Sepia Saturday 122 - Gardening

I have several vintage postcards of gardens that would fit this week's Sepia Saturday theme but after much deliberation I chose this one because it's the only one I have which also includes a gardener. Having said that however, this gardener seems to be standing back and admiring his handiwork rather than being in the action of gardening per-se. The postcard is a Raphael Tuck oilette, features the Parade Gardens, Eastbourne, Sussex, and dates back to the early 1900's.

Eastbourne Parade Gardens, Sussex

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

    

Postcard Friendship Friday 106 - Isle of Wight

Having not participated in Postcard Friendship Friday for a couple of weeks I felt that I ought to put that right. I definitely don't have anything on theme, not even sure I've ever seen a St. Patrick's Day postcard. Instead however I have decided to share a couple of vintage postcards that I came across late last year but have only just processed. They are both of the Isle of Wight, which for those of you not from the UK is a small island just off the South Coast. I love the magnificent colours used by the artist Henry Wimbush. The postcards were both published by Raphael Tuck and date back to the 1900's.

Isle of Wight, Freshwater Bay

Isle of Wight, the Needles

As usual 100's more vintage postcards on my web site, and now also on Pinterest

    

Vintage postcards: Charles Dickens

I was very pleased to pick up these 3 wonderful postcards a few weeks ago. They are all from Raphael Tuck's In Dickens Land series, although each from a different series. What's also great about these postcards for me is that I've discovered a new postcard artist, P. Fletcher-Watson.

The Leather Bottle, Cobham, published by Raphael Tuck in the 'In Dickens Land' series II, number 1164, c.1909

Charles Dickens's House, Gadshill, published by Raphael Tuck in the 'In Dickens Land' series I, number 1163, c.1904

The White Hart, Hook, Surrey, published by Raphael Tuck in the 'In Dickens Land' series, number 1350, c.1903

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

Vintage postcard of Sandwich, Kent

Sandwich in Kent is a place I must have been to tens of times a a very young child as it was not far from Deal, where my parents grew up and my grandmother lived. I have however only been back once and that was probably 20 years ago now so I don't really have many memories about it apart from the river. Again, as with so many other places in my vintage postcard collection, it's on the list to visit.

This particular postcard of Sandwich shows a structure called The Barbican, which from the brief research I undertook, and despite its ancient appearance, is still there today and looking remarkably similar.

The Barbican, Sandwich, Kent, published by Raphael Tuck

The postcard is unused but I would guess that it dates back to the 1900's. It's an oilette postcards, published in Raphael Tuck's 'Picturesque Counties' series, number 7116.

More vintage postcards of Kent, and 100's from elsewhere can be found on my vintage postcard web site

Vintage postcards of Tiger Hunting

I'm certainly not condoning this, but thought these vintage postcards of tiger hunting, c.1922, offered an interesting, if perhaps misguided, glimpse back into the past. They are artist drawn / artist signed, oilette postcards by the artist Edgar H. Fischer, and published by Raphael Tuck, in the 'Tiger Hunting' series number 8780. The text in quotes below each picture is taken from the back of the card; the text after the quotes perhaps not.

"Tiger Hunting - The end crowns all things and after the crowded hour of glorious life spent in the risks, adventure and hair-breadth escapes of tiger hunting, it is good to dismount and inspect a right royal specimen, ten feet at least, from head to tip of tail. We can see at a glance that the skin is beautifully marked and that the sportsman is more than satisfied" ... bet the tiger was mightily cheesed off though!

"Tiger Hunting - Many modes are adopted for killing so ferocious a beast; some very ingenious. The spring-bow which is set so that it is discharged by the animal itself; the pitfall from which it cannot escape; the leaves smeared with bird lime by which the tiger is blinded. Among Europeans however, the sportsmen hunt the tiger mounted on elephants and furnished with a perfect battery of loaded rifles" ... some sportsman eh?

Vintage postcards by the artist Charles Flower

Three beautiful, artist drawn, vintage postcards by the artrist Charles E Flower. Postcards were all published by Raphael Tuck.

1. The Baptistery, Canterbury Cathedral, Tuck's oilette, series 7021
2. The Choir, Westminster Abbey, Tuck's oilette, series 7033
3. Entrance to St. James's Palace, Tuck's Aquarette, series 6257

See my web site for loads more Raphael Tuck postcards

Sea and Sky - Vintage Postcards by Raphael Tuck

My vintage postcards blog entry today is centred around two artist drawn, oilette postcards by Raphael Tuck. The first is in the "Sea and Sky" series II, number 3318, by the artist R.Montague. This is a really beautiful card with a textured finish. Mine is creased unfortunately, but in a strange way it seems to add to the beauty of the card. The postcard is not postally used but I would guess it dates somewhere between 1903 and 1910. What I like best about this card is the vivid colors, particular the reflection of the ship's sail in the water.

The second postcard is of Conway From the River, by the artist Hadfield H Cubley. It's not in the "Sea and Sky" series but would fit well. This postcard is used and dates back to 1905. The greeting on the card reads "Dear C, Am coming by the 3:45 from Sidey. Hope you will be in Tonbridge and then we can go home tigether. Hoping you are all well, with fond love to all, from Annie" . This postcard has a much more sombre feel to it. It's beautifully detailed but the colours are much less vivid that the Montague card. The people in the foreground of the postcard, helping to drag the boat out on to the estuary, almost seem to be out of proportion to the rest of the detail on the card. Maybe they're meant to be children?

If you're interested in seeing more, why not take a look at my web site for more Raphael Tuck vintage postcards.