Auctioned postcards 'offer snapshot of bygone era'

Simon Thompson, assistant manager at 1818 Auctioneers, with some of the postcards up for sale

More than 9,500 postcards of Cumbria are going up for auction.

The huge collection features snapshots dating back to the early 1900s, and has been described as an invaluable social history of Edwardian and Georgian life.

It includes cards produced by pioneering Barrow photographer Edward Sankey, whose patented printing machine revolutionised the mass-production of postcards in the 1920s.

The online sale, which starts on Thursday and runs for two weeks, is being overseen by Milnthorpe-based 1818 Auctioneers.

'Sought after'

1818’s specialist stamp and postcard valuer Andy Bowden said the collection provided "a valuable snippet of social history and life" in Cumbria.

The online auction runs until 25 February

“Postcards are more than just images,” he said.

“They serve as snapshots of a bygone era, capturing the essence of a time and place.

“Local history enthusiasts, collectors and researchers are particularly likely to be interested in the Sankey postcards. These are one of the most sought after by collectors.”

The auction runs until 25 February, and is expected to fetch about £2,500.