Sepia vintage postcards of storms

Having just returned from holiday I'm a bit out-of-sync with my various blog updates, but here's my contribution to the current Sepia Saturday blog. The theme is storms (in sepia) and it seems very appropriate here in the UK today where we are experiencing multiple seasons in a single day over a bank holiday weekend. Our attempts at post-holiday washing and car cleaning activities are being punctuated by heavy downpoors and blustery winds, although fortunately I did manage to hoover out the inside of the car ... a combination of sand, croissant crumbs and a few pine needles from last year's Christmas tree make an interesting cocktail in a car's carpet, and one almost impossible to ever get rid of completely.

Rough Seas, Hastings, Sussex - this is probably my favourite of the batch as it's the most dramatic, although I suspect perhaps the photographer's positioning has made this even more so.

Splash Point, Eastbourne, Sussex, c.1904 - slightly less dramatic that the first postcard, but I like the setting with the hotel in the background.

Storm at Blackpool, Lancashire - this one looks pretty ferocious and perhaps reminds us the incredible power nature holds over us.

100's more postcards like these can be found on my vintage postcards web site

Artist drawn vintage postcards of India

Hello again all. Well it's been over 2 weeks since my last proper blog update as I've been on the west coast of France on holiday. I did manage to "recycle" two old blog postings in my absence but having now unpacked and prized the bikes from the roof and back of the car, I'm now ready for a new update. Today's theme is India. I must admit I did think that I'd blogged about vintage postcards of India before, but on searching through my previous entries all I could find was the one on Tiger Hunting. All those I've included below are artist drawn, ofter from artists I've never come across elsewhere, e.g. W.Poole and F.G.Paxbury.

I think the two of Kashmir by F.G.Paxbury are probably my favourite of the batch, although the colours on all of them are stunning.

The Glen, Simla, India, by the artist W.Poole, published by Thacker, Spink & Co.

Jakko from Prospect, Simla, India, by the artist W.Poole, published by Thacker, Spink & Co.

Temple at Annandale, Simla, India, by the artist W.Poole, published by Thacker, Spink & Co.

Kashmir, the Tuckt of Sunaman, by the artist F.G.Paxbury, published by Raphael Tuck, number 7089.

Kashmir, the Lidder Valley, by the artist F.G.Paxbury, published by Raphael Tuck, number 7089.

A Bridge in Kashmir, by the artist Myers, published by the Zenith Press.

The Residency, Lucknow, India, oilette published by Raphael Tuck, number 7236.

As always, postcards like these are 100's of others can be found on my vintage postcards web site

Vintage postcards of ships and docks

Just a short blog update today as too many other things going on. I came across these 2 vintage postcards very recently and what struck me was that actually I don't have many others like these. Typically I tend to pick up topographical postcards, greeting postcards, and occasionally ones with people on them. I would guess Buccleuch Dock looks very different today and that following the decline of the Britsh shipping industry spent a period in a run-down condition and has been recently rennovated as a modern waterfront development. Anyone know?

I'm intrigued about the 2nd one as I can't seem to find out any information about the ship. I assume it's a cargo vessel of some sort as I can see no port holes suggesting it might be a passenger ship, are no suggestions of military use either. I think the writing on the face of the postcard says "W.A.R. Co 32-8" but do not know whether this relates to the ship company, ship class, or the postcard manufacturer. Again, does anyone know this?

Buccleuch Docks, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria

W.A.R. Co. 32-8, Goole Docks, Yorkshire

As always, 100's more vintage postcards on my vintage postcards web site

Sepia postcards of Oxford and Cambridge

This week's Sepia Saturday post covers the Colleges of Oxford and Cambridge Universities. I have 50 or so vintage postcards of these places but the sepia ones are probably my favourite. Oxford is only about an hour's drive from where we live and a great place to visit ... even more so as I am a huge fan of the Inspector Morse and the Lewis mysteries which were filmed in and around the various Oxford colleges.

Cambridge is more of a hike for us, and despite having relatives living close by, it's not a place we visit very much. Looking at these postcards again makes me think we should make more of an effort to go there again soon.

Oxford from Magdalen College Tower, published by Frith, number 26802

Christ Church, Oxford, published by the Oxford Times

Clare Bridge, Clare College, Cambridge, published by Frith, number 63635

Queen's College and Bridge, Cambridge, published by Photochrom, number 43815

100's more vintage postcards on my vintage postcards web site

Vintage postcards of Blackpool

Blackpool is one of those places which generated thousands of different postcards thanks to its popularity as a seaside resort, from Victorian times right through to today. Whilst many postcards from Blackpool are typical beach scenes, or of the famous Blackpool Tower or the Blackpool Ballroom, these two caught my eye as they are strikingly different than others I have seen. The colours are magnificent and remind me more of a vintage French advert for the Cote d'Azur than for Blackpool ... particularly the amazing colour of the sky. I imagine the promenades are considerably more busy today than when these were produced, but I like to think that perhaps that tram in the 2nd postcard is still running in some form or another.

Three Promenades, North Shore, Blackpool, c,1954, published by Valentine, number H5552

North Pier, Blackpool, c,1939

As always, 100's more vintage postcards on my vintage postcards web site

Vintage postcards of London

I must have well over 100 vintage postcards of London, but a new batch I found recently were slightly more interesting and different than most I have. The reason being is that most of my London postcards seem to be of the more common and well known places like Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, St James' Palace, etc., but this recent batch also included Greenwich Observatory, Waterloo Bridge and the Foreign Office.

Greenwich Observatory, London, c.1904, published by Charles Martin

... and on the back of the postcard, a short but sweet message which reads ...

Dear Kitty,
This is where we get correct time from.
Yours George.

Waterloo Bridge and Somerset House, London, c.1905, published by P.P & P. Co., Croydon

... and I though the back of this one was interesting too, although I'm finding it quite difficult to read what the 1st paragraph says. The 2nd paragrah is about the weather, "Hope you are having better weather than we are, we have had dreadful thunderstorms"; the third possibly reads "Mother & Edie are very queer sent E- home from school".

Foreign Office from St. James' Park, London, c.1913, publsihed by J.W.B. London

Message on the top of the card looks like it says "Yours to a blister. Poor old B".


I almost forgot that I also blogged about vintage postcards of London several months ago


As always, 100's of vintage postcards like these can be found on my vintage postcards web site

Happy Christmas Hearts

This is my first Guest Heart Thursday post - a vintage Christmas and New Year greetings postcard with angelic cherubs watering heart-shaped flowers. Admittedly slightly out of season but hope you all like it nevertheless.

See my web site for 100's more vintage postcards

Vintage postcards by Mabel Lucie Attwell

A bit of a departure from my normal vintage postcard blog posts today. I'm not normally a fan of comic postcards but thought these ones had a unique quality and innocence about them. They are all drawn by the artist Mabel Lucie Attwell, and published by Valentine some time in the 1950's.

Why be 'out' - an' 'on the go'
There's something to be said
You Know
For pussy cats - an' knitting!

Published by Valentine, number 1165, c.1956

Down in the forest
Something Stirred!

Published by Valentine, number 1865, c.1953

Thumbs up - an' don't
Let's look at the 'oles!

Published by Valentine, number 1161, c.1956

As always, postcards like these can be found on my vintage postcards web site

Sepia landscapes on vintage postcards

This week's Sepia Saturday post features landscapes rather than towns. I always find postcards published by Judges a little 'ordinary' compared to publishers like Raphael Tuck. They sometimes appear to lack depth and focus. Whether this is caused by the production methods at the time or just aging I'm not sure. However, I did select a handful of vintage postcards by Judges to share this week, and these ones seem to have scanned in ok, and infact I think the picture quality may have even been enhanced by the scanning process (or I may be imagining that).

The postcard of Rhossilli is easily may favourite for two reasons. Firstly as I love the view, and secondly I spnet a lot of time their in my youth on family holidays and then later as a student.

Rhossilli, Worm's Head, South Wales, published by Judges, number 12139

East Hill, Hastings, Sussex, Judges postcard, number 59

Whitby evening, Yorkshire, published by Judges, number 12857

Tor Hill, Glastonbury, Somerset, published by Judges, number 18239

As always, 100's of vintage postcards like these, and other assorted vintage items such as books and magazines, can be found on my vintage postcards web site