do a small holiday postcard information blog, so, see below
HOLIDAY ‘POSTCARD’ NOTES
(a ‘BLOG’ if you like)
Since I started this webpage, in January 2016, I have resisted doing any written blogs, although I do create some, what I hope are interesting, write ups around the postcards I illustrate.
But this year whilst moving around both the Universal and Disney theme parks I could not help but notice some facts about the postcard situation both inside and outside these areas. So, I decided to make some notes which I intended upon my return to record here as bullet points for any collector hoping to pay a visit soon to this extremely popular area. I hope some of these are of use:
1 – UNIVERSAL STUDIOS and ISLANDS OF ADVENTURE theme parks no longer have postcards related to any of the non-Harry Potter themed rides. There are also no single postcards on sale across either park.
2 – The only postcards available in the UNIVERSAL STUDIOS and ISLANDS OF ADVENTURE theme parks are two different packs of HARRY POTTER postcards, one for the Hogsmeade themed area (in the Islands of Adventure theme park) and one for the Diagon Alley themed area which is in the Universal Studios theme park. Each pack has ten different full colour photographs.
3 – The OWL POST OFFICE area in Hogsmeade (Islands of Adventure) still sells a sheet of exclusive stamps depicting the Hogwarts Castle. These are expensive, but used on the postcards – 3 stamps are required for UK and Europe postage – they make an unusual usage, one which few now do as the stamp sheets are no longer above the counter, you have to ask for them these days
4 – If you do buy any of the two Harry Potter postcard packs then get the special OWL POST OFFICE cachet applied to the cards. This cachet, which features an owl image, is applied free to any cards either bought at the parks or any you take into the park (I have taken some UK first day Harry Potter stamp covers here and had the cachet applied). The cachet is available on the stand outside the Owl Post Office and under the overhead cover.
5 – In the WALT DISNEY WORLD PARKS they, with one exception mentioned below, only have four standard postcard items on sale, this is across all four parks: THE MAGIC KINGDOM, HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS, THE ANIMAL KINGDOM and EPCOT. The four items are as follows:
6 – The MAIN STREET U.S.A. MAGIC KINGDOM circular cachet is still available to be applied to postcards. This cachet can be obtained, free, at the open-fronted shop on the left-hand side as you go through the wristband and ticket check scanning machines and before you go under the arches under the overhead steam railway track and station.
7 – The exception to the four Disney postcard items listed above is the extensive WONDERGROUND art postcard series, which is both extensive and expensive. Since my visit last year these cards have gone up in price from $4.99 to $5.99 (before tax – the Florida state tax rate is 6%). The best place to buy these is the dedicated WONDERGROUND shop area in the main CO-OP store located in Disney Springs. I acquired 60 different WONDERGROUND postcards from this store (not a cheap approach! $359.4 before tax!)
You can also find smaller, much smaller, selections of these WONDERGROUND postcards in some shops dotted around the Magic Kingdom (I didn’t get to check this year but last year there was a handful of Beauty & the Beast WONDERGROUND cards in the shop opposite Gaston’s Tavern towards the back of the park), Hollywood Studios (there is a Disney Art store in the shop by the exit to the Muppet 3D attraction, and a few cards, mainly PIXAR related designs, in the ‘Sunset’ shop located at the entrance end of the road leading down towards the Tower of Terror and Rock n Rollercoaster attractions) and EPCOT, although the main Disney Art shop where these used to be found is currently under refurbishment as part of the general major front entrance area redesign (so you may not be able to find any in this park for a while, I certainly didn’t find any this year).
In past years I have found related WONDERGROUND cards in the specialist DISNEY SPRING stores for STAR WARS and MARVEL, but this year there were no cards in either store.
8 - In previous years I have found individually themed postcards for each Disney World theme park, along with folded packs (cards attached together by perforated strips) of postcards, but these appear to have all gone, to be replaced with the standard four postcard items listed above.
9 – DISNEY RESORT AREAS – these have always had their own resort area postcard, but these appear to have been phased out, or are being phased out. I checked the Grand Floridian, Polynesian, Contemporary, Beach Club and Yacht Club and in each they stated that they were no longer doing these cards (others may still have some old stock available, but this seems to be a general phasing out of these cards – I will hopefully be able to check in the future and see if these have gone for good)
10 – I could not find a 2019 Disney ‘YEAR CARD’. I found one last year for 2018 and have a 2017 one as well. The last time I went in December they had run out of that year’s card, but the new year card for the following year was on sale already, which I bought. This year, although 2020 items were already on shelves in the shop, I found no ‘2020’ year postcard amongst them. Are these postcards now part of what appears to be general cull of all specialist postcards in the parks having replaced these with the four standard postcard formats already mentioned above.
11 – GALAXY’S EDGE – HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS - In this new Star Wars themed area there is a book of 24 postcards on sale titled ‘GALACTIC DESTINATIONS. This book contains poster styled art and it looks like this is an exclusive card collection (although it may also be on sale in the same area located in the Californian Disneyland park). The poster designs are ‘really’ good, and this is a must for any Star Wars collector. It includes a few poster designs for the Black Spire Outpost, which is the name of the area you walk through, and Batuu, which is the planet that this area is said to be on.
12 – DISNEY SPRINGS – SUGARBOO – this store only had four different Christmas themed postcards on display. There is usually a big bin of different postcard designs (many of which I have previously bought and pictured here on the webpage) but I did not see this. When I mentioned this on my facebook page Sugerboo responded by saying that there had been other cards available and they were sorry I had missed them. So, I went back again, but I still failed to find any non-Christmas designs (but perhaps the other cards were out back or under the counter)
13 – DISNEY SPRINGS - PLANET HOLLYWOOD – normally, in the past, I have found some wooden postcard designs in the restaurants attached shop. On this visit there were no postcards of any type on sale.
14 – DISNEY SPRINGS – RAINFORREST CAFÉ – another example of a location where the shop used to have some great postcard designs, both card and wooden. But again, these appear to have all gone with no replacements, no postcards at all (I should perhaps mention that there is a photo-booth machine here which allows you to put your photograph into a picture. These are popular and I have seen people turn these into postcards - $5 per photo)
15 – KENNEDY SPACE CENTER – Thankfully, after the above negatives, this popular tourist attraction still has an excellent range of postcards with single cards (cheap at 49 cents), a nice postcard pack (12 cards), several wooden designs, a couple of 3D Lenticular cards and a postcard book. These are mostly reasonably priced (although the wooden ones are a bit expensive).
16 – KENNEDY SPACE CENTER – ASTRONAUT SIGNING – This is something well worth considering. Each day at 1600hrs (4pm – 4.45pm) there is the chance to have something signed by an astronaut on the second floor of the main shop. This is free and you can have more than one item signed. I had three of my Kennedy Space Center postcards signed. These make a great souvenir and I highly recommend including this on your itinerary even if you are not a collector, as some of the children I saw going up were awestruck with meeting someone who had been into space for real.
17 – ORLANDO SOUVENIR OUTLETS & GIFT SHOPS – There are many non-Disney gift shops and souvenir outlets in the areas surrounding the theme parks. These have some excellent Disney themed postcards, mostly published by THE POSTCARD FACTORY, and other Orlando and Florida themed designs, maps, dolphins, manatee’s and alligators. The Disney cards are 99 cents (before tax) and the other Florida themed cards normally 79 cents
18 – WALT DISNEY WORLD – and lastly, every other year, for some years now, I have found one or more Disney character shaped postcards, but this year, as you will have gleamed from the above entries, there were none of these. I expect that this type of shape postcard is more expensive to produce, so, perhaps this is the reason why they have been stopped.
Hopefully some of this information is of use, and may even be interesting, but what is clear to me is that Disney and Universal have greatly reduced their postcard output. Is this because they feel postcards are no longer worth issuing or is it that, especially with Disney, so much has been spent on new attractions that they don’t have time to spend, or the money to spend, on new postcard designs. Whatever the truth of the matter, with the exception of the WONDERGROUND cards, and the excellent Kennedy Space Center selection, I found this year’s selection to be much poorer.
Please let me know what you think of my opinions (email address at the bottom of this page), I would be interested in hearing from you.
08/12/2019
MARTINAIR
YOUR WINGS
FUN EN FEEST MET FOX KIDS BIJ MARTINAIR!
[Fun and party with Fox Kids at Martinair]
Official MARTINAIR airline promotional postcards
This card is a slightly different one to the others posted below. This one has a television connection through the publicity for the FOX KIDS TV channel and is therefore my favourite of all the Martinair postcard designs posted here today. I also think the artistic style is slightly different as well which may mean a different artist was used here (although that is not confirmed). I liked this one a lot and it is rare to have an airline promotional postcard in my television collection.
08/12/2019
MARTINAIR
MEER VAKANTIE!
(More Holiday!)
Official MARTINAIR airline promotional postcards
I found all these lovely poster styled airline promotional postcards in a cheap box priced at just 25p each, which I thought was a major bargain.
This one is a celebratory one “WEGENS GROOT SUCCESS: COMFORT CLASS NU OP ALLE VLUCHTEN!” [Because of great success: Comfort Class now on all Flights!] with a bowing air stewardess.
The other posters are all for different countries:
1 – DOMINICAANSE REPUBLIEK (Dominican Republic)
2 – SURINAME
3 – CANADA (version one)
4 – CANADA (version two)
5 – ORLANDO [where I have just come back from]
6 – HAVANA (Cuba)
7 – MEXICO
8 – JAMAICA
With each poster design a stewardess is named and you are invited to meet this stewardess through travelling to that destination. When I saw these cards, I was very impressed with the designs and the use of bright attractive colours.
I don’t know why there were two different versions of the Canada poster, but I picked them both up anyway.
08/12/2019
BERLIN
KURFURSTENBRUCKE MIT KONIGL. SCHLOSS
Unknown Publisher
Early German Issue
This is a well-known area of Berlin, and one which I spend quite a bit of time around when I visit Berlin. When I was in this location it was far more motorised with its traffic, but not a lot else has much changed here. This was another postcard that I bought whilst in Berlin. I got it from a street antiques market. I believe it cost me just a euro or two.
REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD
The stamp for some reason has been applied upside down, but this did happen, especially when applying the stamp quickly. I am ‘fairly’ sure the stamp has been cancelled with a Charlottenburg cancellation dated 30th March 1904. I am not sure where the second cancellation was applied as the top section is not well inked, but I can see that the date here is 31st March 1904
08/12/2019
I LOVE Y..
Published by
RAPHAEL TUCK & SONS
Ref: “REMEMBRANCE” Series No. R 105
This was posted in 1908. It is an unusual design of a girl breaking through a blackboard whilst writing a message in chalk. I believe there was a series of these postcards which I assume had different people coming through the board.
08/12/2019
EXPEDITION TITANIC 2010
Published by
TITANIC: THE ARTIFACT EXHIBITION
Copyright:
2016 RMS TITANIC INC
I didn’t visit the Titanic Artifact Exhibition in Orlando this year because I have been here many times now and there is so much to do in this area that some things need to be missed out every so often. Having said that, this Titanic exhibition is a great little exhibit which I do enjoy visiting and which I do recommend to anyone who has any interest in the Titanic story. This postcard is one which I had bought on a previous visit.
08/12/2019
THE PRINCE OF WALES
1921
By
SIR HENRY LANDER
Courtesy of Leeds City Art Galleries
The Prince is wearing a Fair Isle jumper
Printed by
E. T. W. DENNIS & SONS LTD., SCARBOROUGH
Published by
SHETLANDS FROM SHETLAND
Shetland knitwear from Margaret Stuart Burnside,
Walls, Shetland Isles, Scotland
There have many official royal portraits painted and these have been popular subjects for portrayal on postcards. All the members of the royal family have had their images produced on these such postcards and often these have been more popular than photographic images.
08/12/2019
YORK
THE HISTORIC CITY
BRITISH RAILWAYS
Printed and Distributed by
STAR EDITIONS LTD
For the
NATIONAL RAILWAY MUSEUM
Ref: RAIL207
Another poster postcard from this series. I have found that some of the more unusual posters depicted in this series I have not seen on any other postcard release. I do like these more unusual offerings.
08/12/2019
EXETER
POSTCARD
SOCIETY
THIRD POSTCARD FAIR
SATURDAY 6TH. MAY 1989
Published by the
EXETER POSTCARD SOCIETY
Whilst I seem to be posting postcards related to the modern Postcard world, I thought I would include this nice British one from the Exeter society. The front image uses an old print of a very early post box.
08/12/2019
KITTY
By
ANN RUSNAK
Printed and Published for
HAIRTEK, CARSON CITY
By
ANN RUSNAK
My two favourite American modern postcard artists have always been Rick Geary (see below posting) and the late Ann Rusnak. I have always found the distinctive style of Ann’s work appealing. Some have called it a simple style, but I think that is a large part of the appeal of her pictures. Some of her designs can be quite hard to find now, but her popularity seems to remain in place with there being 49 of her cards currently being available on eBay, although not this one.
08/12/2019
20TH WICHITA INTERNATIONAL
(POSTCARD SHOW)
18 – 19TH OCTOBER 1997
SHOW THEME: NATIVE AMERICANS
Artwork by
RICK GEARY
Published by
WICHITA POSTCARD CLUB
Another great design by the American postcard artist Rick Geary. This one has the clever design element of having the postcard design within the postcard design. This one would fit nicely into several themed collections.
08/12/2019
SAINT-NAZAIRE
29 – 30 – 31 MAI [May] 1982
JOURNEES DE LA CARTE POSTALE
MAISON DU PEUPLE
Design by
E. GAUTIER
Published by
ASSOCIATION CARTOPHILE
DE SAINT-NAZAIRE
ET DE LA PRESQU’ILE GUERANDAISE
This is a postcard issued for a postcard fair in Saint-Nazaire held in 1982. Some of these early 1980’s French postcard fair and event postcards can be hard to source and have some high catalogue prices (although these prices do not always convert into actual prices raised in auction or on dealers stands). The 1991 Neudin French postcard catalogue (Page 157) has this card priced at 20F, which is quite a bit these days. I was lucky and picked this one up is a cheap box here in the UK.
07/12/2019
O.H.V. POWERED AUSTIN A70 HEREFORD
Official Austin Promotional Postcard
Another early modern motor car advertising postcard. I have placed a few of these cards on the webpage recently. I have also mentioned my prediction that these are going to become even more collectible over the coming years as people look back on these cars with even more nostalgia, older people because they may have owned such a car and younger people because their fathers or grandfathers drove such a car. You can never underestimate the draw of nostalgia and much about postcard collecting is wrapped up in nostalgia, personal or otherwise.
07/12/2019
SPACE SHUTTLE
COLUMBIA
….. THEY MADE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE
Artwork by
TIMOTHY O’BRIEN
Published by
HAL OTTAWAY
I have posted this postcard here because of a few of great reasons. Firstly, I really like the design of this postcard, secondly, it has been signed by the artist on the reverse side, but perhaps more poignantly I was at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida a couple of weeks ago and they have the recovered window frames from the space shuttle ‘Columbia’ on show. The window frames, and a large door piece from the earlier Challenger space shuttle, are on display in a very moving section of the space shuttle exhibition area. The last two times I have visited here I have spent some time in the room which houses these artefacts. It is always quiet here, perhaps understandably, and very moving when you know the stories behind the tragic loss of both the Challenger and the Columbus Space Shuttles and their crews.
07/12/2019
UNTITLED
1916 BOWLE
By
R. WEISS
1915
Published by
K. ESSIG, BALE
A military design from the time of the First World War, one which appears to have a Christmas and New Year background theme. There is a clear Christmas Tree on the left side, and there is the date of 1916 on the bowl on the table, although the design is dated as 1915 by the artist. The use of the ‘1916’ year date on the bowl seems to indicate to me that this is a New Years Eve gathering with the soldiers of many countries gathered in peace to celebrate the birth of a new year. I think this is a great design and an interesting idea from a period when fighting and war had become the norm.
REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD
This card was posted from Switzerland, a neutral country, which may explain the peace theme that this card seems to have. The cancellation is dated the 13th January 1916, so the card was posted very early into what was then a new year. The card was posted to an address in London with a message written in a foreign language (I would assume Swiss, but I have learnt that nothing with older postcards is as obvious as anybody would think).