Sepia Saturday 174 - vintage postcards of steam ships

I really had no idea where to start to sty on theme for this week's Sepia Saturday, so I am not theming this week. Instead I am sharing some recently acquired, vintage postcards of steam ships, some sepia, some not. I have posted about steam ships before, most recently the R.M.S.Queen Mary, and before that the S.S.Worthing, so whilst not exactly an obsession, it seems I do have more than just a passing interest.

A long cruise on a steam ship does have a certain appeal, and I know several folks who make this their annual holiday, but I have recently been put off the idea by the simply dreadful adverts for cruises that are shown as the sponsors of the Endeavour TV series. However, if we can put that aside for a few moments, our voyage starts with three steam ships from the Union Castle line:

Vintage postcard of the Union Castle Line RMMV, "Capetown Castle"

Vintage postcard of the Union Castle Line, SS "Rhodesia Castle"

Vintage postcard of the Union Castle Line RMMV, "Stirling Castle"

Next up we have the Cunard ship, the RMS Queen Mary, followed by the RMS Victorian. Sepia or black and white works well for a lot of vintage postcard subject matter, but I can't help thinking the colour postcards below win the judges best postcard in category prize here today.

Vintage postcard of the Cunard RMS Queen Mary

Vintage postcard of the RMS Victorian, by the artrist Fred Pansing

    
As usual 100's more vintage postcards can be found on my web site, and explorer who prefer to stay on dry land may be interested in my Urban Wanders over on my In Search of Space blog.

Sepia Saturday 173 - "odd"

Seems a shame to be indoors on such a lovely day, particularly given the awful weather to date this year. So, excuse the brief post this week as I'm keen to get out in the garden.

I don't have any pictures of yound men holding up dead birds, but sticking with the theme of odd for this week's Sepia Saturday here is my odd submission. Maybe this postcard is not odd to other people, but if there's a message here or a hidden (or even obvious) joke, I'm not sure I understand it. Hopefully another Sepian can help me out here and explain it?

Vintage postcard, "Nothing Doing", c.1906

As usual loads more vintage postcards in my online postcard shop

And for anyone interested in psychogeography, urban wandering, edgelands, and ghost signs, you may like to check out my In Search of Space blog where I generally post 2-3 times per week, mainly about my urban wanderings through London during my lunch breaks, and ocassionally after work, where I head off in search of new and interesting places, off the beaten track, and on the lookout for hidden mews, ghost signs, old architecture, etc.

Sepia Saturday 171 - vintage postcards of castles

Wow! I am completely spoilt for choice for this week's Sepia Saturday theme. I have 100's of vintage postcards of castles to choose from, so have had to be very selective and choose, what I think, are the best ones for this post.

I'm starting with Conway Castle in Flintshire, Wales, as this was the very same castle that Alan featured in his prompt. Whilst this is a very different view, you cab still tel it's the same castle. The postcard dates back to the early 1900's and is by the artist Jotter.

 Vintage postcard of Conway Castle, Flintshire, Wales, by the artist Jotter.

The next vintage postcard is of Scalloway Castle in the Shetland Isles (although confusingly the postcard actually says it's in the Orkney Isles). This postcard also dates back to the early 1900's and is by the artist R.Gallon.

 Vintage postcard of Scalloway Castle, Shetland Islands, by the artist R.Gallon.

I've always had a bit of a soft spot for this next castle. Firstly because of its association with my primary/junior school, Lady Bankes (named after a royalist who defended Corfe Castle), and secondly because it's somewhere we often drive through on our way to the coast at Swanage.

Vintage postcard of Corfe Castle, Dorset

Just a few miles down the road from where I live today the next castle is Highclere Castle, just inside the Hampshire border. For TV viewers it's better known as Downton Abbey, and in fact the village of Highclere now boasts a sign which says "Twinned with Downton Abbey". It's a bit tacky, but previous to that the castle was famous for the wedding of Jordan and Peter André. Obviously there's a lot more history to the castle that that, and of course there's the Tutankhamun connection.

Vintage postcard of Highclere Castle (aka Downton Abbey)

 Although I was initially trying to share postcards of less well known castles, I didn't feel my posting would be complete without one of Edinburgh Castle ...

Vintage postcard of Edinburgh Castle from the Grassmarket

... and similarly Windsor Castle, although hopefully this view of the Cloisters is a less familiar one.

Vintage postcard of the Cloisters, Windsor Castle

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

    

Vintage postcards of Edinburgh by the artist A.Raeburn

We braved the garden yesterday to do some much needed clearing up, but today the weather is really grim and nasty. I love the UK and cannot imagine myself living anywhere else, apart from maybe the US west coast, but today has definitely got me wishing we had a winter retreat somewhere warm. Anyway, this is a long-winded way of saying that I'm stuck indoors with some free time, so time for another posting. These postcard are all of Edinburgh, Scotland, by the artist A.Raeburn.

Vintage postcard of Bakehouse Close, Edinburgh, by the artist A.Raeburn

 Vintage postcard of Edinburgh Castle from the Grassmarket, by the artist A.Raeburn

 

Vintage postcard of the Canongate Tolbooth, Edinburgh, by the artist A.Raeburn 

Vintage postcard of Riddels Court, Lawnmarket, Edinburgh, by the artist A.Raeburn

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

And for something a bit different why not head over to my In Search of Space blog, to read about my Urban Wanderings around London and other places.