13/07/2019

TITANIC BLUEPRINTS

TITANIC THE ARTIFACT EXHIBITION

Published by

RMS TITANIC INC

2016

I bought this large postcard in 2017 on a visit to the ‘Titanic Exhibition’ in Florida. As regular viewers will know I do have a fascination with all RMS Titanic related material, especially postcards. This one is interesting as it shows blueprints for the ship, but what they don’t tell you is that there were changes made to the ships layouts and as a result of these adjustments there are technically no exact blueprints in existence (the changes were not incorporated into any exact new blueprints because they were not needed after the ship sank..!!) So, what you are seeing here is a close approximation of true blueprints, but still something fascinating to any Titanic historian.

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

13/07/2019

CUNARD R.M.S. QUEEN ELIZABETH 2

Official Cunard Queen Elizabeth 2 Postcard

Printed by

J. ARTHUR DIXON

Ref: SS. 6921

Copyright 1967

This QE2 postcard is relatively common despite mainly only being sold onboard the ship, but so many people travelled on this iconic ocean liner that huge numbers of this card were posted on board. This one is nice as the front has the large boxed ‘QE2 – POSTED ON BOARD – HIGH SEAS MAIL’ cachet applied top left. Above this is a very feint straight line text cachet which reads ‘Queen Elizabeth 2’. There is also a cachet top right but this one is almost unreadable and is extremely feint, except for the separate date line ‘2 MAY 1969’. This is philatelic usage but is still nice.

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

This side has the 5d Queen Elizabeth 2 stamp from the 1969 ship stamp set (issued January 1969). This stamp has been cancelled with a ‘New York N. Y. – 7^TH MAY 1969’ PAQUEBOT (posted at sea) cancellation [ mail posted on board a ship at sea could use the postage stamps of the ships country of registration – so the QE2 could use GB stamps – these covers and cards would then be placed into the mail system of the country the ship next arrived at and cancelled with that ports PAQUEBOT cancel].

This date, 7^th May 1969, is an important one as it shows that this card was posted on the QE2’s maiden voyage. She left the UK on the 2^nd May 1969. Although an important date there were many postcards posted on this maiden journey and cards are therefore not too expensive.

CUNARD R.M.S. QUEEN ELIZABETH 2

Official Cunard Queen Elizabeth 2 Postcard

Printed by

J. ARTHUR DIXON

Ref: SS. 6921

Copyright 1967

This card is the same as the above copy, but this time without the addition of the cachets.

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

This copy was also posted on the maiden voyage and has received the red boxed ‘QE2 – POSTED ON BOARD – MAIDEN VOYAGE – SOUTHAMPTON, NEW YORK’ cachet. Now, unlike the card above, and despite the ‘POSTED ON BOARD’ cachet I don’t believe this was posted on board. I suspect the card had the cachet applied by favour, meaning it was added to the card, but the card was not then posted on the ship. Posted on board material should be cancelled with a 7^th May PAQUEBOT cancel, but this one has a plain NEW YORK wavy-line machine cancellation dated 9^th May 1969. Therefore, I believe that although the card was acquired on board the ship the buyer then took it with them off the ship whilst in New York and then posted the card into the normal postal system, which then required an American stamp to be used.

13/07/2019

MOON LANDING

50^TH ANNIVERSARY

This month we celebrate the 50^th Anniversary of one of mans greatest feats, the 1969 Moon Landing. To celebrate the anniversary of Apollo 11 and its crew of Armstrong, Aldrin and Collins, and their heroic space flight and moon landing I shall be placing related postcard images here on the webpage throughout the upcoming week, commencing on the 13^th July.

DAY ONE

PIONEERS OF SPACE

NEIL A. ARMSTRONG

Published by

IMPACT (USA)

Ref: #16413

Postcard depicting the official NASA astronaut publicity photograph of Neil Armstrong, Apollo 11 crew member and first man to step on the moon.

Also, please click on the above tab marked as 'MOON LANDING The Apollo Story' to see more Apollo mission material mounted as a display

12/07/2019

PUMP HOUSE

LITTLE WALSINGHAM

Painting by local artist

MALC LANE

Painting from 2015

Published by and sold exclusively at:

SHED CRAFTS, LITTLE WALSINGHAM

I have been to Walsingham four times with the most recent two visits being last year and earlier this year. On all my visits I have examined the old Pump House which is at the centre of the village and which is depicted here on this postcard. This is the type of postcard I like to pick up as a souvenir of a visit. All of these depicted here were picked up last year when I walked into the village and checked out a shop called ‘Shed Crafts’, which sells art pieces and items made or designed by local artists and people. This painting of the pump house appealed to me.

PUMP HOUSE

LITTLE WALSINGHAM

Painting by local artist

MALC LANE

Painting from 2015

Published by and sold exclusively at:

SHED CRAFTS, LITTLE WALSINGHAM

Having bought the above postcard how could I possibly not also buy this one. It is the same basic image as the one used on the above card, but this one has a fancy blue boarder. Because it had such a different boarder, I had to include it in my souvenir collection.

PUMP HOUSE

LITTLE WALSINGHAM

Painting by local artist

MALC LANE

Painting from 2015

Published by and sold exclusively at:

SHED CRAFTS, LITTLE WALSINGHAM

Same Pump House, same year, same artist but a new painting. Again, this was an exclusive to the ‘Shed Crafts’ shop which I found in this little, and very pretty village. It clearly goes well with the other two.

GREETINGS FROM

LITTLE WALSINGHAM

Painting by unnamed artist

Published by and sold exclusively at:

SHED CRAFTS, LITTLE WALSINGHAM

I think this piece is by a different artist to the other three cards shown above, but it may not be and may just be a change of style, but the card does not give any details. It is nice to see the Pump House shown again along with some other structures in the village. The large three storey building shown bottom right is in fact an antiques shop although when I visited here just recently there were no postcards being sold.

LITTLE WALSINGHAM

Published by and sold exclusively at:

SHED CRAFTS, LITTLE WALSINGHAM

This painting shows the old Priory ruins, something which can also be seen on the multi-view piece of artwork above, on the left side. Again, no artist is named here, but I wonder if this design is not by the same artist who produced the top three card paintings, Malc Lane, I think it could be.

This is the reverse side layout of the 1^st, 2^nd, 4^th and 5^th card shown above. The 3^rd card had a different reverse layout, but was the card that named the artist allowing me to tell you who did the first three paintings, and I assume the 5^th.

12/07/2019

FOX MEETS FOX

WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR

Photo by

MATTHEW MARAN (United Kingdom)

Peoples Choice Award Nominee 2018

Published by the

NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM

“Matthew has been photographing foxes close to his home in north London for over a year and ever since spotting this street art had dreamt of capturing this image. After countless hours and many failed attempts his persistence paid off”

(Text from reverse side of postcard)

The fox painting depicted here is called the LANGHAM PLACE FOX, and is located, naturally enough, in Langham Place and is by an East London based artist called Stewy who has stencilled animals, like ducks, bears and chickens, all around London.

This great postcard is currently available in a small side shop located at the back of the main gift shop (but I don’t think it will here for long as the Wildlife Photographer of the year exhibit has closed down for the moment, so its attached shop will probably go soon as well.

12/07/2019

LEICESTER SQUARE, LONDON

Published by

CHRIS HUNTLEY PHOTOGRAPHY

I love London, I’ve been up there three times in the last three weeks, and I do have some London themed view postcards in my collection, both older cards and modern, but these days most of the souvenir (tourist type) view postcards these days are simple photographs of local landmarks like St Pauls, Houses of Parliament, Trafalgar Square, Buckingham Palace and the like. There is nothing wrong with this and I suspect most tourists are happy with these. These days though, I am after cards which have something a bit different about them and which attract the eye. This week, Wednesday in fact, just two days ago, I found this smashing, highly colourful and evocative image of what is the centre of my favourite part of London, Leicester Square. I had not seen this one before, so I think it is quite new. I have been in Leicester Square in the rain, several times I think, and this image brings back every memory of being soaked and chilled whilst still enjoying the vibe and excitement of central London.

11/07/2019

WELLS-NEXT-THE-SEA

‘OPEN DAY AT THE LIFEBOAT STATION’

Design by

HAZEL ASHLEY

Published by

HAZEL ASHLEY DESIGNS

I bought this card on my recent visit to Wells-next-the-Sea. This was my favourite from a series of local art cards by Hazel Ashley. They all had a local content like either seabirds being watched, or seals being encountered etc. Although all the designs were nice, but I have a fondness for lifeboat postcards.

LOGO FROM REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD (Enlarged)

09/07/2019

RAVENGLASS & ESKDALE RAILWAY

Published by

J. ARTHUR DIXON

I have not been on this railway, but I have seen it when I visited the area where it is located. I like steam trains in general, but I do have an extra fondness for these smaller gauge engines. I would give you a load of details about this engine, but its all printed on the reverse side, so I will just show this side instead.

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

09/07/2019

CRAZY OVER TRAINS

Design by

ANN RUSNAK

Published by

DOROTHY LAUGHLIN (Miami, Florida)

1985

Printed by

3-STARR PRESS

LIMITED EDITION OF 500

I know that the designs of Ann Rusnak can be described as simplistic, but I have always loved her work and as previously mentioned on this webpage I have quite a nice collection of her work. This one is another one which appeals to me.

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

09/07/2019

NORWICH POSTCARD FAIR

25^TH ANNIVERSARY

SATURDAY 19^TH SEPTEMBER 2015

ST. ANDREWS HALL

Design by

JOHN PULLMAN

(With acknowledgements to George Barbier)

Published by

OVERDALE CARDS, SUDBURY, SUFFOLK

Ref: OC23

Limited Edition of 550 cards

I do like the designs that John Pullman has done for the postcard fairs to the North of me, as published by Overdale Cards. They remind of the postcards that were produced in the 1980’s, and this is a good thing as I really liked and collected the postcard fair postcards of that era.

09/07/2019

TEN INCH BIRDS

DETAIL OF A TILE BY WILLIAM DE MORGAN (1839 – 1917)

Published by

THE BRITISH MUSEUM

Another of the postcards I picked up on my most recent visit to the British Museum a week or two ago. This is the type of postcard that I would have loved as a kid when I was looking out for more unusual wildlife themed postcards for my young collection.

08/07/2019

NAGYKANIZSA

Photographs by

TULOK FERENC

Published by

KEPZOMUVESZETI KIADO, BUDAPEST

Nagykanizsa is a medium-sized city in Zala County in southwestern Hungary. At first glance this looks like a simple tourist multi-view postcard, but with this particular issue there is an interesting philatelic aspect to the reverse side.

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

This postcard is in fact an official postal stationery post card with a blue pre-printed 3Ft MAGYAR POSTA (Hungary) map (of Hungary) postage paid marker (stamp). The addition of this type of pre-paid stationery aspect is of interest to me. This card here was just 25p, I found it in a dealer’s cheap box.

08/07/2019

GEORGE TOWN

Photograph by

JESSIE D’ALEJO

Published by

CARIBBEAN CARDS

Ref: GT-7

The joy of travel is being able to pick up postcards from different parts of the world. I like to travel and last year I got to visit the Caribbean for the first time. One of my stops was George Town on Grand Cayman where I bought this postcard, for three reasons as it happens.

1 – I walked down this very street and visited a superb stamp shop located in the orange 9more yellow possibly) and white building that can be seen in the centre of this photograph

2 – I love post boxes and there is a nice unusual blue coloured one bottom right, which I also saw.

3 – The sky on this great photograph looks like its about to storm down with rain, and when we were on the island there was an amazing storm with the sky in the distance turning near black. Fortunately for us we had returned to our cruise ship and we were in our room looking out when the skies opened-up and the rain poured down. So, looking at this card reminds me of that storm and of a great day.

Also, of course, the card makes a great souvenir of my visit to this town and island.

PHOTOGRAPH

7^TH AUGUST 2018

This is my personal photograph of the blue coloured post box which can be seen in the above postcard image. Look at the dark colour of the sky in the top left of the photograph, that was the start of one hell of a storm brewing up.

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

This reverse side layout is quite nicely laid out with a text section which gives some interesting details about the island.

GEORGE TOWN,

CAYMAN ISLANDS

Photographs by

JESSIE D’ALEJO

Published by

CARIBBEAN CARDS

Ref: GT-8

This nice multi-view postcard has three main images plus one of a Cockerel bottom right. The cockerel is not that unusual because we saw several of these on the street as we walked along it. I even saw one in a bar, so clearly these are like a known iconic aspect of the street and town.

Also, you again have the orange (or possibly yellow) and white building in the main photograph and as mentioned above this has a superb stamp shop on the top floor where I managed to buy some superb philatelic postcards (some of which have already been posted on the webpage). I bought this postcard in the same shop as the one above, and it is clear from the reference numbers that they do go together. It also made for another great souvenir card.

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

Similar in basic design to the above postcard, but this one has a lot less descriptive text on it.

08/07/2019

GREAT CHIEFS

OF THE

AMERICAN WEST

Published by

DONTOM Inc

MANITOU SPRINGS, CO (Colorado)

This is a large A5 sized postcard which I bought in America last year whilst I was travelling across the country by train. I was surprised how few Native American themed postcards I came across, and then the one I did find were mostly in Colorado and nowhere else.

This was a very large postcard which I found in a trading post which sold lots of native American artefacts, some a bit naff, but many which looked fascinating and traditional. This trading post store was my best source of postcards related to what as a child I knew as ‘Red Indians’, but which we now far more appropriately and properly call Native Americans.

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

08/07/2019

THE HOUSE’S OF HOGWARTS

Designs by

LAURA CROW

published by

LAURA CROW

HUFFLEPUFF

SLYTHERIN

GRYFFINDOR

RAVENCLAW

Laura Crow was one of the artists I met at the last MCM Comic-Con event at the NEC Birmingham. I have already shown some of her unusual designs on the webpage before, but these Harry Potter designs are also a nice addition to my collection. Laura kindly signed the front of the Gryffindor card for me (bottom right corner – the Gryffindor card is the one with the lion on it if you are not a Potter fan). Laura then signed the other three cards on the reverse side, so all of mine do have her signature on them (something which I like to do when I meet these artists).

This one here has the Badger animal logo of the house of Hufflepuff

SLYTHERIN

Boo, Hiss…. It’s the bad house of the school as represented by the snake.

CONTACT DETAILS FOR LAURA CROW

These were on a piece of paper that Laura gave me, the signature is from the reverse side of one of the cards. I do not know if Laura sends out cards upon request and payment, but it may be worth getting in contact with her and seeing if you can place an order. Her cards are worth it.

08/07/2019

DANGER, WILL ROBINSON!

THE CURIOUSLY STRONG MINTS

“ROBOT”

(ALTOIDS, by CALLARD & BOWSER)

Published by

MAX RACKS

Free American Rack Card Publisher

This is a postcard which I have been aware of for some time now. It is an American free rack postcard which I first came across on eBay. The depicted robot is from the TV series ‘LOST IN SPACE’ from the 1960’s, a programme I was quite fond of as a young kid. So, when I saw this card I wanted it, but, there was no way I was going to pay the eBay price being asked, which is now $9.99 plus $14.25 postage and packing (That’s £7.93 and £11.32, a total of £19.25!), believe it or not but this has gone down in price over the year or more I have been watching this ‘Buy it Now’ eBay offer.

So, I am sure you can imagine my delight when I came across this card at the last Woking Postcard Fair. It cost me the huge price of 50p. This is one of the reasons why I still enjoy visiting postcard fairs and why I recommend doing so to other collectors when I meet them.

PHOTOGRAPH

This is the eBay entry for this card which is still running although I have now stopped watching it. I think eBay is a great source of both old and modern postcards, but I always add the proviso that it is best to enter this world as a buyer only once you have some knowledge of postcard values behind you. Not every price on eBay is a good one and I think this is a good example – remember that I am a dedicated collector of TV related postcards and I did not buy this eBay offer this despite loving the card.

07/07/2019

DISCOVER THE TIN COAST

LEVANT MINE ON THE TIN COAST

Published by the

NATIONAL TRUST

Good quality free postcards are always a bargain, and this is a nice one which reminds me of a holiday in Cornwall my family had when I was young. Me and my brother loved exploring this bit of coastline and seeing and getting up close to the old tin mine structures. This postcard was picked up for me by my oldest son and his family whilst they were on holiday recently in this area. The photograph on the front is lovely, but I almost like the back of this card as much.

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

07/07/2019

THE BENEDICTINE PRIORY OF ST MARY

BINHAM, NORFOLK

“as it might have looked before the Dissolution in 1539. The nave, dedicated to the Holy Cross, was used as the Parish Church, as it is today”

Published by

BINHAM PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL

Printed by

WITLEY PRESS, NORFOLK

I visited here recently on my second trip. I posted previously, after last years visit, the postcards I found on sale when I visited this priory and its ruins – see the post dated 27/06/2018 [under the tab JUNE BLOGS 2018 and then the sub-tab JUNE 2018 BLOG 7, towards the bottom of the page ] – this previous post contains some photographs I took as well and these show how most of what you can see illustrated here in this piece of artwork is now in ruins. Last year this postcard was not on sale, so I assume it is a new(ish) issue. I liked the card and bought a copy, my only new card from here this year. I then saw that the picture was also mounted on the church wall, so I got Jo to take the below photograph.

PHOTOGRAPH

Taken 23/06/2019

This was taken at the end of what had been a long day, so excuse how rough I look. Lots of travel on a hot summer day can make you look like this…. Apparently (he laughs)

NON-POSTCARD ITEM

Information leaflet for the location. If you want to pay a visit this gives you the location and postcode and some details about guided tours (not really needed, but you might like more information on your visit, but we had a priest with us who knew a lot about the building and its structures).     

07/07/2019

BLUE GIANT SUPREME

By

ISHIZUKA SHIN’ICHI

Unknown Publisher

(But I found this in a wall mounted free postcard rack in a Pub in Charring Cross Road, London)

Advertising Promotional Postcard for the

BRITISH MUSEUM

‘MANGA’ EXHIBITION

23 MAY – 26 AUGUST 2019

On the day that I had visited the British Museum and bought some postcards related to the ‘Manga’ exhibition I later found myself in my favourite area of London, the street around Charring Cross Road. There is a pub here which still has a wall mounted free advertising postcard rack. Most cards these days are double sided information cards rather than true postcards, but I did find this one. I thought it a bit coincidental considering where I had been only a couple of hours earlier! It is also a nice card.

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

06/07/2019

THUNDERBIRDS

Unknown Publisher

Plain Backed – Believed to be an Official Contemporary Promotional Card

I am an enthusiastic collector of television themed postcards and cards. It is probably my largest and greatest collection (and the theme upon which I am most knowledgeable). I have been through hundreds of dealer’s TV boxes and albums and I regularly check eBay and other auction sites for related TV postcards. These days, with the exception of new issues, I rarely come across postcards I have not been aware of, or much from the 1960’s and 1970’s which I was either unaware of or which I have not seen in another collection or on eBay priced too highly. At the last Canterbury fair I came across this plain backed card. I think it is superb and one I have not previously seen anywhere. It was expensive, but I suspect that I may never see another copy. Obviously, I bought it, but I think a dedicated ‘Thunderbirds’ collector, not a postcard collector but someone who collects all old Thunderbirds memorabilia, would be happy to pay even more than I did for a piece of TV history like this. On eBay this could reach a nice sum in auction (£20 - £35, or more).        

06/07/2019

“BIRDS OF PREY”

ROYAL MAIL PHQ STAMP CARD SET

PHQ Set 455

(postcards that reproduce the Royal Mail’s stamp releases)

Stamps issued – 4^TH April 2019

(As always, I have my copies used with the appropriate stamp applied to the front of the card and cancelled first day of issue with a special hand stamp)

Published by

ROYAL MAIL

As a lover of animal and wildlife themed postcards since the very start of my collecting, this series was always going to highly appeal. I think the captured images are superb and all the images are taken from photographs taken by Tim Flach.  

WHITE TAILED EAGLE

 Published by

ROYAL MAIL

Ref: PHQ 455 (1)

MERLIN

Published by

ROYAL MAIL

Ref: PHQ 455 (2)

HOBBY

Published by

ROYAL MAIL

Ref: PHQ 455 (3)

BUZZARD

Published by

ROYAL MAIL

Ref: PHQ 455 (4)

One of the most common of birds of prey in the UK, the Kestrel might just beat it in numbers. I see lots of these when I drive across the UK anywhere.

GOLDEN EAGLE

Published by

ROYAL MAIL

Ref: PHQ 455 (5)

KESTREL

Published by

ROYAL MAIL

Ref: PHQ 455 (6)

GOSHAWK

Published by

ROYAL MAIL

Ref: PHQ 455 (7)

SPARROWHAWK

Published by

ROYAL MAIL

Ref: PHQ 455 (8)

I was once birdwatching in an open bird hide in my local bird reserve on the coast at Leigh on Sea and was resting my head on my arms on the edge of the hide when a sparrowhawk flew in from behind me and landed on the ledge right beside my head. It stayed there for a few seconds, took a sideways look at me and then flew forward.

RED KITE

Published by

ROYAL MAIL

Ref: PHQ 455 (9)

When I drive to Birmingham for events at the NEC I always see plenty of these flying over the fields either side of the motorway. This is a joy for me because when I first started out birdwatching these birds of prey were extremely rare. They have made a great recovery and now many people see them.

PEREGRINE FALCON

Published by

ROYAL MAIL

Ref: PHQ 455 (10)

As you will have seen these images alternate between a head shot of a bird and a full flying image. Each of these is superbly executed, great images, great stamps and one of the best issues of this year so far.