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All the United Kingdom England Ryde Donald McGill Seaside Postcard Museum

Donald McGill Seaside Postcard Museum

Obscene versions of this artist's work are the most popular.

Ryde, England

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Henrick
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Seaside postcard. (Donald McGill Postcard Museum)   http://www.britannica.com/blogs/2011/04/se...
Seaside postcard. (Donald McGill Postcard Museum)   http://www.britannica.com/blogs/2011/04/se...
Seaside postcard. (Donald McGill Postcard Museum)   http://www.europe-autos.com/postcard-museum/
Donald McGill in his studio. (Wikimedia Commons)   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_McGill
One of the cards used in evidence against McGill in 1954. (Wikimedia Commons)   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_McGill
A small section of the museum, in the basement of the Royal Victoria Arcade.   RobertaF / Atlas Obscura User
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About

An English graphic artist whose name has become synonymous with a whole genre of saucy and obscene seaside art that was sold mostly in small shops in many British coastal towns, Donald McGill is the king of the postcard. McGill's work is still being collected, traded, and discussed. His work, appreciated for its creator's artistic skill, but also his keen sense of observation, is collected in this one spot.

The purpose of this museum is to pay homage to Donald McGill, who spent his life creating original artworks for the then-thriving postcard industry. McGill created over 12,000 postcard designs from 1904 until his death in 1962. More than 200 million copies are said to have been printed. Outside of this museum, many of these postcards could fetch thousands of pounds as serious collector's items.

The most valuable postcards are often those that depict the most racy themes and situations. Predicting this, McGill would always rank his work according to its vulgarity, from mild to medium to strong. The strong postcards were always the best sellers.

You will find that McGill's cards depict anything and everyone, his watchful eye never missed a humorous situation he witnessed over the years. His artwork covers two world wars, suffragettes, lovers, matrimony, motoring, evolution, and much more. Running across all of those situations and themes, McGill always returned to a few key characters; he drew fat old ladies, honeymoon couples, vicars, attractive young women, and drunken middle-aged men.

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Henrick

Edited By

emmaflocke, nbj914, RobertaF

  • emmaflocke
  • nbj914
  • RobertaF

Published

May 2, 2011

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  • Wikipedia: Donald McGill: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_McGill
  • Europe and Beyond: Donald McGill Postcard Museum: http://www.europe-autos.com/postcard-museum/
  • Encyclopaedia Britannica Blog: "Seaside Postcards: Saucy or Obscene?" (April 2011): http://www.britannica.com/blogs/2011/04/seaside-postcards-saucy-obscene/
Donald McGill Seaside Postcard Museum
Donald McGill Postcard Museum
Ryde
Ryde, England, PO33
United Kingdom
50.729914, -1.161966
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Photo of Ryde

Ryde

England

Places 2

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miles away

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Photo of Ryde

Ryde

England

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