This Stonehenge postcard is what is often called a crossover piece in the world of collecting. It is both a collectible and a collectable that belongs in more than one collection or category. While this was acquired for my primary collection of Stonehenge Postcards, yet there is so much more to this item than just a postcard. This fine example summarizes much about what makes Stonehenge items collectable, all in one item.

The front of this card shows is a common view taken before 1900. This view is a good before picture, illustrating the two most notable changes to take place at Stonehenge around the turn of the century. On the left, we have Stone 23 and it's lentil. These blew down in a bad storm on New Years Eve 1900, marking the early 20th century with a crash. On the left side of this view, Stone 56 can clearly be seen leaning. A slowly collapsing bluestone being the primary thing holding it upright at that point in time. Being deemed unsafe by the powers to be, This great Trilithon was the first to be repaired in 1901 when the owners began restoration of the site. The Modern History of Stonehenge, is marked by this first restoration and the resulting fence that followed. I do not find it surprising that this older view was chosen over the current view of the day as a keeper by our visitor. I have included a card produced by George Hill and Son of Salsibury showing the After view for comparison. This card dates closely to the time of this visit and is what would have been what was seen by visitors in when the card was produced.

The back of the card reveals "21st June 1910 Longest Day Sunrise" with the word Sunrise underlined twice, written in ink with a split nib pen. As if there was any question as to the facts of the visit, attached to the card is a "Stonehenge Admit One Adult" admission stamp indicating the one shilling entrance fee was in fact paid to enter the fenced area.

There is little question to the origin, the preserved admittance ticket from 1910 is a fine StonehengeCollectable and truly belongs here in the Collectibles Gallery. It states: "All persons are requested not to deface or injure the Stones, and to attend to the orders of the Constable on duty."

As a side note: I find it most interestingly that the serial number on the receipt is 50783, that makes it just a little over fifty thousand visitors fees registered from the time the fence went up, just after first restoration in about 1902, until the Summer Solstice in 1910 when this ticket was sold. There is little question the new owners were not getting rich quickly on this concession, considering operating costs.

Included here is one of my flying over Stonehenge cards because it so nicely illustrates the ticket hut where tickets like this were sold. Note the Constable on duty proudly standing at the entrance. This photo, taken and published by T.L.Fuller if Amesbury is a very desireable postcard to collectors. This example was used as a postcard and mailed in 1916 about a unrelated mater.

This first restoration work, along with the new fence and guard shack, including the controversial entrance fee, were all justified in the name of public safety as much as preservation. The stones just could not be allowed to keep falling, they might fall on a visitor, something had to be done, and someone was going to have to cover the costs. The solution in hindsight was obvious, tax the tourists, and keep the vandals out. This was a direction that angered some locals and london news papers.

Anyone who has ever been to Stonehenge can understand why this card and stamp were saved as a personal memento of that Summer Solstice close to 100 years ago. There is little question this was to be a priceless memento to whomever hand scratched the inscription, using a split nib pen, with what looks to me under the microscope to be a carbon based ink. Many years later it is has become a priceless addition to the StonhengeCollectables gallery and my collection ....

Many thanks to Rocket789 at ebay.uk for finding this fine example and making it available to me for the Gallery.

Ok, the truth be told if I could take the front of the one card and the back from the other, twist the time-line, and get it postmarked and mailed, well that would be the perfect card.....