Vintage Cards

Well - I guess cards from the 70's qualify as vintage these days although it is strange to describe something like that when it doesn't feel like a long time ago to me!

I came across these unexpectedly while looking for something else yesterday (isn't if funny how that always happens).  I remembered the envelope I had carefully stored them in as soon as I saw it although these cards haven't seen the light of day for many years.

I always get such a thrill of recognition when I find something like this from a time in my life that is receding into memory.  The 70's (I think) was a wonderful era for fantasy and fairy tale.  Looking at these again I could slip straight back into that world!

The card above is called 'Swan Boat' illustrated by Tudor Humphries.  It was printed as an Everyday Card by Gallery Five (England) in 1977.

I always pictured myself as this girl sitting on a rather perilous outcrop looking at a fairy castle.
Another Everyday Card printed by Gallery Five in 1977.  This one is called 'Castle of the Clouds' with artwork by Mark Harrison.

These cards each contained a single image that folds in half - the front of the cards look like this when folded.

Two more cards by Gallery Five (England) also dated 1977 shown below.  (I would have bought all of these at the same time.)

These are described as Cameo cards.
The one of the left is called 'Dapple Greys' by Heather Murray.
The card on the right is called 'The Letter' also by Heather Murray.

Each of these cards has a cut out window through which the cameo image is seen.

The outside of each card has a wonderful metallic finish.  Unfortunately my scanner can't capture the sheen of the cards too successfully,

Also printed by Gallery Five in 1978 are these two cards with designs by Tudor Humphries.  The series is called 'Celtic Legends'.  I love them as I think artists at that time tapped in very well to that era.

I'm not sure what these cards were intended for - they are on fairly stiff board but do not open up - something like an oversized postcard.

Another mini poster / maxi postcard.  This one is called 'Relayer' printed by Dragon's World Ltd in England. At some time I obviously had these cards stuck on my bedroom wall.  Unfortunately this one is quite badly damaged on the underside corner from tape having been stuck on and then pulled off again.  Most of the writing is gone as a result.  I can't see what year it was printed but it would have been around the same time as the others.  The name of the artist is also damaged but I was able to find this image quite easily online and can confirm that the artist is Roger Dean.

What I always liked about images like this one is the detail in the background that is not necessarily the central image.  In fact I HATE snakes (I can cope with spiders, bugs and any other type of creepy crawlies) but I've always loved the figures on horseback and the bridge they are crossing.  That this part of the picture is slightly indistinct only adds to its appeal.