Sepia Saturday 142 - Coracle Men

As I've blogged various hats in the past, I have decided not to stick with the theme for this week's Sepia Saturday, although there are a couple of hats in my choice. The vintage postcard below shows the Cenarth Bridge, in Wales, and Coracle Men. A coracle is a small lightweight boat, used for river fishing, and small enough to be carried on the back of the fisherman.

Vintage postcard of Cenarth Bridge and Coracle Men, published by Valentine

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

    

If you enjoyed this post, or others in my vintage postcards blog, why not also check out my other blogs covering vintage magazines and another for things which don't really fit anywhere else, called In Search of Space

Vintage postcards of Southport

Southport is yet another place I have only visited through my vintage postcard collection, but there's enough here to make me want to pay a visit one day. Originally part of Lancashire, but now in Merseyside, it lies on the west cost between Liverpool and Preston. To be honest I don't know quite what to make of these vintage postcards though. They are all real photographs but have, I assume, been colour-tinted somehow. Some of the colour detail is quite delicate and intricate, whereas other parts of it is quite bold and garish.

Good luck from Southport

In Hesketh Park, Southport

Southport multiview

The Promenade, Southport

100's of vintage postcards can be found on my web site

    

Postcard Friendship Friday - Birthday Horoscope (Sagittarius)

Despite going to various postcard events, and rummaging through antique and charity shops, I have never come across a vintage Halloween postcard here in the UK. However, not wanting to be left out of this week's Postcard Friendship Friday I have decided to share a vintage birthday postcard instead. This is in Valentine's Birthday Horoscope series, and shows the star sign Sagittarius.

Vintage birthday greetings postcard, c.1943

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

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

Happy Valentine's Day

Although this blog is primarily for vintage postcards and vintage carte de visite, I do occasionally blog the odd stamp, or other postal history item. This is my first submission to Viridian's excellent Sunday Stamps blog, and given that tomorrow is Valentine's day, this seemed appropriate.

British Commemorative stamp, Folklore series, February 1981

Also of interest may be my vintage magazines blog or my vintage postcard web site.

Smedley's Hydro, Matlock, Derbyshire, c.1911

I found this vintage postcard, c.1911, in the batch of 200 or so I received earlier this month. This grand looking building is in Matlock, Derbyshire. Those of you who were quick enough to read my original post on this will realise that, in my haste, I actually wrote about another Smedley's Hydro (in Stockport). Fortunately I spotted the erro quite soon after posting. This one was built in 1853, and eventually closed in 1950 when it became the head quarters of the Derbyshire County Council.

Smedley's Hydro, Matlock, Derbyshire, published by Valentine, c.1911

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

Franco-British Exhibition 1908, vintage postcards

Inspired by this week's Sepia Saturday I have decided to re-post this blog post from 2010 ...

Over the few years that I've been collecting vintage postcards I have found a variety of different cards from the 1908 Franco-British Exhibition. The exhibition was held in the White City area to the west of central London, and had something in the region of 8 million visitors. Most of the buildings which made up the exhibition are long gone and during my research I was dismayed to find that the last remaining buildings were demolished and replaced by a shopping centre.

My favourite card is probably the first one, the bird's-eye view, as it gives a fantastic impression of the size and scale of the event 100 years on. The Flip-Flap card comes a close second, primarily for the crowd admiring it in wonder.

I notice from my reasearch that other attractions included an Irish village and a Sengalese village, amongst many others, so I'll be keeping an eye open for postcards of those.

Bird's-eye View, Franco-British Exhibition, 1908, published by Raphael Tuck, series number 3524

In Elite Gardens, Franco-British Exhibition, 1908, published by Valentine

Fine Art Palace, Franco-British Exhibition, 1908, published by Valentine

Court of Honour Illuminated, Franco-British Exhibition, 1908, published by Raphael Tuck, series number 3524

Palace of British Applied Arts, Franco-British Exhibition, 1908, published by Bonnett and Schum

Flip-Flap, Franco-British Exhibition, 1908, published by Valentine

Western Lagoon, Franco-British Exhibition, 1908, published by Valentine

French East Africa Palace, Franco-British Exhibition, 1908, published by Valentine

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

Related books on amazon.com ...

    

Related books on amazon.co.uk ...

    

Vintage postcards of Birmingham, England

I've only ever come across a handful of vintage postcards of Birmingham, and whilst I don't expect them to be as abundant as places like London, Edinburgh, or seaside resorts, I'm always surprised at how few I find. The three I've included below have been chosen for their spectacular architecture and feeling of spaciousness. Only the last of the three postcards below has been posted so I can date that one to 1907. The one of the art gallery is, I suspect a little later, but probably not much, whereas the one of Victoria Square I'm not sure at all ... 1940's perhaps? This one is also a little curious in that the red car looks far too small compared to the surrounding buildings and almost as though it's been added in as an afterthought.

I must confess that Birmingham is not somewhere I've visited for many years now, and that's mainly to change trains or go to the exhibition centre. I wonder if any of these buildings are still standing, or if they are whether they are still clearly visible or crowded out by more modern buildings.

Art Gallery and Congreve Street, published by Valentine

Victoria Square, Birmingham, a Valesque postcard published by Valentine

Town Hall, Birmingham, c.1907, published by Milton

As always, 100's of postcards like these can be found on my vintage postcards web site - be sure to check back regularly as I have a batch of about 300 waiting to add when I can find the time

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

The Trossachs, Glencoe and Skye

The final part of our trip around Scotland took us north-west from Glasgow, through the Trossachs, through Glencoe and on to Fort William and Skye. It was the first time I'd been to Glencoe and have to admit I was totally blown away by the incredible scenery. Skye was amazing too and definitely a place to visit again when we have more time.

Alas we're back home again now and from the 3 manic days I've had back at work this week it almost feels like I need another holiday already, but at least I have these vintage postcards to remind me.

This will probably be the last of my Scotland blog posts for a while, but I need to get my imagination going and come up with a new topic for next week.

Pass of the Trossachs, by artist Ernest Longstaffe, published by Hildesheimer, number 5189

In the Trossachs, "Where Twines the Path", by the artist Brian Gerald, published by Valentine, number A518

Glencoe, the scene of the massacre, by artist E.H.Thompson, published by Valentine, number A677

The Glen of Weeping, Glencoe, by artist B.F.C.Parr, published by Valentine, number A2134

As always, I have hundreds of vintage postcards for sale on my vintage postcards web site

Glasgow and Loch Lomond

Well the Edinburgh Marathon is now behind us and we've moved on to Glasgow. Thanks to all those who wished my wife well - on an incredibly hot day she recorded an excellent time of 4 hours and 19 minutes. The blisters were only minor and we managed to walk up to Edinburgh Castle the following day.

My vintage postcards of Glasgow are nowhere near as plentiful as those of Edinburgh, but what few I have are shared below. Also, as our journey has including some of the surrounding contryside, I've also included some from places like Loch Lomond and Largs. From Largs we took a day trip by boat to the Island of Cumbrae - very beautiful, and great views across the nearby islands as well. I now have an apetite for more.

Glasgow University

Loch Lomond, by the artist Ernest Longstaffe, published by S.Hildesheimer

Loch Lomond from Ardlui, published by Valentine

George Square, Glasgow, published by Valentine, with MacKenzie tartan

All the way from Largs

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

Zig-zag paths

A slightly unusual vintage postcard topic being shared today ... that of 'zig zag' paths. Again this was something like my Church Parade vintage postcard finds which I assumed were a one-off, but I now have at least 3 zig-zag path vintage postcards of different locations. Thinking about it a bit more, I guess that zig-zag paths are not uncommon ways of negotiating one's way down a steep hill or cliff, but are not perhaps something I would ever imagine appearing on a postcard. Interestingly, all 3 postcards have a pier in the background, so perhaps the view from the zig-path was just another take of a pier postcard.

The Zig-Zag, West Cliff, Cromer, Norfolk, c.1958, by the artist C.T.Howard, published by J.Salmon Ltd., number 4227.

View from Zig-zag path, Bournemouth, Dorset, published by Frith

Zig zag paths, Folkestone, Kent, c.1925, published by Valentine, number 86819

I think my favourite one is probably the one of Folkestone, with all the people in their Sunday best takiing their Sunady promenade or holiday walk.

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

Cute Kittens, by artist E.L.Beckles

Well, what a great find these vintage postcards were. Amongst a whole bunch of modern, and quite honestly uninteresting postcards, I found these. As I was flicking through the batch quite quickly I only spotted one initially, but something made me go back and look more closely, unearthing another two.

I do wonder if I had looked through all the racks in that much detail whether I would have found the complete set.

All 3 postcards are by a postcard artist who is new to me, E.L.Beckles, and were published by Valentine in the Kitten series. None of them are postally used but date to around the late 1940's or early 1950's.

What I particularly like is that the kittens are cute, but not overly so (if that makes sense). The colours are striking yet subtle at the same time. I think my favourite of the 3 is probably Sweets For the Sweet, although this final one, Three Little Beauties, is also lovely.

As usual, postcards like these and 100's of others can be found on my vintage postcards website

Vintage postcards by the artist E.H.Thompson

As far as vintage postcard artists go, I've always stated that Brian Gerald and A.R.Quinton were probably my favourites. This has probably been influenced by the fact that their postcards were some of the first I came across, and seem to appear reasonably often. I've also liked those I've found by Jotter, Arthur de Brianski and Charles Flowers, but it's only very recently that I've really had much chance to consider the Lakeland Artist, E.H.Thompson. I think I've always has a couple of his postcards, but this week I was fortunate enough to come across three more. Those I have are all "art colour" postcards and published by Valentine, dating to the mid 1940's.

Glencoe, the Scene of the Massacre, published by Valentine, number A677

Thirlmere and Helvellyn, published by Valentine, number A441

Grange Bridge, Borrowdale, published by Valentine, number A611

Kirkstone Pass and Brothers Water, published by Valentine, number A445

As always, these postcards and hundreds of others can be found on my vintage postcards web site

Vintage postcards by the artist Brian Gerald

Here's a slideshow of various postcards I've collected by the artist Brian Gerald. I've got a handful more to scan in so hopefully the slides will get updated over the weekend. Ialso have a Flickr group for Brian Gerald postcards, so if you have any that you'd like to share, please feel free to join the group and upload.


Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.