Sunday Stamps 21: British Polar Explorers

As regular readers will know, occasionally I deviate from the postcard theme on this blog and sometimes blog about related topics - today is one of those days. It's been a few weeks since I've taken part in Sunday Stamps, but having managed to strain my back all the gardening I planned to do this weekend has been put on hold, so I now have more time for blogging. This week's prompt was to 'share anyone honoured by a stamp'. I had a quick scan through my First Day Cover collection and decided upon this one, 'British Polar Explorers', from 1972.

From top left, moving clockwise, they are ...

James Clarke Ross (1800 - 1862)

Martin Frobisher (1535 - 1594)

Robert Falcon Scott (1869 - 1912)

Henry Hudson (1560 - 1611)

Check out my web site for vintage postcards and vintage magazines

    

Theme Thursday: Cloud

For this week's Theme Thursday, 'cloud', I was able to find quite a selection of images, in fact I was spoilt for choice, but have selected a couple of my favourites.

Clouds and Sunshine

Thunder Cloud - Robin Hood Bay, Yorkshire

Sunset - Beachy Head, Sussex

    

As usual, more vintage postcards can be found on my web site

Sepia Saturday 76: cats

Good post again this week Alan, lots for the Sepia Saturday themers to play with. Of all the possibilities liked to your post, I've chosen cats, mainly because the items I had related to the other possible themes all seemed not to be sepia enough. Also, I am a cat-person, and this postcard reminds me of when our 2 cats were newly arrived kittens, with that permanent look of surprise on their faces.

A Happy Family, real photographic vintage postcard published by Wildt and Kray, c.1930

100's more vintage postcards on my web site

    

Cambridge University

Not wanting Cambridge University to feel left out after my post last week about Oxford University, I've decided to share a few vintage postcards of the insides of some of the Cambridge colleges. I have posted about Cambridge colleges before but don't think I included these ones.

Cambridge, St. John's College library, published by Frith

Cambridge University Library

Cambridge, Kings College chapel

More vintage postcards on my web site

    

Vintage postcards of war memorials

Following on from Beth's post on Armed Forces Day for Postcard Friendship Friday #54, I have found a handful of war memorial postcards in my collection to continue with the theme.

Folkestone, Kent - War Memorial

Leicester - War Memorial

Brighton, Sussex - War Memorial

Scarborough, Yorkshire - War Memorial

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

Sepia Saturday 75: Oxford University

Having quite a few vintage postcards of Oxford, I was able to be a "themer" again this week on Sepia Saturday, and was almost spoilt for choice as to which ones to include, so I've taken another detail from the theme ... inside at Oxford University colleges. The only thing missing from my postcards is people, which is a bit of a shame as the images look a little sterile.

Oxford, Oriel College library, published by Frith

Oxford, Magdalen College cloisters, published by Penrose and Palmer

Oxford, Jesus College, dining hall, published by Frith

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

    

Vintage postcards by the artist A.R.Quinton

One of my favourite postcard artists is A.R.Quinton (1853–1934). Alfred Robert Quinton was an English watercolour artist who mainly painted British landscapes and villages. Hundreds of his works were published as postcards by J.Salmon. It's been a while since I've come across any but was delighted last weekend when I came by a small treasure trove of them. Here are a few of my favourites.

Corfe Castle, Dorset, number 2263

Derwentwater, Friar's Crag, number 1498

Isle of Wight, Ventnor, Steephill Cove, number 1636, c.1928

Bexhill Parish Church, Kent, number 1110, c.1918

As usual, lots of vintage postcards on my web site, and a few A.R.Quinton postcards on my Salmon page

    

Vintage postcard of a rough sea, by artist Elmer Keene

I know I've blogged about vintage postcards of stormy seas in the past, but this one just-in tops all the others I have. The postcard was published by S.Hildesheimer and the artist is Elmer Keene. Unusually the postcard doesn't say where it is, but it looks like there may be some abbey ruin on the cliff in the background - does anyone have any ideas? It reminds me a little of Whitby on the east coast of the UK where Dracula landed. The postcard was posted in 1906.

As usual, 100's more vintage postcards can be found on my web site

Sepia Saturday 73: a Beard in Polperro

Whilst I don't have a vintage postcard showing a beard anywhere near as impressive as the one shared in this week's Sepia Saturday, I do have a beard to share. The postcard is of a street scene in the quaint Cornish coastal village of Polperro. The man sat on the steps is sporting a reasonably impressive beard. I spent a few summer holidays there as a friend had a family cottage there. It can get very busy in the summer, but out of season it's beautiful.

Vintage postcard of Polperro, Cornwall

As usual, more vintage postcards and vintage magazines on my web site

  

A selection of recently acquired artist drawn vintage postcards

I've just acquired another batch of vintage postcards to 'process'. I think I still have a bit of a backlog with the previous batch but there were a few in this latest find which I knew I'd have to share sooner rather than later. Other than the fact that the postcards are all artist drawn, there's no connection or theme. Each postcard has its own appeal, but I think may favourite one is probably the last one, Edinburgh Castle, and in particular the muted colours. I am however struggling with the name of the artist ... it looks like Raeburh but I can't be sure ... does anyone know?

Ightham Mote, Kent (published by J.Salmon from an original watercolour by Essenhigh Corke)

High Bridge, Lincoln (published by J.W.Ruddock from an original water-colour drawing by the artist C.W.Martyn)

Edinburgh Castle from the Grassmarket (by the artist A.Raeburh ???)

As always, 100's more vintage postcards and vintage magazines can be found on my web site