Old Postcard Wednesday--Erin's Isle, Happy St. Patrick's Day

I am posting this Saint Patrick's Day greeting early for those in places where it is already the day and for those of us who anxiously await it.

Celebrate and Be Happy!

Raphael Tuck & Sons

Raphael Tuck & Sons, publishers from the mid 1800's into the early 20th Century.  Raphael Tuck & Sons were proudly known to be the Publishers to Her Majesties the King and Queen, with printing houses in London, Paris and New York.

They began in London, England in 1866, selling pictures and frames.  Raphael Tuck was joined by his three sons in 1871 and published their first Christmas greeting card.   
In 1893 they were granted a Royal Warrant by Queen Victoria.
Adolph Tuck, one of the sons, produced their first picture postcard in 1894 of Mt. Snowden in Wales, which was sold to tourists visiting the site.
The first series of numbered postcards was printed In 1898 which was a set of 12 lithographed vignette views of London, numbered 1 to 12 with the "Tower of London" being postcard #1.
They entered the postcard market in the United States in 1900 with an office in New York.   American artists designed many of the postcards, but the cards were printed in Europe (Germany, Saxony, England) and then returned to the states for sale.

Unfortunately, like many other postcard printers and manufacturers of their time, the history, records, original paintings and postcards of Raphael Tuck & Sons were destroyed during the bombing blitz of London during World War II.
Raphael Tuck & Sons were prolific printers and produced Books, Postcards, Greeting Cards, Die Cut Cards, Fringed Silk Cards, Scrapbooks, Puzzles and more.
{Source: emotionscards, where you may read about and view more postcards at the link} 

graphic and photo via tinypic

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