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

Edinburgh, Scotland

Today's vintage postcard blog update focuses on Edinburgh, Scotland. It's a subject I've covered before with different postcards, but the reason for paying a second visit is that my wife will be running the Edinburgh Marathon on 23rd May in aid of cancer relief, and almost certainly be running past many of these sites. Some of the family and a few friends are travelling up to support her, and we're also taking the opportunity to have a few days holiday while we're there (assuming the blisters aren't too bad). I've not been to Scotland for years so am really looking forward to the trip. I'm also really looking forward to driving there as it's been a while since we've been "on the road".

Princes Street looking East, published by Valentine, number A1977, with Buchanan Tartan border.

Scott Monument by the artist Bowers, c.1906, published in the Misch and Stock's Nature Miniatures series, number 224.

The G.P.O and Waterloo Place.

Warrender Park Road, c.1907, published by W.R.S, number B2234.

St. Giles Cathedral, published by Raphael Tuck, number 2016.

Dean Bridge, published by Patrick Thomson

As usual, these postcards of Edinburgh and hundreds of other vintage postcards can be found on my vintage postcards website

Oh I do like to be beside the seaside

Today's vintage postcard blog update contains some of my favourite vintage postcards from the UK's seaside resorts. This decision was partly inspired by all the lovely comments I received on previous, similar blog updates, and also as an attempt to change the British weather where after a gorgeous April, May has brought us some fairly cold and uninspiring weather.

Southwold Beach, Suffolk, published by Raphael Tuck

Worthing Sea Front and Pier Looking West, Sussex, published by Wardell

Pier and Grand Hotel, Llandudno, Wales, published by Valentine

The Sands, Pier and Promenade, Blackpool, Lancashire, published by B.B.

Esplanade and Beach, Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, published by Valentine

As usual these and hundreds 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

Watercolour artist, A.R.Quinton

Today's blog post covers another of my favourite vintage postcards, A.R.Quinton. Upon researching him for this posting, I was amazed to find out he'd produced something in the region of 2,000 watercolours of British town and country scenes, many of which ended up as postcards. All the A.R.Quinton postcards I have were published by J.Salmon Ltd., but he's also had cards published by Raphael Tuck. Rather than showing too many here at one time, I've decided to share a handful of my favourites.

Salcombe from Portlemouth, Devon. Published by J.Salmon Ltd., number 2394.

Panamora Walk, Barmouth, Merionethshire, Wales, published by Salmon, number 2243.

Ilfracombe from Hillsborough, Devon. Published by J.Salmon Ltd., number 933.

As always, these and many other vintage postcards can be found on my vintage postcard website

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