Miscellaneous Items

 

All collectors end up with unusual items in their collections, items other than that which they mainly collect but which relate to their collection in some way. I have a selection of signed photographs in my collection which I picked up alongside signed postcards. I have an interest in all things TV, FILM and Philatelic related, so I do have a mixed collection of ephemera. We love visiting Walt Disney World Florida, so I have some souvenirs from here. So, I have decided to place a few bits and pieces here. This will include some photographs I have taken which may have a 'postcard' connection. These could, and some will, be placed on the main webpage, but without some other connection there are some which probably belong here. 

 

 

DULL MEN'S CLUB CALENDAR 2021

 

I include this here because I make an appearance in this calendar - see below 

 

My appearance as 'February' inside the above calendar (Fame at last he says with much giggling!)

 

25/07/2020

 

FRANZ BRUNCH

Est. 2019 VIENNA

IMPERIAL RIDING SCHOOL

RENAISSANCE HOTEL, VIENNA

 

This quite large square shaped advert card was in the hotel we stayed in when we were in Vienna last year. The stamp like look of the main image appealed to me so a grabbed a copy as a souvenir. It is not a postcard, but I did think it would make an unusual addition to any one’s Austrian stamp collection, just as something different.

 

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE ADVERT CARD

 

Zeppelin 'Hindenburg' cover from 1936 signed by Captain Ernest A. Lehmann who would die from injuries sustained during the Hindenburg fire disaster in 1937.
 

 

12/04/2020

 

1960's BATMAN SCRAPBOOK  

 

I came across this old 1960’s Batman scrapbook on eBay. It was priced about right for an old Batman collectible item in used condition. I love Batman paper collectibles so thought I would pick it up (the price was OK). When it arrived, I discovered that it was a little microcosm of one person’s life in the late 1960’s. It had all sorts of stuff stuck down in it, including postcards, with some stuck in with photo-corners rather than glued down. There were also some theatre programmes, tickets and other little paper pieces the person clearly wanted to keep. The postcards are all 5p – 10p box material, but the catalogue value is not the point here, and anyway the Batman scrapbook itself is worth more than I paid for it, even well used as this copy is. For me there was added interest in the contents, which I think captured a little bit of history. This item crosses several collectible fields, but I still think the artwork on the front of this scrapbook is great.

The front page is depicted here along with just a few of the pages inside below (to give you an idea of the contents).    

 

 

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12/04/2020

 

AMERICAN DECORATIVE & COMMEMORATIVE VEHICLE LICENCE PLATES

 

The Americans only have their car official licence plate on display at the rear of the car (mostly, some places do require front and back plates, but not Florida). Therefore, there has built up an interest in decorative and commemorative plates that can applied to the front. This is a big collectible in America, even bigger in some states. In Florida I have seen an entire shop selling just vehicle plates of every colour and design. These are almost unknown in the UK, probably because we always need front and back official plates, but even as a collectible for wall mounting there is no interest.

So, this is an American thing. But, I have six of these, a 50th Anniversary of the Moon Landing one that Jo bought from Kennedy Space Centre for my Christmas present last year (depicted further down this page) and two Jurassic Park ones each of which came in a separate boxed collection of facsimile items. I bought both boxes for the exclusive postcards (one in one box and two in the second). The two vehicle licence plates were just a bonus. The other three which I have are depicted above.

1) DISNEY MGM STUDIOS – I came across this one at a UK antiques fair and was much surprised to do so. It was just £6 and although I do not collect these, and at the time only had one Jurassic Park one I knew it was a bargain. This park changed its name to Hollywood Studios in early 2008, so the MGM connection was lost which I think makes this an interesting collectible for all those, like myself who visited whilst it was still called Disney MGM Studios.

2) EPCOT 35 – The Epcot Disney theme park celebrated its 35th anniversary on the 1st October 2017. By pure luck we were in Disney World on holiday at that time so attended the specific celebration day. There were lots of 35th souvenirs on sale and I ended up with a pin, baseball cap and tee-shirt. I also ended up with this vehicle licence plate, then the third one I possessed.

3) WALT DISNEY WORLD 2017 – Now, I don’t know about you, but when I have one of something I tend to look around and see what others there are, whilst not in anyway fanatical about these plates they did spark a small interest (I didn’t want a big intrest to build up as in 2017 they were $12.99 before tax). So, I saw this ‘2017’ year special plate, which I probably might not have bought if it had not also used pretty much the same image as that on the 2017 special year postcard, which I had already bought. This kind of gave it a connection to the postcard so I bought it.    

I think I have now sparked an interest in these and when I go back to Florida, I suspect I will buy at least one more for my small collection.

 

 

10/04/2020

POSTCARD SALE PAPER BAG

BERLIN

 

I was given this one in Berlin in 2019 after buying some postcards in a tourist shop. With my love of Superhero postcards I had to keep this one, especially as the depicted 'Superman' type character (avoiding copyright here, just!) appears to be holding a postcard. 

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05/04/2020

NEW ZEALAND STAMP SHEET

NOSTALGIA

1999 MILLENNIUM SERIES (4TH ISSUE)

 

The bottom centre stamp in this sheet, the $1.50 value stamp (SG 2243), relates to the collecting and nostalgia of ‘Coins, Postcards and Stamps’. It is not often that picture postcards are depicted on stamps so this one caught my eye when I saw it. The full set of stamps depict:

40c – NOSTALGIA - TOYS - Toy Fire Engine, Childs Book and Marbles (SG 2239)

80c – NOSTALGIA – FOOD – Commemorative tin of biscuits and cereal packet (SG 2240)

$1 - NOSTALGIA – TRANSPORT – Tram Tickets, Old Photo of Tram and Railway Crockery (SG 2241)

$1.20 – NOSTALGIA – HOUSEHOLD – Radio, Clothing Pegs and ‘Women’s Weekly’ Magazine (SG 2242)

$1.50 – NOSTALGIA – COLLECTIBLES – Coins, Bank Notes, Old Postcards and stamps (SG 2243)

$1.80 – NOSTALGIA – GARDEN – Lawn Mower and Seed Packets (SG 2244)

I think this is a lovely stamp sheet and something different for my postcard themed collection.

 

 

02/04/2020

 

SOLDIER’S RELEASE BOOK

CLASS “A”

11 MAY 1946

For

R.T. CRUMP Army Number 2057356

 

I was given this unusual military release book with a collection of material collected by Mr Crump during World War II as he crossed Italy with the 8Th Army. I like military paper ephemera and I found this item fascinating. I also found a little postage pre-paid card attached inside with a gap beneath it where another card has been removed and I assume posted, possibly a requirement to obtain something. This book contains a lot of information.

 

FRONT COVER OF SOLDIER’S RELEASE BOOK

 

I do like the purple dated cachet that has been applied to the cover and which reads “LEAVE GIGARETTES & CHOCOLATE SUPPLIED”. These were very important and valuable commodities at the end of the war.

 

INSIDE PAGES OF ABOVE BOOK

 

Here you can see some nice cancellations applied to the page on the left which were applied to show payments had been made. These were post office cancels.

On the right side at the top you can see a small pre-paid card which could be detached and posted. The card below this was removed and I assumed posted.

 

 

INSIDE PAGES OF ABOVE BOOK

 

Here you can see the reverse side of the small attached card (top left)

 

 

INSIDE PAGES OF ABOVE BOOK

 

Expanded out here is the folded ‘INSTRUCTIONS TO RELEASED PERSON – MEDICAL TREATMENT AFTER LEAVING MILITARY DISPERSAL UNIT’ sheet.

 

 

INSIDE PAGES OF ABOVE BOOK

 

Behind the above Medical Treatment sheet is this fold out ‘RELEASE LEAVE CERTIFICATE’ which shows that Crump had been in the army since 24th August 1939, so he was in the army throughout World War II. His military conduct is shown as ‘Exemplary’. We also find out that he was a driver mechanic.

All-in-all this is an interesting item which I have enjoyed going through. It is also an item which must have gone out to thousands of soldiers at the end of the war, but I wonder how many have survived.

 

 

15/03/2020

 

PAPER BAG

French shop bag

 

A few years ago, I bought some great postcards in a town in central France and the shop keeper placed them in this paper bag. I thought the bag was so interesting that I have kept it. I have a small collection of what I call ‘postcard sales paper bags’, some of which are quite decorative.

 

07/03/2020

 

PHOTOGRAPH

UNIVERSAL STUDIOS – HARRY POTTER – DIAGON ALLEY

ORLANDO, FLORIDA

NOVEMBER 2019

 

DIAGON ALLEY POSTCARD PACK DISPLAY

 

I came across this superb display of postcard packs in a shop in the Diagon Alley. I was impressed in how they had stacked these so took a picture… what do you think?

 

07/03/2020

 

PHOTOGRAPH

UNIVERSAL STUDIOS ISLANDS OF ADVENTURE,

ORLANDO, FLORIDA

NOVEMBER 2019

 

ROCKET EXPRESS MAIL POSTBOX

 

This unusual piece is an actual post box which can be found inside the Universal Islands of Adventure theme park. I have never seen anyone post anything in it, but it does seem to be a proper fully functioning US Mail post box. It always raises a smile when I see it.

 

PHOTOGRAPH

BERLIN 2019

 

I took this photograph last year when I was in Berlin. Different versions of this bear statue can be found all over the city, but I was pleased to find this one outside a souvenir shop and beside a postcard spinner. 

 

04/03/2020

 

DISNEY PRINT

By Official Disney Artist

DAVID E. DOSS

 

In 2015 whilst Jo and I were in Walt Disney World we met the artist David E. Doss and we bought this superb print, which I clearly liked because the design includes a postcard. The artist kindly signed the print for us and added a little message.

 

In 2017 we met the artist again and forgetting that we already had this print we bought another one and again the artist signed it for us. So, now we have two, but I kind of like the pair and think I might keep them both  

 

23/01/2020

 

STAR WARS IDENTITIES

The Exhibition at the O2, LONDON

 

EXHIBITION BOOK AND LARGE SIZE PRINT

 

I visited this fantastic exhibition on the 6th May 2017 (the exhibition closed on the 3rd September 2017). For any Star Wars fan this was a must do exhibition and I loved it. I decided that I liked the look of the exhibition souvenir boxed hardback book. I became even more enamoured when I noted that this boxed book came with a large print of the Darth Vader exhibition artwork.

In this image the hardback book is on the right side and the print is on the left side (with the same artwork as appears on the cover of the book and the box that the book comes in)

 

 

THE INSIDE OF THE BOX

WITH THE LARGE PRINT ON THE RIGHT SIDE

 

On the left side you can see the band that went around the box holding it closed (I kept this and placed it inside my box) along with some promotional material that was available at the exhibition which I collected and keep in the box as well. There is also the receipt for the book which I keep to reminds me just how expensive this book was - £40 [YES! £40, but it is a great book – it kind of needed to be at this price – but also, as a fan it makes a great souvenir of my visit to the exhibition and it is a book which is now extremely hard to source and much more on the second hand market, so perhaps it was not such a bad buy at the price after all]

 

 

SIDE VIEW OF THE BOX

The Book and Print are contained within this special box

 

 

09/01/2020

 

APOLLO 11

50TH ANNIVERSARY COLLECTIBLES

 

Last year I covered the 50th anniversary of the Moon Landing and Apollo 11 with a countdown to the anniversary date with lots of postcards depicted on the main webpage and the addition of some of my mounted display sheets under a separate tab ‘MOON LANDING The Apollo Story’.

Last year I also got to visit the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, somewhere I enjoy walking around and taking the bus tour. There were some nice souvenirs available, but I was concentrating on the postcards, well the cheaper ones, so I missed out on buying the expensive 50th anniversary items, but, I am lucky enough to have a wife who was looking to buy me some interesting Christmas presents. She picked out some great items and on Christmas Day this is what I got:

  1. 50TH ANNIVERSARY licence plate (this is a great licence plate. I don’t collect these per-se because they just don’t have a following here in the UK, where you rarely see them. But I do have a couple of Jurassic Park related ones which came with collectible box sets which I bought for the postcards they contain [both have appeared on the main webpage], but I also have an Epcot anniversary special licence plate and an old Disney MGM one I came across at a collectors fair here in the UK, so I have a handful of these now)
  2. 50TH ANNIVERSARY cloth badge/patch. This is the Apollo 11 flight patch with an additional 50th anniversary component (I have one of the patches which is a copy of the original flight patch – you can see this in the mounted display section under the ‘MOON LANDING The Apollo Story’ tab – so it was nice to add this 50th anniversary version to my collection)
  3. 50TH ANNIVERSAY Metal Plate Postcard. I almost bought this myself, but it was very expensive $17+, so I had not bought a copy, but really, I did want it so I am delighted Jo got me one.

Only one of these items is a postcard, but they are all very collectible with what I expect is a short production period as I think they will not make any more now that 2019 has passed and we are outside of the 50th anniversary celebrations and commemorations.

 

 

02/01/2020

 

HELLO FOLKS!

SOTHEBY’S

ORIGINAL MICKEY FILM POSTERS

 

A4 Sized Advert Information Card

 

This was originally a free card, but I had to buy my copy from eBay, it cost me 99p. I love Disney related cards, and although this is not a postcard it is still a great ‘card’, and Disney themed collectible (I suspect the auction would have been fun as well as I love old Disney film posters and have many of them depicted on postcards in my collection)

 

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE CARD

 

29/12/2019

STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER

A4 POSTER CARDS

 

These large poster cards were given away to anyone ordering a Coca-Cola drink from the cinemas counter service. I saw the film on Christmas Eve and managed to pick up two of these large posters and I will be putting mine with my Star Wars postcard collection.    

 

 

29/12/2019

 

ROYAL MAIL

A4 PROMOTIONAL ADVERTISING POSTER

FOR THE 1994 STAMP ISSUE FOR THE

PICTORIAL POSTCARD CENTENARY

‘WELSH LANGUAGE VERSION’

 

There was a time when you saw these posters hung up in every post office, either on the counter or in the glass panes of the counter. During the 1980’s and 1990’s they were very prevalent, but despite still being produced you don’t see them so much. I have a number of these, mainly, but not exclusively, the stamp sets related to any aspect of Television.   

 

07/12/2019

 

THE FIRST MOON LANDING

Special Commemorative UK Cover

 

Used with the special ‘FIRST MAN ON THE MOON – 21 JUL 1969 – SOUTHAMPTON’ commemoration cancellation. A recent addition to my Apollo 11 themed collection. This was just £1 and worth every penny.

 

17/10/2019

 

ROYAL MAIL

LEST WE FORGET COMMEMORATIVE PACK

2008

 

This was a package which contained a large folded card item which when unfolded represents the shape of a cross. The inside pages of this cross contain the three World War 1 commemorative sheets relating individually to the battle of the Somme, Passchendaele and the Armistice, issued by Royal Mail. These sheets are mint. There are also three poppy art stamps stuck down to one of the pages and cancelled with an exclusive cancellation: THE GREAT WAR ARMISTICE – 11.11.11. – ROYAL MAIL LONDON SW1 – 11.11.08.

There was also one other item unique to this pack, and this was my reason for buying it, and this is a facsimile looking silk embroidered poppy postcard, but this ‘particular’ design is unique to this package’s postcard. The postcard is sleeved on the centre page of the unfolded cross. The below photographs show images of the contents of this page, limited to 5,000 copies.   

 

ROYAL MAIL

LEST WE FORGET COMMEMORATIVE PACK

2008

 

The outer red cover and the folded cross interior package

 

ROYAL MAIL

LEST WE FORGET COMMEMORATIVE PACK

2008

 

The central embroidered poppy postcard - a unique design exclusive to this pack. My copy is number 2124 of a limited edition of 5,000

 

ROYAL MAIL

LEST WE FORGET COMMEMORATIVE PACK

2008

 

One of the stamp sheets and the central postcard which has been removed to show the reverse side - this is a true postcard with a full printed postcard reverse.

 

ROYAL MAIL

LEST WE FORGET COMMEMORATIVE PACK

2008

 

The three poppy stamps with the special unique cancellation - only used in this pack

 

ROYAL MAIL

LEST WE FORGET COMMEMORATIVE PACK

2008

 

Information Page from pack - story behind the Embroidered postcards

 

17/10/2019

BANK OF GALLIFREY

100 POUND NOTE

DOCTOR WHO

 

There are a whole range of fantasy bank notes out there covering everything from cartoons characters, film characters and TV characters like this Dr Who one. This one is recent as it includes the new female doctor. These are quite cheap and make a good addition to a mixed ephemera collection.

 

 

24/09/2019

CABINET CARDS

CABINET CARD PHOTOGRAPHS

 

These larger, larger even than old postcard size, being 108mm x 165mm, Cabinet cards are a much larger version of the Carte De Visite’s that I previously posted below. In-fact these Cabinet cards displaced the Carte de Visite in popularity in the 1880’s. Originally they were both albumen prints attached to card although clearly here with the cabinet cards these were much larger. The cabinet cards also far more commonly had quite elaborate and detailed reverse sides, often adverts for the company, photographer or studio that produced the cabinet card in question. Although the carte de visite were used almost exclusively for portraiture these Cabinet Cards were initially used for landscape views before the format was adopted for portraiture.

Again, I like to hunt down more interesting reverse layouts, but I have even less of these than I have of the carte de visite type.

This one here was another weekend buy at Woking.

 

24/09/2019

CARTE DE VISITE’S

 

These were a type of small photograph which were patented in Paris by photographer Andre Adolphe Eugene Disderi in 1854. These were constructed by the simple method of taking a photograph (of a type called then an albumen print) and sticking, or mounting, this on a thicker piece of card. The photographs were normally 54mm x 89mm and they were mounted on a piece of card roughly 64mm x 100mm. These pre-date the postcard in their origin, but they continued well into the time of postcards and are in some way a lead in to the production of pictorial postcards as many of the photographic companies which produced these were the ones which went on to print local postcard scenes and to produce postcard portraits of singles (especially soldiers at the start of WW1), couple and families.

Many of these are plain backed, but a number were also produced with quite elaborate reverse designs and these are the ones that I like, although I only have a handful. Depicted here are a few which I picked up at the weekend Woking Fair. These were £2 each (but I got the six for £10).

 

Both these reverse sides make mention of the Dublin International Exhibition. So, these items would also be of interest to those who collect early Exhibition material.

 

These two backs are my favourite, with the camera one being the best I have in my collection, in my mind.

 

26/08/2019

SOUVENIR AND MINI-GUIDE

“GREETINGS FROM STAITHES”

Published by

J. SALMON LTD

Ref: 13 – 40 – 19 – 01

 

These mini-guides were published by the postcard publishing (at least until last year) company J. Salmon Ltd. Although not a post their connection with the company, and the fact that the two images used on this folded card are both postcard images, makes these a nice bit of connected ephemera.

 

 

THE INSIDE ‘INFORMATION’ PAGES OF THE

MINI-GUIDE

 

 

26/08/2019

PHOTOGRAPH

ANIMAL KINGDOM

WALT DISNEY WORLD

ORLANDO, FLORIDA

 

This photograph I took last year. This is in a shop in the Dinosaur area of the theme park. It is not a working phone but a piece of decoration (for those who know the Disney parks this is a piece of Disney Imagineering). I loved the way they placed postcard images around this wall mounted old phone.    

 

26/08/2019

PHOTOGRAPH

INFORMATION BOARD

Located on Pier 39

San Francisco

United States of America

 

Last year I had a holiday where I crossed America by train. My final stop was San Francisco, and like many tourists I visited Pier 39. Here I found this interesting information board, so I took this photograph.

 

26/08/2019

STAR WARS

RETURN OF THE JEDI

Hanging Mobile set

 

I got this at Comic Con. I cannot resist anything related to Star Wars, especially anything paper or card related. I came across this hanging display item on a stall for £5 and had to have it. The sign at the top is double sided, as are the space ships, and is at the top of the display. The two ships are an X-Wing and a Tie Fighter. This is unusual and I love it.

 

 

26/08/2019

LARGE PHOTOGRAPH

SUPERMAN

(SUPERMAN RETURNS)

Autographed on the front by the actor

BRANDON ROUTH

 

I had the pleasure of meeting Brandon earlier this year at a Comic-Con event. Brandon is perhaps best remembered for playing Superman in ‘Superman Returns’.

You may notice that we have the same surname. After a very brief discussion it became clear that we are related. We took a few photographs and I got this signed and dedicated photograph for my collection. Its not a postcard, but then if you are a collector then you always end up with items of ephemera other than those which fit into your main collection

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© Mark Routh