What can you tell me about Beagles Postcards?

[Jerry G]

I picked up this cool picture of Robert Fitzsimmons on a Beagles Postcard several years ago. I am totally unfamiliar with the issue. It doesn't appear to be old. I know I didn't pay much for it.

Is it part of a set of boxers? Who is/are Beagles? When were they issued? Do they have any value?

Thanks in advance for your comments.

[Lucas00]

This style Kodak back started in the 50s (probably late 50s). And kinda became the generic postcard back used by postcard printers thereon after, very commonly in the 70s and 80s. So it's very hard to tell dates on them generally. Just based on numbers the answer for most is the 70s or 80s. But I've seen a few 50s ones.

This I am not sure. Really the only clue to date them is age wear and smell. If it's perfectly white, no smell at all and sharp all around it is almost definitely 80s.

[D. Bergin]

Off the top of my head, the Beagles postcards were released in the U.K. for several years around the 1920's period or so. I think they were offered in various Boxing and Sporting publications in the UK.

Yours looks like a later reprint or homemade postcard made from the original postcard to me.

[ShoeMan]

I actually collect these.

Beagles Post Cards
John Beagles (1844 – 8 January 1907) was an English printer and publisher, especially of real photo postcards, through his company, J. Beagles & Co.

Famous Boxer postcards were issued between WWI and WWII. There were 11 sets issued, each numbered with a corresponding letter i.e.

156 A to Z
157 N to Z
158
159
160
161
174
176
249
341
342


There are some great images of fighters as well as fights
Not all of the letters in the series were Famous Boxers. There were other subjects.

The image you have is not an original.

[Jerry G]

Originally Posted by Lucas00

This style Kodak back started in the 50s (probably late 50s). And kinda became the generic postcard back used by postcard printers thereon after, very commonly in the 70s and 80s. So it's very hard to tell dates on them generally. Just based on numbers the answer for most is the 70s or 80s. But I've seen a few 50s ones.

This I am not sure. Really the only clue to date them is age wear and smell. If it's perfectly white, no smell at all and sharp all around it is almost definitely 80s.

You are correct, Lucas. Often the back tells the story. Thanks.

[Jerry G]

Originally Posted by D. Bergin

Off the top of my head, the Beagles postcards were released in the U.K. for several years around the 1920's period or so. I think they were offered in various Boxing and Sporting publications in the UK.

Yours looks like a later reprint or homemade postcard made from the original postcard to me.

Thanks, Dave. I did see some from the 1920s on eBay. They are easily distinguishable from my relatively modern example.

[Jerry G]

Originally Posted by ShoeMan

I actually collect these.

Beagles Post Cards
John Beagles (1844 – 8 January 1907) was an English printer and publisher, especially of real photo postcards, through his company, J. Beagles & Co.

Famous Boxer postcards were issued between WWI and WWII. There were 11 sets issued, each numbered with a corresponding letter i.e.

156 A to Z
157 N to Z
158
159
160
161
174
176
249
341
342


There are some great images of fighters as well as fights
Not all of the letters in the series were Famous Boxers. There were other subjects.

The image you have is not an original.

Wow! Folks on net54 never disappoint. The seller of this Fitzsimmons didn't offer any info, but the ink was barely dry when I got it. Thanks, Shoes. I still like the picture.

[sthoemke]

https://www.britishmuseum.org/collec...erm/BIOG247972

From The British Museum:


primary name: primary name: J. Beagles & Co Ltd

Details

organisation; publisher/printer; British

Other dates
1881-1939 (circa)

Address
London

Biography
Postcard publishing company founded by John Beagles circa 1881, in Paddington, London. Became a limited company in 1908, and ceased trading on the 18th July 1939. By the 1900s the business was located at 9, 10 and 11 Little Britain, London.

The company was well known for their postcard portraits of royalty, famous celebrities and action scenes from plays. They also published exhibition cards.

[Exhibitman]

Originally Posted by ShoeMan

I actually collect these.

Beagles Post Cards
John Beagles (1844 – 8 January 1907) was an English printer and publisher, especially of real photo postcards, through his company, J. Beagles & Co.

Famous Boxer postcards were issued between WWI and WWII. There were 11 sets issued, each numbered with a corresponding letter i.e.

156 A to Z
157 N to Z
158
159
160
161
174
176
249
341
342


There are some great images of fighters as well as fights
Not all of the letters in the series were Famous Boxers. There were other subjects.

The image you have is not an original.

Thanks for the informative post. Do you have a checklist you could share? Approx. dates for each series?

[ShoeMan]

Unfortunately, I do not know the year of each series.

BEAGLES Number/Letter

Blake Bandsman 156 A
Carpentier Georges 156 B
Wells Bombardier 156 C
Johnson Jack 156 D
Smith Gunboat 156 E
Bell Colin 156 F
Moir Gunner 156 G
Ahearn Young 156 H
Welsh Freddie 156 J
Beckett Joe 156 K
Dempsey Jack 156 L Famous Boxers Series
Fulton Fred 156 M
Wilde Jimmy 156 O Famous Boxers Series
Jeffries James 156 P
Marchant Bill 156 R
Driscoll Jim 156 S
Langford Sam 156 T
Burns Tommy 156 U Famous Boxers Series
Basham Johnny 156 V
Willard Jess 156 W Famous Boxers Series
McGovern Terry 156 X
Ledoux Charles 156 Y
Moran Frank 156 Z Famous Boxers Series

McVea Sam 157 N
Sharkey Jack 157 O Famous Boxers Series
Jennette Joe 157 R
Fitzsimmons Robert 157 V
Corbett James 157 W
Lewis Kid 157 X Famous Boxers Series
Dupre/Blake 157 Y
Jimmy Wilde & Joe Lynch 157 Z

Pal Moore & Crique 158 G
Wells/Journee 158 H
Moran/Goddard 158 J
Lenears/Carpentier 158 K
Matt Wells & Kid Lewis 158 L
Fry/Villet 158 M
Curphey & Bombardier Wells 158 N Famous Boxers Series
Francis Charles & Johnny Basham158 O Famous Boxers Series
Jimmy Wilde & Pal Moore 158 P Famous Boxers Series
Mike Honeyman & Francis Rossi 158 R Famous Boxers Series
Conn Joe 158 S
Fry Billy 158 T Famous Boxers Series
Goodard Frank 158 U Famous Boxers Series
Herman Pete 158 V Famous Boxers Series
Higgins Jim 158 W Famous Boxers Series
Honeyman Mike 158 X Famous Boxers Series
Lee Tancy 158 Z Famous Boxers Series


Lynch Joe 159 B Famous Boxers Series
Noble Tom 159 C Famous Boxers Series
O'Keefe Pat 159 D Famous Boxers Series
Reeve Harry 159 E Famous Boxers Series
Smith Sid 159 F Famous Boxers Series
Smith Dick 159 G Famous Boxers Series
Summers Johnny 159 H Famous Boxers Series
Townley Arthur 159 J Famous Boxers Series
Wyns Arthur 159 K Famous Boxers Series
Wells Bombardier 159 L Famous Boxers Series
Wells Matt 159 M Famous Boxers Series
Carpentier Georges 159 N
Levinsky Battling 159 O Famous Boxers Series
Griffiths Johnny 159 P Famous Boxers Series
Jim Driscoll & Chas Ledoux 159 R Famous Boxers Series
Harold Rolph & Frank Goddard 159 S
Joe Beckett & Georges Carpentier 159 T
Burns Tommy 159 U
Journee Paul 159 V Famous Boxers Series
Moran/Willard 159 V
Leonard/Mitchell (before fight) 159 W
Jess Willard & Jack Johnson 159 X
Willard - Johnson 159 X
Leonard Benny 159 Y Famous Boxers Series
Allen W.W. 159 Z

Sullivan Jim 160 D Famous Boxers Series
Burns Jack 160 E
Platts Gus 160 F Famous Boxers Series
Cook George 160 G Famous Boxers Series
Johnny Basham & Gus Platts 160 H
George Cook & Frank Goddard 160 J Famous Boxers Series
Wells Bermondey Billy 160 K Famous Boxers Series
Carpentier Georges 160 L
Dempsey Jack 160 M Famous Boxers Series
Jack Dempsey & Georges Carpentier 160 N Famous Boxers Series-2
Jack Dempsey & Georges Carpentier 160 O
Jack Dempsey & Georges Carpentier 160 P Famous Boxers Series
Jack Dempsey & Georges Carpentier 160 R Famous Boxers Series
Jack Dempsey & Georges Carpentier 160 S Famous Boxers Series
Jack Dempsey & Georges Carpentier 160 T Famous Boxers Series
Jack Dempsey & Georges Carpentier 160 U Famous Boxers Series
McCormick Boy 160 V Famous Boxers Series
Carpentier Georges 160 W Famous Boxers Series

Joe Beckett & "Boy" McCormick 161 N Famous Boxers Series
Joe Beckett & "Boy" McCormick 161 O Famous Boxers Series
Joe Beckett & "Boy" McCormick 161 P
Joe Beckett & "Boy" McCormick 161 R
Joe Beckett & "Boy" McCormick 161 S
Joe Beckett & "Boy" McCormick 161 T
Johnny Basham & Kid Lewis 161 V
Johnny Basham & Kid Lewis 161 W Famous Boxers Series
Frank Moran & Joe Beckett 161 X Famous Boxers Series
Frank Moran & Joe Beckett 161 Y Famous Boxers Series
Jack Bloomfield & Bombardier Billy Wells 161 Z Famous Boxers Series

George Cook & Georges Carpentier 174 N Famous Boxers Series
George Cook & Georges Carpentier 174 O
George Cook & Georges Carpentier 174 P Famous Boxers Series
George Cook & Georges Carpentier 174 R
George Cook & Georges Carpentier 174 S
George Cook & Georges Carpentier 174 T
Joe Beckett & George Cook 174 U
Joe Beckett & George Cook 174 V Famous Boxers Series
Joe Beckett & George Cook 174 W
Joe Beckett & George Cook 174 X
Joe Beckett & George Cook 174 Y
Joe Beckett & George Cook 174 Z

Siki Battling 176 B Famous Boxers Series
Roland Todd & Kid Lewis 176 C
Roland Todd & Kid Lewis 176 D
Roland Todd & Kid Lewis 176 E
Roland Todd & Kid Lewis 176 F
Georges Carpentier & Battling Siki 176 G
Georges Carpentier & Battling Siki 176 H Famous Boxers Series
Georges Carpentier & Battling Siki 176 J
Georges Carpentier & Battling Siki 176 K
Georges Carpentier & Battling Siki 176 L
Georges Carpentier & Battling Siki 176 M
Lewis Kid 176 N
Todd Roland 176 O Famous Boxers Series
Mike McTigue & Battling Siki 176 P Famous Boxer Series
Mike McTigue & Battling Siki 176 R Famous Boxer Series
Mike McTigue & Battling Siki 176 S
Scott Phil 176 T Famous Boxers Series
Scott Phil 176 U Famous Boxers Series
Scott Phil 176 V Famous Boxers Series
Scott Phil 176 W Famous Boxers Series
Perrson Harry 176 X
Heeney Tom 176 Y Famous Boxers Series
Heeney Tom 176 Z Famous Boxers Series

Liet Joop 249 A Famous Boxers Series
Tunney Gene 249 B Famous Boxers Series
Jack and Joe Bloomfield 249 C
Brown Young Johnny 249 D Famous Boxer Series
Curley Johnny 249 E Famous Boxers Series
Hood Jack 249 F Famous Boxers Series
Izzard Ernie 249 G Famous Boxers Series
Jones Soldier Horace 249 H Famous Boxers Series
Moore Teddy 249 J Famous Boxers Series
Rice Ernie 249 K Famous Boxers Series
Scott Phil 249 L Famous Boxers Series
Webb Charlie 249 M
VanDerVeer 249 N
Spalla E. 249 O Famous Boxers Series
Socks Kid 249 P Famous Boxers Series
Handley Billy 249 R Famous Boxers Series
Dyck Van 249 S Famous Boxers Series
Fox Joe 249 T Famous Boxers Series
Bond Phil 249 U Famous Boxer Series
Archer Fred 249 V Famous Boxers Series
Hof. Van't 249 W Famous Boxers Series
Rolfe Joe 249 X
Jarvis Ernie 249 Y Famous Boxers Series
Baldock Teddy 249 Z Famous Boxers Series

Sharkey Jack 341 A
McCorkindale Don 341 B
Doyle Jack 341 C Famous Boxers Series
Smith Charlie 341 D
Schmeling Max 341 E Famous Boxers Series
Petersen Jack 341 F
Pettifer Jack 341 G Famous Boxers Series

Hill Johnny 342 A Famous Boxers Series
Milligan Tommy 342 B Famous Boxers Series
Clark Elky 342 C Famous Boxers Series
LaBarba Fidel 342 D Famous Boxers Series
Mancini Alf 342 E Famous Boxers Series
Walker Mickey 342 F Famous Boxers Series
Smith Willie 342 G Famous Boxers Series
Pattenden Kid 342 H Famous Boxers Series
Harvey Len 342 J Famous Boxer Series
Moody Frank 342 K
Moore Teddy 342 L Famous Boxers Series
Carter Benny 342 O Famous Boxers Series
Hines Willie 342 P Famous Boxers Series
Whalen Russell 342 R
Laffineur Ivan 342 S
Quadrini Luigi 342 T Famous Boxers Series
Daniels Gipsy (Billy) 342 U Famous Boxers Series
Ireland Alex 342 V Famous Boxers Series
Stribling Young 342 W Famous Boxers Series
Carnera Primo 342 X Famous Boxers Series
Berg Kid 342 Y Famous Boxers Series
Gains Larry 342 Z Famous Boxers Series