Antique Postcard Album of Miss Casley (c.1908–1923)
- The Happy Antiquer
- Oct 27, 2025
- 11 min read
A Provenanced Edwardian & WWI-Era Collection from Bigadon House, Buckfastleigh, Devon
Objet d’Art Stuff
Bringing the past to you and your home
Introduction – The Golden Age of the Postcard
Between 1902 and 1918, postcards were Britain’s social media.
Every class of society used them for affectionate greetings, travel notes, and everyday correspondence.
Publishers such as Raphael Tuck & Sons, Bamforth & Co., Beagles, Rotary Photo, and Valentine & Sons turned postcard design into an art form, producing embossed, tinted, and photographic cards that are now miniature windows into Edwardian life.
The album of Miss Elsie Elizabeth Casley represents that “Golden Age,” combining sentimental birthday cards, patriotic and comic scenes, and real photographs gathered as a cherished gift and kept through the First World War years.
Miss Elsie Elizabeth Casley of Bigadon House
Research shows the Casley family resided near Buckfastleigh, Devon, at Bigadon House, a rural estate a short distance from Buckfast Abbey.
Parish and census references from the early 1900s list the Casleys among local farming and professional families.
The album’s inscriptions—from “Beatie,” “Tom,” “Edith,” “Harry & Ethel and the Children”—reflect a close circle of relatives and friends across South Devon, Cardiff, Oxford, and London.
Postmarks between 1909 and 1923 confirm long-term correspondence and affection.
This provenance transforms a group of pretty cards into a tangible family archive of early-20th-century social history.
Complete Inventory (102 Postcards)
No. Description / Caption Type Artist / Publisher Date (approx.) Notes / Inscriptions Est. Value (£)
1 “I don’t want to go!!! … Yer ‘oliday’s up!!” Comic seaside postcard Donald McGill c.1910–1912 Humorous railway holiday scene 8–10
2 “It’s two to one on the fly – At Paignton” Comic animal card Unknown c.1910 Chicks chasing fly; place caption 3–4
3 “Birthday Greetings to my Friend” (sepia lady with dove) Sentimental Rotary / similar c.1910 Verse printed; early photo print 3–4
4 “Happiness be yours” (woman and children with flower cart) Hand-tinted sentimental Unknown c.1910 Birthday verse; embossed detail 3–5
5 “We’re lonely without you, so come here” (three women in bathing suits) Comic seaside Donald McGill c.1910–1912 Signed McGill; vibrant litho 8–10
6 “GOODBYEEE” (boy and girl waving goodbye) Comic Donald McGill c.1910–1915 Signed McGill 8–10
7 “Christmas Greetings” with roses and birds Floral / seasonal Unknown c.1910 Printed verse 2–3
8 “My Christmas Greetings” with holly and snow cottage Christmas scenic Unknown c.1910 Verse referencing “Auld Lang Syne” 2–3
9 RPPC – British soldier standing outdoors Real photo Unknown Taken May 1916 Inscribed on reverse by “Janie” to “Bessie” 8–12
10 RPPC – Woman studio portrait (tied bow blouse) Real photo Harvey & Co., Leicester Feb 23, 1917 Pencil date on reverse 6–8
11 “Birthday Wishes to You” (child with yellow blossoms) Hand-tinted sentimental Unknown c.1910 Birthday message 3–4
12 “The longer we stay, the more we like it” (couple bathing) Comic seaside Donald McGill c.1910 Signed McGill 8–10
13 “A hole, but the outlook is alright” (lady looking down hole) Comic / fashion Possibly Fred Spurgin or C.T. Howard style c.1910 Humorous caption 4–6
14 “By the sunny sea” (lady with parasol, seated) Fashion/Seaside Unknown c.1910 Elegant watercolour-style litho 3–4
15 Ashwater Church (interior view) Real photo church interior Local photographer / uncredited c.1910 Sepia; “Ashwater Church” captioned 3–4
16 Launceston Church (exterior) Tinted architectural postcard Valentine or similar c.1910 Hand-tinted church view 3–5
17 “Some Story!” (soldier and lady with parasol on bench) Comic / military humour Unsigned, British c.1915 Humorous romantic wartime card 4–6
18 “Never mind how you come so long as you get here” (woman emerging from trunk) Comic Donald McGill style c.1910 Risqué humour, early seaside comic 6–8
19 “Why shouldn’t we?” (couple under moonlight) Comic Donald McGill or Fred Spurgin style c.1910 Early romantic seaside humour 6–8
20 “The Little Buzzer” (child with hat and cat) Comic / character Unsigned c.1910 Racial caricature, early 20th-century colonial imagery 5–8
21 “Take Me Back to Dear Old Blighty (1)” WWI patriotic song postcard Bamforth & Co. c.1916 Song lyric verse; coloured trench scene 6–9
22 “Take Me Back to Dear Old Blighty (2)” WWI patriotic series Bamforth & Co. c.1916 Continuation verse; soldiers with gramophone 6–9
23 “Take Me Back to Dear Old Blighty (3)” WWI patriotic series Bamforth & Co. c.1916 Third in series; soldier washing/shaving 6–9
24 “Sister Susie’s Sewing Shirts for Soldiers” WWI humorous song card Bamforth & Co. c.1916 Popular music-hall tune reference 6–8
25 “The Trail That Leads to Home (1)” WWI sentimental series Bamforth & Co. c.1916 Soldier gazing toward vision of home 6–9
26 “The Trail That Leads to Home (2)” WWI sentimental series Bamforth & Co. c.1916 Continuation verse 6–9
27 “The Trail That Leads to Home (3)” WWI sentimental series Bamforth & Co. c.1916 Coloured photo-montage 6–9
28 “Kathleen Mavourneen (1)” WWI sentimental Irish song series Bamforth & Co. c.1916–17 Soldier farewell scene 6–9
29 “Kathleen Mavourneen (2)” WWI sentimental Irish song series Bamforth & Co. c.1916–17 Soldier and sweetheart by gate 6–9
30 “Kathleen Mavourneen (3)” WWI sentimental Irish song series Bamforth & Co. c.1916–17 Continuation verse 6–9
31 “Kathleen Mavourneen (4)” WWI sentimental Irish song series Bamforth & Co. c.1916–17 Closing verse; emotional farewell 6–9
32 “When woman wants to do a thing, of course man has to interfere” (couple with walking sticks) Comic Possibly Reg Carter / anonymous c.1910 Humorous social commentary 5–7
33 “To Greet You – Many Happy Returns” (violets and ivy) Embossed floral birthday card Beagles or similar c.1910 Embossed silver and lilac design 3–5
34 “Birthday Joys Be Thine – Good Luck” (horseshoe with daisies & ships) Photographic / floral Unknown c.1910 Sepia with tinted flowers 3–5
35 “A Happy Birthday to You” (ship and roses) Photographic floral with verse Bamforth / Beagles c.1910 Soft-tinted sepia; sailing ship scene 3–4
36 “Loving Birthday Greetings” (vase with sweet peas) Hand-tinted photographic floral Unknown c.1910 Gentle pastel tinting 3–4
37 “My Dear Sister with Fond Birthday Wishes” Embossed sentimental Beagles Postcards c.1910 Verse and cameo portrait; embossed detail 3–5
38 “With Love and Best Wishes for a Happy Birthday” (pansies) Chromolithograph floral Tuck / Bamforth c.1910 Colourful pansy bouquet 3–5
39 “Hearty Greetings on Your Twenty-First Birthday” Embossed floral Beagles Postcards c.1910 Large format embossed; turquoise vase of flowers 4–6
40 “With My Best Wishes on Your 21st Birthday” Sepia floral Unknown c.1910 Daisies and ribbons motif 3–4
41 “To Wish You a Happy Birthday” (horseshoe with blossom)
Chromolithograph Unknown c.1910 Embossed pink blossoms and verse 3–4
42 “A Happy Birthday” (smiling lady with bouquet) Hand-tinted photographic portrait Rotary Photo or “Wrench Series” c.1910 Tinted photo card numbered “789” 4–6
43 “Sincere Birthday Wishes” (yellow mimosa and roses) Embossed floral Beagles / Bamforth c.1910 Embossed relief print 3–5
44 “Happy Birthday” (young woman with blossoms) Hand-tinted photographic portrait Rotary Photo c.1910 Sepia with soft pinks, numbered “755” 4–6
45 “Yellow rose on dark blue background” Embossed single-flower study Beagles / Tuck c.1910 Deep colour contrast; striking visual 3–4
46 “To Greet Your Birthday” (mother and child) Photographic sentimental Rotary Photo c.1910 Sepia with pink tint 3–5
47 “Sweet Birthday Wishes” (violets with framed window scene) Embossed chromolithograph Beagles Postcards c.1910 Textured, raised design 3–5
48 “Birthday Remembrance” (pink chrysanthemum) Embossed floral Unknown c.1910 Hand-tinted bloom 3–4
49 “A Happy Birthday to You” (lady portrait and cottage in heart) Photo montage Rotary Photo / Beagles c.1910 Hand-tinted cameo with verse 4–6
50 “Birthday Joys Be Thine” (striped vase with bow) Embossed floral Unknown c.1910 Horseshoe symbol of luck 3–4
51 “Fondest Birthday Wishes” (flowers and cottage scene) Chromolithograph Bamforth / Beagles c.1910 Watercolour-effect print 3–4
52 “Happy Birthday to You and Every Year You Have Another” Art Deco text style Unknown c.1920 Simpler typographic design 2–3
53 “Many Happy Returns – My heart for you is yearning” (lady on country path vignette) Embossed floral scenic Beagles or similar c.1910 Embossed verse, country scene cutout 3–5
54 “With Hearty Wishes for Your 21st Birthday” (silver embossed landscape) Embossed floral / silvered Beagles Postcards c.1910 Raised silver design; age 21 verse 4–6
55 “Britannia’s Sons – The Empire of the Free” (Union Jack, drums, and laurel) Patriotic / embossed Unknown c.1910–1915 Gold and enamel-style embossing 5–8
56 “Many Happy Returns of the Day” (cat in horseshoe with violets) Humorous / floral Unknown c.1910 Early anthropomorphic animal image 4–6
57 “Twenty-First Birthday Congratulations” (roses and lacework design) Embossed floral Beagles Postcards c.1910 Highly embossed; fine silver tint 4–6
58 “River Avon and Sea Walls, Clifton” Colour-tinted landscape Valentine & Sons c.1908–1912 Real photo–based tint 3–4
59 “With Loving Birthday Greetings” (cattle in pasture) Pastoral / chromolithograph Unknown c.1910 Agricultural theme, scenic frame 3–4
60 “Though skies be gray or skies be blue” (Art Nouveau lettering) Typography / verse Unknown c.1912–1920 Early Deco styling; pastel borders 2–3
61 “A Happy Birthday” (two pink roses) Embossed floral Beagles or Bamforth c.1910 Common rose motif 3–4
62 “All Birthday Joys Be Thine” (hands and roses motif) Embossed / symbolic Unknown c.1910 Friendship/romance theme 3–5
63 “Joy Upon Your Birthday” (lady portrait with roses) Photo portrait with chromo border Rotary Photo c.1910 Tinted portrait within embossed frame 4–6
64 “A Peaceful Birthday” (man in cart) Comic / sentimental Unknown c.1910 Light-hearted art card 3–5
65 “Many Happy Returns of the Day” (cottage and roses) Embossed floral / scenic Beagles c.1910 Circular cottage vignette 3–5
66 “All Birthday Joys” (roses and waterfall) Embossed floral / landscape Ailsa Publishing c.1910 “Sweet emblem of love” verse 3–5
67 “Picturesque Durham – Lake in the Park, Darlington” Colour-tinted landscape Valentine / local publisher c.1910 Clear colour detail 3–4
68 “Unidentified large house and gardens” (sepia photo) Real photo Unknown c.1905–1910 Early private or local photographic postcard 5–7
69 “Kingsbridge, Fore Street” Tinted real photo street scene Valentine / Frith c.1910 Good street detail with shops and figures 5–7
70 “With Love on Your Birthday – Roses for Love” Embossed floral / verse Bamforth / Beagles c.1910 Embossed frame; hand clasp 3–5
71 “Village scene, mountains behind (possibly Austria)” Continental tinted view Unknown c.1910 Possibly German/Swiss origin 3–4
72 “With Every Good Wish for Christmas” (basket of holly and berries) Christmas / embossed Unknown c.1910 Bright seasonal colour 3–4
73 “Affectionate Greetings for a Very Happy Birthday to My Mother” (cottage at sunset) Embossed floral / family greeting Unknown c.1910 Sentimental verse; soft colour 3–5
74 “City Hall, Cardiff” (with equestrian statue) Real photo architectural Valentine or Frith c.1910 Sepia tone, clear architectural study 4–6
75 “A Happy Birthday” (little girl with green bow and floral cushion) Hand-tinted photographic portrait Rotary Photo c.1910 Pastel tinting; numbered “20071K” 5–7
76 “The Rocks, Exmouth” with Devonshire coat of arms Embossed local scenic Bamforth / Beagles c.1910 Decorative crest and blossom 4–6
77 Comic “Old Soldier” verse – bearded man with rifle Humorous / WWI veteran theme Anonymous c.1915 Verse about aging soldier 4–6
78 “Sherford Village and Church near Kingsbridge” Colour-tinted rural view Valentine / Frith c.1910 Devon village scene 4–5
79 “Loving Birthday Wishes” (roses and cherub with cross) Embossed floral religious Beagles Postcards c.1910 Deep embossing; gilt verse 4–6
80 “The Great Tapestry in Exeter College Chapel, Oxford” (Nativity scene) Art reproduction Raphael Tuck & Sons c.1910 Printed from artwork by Burne-Jones 5–7
81 “Shanklin Chine” (Isle of Wight) Black-and-white landscape Valentine / Frith c.1908 Early photographic scenic 3–4
82 “Old Mar Castle, Aberdeen” Colour lithograph castle view Valentine & Sons c.1910 Strong architectural image 3–4
83 “Ilfracombe Harbour” (Devon) Watercolour-style chromolithograph Raphael Tuck or Valentine c.1910 Harbour with sailing boats 4–6
84 “A Happy Christmas” (holly, bell and winter scene) Embossed festive Beagles / Bamforth c.1910 Bright red-green palette 3–4
85 “Torpoint and Ferry, Devonport” Real photo postcard Rotary Photo Co. c.1910 Good composition, human activity 5–7
86 “Sincere Christmas Wishes” (horseshoe with lilies) Embossed floral Christmas card Beagles Postcards c.1910 Gilt horseshoe design 3–4
87 “Moonlight on the River” (canoeist among lilies) Chromolithograph art Unknown c.1910 Romantic moonlit scene 3–4
88 “A Little Explained, A Little Endured…” (boy and girl quarrel) Comic postcard Donald McGill c.1912–1915 Early McGill sentimental humour 5–8
89 “Interior of Guildhall, Totnes” Real photo interior Frith or local photographer c.1910 Excellent architectural detail 5–7
90 “Her End Was Painful!” (lady falling, child laughing) Comic postcard Donald McGill c.1915 Bold colours; slapstick humour 5–8
91 “Bantham” (Devon village with horse and cart) Real photo rural scene Valentine / Frith c.1910 Local interest card 5–7
92 “I Know of Two Bright Eyes (2)” (lady seated at desk) Sentimental song postcard Bamforth & Co., “O Myrrha” series c.1915 Verse printed below image; strong colour 5–7
93 “A Joyous Birthday” (pink flowers, landscape inset) Embossed floral Unknown (Printed in Saxony) c.1910 Bright purple ground 3–4
94 “St. Margaret’s Church, Plumstead Common” Colour-tinted architectural Wolineur Series c.1910 Fine early print; London suburban interest 4–6
95 “A Happy Birthday” (vase of flowers in oval frame) Embossed floral Unknown c.1910–1915 Metallic tint; classic Edwardian verse 3–4
96 “The Pier Head, Cardiff” (sailing ship and civic hall) Colour-tinted photograph Valentine & Sons c.1910 Clear composition; maritime theme 4–6
97 “Birthday Greeting to the Best of Friends” (river and verse) Embossed sepia photo-montage Unknown c.1910 Verse border; fine print quality 4–5
98 “A Happy Birthday” (pink roses and verse) Embossed floral Beagles / Bamforth c.1910 Same series as earlier rose card (No. 61) 3–4
99 “Postcard from Beatie to Miss Casley, Bigadon House” Message card Published by W. & K. Varty, London EC c.1910–1912 Message: ‘Wishing you a very happy Birthday with love from Beatie’ —
100 “Postcard from Tom, 1923 (Totnes postmark)” Message card Valentine’s 1923 Message: ‘Very healthy here today, thunder, think didn’t fancy work but managed all right, love Tom’ —
101 “Postcard from Edith (Printed in Saxony, No. 144)” Message card Unknown c.1908–1910 ‘To wish you many happy returns of the 21st’ —
102 “Postcard from Harry, Ethel & the children” Message card The Regent Publishing Co. Ltd, London NW c.1910–1912 Message with ½d green stamp
Highlights from Miss Casley’s Correspondence
🕰️ Notes on Historical & Collecting Context
The “Take Me Back to Dear Old Blighty” and “Trail That Leads to Home” sequences (Nos. 21–27) are by Bamforth & Co., famous for both their saucy comics and wartime sentimental photo-montages.
→ Full or near-full runs of these series are desirable, typically bringing £25–£35 per complete set.
The “Kathleen Mavourneen” set (Nos. 28–31) is another strong run, linked to the Irish song and popular during WWI.
→ A complete 1-to-4 set in good condition can fetch £20–£30 alone.
The combination of comic seaside and wartime sentimental cards in the same album gives it crossover appeal for collectors of both Donald McGill and Bamforth WWI themes.
💐 Contextual Notes
These floral and portrait cards mark the Edwardian “Golden Age” of postcard publishing (1902–1918) — a time when postcards were the preferred form of personal greeting.
Beagles Postcards were known for their delicate embossed work and silver highlights, often marketed as Birthday Series or Artistic Series.
The hand-tinted portraits (like Nos. 42 and 44) are highly collectible, especially when numbered and linked to famous studios such as Rotary Photo.
Collectors often seek complete birthday-themed albums like this for their unified sentimental and design value.
The Beagles 21st birthday cards (Nos. 54 & 57) are finely embossed and typically sell £5–£8 each individually when in clean condition.
The patriotic Britannia’s Sons (No. 55) is of special interest — Edwardian patriotic issues became popular around the 1902–1914 imperial period and are now sought by collectors of British Empire and WWI memorabilia.
Scenic cards such as Kingsbridge Fore Street and River Avon, Clifton provide valuable regional content, linking this album geographically to Southwest England (and possibly travel or family connections).
The mix of pastoral and floral birthday cards continues the theme of sentimental Edwardian greetings, with a gentle shift toward post-1910 Art Nouveau and Art Deco influences in typography (e.g., No. 60).
Donald McGill–style humour cards (Nos. 88 & 90) are collectible, especially pre-WWII issues; condition and censorship markings can push values higher.
Regional Devon and South-West cards (Nos. 76, 78, 83, 85, 89, 91) give strong provenance, suggesting the sender or recipient had ties to South Devon and Cornwall, enhancing the historic storytelling value of the album.
Art and architecture cards (Exeter College, Cardiff City Hall, Guildhall Totnes) appeal to collectors of early British civic architecture.
The hand-tinted child portrait (No. 75) adds charm and visual appeal; such cards often act as focal highlights when albums are displayed.
🌸 Album Summary
Total items logged: 102 postcards
Time span: Circa 1908 – 1923
Primary publishers: Beagles, Bamforth, Valentine & Sons, Rotary Photo, Raphael Tuck & Sons, Wolineur Series, The Regent Publishing Co.
Main themes:
Birthday & sentimental greetings (floral, embossed, song and friendship series)
Regional architecture & scenery (Devon, South Wales, Oxford, Aberdeen, London)
Patriotic & WWI-era themes (Britannia, Bamforth war songs)
Comic and Donald McGill–style humour
Personal correspondences to Miss Elsie Elizabeth Casley of Bigadon House, Buckfastleigh
Preservation Notes
Store in an acid-free sleeve or archival album.
Avoid prolonged sunlight and humidity above 55 %.
Handle with cotton gloves if removing cards.
Maintain original order to preserve provenance value.
For exhibition, display printed facsimiles rather than originals.
Appendix & Resources
Postcard Traders Association (PTA) – www.postcard.co.uk
British Museum – Picture Postcard Collection
Bamforth & Co. History – Holmfirth archives
Valentine & Sons – University of St Andrews Photographic Archive
Credits
Catalogue compiled by Objet d’Art Stuff with research assistance by ChatGPT (GPT-5).
© 2025 Objet d’Art Stuff. All rights reserved.
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