A substantial near-complete c.1920s–1930s postcard album containing 199 original vintage postcards, largely comprising British birthday, Easter, floral, religious and sentimental greeting designs, many of which are addressed to Miss Lena Matlock of Compton Road, Wylds Lane, Worcester.
The album is particularly appealing as a named social-history collection rather than simply a loose accumulation of postcards. Several cards are postally used, retaining handwritten messages, period stamps and 1920s/1930s postmarks, while others appear unused or lightly inscribed. The repeated address to Miss Matlock gives the album a coherent personal thread, preserving a glimpse of interwar correspondence, family greetings and seasonal remembrance in Worcester.
Also included is a small personal photograph, believed to show Miss Lena Matlock herself. This adds further human interest and makes the album especially attractive from a social-history, local-history and postal-history perspective.
The postcards include richly coloured birthday greetings, Easter cards, spring flowers, lilies, roses, tulips, chicks, religious crosses, scenic views, sentimental verses, embossed borders, Art Deco-style lettering and decorative printed designs. Many remain in their original album positions, held by traditional corner slots.
The album itself is a reddish-brown leatherette-style “Post Card Album” with gilt lettering and decorative gilt line detail. Internally it is fitted with grey card leaves, most of which remain filled with period postcards.
A charming and highly decorative album for collectors of British postcards, greeting cards, Easter ephemera, birthday cards, floral illustration, postal history, Worcester local history and named family/social-history groups.
Condition
Offered as an original vintage paper ephemera album, with age-related wear throughout.
The album cover shows rubbing, scuffing, edge wear, light marks and general handling wear. The spine and internal binding show weakness, with visible splitting, tears and looseness to the inner hinge and some album leaves. The grey card pages show age toning, creases, edge knocks, corner-slot wear, small tears and handling marks.
The postcards vary in condition. Some are postally used with stamps, postmarks and handwritten messages; others appear unused or only lightly inscribed. Individual cards may show corner wear, surface marks, age toning, light creasing, postal wear, small losses, rubbing and minor imperfections.
The personal photograph is small, age-toned and mounted within the album.
Overall, the album presents very well as a decorative and coherent period collection, but should be regarded as a used early 20th-century paper ephemera album with expected age and handling wear.
Details
Object: Postcard album Number of postcards: 199 Date: Principally c.1920s–1930s Origin: Predominantly British Named recipient: Miss Lena Matlock Address: Compton Road, Wylds Lane, Worcester Subjects: Birthday, Easter, flowers, religious greetings, sentimental verse, scenic views Features: Embossed cards, printed greetings, handwritten messages, period stamps, postmarks Associated photograph: Small personal photograph, believed to depict Miss Lena Matlock Album: Brown/red leatherette-style “Post Card Album” with gilt lettering Condition: Used vintage condition throughout