Postcard Connections
This section looks at various publishers who have produced Irish Real Photographic postcards showing the same image. This can occur when the photographic image is owned by a third party (probably the photographer) who then provides it to the publisher to have it made into a saleable postcard.
Harvey Barton/Photochrom
Castle Street, Strabane (held in barton file)
Gordon/Dennis
On a Gordon card titled “Ballyholme Bay, Bangor, Co. Down” is inscribed in pencil “ETWD 1000 of these real photo sepia”. The identical Dennis card is B0505. It looks as though Gordon sold their negatives to Dennis. The known date range for Gordon cards is 13.07.1951 to 27.06.1971 with 11 of 14 in the 1950’s. For Dennis, the equivalent dates are from 03.06.1959 to 04.08.1965 (8 cards). (Sample taken on September 21, 2008). This indicates a transfer of business around the end of 1958. Thomas Gordon is shown in the 1947, 1949 and 1962 Belfast Street Directories at 14, Waterloo Park, Belfast and in each case is shown as a traveller.
Signal/ Boots
Card titled “An Irish Turf Cart” occurs as Signal 20103 (dated 25.08.1910) and Boots unnumbered (dated 05.08.1911).
Reliable/Unnamed1
Card entitled “Cliff Promenade, Larne” occurs as Reliable 553/110 (dated 18.07.1931) and Unnamed1 60 (dated 23.06.1926)
Hurst/Unnamed1
Card entitled “Harbour and Lighthouse, Donaghadee” occurs as Hurst unnumbered (undated) and Unnamed1 1078 (undated).
Card entitled “Esplanade, Bangor, Co. Down” occurs as Hurst unnumbered (11.08.1928) and Unnamed1 994 (undated).
EAS/Unnamed 1
Card entitled “River Lagan at Shaw’s Bridge, Belfast” occurs as EAS 01651 and Unnamed1 761 (undated).
Excel/Unnamed2
Study of these series indicates them to be identical.
Cook Kingstown/Unnamed1
Various Cook cards have backs similar to Unnamed1.
Unnamed1/M/Unnamed4
Various cards noted with links between these series. For example Unnamed 1 No. 996 (Bangor, Co. Down. Looking towards Pickie from Queen’s Parade) is M205 and also Unnamed4 25.
Valentine/Mason
Card 2283 (Shipping Cattle, Inishmaan, Aran) is known with both a Mason back and a Valentine back.
Reliable/Unnamed4
754/361 has an unnamed4 back.
M&L / Unnamed2
Card No. 645 (The Coast Road, near Carnlough, Co. Antrim) is identical in both series. (It looks as though the higher numbers in the Unnamed2 series are all M&L cards while the lower numbers are Excel cards)
Cardall/Photocraft
Same photographs used eg St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin
Is it possible that one was bought out by the other??
Cardall/Signal
Same photographs used eg “The Lighthouse and Estuary, Youghal, Co. Cork”
Did Eason’s buy out Cardall?
Photocraft/Signal
- Same photograph used eg “Monasterboice Drogheda” (#12885)
Looks to me that Photocraft became Cardall, who were then bought out by Eason’s.
- Also “The Tower / Sandymount, Co. Dublin
Excel/Salmon
Many cards are very similar but not identical – could they be from the same batch of negatives but using slightly different images eg
Salmon 8437 and Excel 23
Salmon 8440 and Excel 25
M Series / Herald
Card entitled “the Esplanade, Portstewart” appears both in the M Series (LV 2592) and the Herald Series (R. Fitzell & Sons, post Office, Portstewart)
Constance/BCM
Constance and BCM numbers 6695 are the same picture titled “Lime Arch,Carnlough, Co. Antrim”. Also 5363 “Oakdene Hotel, Portrush”.
TCG/M&L
Market Square, Ballyclare seen in both (Numbers 10853 and 8146).
M&L/Philco
“The Marina Cork” both as M&L and Philco 4792
M&L/Unnamed4
Promenade and Baths, Warrenpoint (M&L No. 6)
Philco / Unnamed1
View from the Terrace, Bellevue can be seen in Philco 2200 and Unnamed1 no. 633
Signal/Reliable
Reliable card 351/66 “Town Hall and Church Street, Enniskillen” dated 26/08/1918 is identical to a Signal card (which appears to be later).
Reliable card 309/23 “Science and Art Museum, Dublin” (undated) is identical to a Signal card (7/12/1934).
Small Square Box on front with words “THIS IS A REAL PHOTO”
Reliable 662/38 & 39
Unnamed “THE HELEN’S BAY HOTEL” (1)
Unnamed “THE GOLF LINKS, HELEN’S BAY” (7)
Unnamed “THE BANN BRIDGE, KILREA” 1915
Hill (Ballynure) “PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, BALLYNURE” (4)
Murray, Richardson & C. (Dungannon “BRACKAVILLE PARISH CHURCH< COALISLAND” (7)
Walton “CRAIGAVON, BELFAST”
Lindsay “ THE NEW BARRACKS, FERMOY” 3/3/15
Tuck/Lilywhite
Tuck MA4 and Lilywhite MHA4 identical (Embroidery Works, Maghera)
Snow/Cardall2
Same card “Fort Royal Hotel, Rathmullan” (#10354 and #11856)