57. CHRISTMAS GREETINGS on Vintage Philippine Postcards

Sir Henry Cole of England is credited with instigating the first mass-produced Christmas greetings cards in the 1840s. He commissioned a friend of his, John Calcott Horsley, an artist, to produce a thousand handmade cards for Cole to distribute to his friends.  John Horsley, created a three paneled card; one panel depicting a happy family celebrating at a Christmas feast with the panels on either side illustrated with poor and hungry people. The sentiment was simple, "A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to You".

While Christmas cards have been used to share holiday greetings since the 1840s most collectors agree that the golden years of postcards were between 1900 and 1920. These are the most colorful, most interesting and most valuable of the holiday postcards.

PASIG RIVER published by Photo Supply Co. (circa 1905)

Collecting vintage Christmas postcards is a fun hobby that can be enjoyed by anyone. I basically collect vintage Filipiniana Christmas Postcards.   I just really enjoy looking at them and reading the little notes that were written on them so long ago. I also like the views of forgotten rural scenes being used as greeting cards. These Filipiana postcards are prized among collectors because of their beauty and unique artwork.

My best suggestion to you if you are just getting started collecting Christmas postcards is to choose the ones that you will really enjoy having over the ones that might be more valuable today. Collectible item values are funny. All collectibles are always only worth what someone is willing to pay for them. I've purchased just about all of my vintage postcards by way of eBay. 

Here are some of the Yuletide postcards I have collected over the years

LUNETA published by Photo Supply Co. (circa 1905)

TYPICAL BAHAY KUBO (circa 1910)

Nipa Houses along the Pasig River (circa 1905)

A Typical Sailing Boat (circa 1910)

A Sentry Box on the Old Spanish Wall Surrounding Manila (circa 1905)

Farmers Planting Rice on the Country Side (circa 1915)

Ilocos Sure Capitol - Vigan, From FIGAMO, Vigan (1920's)

ANNETTE's Guest House and Cocktail Lounge, Baguio Philippines (1930's)

Christmas Cheer w/ short Yultide poem (1930's)

56. QUEZONIANA Collection (Pres. Manuel L. Quezon Memorabilia)

Manuel L Quezon's photos during his early 20's

By collecting Pres. Quezon’s memorabilia I pay homage to this foremost statesman, patriot, and leader. It is my hope that our people will continue to remember the great Pres. Quezon through these items, in the years to come and will forever bear in our mind his love for freedom and independence.

President Quezon left many important legacies to us Filipinos. Some of which are worth mentioning were his courage in fighting for our freedom and independence in peace or war. He was a brilliant young practicing lawyer; he strongly campaigned for Philippine independence in the U.S.A, he had wisdom in the performance of his duties and responsibilities as Senate President and subsequently President of the Philippines, and he had a dynamic and inspiring leadership not only of his political party but also of the country, He was a passionate nationalist, he had unquestionable honesty and integrity as a public official, and he was very loyal and had a total dedication to the welfare and happiness of his beloved Fatherland.  We are heirs to the visions and struggles of Quezon and must protect the freedom that he fought for.

I hope that these memorabilia would inspire us and that we may lead a life just like our beloved President Quezon.

Real photo postcard of  Manuel Quezon with Filipino expatriates in Washington D.C.
Taken on Quezon's Birthday in August 1912

Different business cards of Manuel L Quezon when he was the Senate President
and President of the Philippines

 Pres. Quezon's letter to Aurora was dated June 18, 1937. Written on Hotel Everglades Stationary.

Mrs. Aurora Quezon's EX-LIBRIS, showing the profile of the late Pres. Manuel Quezon (Left).
Ex-Libris of Malacanang Palace during the Commonwealth Era (Right)

Photo of the President's family taken in Malacanang Palace

A flyer that was given during the 1st Commonwealth Anniversary

Real photo postcard of Manuel L Quezon, Sergio Osmena, and a US Official.

A letter of Manuel L Quezon to his wife Aurora on Dec. 10 (1936) . Signed as HUBBY MANUEL

Different medals to commemorate Pres. Manuel L. Quezon

Caricature of Pres. Quezon by GAT on This Week Magazine August 1948

Signed photo of Pres. Manuel L Quezon

Postcard addressed to Miss Aurora Aragon (Later Mrs. Quezon) by then Philippine Assembly delegate Manuel L. Quezon. Dated July 30, 1911. Quezon signed his initials M.L.Q.

Reception and Ball invitation by the President and Mrs. Quezon in honor of the
Members of the National Assembly 

The signing of the 1935 Philippine Constitution by US President Franklin Roosevelt. Together with Quezon are  Filipinos and Americans who fought for Philippine independence.

A telegram was addressed to Quezon. Dated July 6, 1907

Sample ballot for the 1935 Presidential Election. At the back is a photo of Gen. Artemio Ricarte and Manuel L. Quezon

ID of historian Jose P Santos assigning him as Nombramiento De Interventor for the Partido Nacionalista-Democratico during the 1935 presidential election. Signed by Manuel L Quezon.

Banquet in Honor of Manuel L Quezon for his success in having the Jones Bill passed by the Congress of the United States.

The Jones Bill provides that the grant of independence would come only "as soon as a stable government can be established", which gave the United States Government the power to determine when this "stable government" has been achieved. It aimed at providing the Filipino people broader domestic autonomy, though it reserved certain privileges for the United States to protect their sovereign rights and interests.

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Mass card for the Death Anniversary of Pres. Manuel L. Quezon on August 1944

20 Pesos banknote commemoration of the Birth Centenary (1878-1978) of  Pres. Manuel L. Quezon

Eastern Phone Card featuring Pres. Manuel L. Quezon inauguration of President of the Philippines in 1935

First Day Cover - Manuel L Quezon, Statesman and Patriot, Champion of Social Justice, and Exponent of Dynamic Filipinism

55. 1890's LA MODA FILIPINA Prints by Felix Martinez

These are lovely La Moda Filipina prints made by Filipino artist Felix Martinez .  La Moda Filipina was a Spanish language periodical published in the Philippines during the late 19th century. 

Felix Martinez was a painter and muralist who created religious genre, landscape and still-life paintings. He was a contemporary of Simon Flores, Lorenzo Guerrero, Paz Paterno and her half-sister Adelaida Paterno.

In the 1880's Felix Martínez was commissioned by the Jesuit order to paint transparent images of Jesuit saints. These images, now destroyed, which were mounted on the windows of the choir loft and illuminated from within, were displayed in the Jesuit church of San Ignacio. Felix Martínez also painted the interior of the San Sebastian church in Quiapo.

Source: Ginger Art Ltd. 

PEPITA BERTOLL

Hermanas de Corazon de Jesus y Maria saliendo de la Iglesia

MARIA CAVALLINI

QUE SERA DE MI?

D ALFONSO MONTES
Director y Fundador de El Amigo Del Pueblo

PRAXEDES YANETA

CARMENCIA JORDAN

Signature of FELIX MARTINEZ

54. A Nostalgic Journey: Super Robot Stickers of the Past (Voltes V, Mazinger Z, and Daimos)

During the late 1970s and early 1980s, Super Robot stickers were all the rage among children in the Philippines. These stickers depicted iconic robots from popular anime series that were televised after school hours, captivating the imaginations of kids across the country. Shows like Voltes V, Mazinger Z, Mekanda, Grendizer, Dangard Ace, Star Rangers, Balatak, and G-Force became household names, and it was hard to find a child who didn't know about these heroic machines. 

As a child, collecting Super Robot stickers was a favorite pastime of mine, and I remember buying them from Mang Ruben, a vendor who sold them near the front gates of my school in St. James Academy, Malabon. The stickers were sold in pieces, with the smaller ones priced at 20-35 centavos, the average-sized ones at 50-90 centavos, and a whole page of stickers at 3-4 pesos. The more popular stickers, like Voltes V and Mazinger Z, commanded a higher price than the lesser-known robot stickers.

Collecting these stickers was much more than just acquiring them; it created a strong sense of community among my friends and me. We would eagerly compare and trade stickers, excitedly discussing the latest episodes of our favorite robot anime series. As we proudly displayed our collections in our favorite notebooks or stuck them onto cabinets, we sometimes caused our parents to become a bit angry. But to us, the joy and camaraderie of collecting Super Robot stickers was worth it.

Voltes V Sticker

As I collected these stickers, I encountered many strange-looking robots and characters that were new to me, as they were not featured on TV.  I often found myself wondering about the relationships between different robots, like Great Mazinger and Mazinger Z, or the similarities between Voltes V and Combattler V. The stickers provided a window into a larger world of robots and their adventures, sparking my curiosity and imagination.

Unfortunately, the shows were eventually canceled by President Marcos,  leaving many of my questions unanswered. Nevertheless, my memories and experiences of collecting Super Robot stickers have stayed with me throughout my life, serving as a nostalgic reminder of a time when robots ruled our lives and the TV time slots. 

These stickers were more than just pieces of paper with pictures on them. They symbolized a shared experience that brought children together, fostering a sense of community and sparking their love for their favorite robots. They provided a gateway to a world of imagination and adventure, where heroic robots fought to save the world and captured our hearts. Looking back, these stickers were not just a simple hobby, but a way of connecting with others, and discovering our own interests and passions, and they hold a special place in our hearts as a representation of our childhoods and cherished memories.