Publisher E.R.G. & Co in Blackpool

[Thelma]

For my Christmas collection I have been able to buy a sample album, which says on the front cover: The "Victoria" Series private Christmas greeting cards. They are samples for Christmas 1946 and New Year 1947 greeting cards and calendars. Neither in the album, nor in the ordering instructions, an address or publisher is mentioned. As I like to add comments, such as purchase date, price, etc., and also information about the publisher and such, I have looked on the internet for "Victoria series". I have come across postcards where the seller mentions "published by E R G & CO in Blackpool", but cannot find any informamtion on this firm.
Up to now my email to the Blackpool authorities has had no result, so my only hope are fellow collectors.
Thanks for any help you can give me.
Thelma

[kevinramsdale]

This is Edward Rhodes Green & Co, who were based in Victoria St in Blackpool (hence the Victoria series)

However their postcard output only seems to go up to the First World War era, so it is extremely unlikely that they would be producing Greetings Cards etc in the late 1940s.

Here is an example of their work, posted locally in 1913.

[Thelma]

Kevin, thank you for the information. Attached, anyway I am trying to because I do not really know how it works, a photo of the cover and of one of the info pages and one of the text for the cards. Thelma. In the meantime I have received an answer from Blackpool library. They give me the same information. They also say that it is quite possible that another firm in another town easily could have used the series name Victoria.
http://users.telenet.be/merrytheschrist ... Series.htm

[Brianz]

Well, the following information may only serve to deepen the mystery but, according to Anthony Byatt in "Picture Postcards & their Publishers" (1978), E.R. Green & Co, Blackpool "was also a draper and outfitter, and later expanded to various numbers in Victoria Street, from which the series name "Victoria" is taken." However, Byatt also relates that the company seems to have disappeared after the First World War.

I don't know for certain, but the card on the cover of your booklet reminds me of the work of artist Annie Pressland noted for her garden paintings and often associated with postcard publisher A. Vivian Mansell & Co. Is there a possible link? Byatt makes no connection.

At the very least, we now know that E.R. Green did produce a "Victoria Series" during its period of operations. However, it's important to note that many cards of the E.R. Green "Victoria Series" were comic in nature. A.V. Mansell, on the other hand, was known for its fine art cards (their oil fascsim cards were produced by the British Fine Art Society) and the company was in business "right through to World War II" according to Byatt which poses yet further questions.

Wish I could be of more help but that's as far as my sources are able to take me. (I also checked Buday's "The History of the Christmas Card", c.1954.)

Brian

[Thelma]

Thank you Brian for the extra information. I checked all the pictures, but nowhere Annie Pressland is mentioned and only on one calendar the artist's signature is shown, what I can make out is "Margaret Lewington", and a quick internet search reveals she is an illustrator. A photo of the calendar (flowers) and close-up of the signature is posted, link above. While checking the pictures, I noticed that on the back of another one is printed "450" and "Printed in Great", so I presume this picture is only part of a larger one that has been cut-off. It would be wonderful if this would shed some light on the matter, and I am always hopeful. What may also be significant is that the addresses on the samples are amongst others in S.Africa, India, Newfoundland, Bermuda, Trinidad, New Zealand, Jamaica, and none in Britain. Maybe it was not published in England at all?
Anyway, thanks a lot for your help and attention.
Thelma