Post Card Views of Edinburgh

List of Photographers/Publishers

Post Card Views of

Edinburgh

Yellow background denotes an Edinburgh photographer or publisher.

Green background denotes photographer or publisher from elsewhere.

- BB London (Birn Brothers, London)

- Edinburgh Castle - Parade on the Esplanade (colour)

- Edinburgh High Street (colour, with a tartan border)

- Forth Rail Bridge (small picture, flowers, tartan ribbon, coat of arms) Posted 1910

- Portobello donkeys (The same negative was used for post cards by JK Home Crawford and in B&R Series)

BB postcards were published by Birn Brothers. They can be recognised from their distinctive symbol, two intertwined 'B's

- B & D (Blum & Degen)

B&D published some early postcards of Edinburgh and Leith. These were on pale blue card, with undivided backs. The numbers on these cards suggest that they were part of a large series.

- Holyrood and Arthur's Seat (911)

- Leith Docks (2356)

The company, Blum & Degen, has been publishing postcards since 1895. Cards with numbers up to 2100 were published around 1900 or earlier. [Mike Pettigrew]

- B & GB

What is known about this company?

REPLY

Thank you to Alan Brotchie who replied:

The initials are for Bisset and Gilmour, Burntisland.

From memory, they ran a pharmacy in Burntisland High Street in the early 20th century. Postcards were an obvious sideline.

From this they expanded into aerated water manufacture and thus into charabanc and bus operation - using the 'pop' delivery lorry at weekends with a charabanc body. They operated a regular service from Burntisland to Dunfermline from August 1920 to July 1924.

Bisset (or perhaps it was Gilmour) was also Provost of Burntisland at one time.

Alan Brotchie, Aberdour, Fife, Scotland: 26 January 2017

- B & R Liverpool

Thumbnail Images

B & R

The company is Brown & Rawcliffe Ltd.

The tartan borders on many of the B & R cards is very prominent. After seeing all the tartan, thistles and bagpipes on many of these cards, I was surprised to see that B & R are based in Liverpool, not Scotland. In some cases, the same negative has been used for more than one card.

B & R's Camera Series

- Princes Street, looking west [b+w]

- Princes Street, looking west [Fraser tartan]

- Rosslyn Chapel, John Knox House, John Knox Pulpit, John Knox [b+w]

- The Forth Bridge [Cameron Tartan]

- Edinburgh from the Castle [bagpipes, thistles, tartan - No 275]

- Rosslyn Chapel interior [piper, Cameron tartan tartan - No 279]

- Edinburgh Castle [Macduff + MacKinlay tartans - No 766]

Posted: Most 1903, one 1918

B & R Series

- Princes Street, looking west [Stewart tartan]

- Edinburgh Castle and Ross Fountain [Malcolm tartan]

- Princes Street from Edinburgh Castle [Murray tartan]

Posted: Most 1908-10

B & R Ltd, Liverpool

- Edinburgh Castle & National Gallery [sepia]

- Holyrood Palace [sepia]

Not posted: but 'penny postage' printed on back of some; 'half-penny' on others.

B & R's, Liverpool 'Red Carbon' Series

- The Forth Bridge [sepia]

Posted 1926

QUESTION

Andy Lynn who wrote:

"Six etchings by JW King have been found in a house clearance, and I'm trying to ascertain more information.

Some of JW King's work has been used by B&R Postcards. He was obviously Edinburgh based ***, the sketches being of Edinburgh views, but they were found in Southport. However, the fact that B&R were based there may explain that."

Andy Lynn, Edinburgh: April 22, 2009

If you know anything about JW King or his sketches, please email me, then I'll pass on your message to Andy.

Thank you. - Peter Stubbs: April 23, 2009.

*** = But see 'UPDATE 4' below.

UPDATE 1

I've checked the catalogue for the Edinburgh Room at Edinburgh Central Library, and found that they have reproductions of 11 of JW King's pencil drawings of Edinburgh in their collection. Most are about 5 ins x 3 ins. All are undated.

- Peter Stubbs: April 23, 2009.

UPDATE 2

Gordon Merrylees contacted me two days ago, telling me that he has an original pencil sketch of Advocate's Close in Edinburgh, signed by J W King, but not dated. Gordon believes that the artist did not date his work. Gordon is trying to discover more about this artist.

If you know anything about J W King please email me, then I'll pass on your message to Gordon.

Thank you. - Peter Stubbs: October 29, 2009.

UPDATE 3

I received a message on April 7, 2010 from a sender who did not give their name. The sender wrote: "I have come across a book illustrated by JW King. The title of the book is:
'Where Dorset meets Devon'."

Thank you. - Peter Stubbs: April 8, 2010.

UPDATE 4

Thank you to David Delo, Cranbrook, Kent, England, who replied:

"Just a final note on JW King. He was born in London c1868

He lived with his parents in Islington, and was described in the 1891 census as lithographic artist. In the 1901 census he was in Abingdon, Berkshire, and is described as an artist/ frame maker.

He died in Scarborough c1935. He was described in censuses as artist/engraver, so I would imagine his Edinburgh link was purely commercial, and he is listed in the Fine Arts Trade Guild."

D Delo: August 2 +6, 2010

UPDATE 5

After a gap of about three and a half years, I received another message today about the drawings of J W King. It comes from Diane Simpson, Edinburgh, who wrote:

"I've found a drawing, titled 'John Knox's House'. It belonged to my uncle, then to my mother, and now to me. It's by J W King and seems original."

Thank you. - Peter Stubbs: March 31, 2014

- Bauermeister Mound Bookshop Ltd, Edinburgh

- Edinburgh Castle

- Holyrood Palace

The Bauermeister bookshop on George IV Bridge, close to Edinburgh Central Library was run by William Bauermeister, the son of Frederick Bauermeister who opened a bookshop in Glasgow in 1896. William Bauermeister produced a few picture postcards from his own photographs after 1945 and sold them from a stand at the Mound. [PPP]

- Bamforth & Co

- Princes Street ST17

- Edinburgh Castle, 12 small views ST18

- Baxter, Colin

Colin Baxter has produced many large post cards of Edinburgh, often taken with long lens, muted colours. He also publishes his own photographs in books and calendars

Posted 1988-2001

Just Edinburgh series

- Whitehouse Close, Royal Mile E18

- Edinburgh Castle E23

- The City from Salisbury Crags E23 Posted 1990

- The City from Arthur's Seat E31 665

- Arthur's Seat E37

- Festival Fireworks E52C

- Edinburgh Castle at Dusk E71

- The City from Calton Hill E81

- Bell, Alexander Duncan [Printers]

- Museum

Printed for the New Museum of Scotland

Posted 1908

- Bell, E M [Stationer]

- Craighall Crescent, Trinity, Edinburgh Posted 1924

Bell had the 'Paper' shop on Craighall Road, next to corner shop East Trinity Road. John mentioned that Bell's shop then became Rintoul's for many years.

[Walter Lyle Hume, Cowes, Isle of Wight, England]

- Beric Tempest Colourcards Printers: St. Ives, Cornwall

This is a set of cards of Edinburgh buses and coaches, probably photographed between the 1980s and early-2000s. I saw 6 different cards for sale, but don't know whether or not this was the entire set. The cards were for sale on an 'Open Day' at the Scottish Vintage Bus Museum, Lathalmond, near Dunfermline, Fife in May 2005.

I've not been able to trace the publisher to discuss copyright. I believe that around 2001, the company became Temprint, following a management buyout, then became part of the Pryntyn group, Cornwall, a couple of years later.

I've not been able to contact this company. If you know how to contact them, please let me know so that I can discuss copyright with them.

- Frogston Road, Edinburgh, wintry scene + 608

- [other, Edinburgh Buses and Coaches]

ALSO: Beric Tempest Postcards

- Daniel Stewarts & Melville Colege - The Old College

- Berlin, WH

This card has many tiny holes cut to simulate windows and the moon

- Princes Street and the Scott Monument

Posted 1932

- Bernie Carol Publications

This card has small black + white sketches of 34 Public Houses in Edinburgh, together with the street names and telephone numbers for each one.

The card is sponsored by Heather Ale Ltd 'Brewers to the Poeple of Scotland and beyond'.

- Edinburgh Heritage Pub Crawl

Published 2008

- Black, A & C Ltd Soho Square, London W1

When I saw the cards listed below in 2005, they were being offered for sale a set of six cards. These cards had an 'ABC (actually ACB) monogram on the back.

Colour Series - No 14

- John Knox House, High Street

- The Church of St Giles from the Lawnmarket

- Edinburgh from the Braid Hill

- Holyrood Palace dominated by Arthur's Seat

- Princes Street, looking East

- Edinburgh Castle from the Terrace of Heriot's Hospital

- Blackwell Northampton

Penny Post Series

Edinburgh General Post Office

- Blair, E&J 25, Clyde Street, Edinburgh [May be a seller but not publisher or photographer]

- Edinburgh suburbs: West Mayfield, Edinburgh

Posted 1919

- Blair, William 25, Clyde Street, Edinburgh

- Triumphal Arch, West End, Princes Street

- Caledonian Hotel, Sinclair Fountain This card or the one above - posted 1909

- Royal Visit - Caledonian Hotel - "Long Meg" plaster (Malcolm Cant Collection)

- Royal Visit - Parade of School Children - 19 July 1911

- Bold, John Edin., Publisher

- Arthur's Seat

- Edinburgh Royal Infirmary

- The Ferry, Cramond (an attractive coloured postcard)

- The Grotto, Craigiehall, Cramond

- Marchmont Road

- St Giles Cathedral

Posted 1909-14

- Boots Cash Chemists Pelham Post Cards

Pelham - Real Photo Series

I have only three postcards of Edinburgh in the Pelham Series.

- Scots Greys Memorial published 1922 . not posted.

- St Anthony's Chapel, Holyrood Park published 1923. not posted

- Scott Monument published 1925.

Please click here to read an explanation of Pelham's numbering system.

- Boots Art Publishing Ltd

Central Edinburgh

- Braemar Films Ltd

BF Series

- Edinburgh 3 views on a single card (5263)

- Edinburgh 15 small views and 3 larger views on a single card (5289)

- Scott Monument

- Caledonian Hotel

Posted 1983

- British Telecom

Pencil sketch, published 1989

- Corner of Princes Street and South Charlotte Street + portrait of Alexander Graham Bell

- Broughton Bookshop 7+9 Broughton St, Edinburgh

- Holyrood Palace

- Brown, A & J B 17 Salisbury Place, Edinburgh

I have seen only one postcard with this name on the back. It comes from the collection of Malcolm Cant.

- Longmore Hospital Posted 1942

- Brown, Post Office Cramond Bridge, Edinburgh

- Cramond Bridge

- Cramond Bridge and Hotel

- Brown, Wm & Co 2 Bury Court, London EC8

Postcards printed and published by William Brown & Co

- Riddle's Court, Edinburgh (a sketch by J W King)

- Brodie's Close, Edinburgh

- Brown & Meikle

Waverley Series

- Corstorphine

- Butler R 4 Greyfriars' Place, Edinburgh

- Greyfriars' Kirk - not posted

- Buchanan, PA & Co Croydon

This publisher appears to have produced several postcards of Edinburgh schools, including the following:

- Convent of the Sacred Heart, Lockhart (interior) Posted 1942

- Convent of the Sacred Heart, Lockhart (exterior) Posted 1943

- Craigmillar Park College

- Royal High School, Edinburgh: Library Not posted

- Royal High School, Edinburgh: Art Classroom Not posted

- St Bride's School, Edinburgh

- St Bride's School, Edinburgh: School VI Form

- St Bride's School, Edinburgh: The Garden Classroom

- St Bride's School, Edinburgh: Boarding House, St Brendan

- St Catherine's Convent: Drawing Room *

- St Hilda's School, Liberton: Dining Room, Junior House: No 24154 Posted 1923

- St Hilda's School, Liberton, Edinburgh - The Lecture Hall

- St Hilda's School, Liberton: A Dormitory, Junior House: No 24156 Not posted

* I have seen this card but it is not in my own collection.

- Burns Stationery Dept Goldenacre, Edinburgh

I have seen just one set of cards by this publisher. It appears to be a complete set of 8 cards in a series titled 'Goldenacre' There were no details printed on the back of the cards. The publisher's details have been taken from the packet that the cards came in.

The titles of the cards in this set are:

- Boswall Avenue, Edinburgh

- Boswall Drive, Edinburgh

- Granton Road, Edinburgh

- Inverleith Gardens, Edinburgh

- Inverleith Row, Edinburgh

- Pond in Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh

- Trinity Road, Edinburgh

- Wardie Road, Edinburgh