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Saturday, December 27, 2014

NOSTALGIA - RETRO POSTCARDS - The past seen through Christmas greeting cards during the Edwardian and Victorian times, and World War I - Also posters advertising French ski resorts during the 1930s and a magical timewarp view of London past Christmases.

daily life©http://ottersandsciencenews.blogspot.ca/. Unauthorized duplication of this blog's material is prohibited.   Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full credit and link is given to Otters and Science News Blogspot.  Link to this post:  http://ottersandsciencenews.blogspot.ca/2014/12/nostalgia-retro-postcards-past-seen.html - Thank you for visiting my blog.
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First World War Christmas cards showing how a company known for its 'saucy' seaside designs turned its hand to rallying wartime spirit have been unveiled 100 years after they first hit the printing press, including this pair which offer Christmas cheer to all - except the German KaiserChristmas card with a little red dressed girl standing in front of a golden background, 'I COME TO WISH YOU A HAPPY NEW YEAR' Four glimpses at the past: 

1)  Victorian and Edwardian cards

2)  World War I greeting cards

3)  Posters for 1930s fancy ski resorts in France

4)  A timewarp view of London Christmases past.


Regent Street in 2014 is contrasted with a picture of the street in 1940. The older picture shows Father Christmas may have exchanged his civilian red hood for a warlike 'tin hat' during the Second World War but blitz or no blitz, he is determined to deliver his goods this yearPrinted on fine art cotton paper the prints are limited to runs of only 280 each, making them as exclusive as the resorts they portray



1)  Kittens, suffragettes and snowball fights: How Londoners were wished a very merry Christmas in Victorian and Edwardian cards.
  • Civil servant Sir Henry began the custom of sending Christmas cards 171 years ago, after looking into using the new 'Public Post Office'.
  • The government worker designed the first card with an artist named John Horsley, with 1,000 of them made and sold for a shilling each.
  • The idea gained traction as postage costs fell thanks to the new railways, and it had spread across Europe by the start of the 20th century.Cute: This card comprised of a single sheet of card printed with a coloured chromolithographed image of five kittens on a snow-lined wall
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    Joy: Another Victorian Christmas card depicting a group of brightly-dressed children dancing to music being played
     
    Rushing: A Victorian greeting card depicting a child posting a letter in time for Christmas, in part of the Museum of London's collection

     The Museum of London has more than 200 Christmas cards, many dating from this period, which are part of its printed ephemera collection.
     
    See more Christmas cards of this period, of World War I period, posters for 1930s ski resorts, and a bonus:  timewarp pictures of London Christmases past.

    Coloured picture postcard: 'A Merry Christmas and Votes for Women in 1910', produced by the pro-women's suffrage campaign. The drummer girl is modelled on a young member of the Junior Band attached to the Women's Band
     From the 20th century, the collection at the Museum of London includes pro-suffrage cards, which champion voting rights for women.
     
    Christmas card showing a group of boys having a snowball fight, the text below reads, 'A Bright and happy Christmas'
     Christmas card showing a group of boys on a sledge, the text below reads, 'Wishing you a Jolly Christmas'
    Victorian greetings card with a colourful image of a couple in a horse and cart.
     
    Colourful Victorian Christmas card
     
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    2)  Collection of WW1 Christmas cards shows how company known for its 'saucy' seaside designs turned its hand to rallying wartime spirit
  • Postcard company Bamforth & Co has shared part of its vast archive of images in two new books 
  • Festive prints feature First World War propaganda, messages for the troops and war-inspired humour lampooning "Kaiser Bill"
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    A number of the festive cards were dedicated to lampooning the German Kaiser, who is portrayed as a Christmas goose in this picture
     
    Here Kaiser William II is seen getting hit on the back of his neck with a Christmas pudding, fired by a grinning British Tommy from a cannon
     
    Like many other forms of postcard propaganda during this period, the Bamforth series of First World War cards included more than 80 cards dedicated to making fun of 'Kaiser Bill'
     Part of the First World War series from Bamforth has been featured in two new books, published by Ravette Publishing

    Another card mocks a father of two screaming babies - who seems unable to cope with the children
     
     This humourous card implored the receiver to look at the brighter side of life with the new year ahead

    Bamforth & Co Ltd, was started in 1870 by portrait photographer James Bamforth in Holmfirth, West Yorkshire, with these two wartime cards showing the saucy seaside humour the company is best known for

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    3)  It's all been downhill since! The retro posters that capture halcyon days of Europe's top ski resorts
  • Exclusive set features popular resorts such as Chamonix in France and St Moritz in Switzerland
  • Created with an art deco style, each poster sells for £395 and is a completely new design
  • They are the brainchild of vintage poster dealer Simon Khachadourian, who runs a gallery in Chelsea, London

    • The posters glamorise the golden days of Europe's top ski resorts and are being snapped up by collectorsThe retro posters feature popular ski resorts such as St Moritz in Switzerland


    See more postcards:

    Victorian and Edwardian cards:
    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2869918/Kittens-suffragettes-snowball-fights-Londoners-wished-merry-Christmas-Victorian-Edwardian-cards.html

    World War I Christmas cards
    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2885482/Best-wishes-except-Kaiser-Collection-WW1-Christmas-cards-shows-company-known-saucy-seaside-designs-turned-hand-rallying-wartime-spirit.html

    1930s ski resort post cards
    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2885482/Best-wishes-except-Kaiser-Collection-WW1-Christmas-cards-shows-company-known-saucy-seaside-designs-turned-hand-rallying-wartime-spirit.html

    BONUS
    Timewarp pictures of London's Christmases past
    This picture features Clapham Junction in 1926 and in 2014. The picture from 1926 shows Father Christmas arriving at the Arding and Hobbs store where he is greeted by dozens of excited children, contrasted with shoppers walking past what is now a Debenhams store in 2014

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2884801/Timewarp-pictures-ghost-London-Christmases-past.html

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