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Tizer
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09/02/2010
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10:40
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Postcard collecting is great fun because you can still get old cards very cheap and they have been published on just about every topic you can think of. Some people collect them simply because they like old postcards, others because the cards illustrate or enliven their hobby or family history. If you are lucky you might even find your ancestors shown on a card, or a picture of the house they lived in or the ship they emigrated on. People often collect cards of their home town, or of subjects such as ships, aeroplanes, music hall entertainers or those cheeky seaside ones by people like McGill (husband eyeing two pretty girls on Blackpool pier: "Aye, the view's good from here!"). Some even collect brand new cards.
You can buy them on Ebay but it's more fun to go to a postcard fair and look through hundreds of cards, talk to the sellers and meet other enthusiasts. Watch out too for old photographs often sold by the same people, or business letterheads and the like (I bought a Robert Stephenson Locomotive Works one for a few pounds recently).
The big event coming up in the north is the annual Stockport postcard fair at the Town Hall on Saturday, 13th February. It's organised by Ken Hassell, KSG promotions, Glossop, and you can get details from him on telephone number 01723-363665. There are smaller fairs held quite often. (The Town Hall's web page shows: Admission: £2.00, Adults and Concessions £1.50,
10am - 4pm, Secure car parking at 50p per car.)
The hobby's magazine is `Picture Postcard Monthly' which you can buy for £2.60 in WH Smiths or ask your newsagant to get it for you (or subscribe). Each issue has loads of postcard pictures and interesting stories and you can't beat that for £2.60! I know I mention the magazine often but it really is good (and no, I'm not linked to it in any way other than reading it!).
Start collecting postcards now and brighten up your life!
Coincidentally, this postcard was the first picture I put on OGFB (back in 2007) and it was sent by my Uncle George to my Grandma during the Second World War...
Edited by - Tizer on 09/02/2010 20:20:53
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Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart
36804 Posts
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Posted - 17/02/2010 : 05:40
Yes, I like finding things in books and always leave them in there. One of my engineering reference books has pressed flowers in it!
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View
stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk  |
frankwilk
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Posted - 17/02/2010 : 09:00
Lots of Railway books in the auction today, I will need to go and see if they are well priced. Glancing through one yesterday at the pre sale. It was nice to see I still remembered 24A Accrington and 24B Rose Grove as shed numbers.
Frank Wilkinson Once Navy Always Navy |
Tizer
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Posted - 12/11/2010 : 16:44
I've just seen this postcard fair advertised and it is tomorrow:
***Saturday, 9.30am-3.30pm, 13th November, Lancaster University***
http://www.lancs.ac.uk/fass/projects/EVIIpc/fair.htm
The Fair is jointly organised by the Edwardian Postcard Project and the Red Rose Postcard Club of Preston. The Fair will feature many dealers selling postcards appropriate for collectors with diverse specialist postcard interests as well as some appealing to beginners. These talks will take place in Lecture Theatre 4:
10.30 History of the Early Postcard. Professor Nigel Hall, Manchester Metropolitan University
11.15 Edwardian postcards and everyday writing. Professor Nigel Hall, Manchester Metropolitan University & Dr Julia Gillen, Lancaster University.
12.00 Postcard messages in the Great War. Andrew Brooks, author.
2.00 The Edwardians' Twitters – comparing postcards a hundred years' ago and today's digital revolution. Dr Julia Gillen, Lancaster University.
There will also be an art exhibit, featuring the work of Josie Beszant and Rosie Scott-Massie.
Edited by - Tizer on 12/11/2010 16:51:07
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Tizer
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Posted - 30/12/2010 : 15:27
I've praised `Picture Postcard Magazine' several times on OGFB and now I notice that the December 2009 (note `2009') issue is available free in PDF as a download from their web site. I assume this is offered free for promotional purposes. It is about 4MB because the magazine is in full colour but I recommend you download it and enjoy the articles and postcards. It doesn't matter that it's a year old! I think that if you change the `dec' in the web address to `nov' you might get the November 2009 issue too. Happy reading!
http://www.postcardcollecting.co.uk/ppm_online/ppm_09_dec.pdf
Edited by - Tizer on 30/12/2010 15:28:56
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Sunray10
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Posted - 30/12/2010 : 16:42
I have collected postcards of old churches ever since I was a lad in the 1960s. Even today I still look through these cards of which I've got many. Started to collect them when we went on holidays down to south Wales. I recently got three postcards - one of two lions, the Jade Stone and the Wall of the Soaring Dragon at Shanghai, China, published by 'The Shanghai Pictorial Publishing House. You sometimes get them in local charity shops for 10p each. Very resonable too.
R.Spencer. |
Tizer
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Posted - 31/12/2010 : 10:34
Yes, postcard collecting is one of those hobbies where you can still buy very cheap items. Beware of buying postcards on Ebay - you might be lucky but there are many cards that are vastly over-priced. In every issue of the postcard magazine they give examples of prices fetched on Ebay and it's commn to see people paying 10 times more than they would at a postcard shop or exhibition. An example in this month's issue was a card that went for about £700 which could be bought for 75p from an ordinary seller! (It was a modern Dr Who card too.)
Collectors choose all sorts of surprising topics to focus on - it could be as simple as their home town but often they go for exotic places or wierd subjects just to make collecting more difficult (and therefore more fun)! Some people prefer to collect modern postcards and this doesn't mean just the seaside scenes; postcards are published now to promote a variety of products and services and offer a great range of interest for collectors.
Personally I prefer the older cards but that's because I'm interested in history, especially in relation to technology and also socal history. I've also got an interest in postmarks and old stamps so a single postcard can offer me great interest (not bad for 75p!).
I think you are lucky to find postcards in charity shops - I often go into such shops to buy books but I don't see postcards there.
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Sunray10
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Posted - 31/12/2010 : 11:14
The Pendle Hospice shop in Colne has quite a stack of postcards, most of them recent, but there might be a few older ones in there too.
R.Spencer. |
Tizer
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Posted - 31/12/2010 : 11:20
I'm a couple of hundred miles away so I can't take up the chance of finding something interesting, but thanks for mentioning it - perhaps some locals reading this page will have a look and get interested in postcard collecting? My motto is "You never know what you might find!"
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Sunray10
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Posted - 31/12/2010 : 13:47
Sorry about that Tizer, yes probably too far to come for a few postcards. I recently got a handful of those mags 'Picture Postcard Monthly'. There a few from 2009 and several from earlier 2010. Very interesting to read with lots of picture of old postcards in. I got them for nothing, but legit.
R.Spencer. |
melteaser
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Posted - 03/01/2011 : 19:28
I have a friend who often pays well in excess of £60 on ebay for postcards. It's a ridiculous price to pay.
I only like cards that have been used...have a message on them. It helps to date them and I think adds more character to them. An insight into the lives of strangers of the past?
I use a site called Delcampe. Not as common as ebay but much more reasonably priced.
What is the date for the Stockport meeting this year please Tizer?
Mel
http://www.briercliffesociety.co.uk |
moh
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Posted - 04/01/2011 : 11:20
Hello stranger - so you still keep your eye on us!!
Say only a little but say it well |
Tizer
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Posted - 04/01/2011 : 11:54
Hello Mel, nice to hear from you again! The calendar in the postcard magazine goes as far as the end of March. It lists a big fair at Stockport Town Hall on 12th February 2011 by KSG Promotions (tel: 01723 363665; the same company has a fair in Leeds on 6th March). I noticed a small ad in the magazine for Stockport mid-week fairs held in the Masonic Guildhall, Wellington Road South SK1 3XE with the Tuesday dates 25th January, 22nd February and 29th March (details from Simon Collyer, tel: 07966 565151). Red Rose Postcards have fairs at Barton Village Hall, Preston, on 29th January and 26th March; tel:01995 670625).
I've never used Delcampe but their web site is here:
http://www.delcampe.net/
I agree with you Mel about used postcards - there is so much more value in them with the messages and postmarks. If you are buying at a fair scan through the `cheap' boxes of cards and you'll often find very interesting cards that nobody else wants. They may be in the less populat categories but you can find unusual postal slogans stamped on them and special postmarks such as TPOs (travelling post offices used on the railways) and `paquebot' stamps (cards or letters posted at sea). If you like mysteries it's easy to find cards that tell a story and you can end up searching for more information on the Internet! I read about someone who bought an Edwardian used postcard that interested him but the pair of stamps had been `steamed off' leaving only parts of the postmark and postal slogan. He eventually found that he had the exact pair of stamps in his stamp collection - they fitted perfectly with the postmark etc!
Edited by - Tizer on 04/01/2011 11:55:14
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melteaser
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Posted - 05/01/2011 : 08:38
Yes Moh, still lurking in the background.
Thanks for the info Tizer. Being in Stoke, Stockport is fairly handy. Noticed that there is a fair in Nottingham soon too. That's only down the A50 so may attempt that one.
Mel
http://www.briercliffesociety.co.uk |
Tizer
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Posted - 05/01/2011 : 09:12
Nottingham Postcard & Cigarette Card Fair, Sunday, 6th February 2011, at Harvey Hadden Sports Centre (said to have easy parking). It's organised by the publisher of the Picture Postcard Magazine, telephone 0115 9374079. They claim to have 100 tables. Hours 10.00am to 4.00pm. Admission £1....a lot of fun for one pound!
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moh
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Posted - 05/01/2011 : 14:10
Went to the Antique place in Bank Hall Works, off Colne Road, Burnley yesterday and there were 3 or 4 boxes of postcards (some old) and I saw a couple of albums full. They get them from house clearances.
Say only a little but say it well |
Postcard collecting
