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Blum
& Degan
Post Card Publishers
Blum and Degan were pioneer post card publishers whose first known card were published in 1895. They covered a wide range of subjects, but only the Hertfordshire cards are relevant here, and they fall in a narrow date range.
The earliest I know of were standard sized cards with undivided backs, and while they do not carry the publisher's name they have a distinctive heading on the address side and leave white space for a message on the picture side. The cards are unnumbered and the earliest I have seen was posted in 1903. None of the ones I have seen are coloured.
The first divided back cards are identified by the publisher "B & D". The had a smaller area for messages than for the address on the address side (labelled "Writing space for Inland use only"), and retained a smaller area of white space for messages on the picture side. Later the space on the address side was enlarged and white space vanished from the picture side. These card would have typically been produced about 1905. All cards were given a number, and some were coloured.
A distinctive trademark was introduced in 1905 and many "KROMO" series coloured views of Hertfordshire were issued. The company went bankrupt in October 1908 and there is no evidence of any further Hertfordshire KROMO cards being produced. Such card would typically have been produced circa 1907.
Undivided Backs (circa 1903)
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Version 1 (as shown) with smaller picture to leave room for message.. Back printed in black. Unnumbered. |
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Version 2 - as 1 but with wide message strip on picture side and back printed in red. |
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unnumbered |
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The Abbey St Albans |
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Version 1. Posted March 27, 1903 |
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unnumbered |
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Market Place Watford |
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Version 2. June 12, 1903 |
Early Divided Backs (circa 1905)
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Version 1 (as shown) with larger area for address Picture has narrow "message strip" |
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Version 2 - very similar but equal area for message and address, no message area on picture side |
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| Version 3 - very similar to version 2 but coloured picture and green writing on back and "Postcard" one word. |
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2685 |
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London Orphan Asylum Watford |
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Version 1. Posted December 1905 |
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3690 |
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Queens Road, Watford |
Version 1 |
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6233 |
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Mount Pleasant Lavender Field Hitchin |
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Version 2. Posted July 29 1913 |
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8118 |
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High Street Watford |
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Version 3. Posted 1907 |
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10584 |
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Parish Church East Barnet |
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Version 2. Posted September 23 1910 |
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10959 |
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Charlton |
Version 2. Posted December 24 1912 |
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10963 |
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Ickleford |
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Version 2, Posted 1914 |
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16296 |
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The Four Cross Roads Watford |
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Version 2. Posted October 1905 (also known in colour) |
[Further cards to be added]
Kromo Series (circa 1907)
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| 21640 |
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Thorley Lock & River Stort |
Posted 1908 |
[Examples of Kromo cards, plus some information on different backs, will be added]
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| September 2010 | Page created. |
