About these Postcard Pages.

And how I came into collecting Postcards.

The main reasons that I placed these cards on the internet were, a. to share them with any other enthusiast who happened along .b. Give me something to do when my better half was watching her soaps, and c...well..erm.. just to show off.!

I have been collecting Theatrical post cards off and on since about 1985. I have never been exactly 'wealthy' so I needed a cheap and cheerfull hobby, that would keep me away from the pubs and clubs of south London, were I lived as a single '20 something ' at the time.As a school boy I had been an erstwhile stamp collector. One rainy afternoon at Cambden lock, I was 'rummaging' around in large box of used Christmas stamps strictly for old times sake and the promise of a good 'rummage', and at the back I found a postcard of a Miss Gaynor Rowlands and another of Miss Ethel Oliver. I was rather struck by the beauty and indeed humour of these 80 year old post cards and after finding out how much the stall holder wanted for them ( 50p the pair ) I bought them, and that was that! Those two Actresses now form the centre of my collecting interest.

I only have a a few hundred Actresses PC's* and cards featuring Women posing in what has been described as 'Romantic' poses. I suppose the dedicated collector who had been collecting for 20 years would have built up a collection of thousands, but fortunately for my space starved existance, I have amassed only around 700 of various types* The larger part being pre 1920 Theatre actresses and Music Hall stars.

Initially when I went online in 1997 there was practicaly nothing on the net re postcards that I collect and with the internet, and my old 286 being sluggish by nature, I forgot all about looking for them here. Two years ago I noticed a bit more interest with lots appearing on e-bay regularly. Since then I have bought cards online though the main source of my card collection comes from my local ( 6 miles away!) Stamp and postcard dealer ( Hi Eric!) also a PC fair in a local town when I can get there.
I am still pretty financially challenged, so its birthday money and the odd £10 lottery win that funds my PC purchasing 'Binges' Of course half the fun is in the 'rummaging'

Post card prices were negligable when I first started. Sometimes half a dozen for a quid, ar maybe ( gasp!) 50 or 60p each! its only the last year and a bit that I have noticed that the prices seem to be ascending a bit. A year ago £1 on average and this year £2 for a good real photo actress card. Of course certain actresess command as much as £5 ( ye gods! is there that much money?) There are certainly a lot of chancers around who will try to get away with charging monopoly money for something that was posted by the million each year, but the collectable marked was ever such. An item is only worth as much as you can sell it for. I personally baulk at the idea of being overcharged, but I am in the position somewhat ironicaly, of being poor enough to 'walk away' without it hurting too much. Not paying daft prices is my way of not participation in the general inflation of prices ( Tight git!)
Auction sites require strict self imposed rules for me ie never get involved in a bidding war. Patience has proved bizzarlly enough, that if I wait, the card I want will turn up eventially at a fair or at Eric's shop. The McCawber rule...!?

* Its been a few years since I wrote this and the collection has grown somewhat!