Alternative to Sanke Cards? French Ace Postcards?

[Prop_Blast]

Recently I've regained my interest in WW1 aviation and although I love the Sanke Cards I've recently become interested in French ace postcards. I've seen many on ebay and wondered if there is a guide to collecting them as there is with the Sanke Cards by Charles Wooley (Schiffer Publishing).

Here are a few examples I've found during a brief internet search -

Aviation Postcard WW1 French Ace BROCARD [avia210]

Aviation Postcard WW1 French Ace NOGUES [avia209]



They all seem to have index numbers like the Sanke Cards. Each card is marked with an individual number. Would love to start collecting these so a guide would be very useful.

Any help greatly appreciated.

[Bettors Pub]

I've also been a long time collector of Sanke cards and have dabbled with the French Cards. I've asked many times at many places and I do not believe there is any definitve work or even "cheat sheet" out there with the numbering of the cards. I haven't had very much luck finding the cards and when I do, it's usually the usual suspects.

I don't know if this is true or not but there seems to have been war and post war issues of cards. The 200-300 series of Manual and Reumlinger seem to have been war issues with name and rank. The 700 series cards are identicle but with the pilot's score on them I'm assuming that these are post war issues.

Would love to know more myself.

[Bulldog90]

Today on e bay the attached card was auctioned. Since it lists Foncks score of 75 victories that would support the theory that some of these postcards were released post war. I think these are some of the best portraits of the war, certainly rivaling the best Sanke cards.

Bulldog90

[Prop_Blast]

Thanks for the info guys. The following list contains all the cards I have number for -

Nogues - 743
Vialet - 742/268
Chainat - 739/198
De Turenne - 737
Roeckel - 736
Fonck - 735
De Slade - 734
Willy Coppens - 731
Madon - 738
Marinovitch - 730
Brocard - 728/315
Jailler - 314
Tarascon - 311
Heurtaux - 309
Guynemer - 281/715 X 4
Navarre - 296
Nungesser - 287

[Bulldog90]

Apparently there are no Rene Dorme's, who may have been killed by the time they started the series. To me he epitomized the early class of French aces in that he was barely interested in keeping score, just knocking down enemy planes. I've only seen one Rene Dorme card, I'll try to scan it and put it up later.

Bulldog90

[Bulldog90]

BTW can we safely date the Navarre card, or at least the portrait sitting by his injury, June 17, 1916?

Bulldog 90

[Raineranton]

Hello Prop-Blast,

Additional to your list I have postcards with the following number:

Fonck - (Reutlinger) 313
Guérin - (Manuel) 727
Madon - (Manuel) 319
Madon - (Manuel) 732
Montrion - (Manuel) 741
Tarascon - (Manuel) 738
Tenant de la Tour (Manuel) 316

Regards
Rainer

[Bettors Pub]

Hi Gents

I just went through my collection, 24 cards, of this type and sadly I have only two different to add here

Nungesser - Manuel 733
Garros - Manuel 777

My others are dupes of the cards already offered by Prop and Rainer. This is what I meant when I said that all I usually see is the usual supects. Hard to imagine that Dorme, Deullin, Boyau, Sardier weren't covered.

There seems to be a gap between Tarascon 739 and the Garros 777. That gives me a slight hope that there are other pilots out there or maybe subjects other than airmen were also covered.

Hope our French friends like Jempie and Bruno jump in as well as other collectors. It would be a shame to see this thread die.

Thanks,

BP

[Froggy]

Bonjour à tous

'Hope our French friends like Jempie and Bruno jump in as well as other collectors. It would be a shame to see this thread die'

I dont find anything about these french postcards until now
This evening I'll contact 2 french forum specialized with ww1

Cordialement
Bruno

[margaret smith]

Nice card, Prop Blast! I've never seen it before and have often wondered if there was a French card for Navarre. Thanks for posting!