17/10/2020

RHODES GREECE

Novelty WOODEN POSTCARD

Handmade by EPSILON ESTATE / #250

Made and Published by

EPSILON ESTATE

This image has been placed on a thick piece of wood, at least 5mm, if not a little more. This was posted from Rhodes some time in early August when my eldest son and his family fitted in a quick holiday post the initial lockdown (they flew back on the 11^th, so this was posted before that date). So, this was posted in early August, but it did not arrive here, in sunny UK, until early October! Nearly two months! I suppose considering everything I should not be too surprised as many of the mail delivery systems have been delayed because of the pandemic problems. All that being said, this is a cracking addition to my ‘Novelty’ postcard collection.

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

16/10/2010

CHINA – COVID-19

DISINFECTED MAIL LABELS

On Postcards

(Part 2)

I have obtained a selection of postcards posted in China during the earlier days of the Pandemic in China. One particular-type of label was a coloured oval with a small image in it. These were mostly used on items which were posted by collectors and Chinese dealers, but despite a range of items of mail being produced to receive these labels they are expensive and over time have become harder to source.

With these posts I depict the front of the card, and sometimes I have more than one example of a card used with different labels. When this happens, I will show one front image and then the range of reverse sides of this type of card. Unfortunately, I do not have details of what the front of these postcards depict or what the text (sometimes mostly text) means, so you will just get an image (sorry, but then I bought these for the labels on the reverse side).   

So, here are some of these:

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This one also has a great caged coronavirus chop (cachet) applied as well

Quite scarce strip of three mint disinfected mail labels and a strip of three cancelled with red chop disinfected mail labels. Obviously not postcards, but it is always nice to add something different to your collection as an aside to the main postcards. 

16/10/2020

STAMP COLLECTOR MAGAZINE

October 2020 Issue

FREE POSTCARDS

The October issue of Stamp Collector magazine came with five free postcards. These were obviously all stamp related and depict ‘very-expensive’, and highly collectible items. I am not going to write all of these up as they have descriptions on the reverse sides, which I will show these in blocks to allow you to read what is depicted. These cards follow on from previous free postcards in the same format.

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PHOTOGRAPH

The magazine with the free postcards

16/10/2020

RESPECT FROM A POSTCROSSER

TO ALL HEALTH WORKERS

‘CANADA’

Concept by

POSTCARDBAZAAR

Official ‘Postcrossing’ Postcard

This design, with different colouring and the appropriate flag can be found for all sorts of countries around the world. I have been trying to put together a collection of these which has been helped by contacts around the world sending me a card from their country. This one is from a ‘fairly-new’ friend called Jean with whom I have been exchanging information on covid-19 material.

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

Nicely used with three Canada landscape stamps. Always nice to get the card posted from the country in question.

RESPECT FROM A POSTCROSSER

TO ALL HEALTH WORKERS

‘UNITED STATES’

Concept by

POSTCARDBAZAAR

Official ‘Postcrossing’ Postcard

This is a general ‘United States’ version of this release, but I am aware that there are also cards for each individual state, which means you could build up quite a collection of these. This one was sent in an exchange I did with Heidi, who originally offered to send me this card without accepting anything in exchange, but I thought it only fair to send her one of my own ‘Lockdown’ postcards. So, thankyou Heidi for adding another Covid-19 related card to my ongoing collection.

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

I do like the fact that Heidi has put some thought into the stamps which have been used here. The innovation stamp is from one of the current sets on sale, but the other two have a direct link to our current Pandemic situation and the health care workers theme of the postcard.

14/10/2020

TWO GIRLS KISSING

DESIGN BY

GREGORY GILBERT-LODGE

Taken from Postcard by

FL@33.

Published September 2008

I saw this postcard on a dealer’s stall at the Canterbury Postcard Fair I attended on this past Saturday. The image really appealed to the eye. Sometimes when I look at a postcard, and there is no logic as to what type of image causes this, something sparks in me and I ‘have’ to have the card. When this happens, I normally then have-to worry about the price of the card, but with this one here this was not an issue because I was looking through a ‘25p’ box. At that price it was a no-brainer.

14/10/2020

STOP CORONAVIRUS

STAY HOME – STAY SAFE

Concept and Design by

CHAITANYA JOGDEO

Probably Published by the Designer

Limited numbered edition of 100 only

(This card is number 26)

Produced and released in India this is a great Covid-19 related postcard. This is a nicely designed and drawn postcard which is hard to source because of the low number issue for this release. As an aside, and totally off topic, is it me or does the female with the long black hair near the centre look like the American actress Megan Fox?

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

This has been used to receive a special ‘POSTAL WARRIORS – COVID-19’ pictorial cancellation dated 5^th August 2020. The way this has been set up is very appealing to the eye and adds even more interest to this postcard.

12/10/2020

UNDERSEA ADVENTURE

THE LIVING SEAS

Opening during Phase II of EPCOT CENTER in 1983,

Will reveal the wonders of our aquatic frontier at

“Sea Base Alpha”, a working research station

Published by

WALT DISNEY PRODUCTIONS

(WALT DISNEY WORLD)

1981

Ref: 0100-50072

I have heard people say that visiting postcard fairs is a waste of time as you can get almost anything these days online from shops, dealers and auction sites like eBay and Delcampe, but I disagree with this premise, and for a very good reason, one more than adequately explained with this postcard here which I picked up from this past weekend’s Canterbury fair. I found this on the stall next to ours (under the heading ‘DIVING & DIVERS’!). The dealer is a friend of ours and although priced at £1.50 he only asked for 75p, but as I had a pound coin, I just handed that over and did not bother with the change. The reason why I was more than happy with the price is the fact that I have never physically handled or seen a copy of this postcard (and this is one of my specialised themes – Disney theme parks). It was released before the opening of the Epcot theme Park in Walt Disney World, Florida. It is a scarce, or even rare postcard. Only one copy has appeared on eBay during any of my searches. This one is still for sale as the asking price is over the top, way over the top as it happens as you can see below, but the high price being asked is indicative of how hard it is to source a copy of this card. Personally, I would place its value nearer to the £10 to £20 price range, depending on condition (and the copy I obtained here is excellent). A £1? A real bargain, and that is why it is worth going to postcard fairs.    

PHOTOGRAPH

Current eBay offering for a copy of this postcard

The price, as mentioned above, is just too much, it is certainly too much for a postcard collector, but is it too much for a Disney memorabilia collector? Take this price with a huge pinch of salt, but understand that the seller can only ask this high a price because of how difficult it is to get your hands on one of these, I know, because I doubted I was ever going to see one for real, but I was extremely lucky, well lucky mixed in with my approach to looking through dealers stock, and I sourced one (rather unusually here in the UK). Never give up, but also, never pay extremely over the odds either (and you can only avoid this by looking at auction site prices, dealer’s prices, prices at postcard fairs and checking out any books and catalogues. It takes time but as with any collectible it is worth the extra effort)

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

12/10/2020

“A WOMAN FROM ORCHARD BANK IGNORED THE

QUARANTINE AND FLED TO TIDESWELL.

SHE WAS RECOGNISED AT THE MARKET AND CHASED BACK TO EYAM

BY ANGRY VILLAGERS”

From a painting by

JAMES FORD

Printed by

PETER PEDLEY POSTCARDS, GLOSSOP, DERBYSHIRE

Published by

EYAM MUSEUM

HAWKHILL ROAD, EYAM

Ref: PP764

I found this postcard whilst sorting through a box in storage. It shows a scene from the bubonic plague of the 1600’s, which I thought was an appropriate image really because of the depiction of a woman breaking a quarantine.

Eyam is a small village in Derbyshire in which the entire village made the decision to quarantine itself because of a death from bubonic plague within their village. The plague arrived in the village with a delivery of cloth from London where the plague had already killed thousands (see below postcard). The cloth contained fleas which carried the plague. The villages tailor was therefore the first casualty. On the 24^th June 1666 the parishioners of the village met and agreed to quarantine the village and allow nobody in and nobody out. In just over a year 260 of the inhabitants of the village died from the plague, and this was from just 76 different families, and this was at least one third of the villages population, but their resolution remained and the quarantine was kept (mostly, although as shown here on this postcard, one or two did try and escape the village). Known as the village of the damned the story of the plague village of Eyam is well known locally and the names of those who died are listed on plaques outside the houses they resided in, and in which many died.

What a great postcard for our current times.    

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

“A COACH LEAVING FROM THE PLAGUE STRICKEN LONDON,

WITH CLOTHING ON BOARD FOR THE EYAM TAILOR”.

Part of the mural in Eyam Museum

From a painting by

JAMES FORD

Printed by

PETER PEDLEY POSTCARDS, GLOSSOP, DERBYSHIRE

Published by

EYAM MUSEUM

HAWKHILL ROAD, EYAM

Ref: PP749

Companion postcard that goes really well with the one depicted above. This one shows the source of the plague which appeared in the village of Eyam.    

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

I love the little rat at the bottom

12/10/2020

150 YEARS OF POSTCARDS

WORLD POSTCARD DAY

1^ST OCTOBER 2020

Design by

INGRAPHICA DESIGNS

Published by

POSTCROSSING

This is a great postcard that I received through the post from Heidi Belinsky all the way from America. Any postcard that celebrates the long history of the postcard is always a joy to receive. There are also a couple of nice ‘INNOVATION’ US postage stamps used on this card (and I like to collect different stamps used on cards).

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

09/10/2020

INTERNATIONAL POSTCARD ASSOCIATION, INC

Printed by

MITCHELL COLOR CARDS, MICHAGAN

Published by

IPA (International Postcard Association)

Ref: Card No. 1

The IPA was a non-profit private organization founded December 29^th, 1987. They issued a selection of postcards during the late 1980’s and early 1990’s and some have become quite collectible, including this first one. You will have to bare with me posting postcard fair and organisation themed postcards at the moment but as already stated we are heading off to our first post lockdown postcard fair in the morning. It will be interesting to see how the fair goes, what ever happens it will be nice to see the other dealers and perhaps get a couple of items for my collection.

08/10/2020

WE’RE ON A PILGRAMAGE TO:

4^TH ANNUAL

CANTERBURY POSTCARD FAIR

SATURDAY 7^TH SEPTEMBER (1985)

Published by the

CANTERBURY AND EAST KENT POSTCARD CLUB

This Saturday, just two days away, we will be attending our first ‘post lockdown’ postcard fair and it is being held in Canterbury. This postcard here was for a postcard fair held here in 1985, now 35 years ago! It was then run by the local postcard club, sadly now long gone (whilst they were still running, I gave several displays to the club). I liked this postcard a lot when I saw it advertised and I bought a few copies which I have recently dug out.

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

A few copies of this card were available cancelled with the fair dates Canterbury, Kent large single ring date stamp – dated 7^th September 1985. These were reasonably priced, so I bought a few copies. This one here is from my collection but I shall be taking a couple along to this Saturday’s fair in amongst my modern postcard stock.

06/10/2020

PLAIN BACKED COVID-19 THEMED CARD

Unknown Publisher

This has a lovely front image, but I admit that I bought this for the reverse side usage – see below

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE CARD

This was posted from Macau to China on the 14^th May 2020 using a red meter paid postage mark. It has received the red Anti-Covid-19 cachet depicting a doctor holding up a shield against coronavirus bugs. Upon arrival in China the card had a special green coloured ‘Disinfected Mail’ sticker applied. The combination of Macau cachet and disinfected sticker is very collectible and valuable which makes this a great piece for my Covid collection    

BASILICA DE NTRA. SRA. DE BEGONA, BILBAO

Published by

BIZKAIKO AURREZKA

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE CARD

This was also posted from Macau to China on the 14^th May 2020 using a red meter paid postage mark. It has received the same red Anti-Covid-19 cachet depicting a doctor holding up a shield against coronavirus bugs. Upon arrival in China the card had a different ‘Disinfected Mail’ sticker applied. This disinfected label depicts the coronavirus holding its hands up in surrender. This is another nice used item with a great Cinderella label attached.

06/10/2020

ANDERS & ANDERS

ANDERS LUND MADSEN OG ANDERS BREINHOLT

GRATIS PA BLOCKBUSTER.DK/ANDERS

“Anders Lund Madsen and Anders Breinholt

Free at BLOCKBUSTER.DK/Anders”

Published by

GRATIS KORT

FREE CARD

Ref: kortnummer #5630

Anders & Anders are, I believe, from Denmark and I have found their facebook page which is linked to their podcasts, which seems to be what they are currently best known for, but I do wonder if they had a link through a possible radio career (which may still be the case).

My interest in this postcard is the mention of the now long gone ‘BLOCKBUSTER’ chain and the colour logo for the company which appears on the reverse side. There is still an empty Blockbuster store with all its external signs still in place here in my hometown (I wonder if it will ever be bought by another company and the store opened-up as something new!).

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

Here you can see the BLOCKBUSTER company logo along the bottom. Finding any postcards which mention or display this now finished company logo is not easy.

05/10/2020

“QUEEN”

ROYAL MAIL PHQ STAMP CARD SET

PHQ Set 473

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

Stamps issued – 9^TH July 2020

(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

QUEEN II

1^ST CLASS STAMP

Published by

Royal mail

Ref: PHQ 473 (1)

Following on from their Pink Floyd, Bowie and Elton John sets Royal Mail have this year released a set depicting Queen album covers. This set has been extremely popular, as I suspected, and Royal Mail issued a wide range of collectible stamp related items with connected with this set.

You will have to excuse my glut of these PHQ Stamp Cards over the last two days, but I am trying to catch up with these (and to be fair, there have been some really good ones amongst these)

QUEEN

SHEER HEART ATTACK

1^ST CLASS STAMP

Published by

Royal mail

Ref: PHQ 473 (2)

QUEEN

A NIGHT AT THE OPERA

1^ST CLASS STAMP

Published by

Royal mail

Ref: PHQ 473 (3)

There was also ‘A Day At The Races’ which had a similar looking cover design, but that one is not included in this stamp set.

QUEEN

NEWS OF THE WORLD

1^ST CLASS STAMP

Published by

Royal mail

Ref: PHQ 473 (4)

QUEEN

THE GAME

£1.63 STAMP

Published by

Royal mail

Ref: PHQ 473 (5)

QUEEN

GREATEST HITS

£1.63 STAMP

Published by

Royal mail

Ref: PHQ 473 (6)

Everybody I knew had this album.

QUEEN

THE WORKS

£1.63 STAMP

Published by

Royal mail

Ref: PHQ 473 (7)

QUEEN

INNUENDO

£1.63 STAMP

Published by

Royal mail

Ref: PHQ 473 (8)

QUEEN LIVE

MINIATURE SHEET STAMP

‘MAGIC TOUR’, 1986

FREDDIE MERCURY

1^ST CLASS STAMP

Published by

Royal mail

Ref: PHQ 473 (9)

I have liked Queen for many years after being introduced to their music by two of my friends who could only be described as fanatics. As I result of this, I had the great pleasure of going to one of the Magic Tour concerts at Wembley Stadium in 1986. What a concert.

QUEEN LIVE

MINIATURE SHEET STAMP

‘HYDE PARK CONCERT’, 1976

ROGER TAYLOR

1^ST CLASS STAMP

Published by

Royal mail

Ref: PHQ 473 (10)

QUEEN LIVE

MINIATURE SHEET STAMP

BAND PORTRAIT

1^ST CLASS STAMP

Published by

Royal mail

Ref: PHQ 473 (11)

This different format smaller stamp appears in the centre of the stamp sheet (see images further down). Text on the reverse side seems to indicate that this image is from 1974.

QUEEN LIVE

MINIATURE SHEET STAMP

‘A NIGHT AT THE OPERA TOUR’, 1975

JOHN DEACON

£1.63 STAMP

Published by

Royal mail

Ref: PHQ 473 (12)

QUEEN LIVE

MINIATURE SHEET STAMP

‘MAGIC TOUR’, 1986

BRIAN MAY

£1.63 STAMP

Published by

Royal mail

Ref: PHQ 473 (13)

QUEEN LIVE

FULL MINIATURE SHEET

Published by

Royal mail

Ref: PHQ 473 (14)

Another long stamp sheet which required two copies of the card to have a complete sheet attached and cancelled across them.  

TOP

Left side of sheet

BOTTOM

Right side of sheet