Vintage postcard of rough sea, Porthcawl, by artist E.W.Trick

A short post today, but I couldn't wait to share this recent find any longer. I've only ever come across a couple of E.W.Trick postcards before, so was very pleased when this one turned up. It's of a rough sea, in Porthcawl, Glamorganshire, Wales. The postcard is an art colour, number A2334, and was published by Valentine. It's postally unused so I can't be sure of the date but would guess at late 1940's or early 1950's.

Rough Sea, Porthcawl, Glamorganshire, Wales

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

Sunday Stamps 25: Summer (butterflies)

When the theme for this week's Sunday Stamps theme was announced as 'summer', and in particular butterflies, I knew I had just the stamps to share. This is a First Day Cover from 13th May 1981, and features the Small Tortoiseshell, the Large Blue, the Peacock, and the Chequered Skipper. We get a few butterflies in our garden, but not that many ... which is just as well as the cats seem to like chasing them

First Day Cover, Butterflies, 13th May 1981

I must admit however, that the background colours on the butterfly stamps made them look a little drab. In terms of summer stamps I prefer this second First Day Cover, from 16th January 1980, showing British Birds ... Kingfisher, Dipper, Moorhen, and Yellow Wagtail.

    

Margate Sands in Summer

Although not mandatrory to keep on theme for this week's Postcard Friendship Friday, I couldn't resist sharing my only vintage postcard with the word 'Summer' in the caption. The postcard is of Margate in Kent, and the caption simply reads, 'Margate Sands in Summer'. The postcard  is unused so I have no idea about date - I would guess late 1940's or early 1950's, judgiung by the formal atire - they could have almost come straight from church. But what a crowded beach! Not sure I would have liked to have to been squeezed in there. Although I suspect back in those days there was no trouble and everyone was polite and courteous to each other. No loud radios playing and no annoying mobile phone ringtones. My favourite part of the postcard is the man walking, head down, away from the scene ... I wonder what his story is? I suspect he's had enough and is going to try and find somewhere quieter to go.

Margate Sands in Summer

    

More vintage postcards on my web site

Sunday Stamps 24: International Stamp Exhibition, 1980

Sort of continuing from last week's Sunday Stamps theme of se-tenant stamps, I have chosen one of my favourite first day covers for this week. It's the British Post Office Third Miniature Sheet, issued to commemorate the 1980 International Stamp Exhibition, held in London. This is, in effect, a stamp within a stamp. The inner stamp was 50p, and the outer stamp was 25p which was put towards the cost of running the exhibition.

International Stamp Exhibition, Miniature Sheet, First Day Cover, c.1980

    

Vintage postcard of Barra Head, Outer Hebrides, Scotland

When I first came across this postcard, I assumed it was just anouth 'rough seas' postcard of somewhere like Brighton, Blackpool or Hastings, of which I have several. It wasn't until today when I started to enter my latest batch into my database that I realised that this one was a bit different, and of somewhere that I'd never heard of before. A quick internet search surprised me even more, in that this postcard was of somewhere in the Outer Hebrides, an island chain off the west coast of Scotland.

The written greeting is also quite unusual and it reads, 'Dear Old Woman, What a pity that when you swept the sky you did not sweep the rain down, when are you going again?. I have absolutely no idea what that means.

Vintage postcard of Barra Head, Outer Hebrides, Scotland, by the artist G.E.Newton, published by Raphael Tuck in the 'Scottish Rough Seas' series, number 257

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

    

Sepia Saturday 79: Stormy Seas

To keep on theme this week with Alan's Sepia Saturday posting, I am sharing a couple of vintage postcards of rough seas, although I hope Alan's Atlantic crossing is much smoother than that. The pictures are almost identical, but not quite - perhaps I should start a "spot the difference" competition. Some of the differences are obvious, for example the seagulls towards the top right-hand corner. I am however assuming they are the same picture, but with a degree of Victorian 'airbrushing' applied. There's probably a technical term for this which I'm sure someone out there will know.

On the beach, Blackpool, published by Raphael Tuck, by the artist G.E.Newton, c.1903

On the beach, Blackpool, published by Raphael Tuck

    

Lots more Raphael Tuck vintage postcards on my web site

Sunday Stamps 23: Liverpool and Manchester Railway

Having managed to miss last week's Sunday Stamps, I hope I can make up for it this week. This week's theme was stamps that have their design continued between stamps. I think this one fits the bill quite nicely with the train carriages all linked, and the background landscape also. This First Day Cover dates back to March 1980 and was issued to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Liverpool and Manchester railway.

First Day Cover, Liverpool and Manchester Railway, 1980

Sadly the golden era of train travel is long gone in the UK these days. Fortunately there are plenty of preserved railways around that help to remind us of the age of steam. Some investment still goes into the railways, the regeneration of St. Pancras is a fine example, and it will be interesting to see what the cross-rail service (west to east London) end up like when it's completed. I see it most days when I travel into Paddington and it all looks very slow progress.

    

Vintage postcard of Jersey, Channel Islands

This week's Postcard Friendship Friday choice comes from a recent batch of vintage postcards that I've only just managed to find time to sort through. It's of Portelet Bay in Jersey, the Channel Islands ... which is yet another place I have only 'visited by postcard'. The style of the postcard looked very familiar but I was surprised to discover that it was by an artist new to me, C.G.Blampied.

Portelet Bay, Jersey, Channel Islands

    

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

Sepia Saturday 78: Not the tallest but one of the greatest

Apologies for the somewhat bold claim in the title of my post this week for Sepia Saturday, but it's how I feel about Big Ben ... ok so that's not quite factually correct as Big Ben is actually the name of the great bell inside the clock, but its use as the name of the whole structure is now common place. Whilst it may not be the tallest building ever made, to my mind it's one of the most impressive. This vintage postcard sums it up for me quite nicely, and the sky in the background is looking quite impressive, albeit in a menacing way, as well.

Big Ben, London, vintage postcard published by Raphael Tuck

    

More vintage postcards of London can be found on my web site

Vintage postcard of Golders Green Crematorium

A curious postcard to share today. When I first saw this I thought that given the terracotta colouring it was perhaps of somewhere in Italy. It wasn't until I had a closer look at home that I realised that it was in fact Golders Green in North London. Now, I have been to Golders Green on occasions, but admittedly only to change buses having somehow arrived there descending from Hampstead Heath. However, after the tiniest amount of research, I have found that firstly it's still around today, and also that it's 'home' to various famous people including Marc Bolan, Kingsley Amis, Sid James, Sigmund Freud, Keith Moon, and countless others. Perhaps I'll have to pay a visit next time I'm round that way.

Memorial Cloister, Golders Green Crematorium, vintage postcard from the original water-colour drawing by Mary Hill.

    

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

Postcard Friendship Friday 56: Roses

I was fortunate enough to pick up a whole batch of vintage postcards of flowers a couple of years ago. To keep with this week's Postcard Friendship Friday theme I've posted a few here. The 3rd one, which was is the only one to bear a publisher's name was published by Raphael Tuck, and is probably my favourite of the three.

More vintage postcards of flowers on my web site

    

Sepia Saturday 77: Steam Train

Despite being a bit of a closet train buff, I only have 1 sepia vintage postcard of a train, so quite an easy choice for me for this week's Sepia Saturday. It's a postcard of the Scotch Express approaching Crewe. For those of you from outside the UK, Crewe was once a major rail intersection with impressive rail works which built and maintained vast numbers of the country's locomotives.

 Scotch Express approaching Crewe, c.1906

I did also find this postcard which, although not sepia, fits the theme well enough for inclusion.

 Lady looking out of a train window

    

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