M15: Philippine Orchid Postcard

This is a 3D postcard that shows a Philippine orchid. It looks like it is the same orchid as the MF23 Postcard; either Cattleya or Phalaenopsis.

M15: Philippine Orchid Postcard

MF23: Philippine Orchid Postcard

The postcard shows another Philippine orchid. Am not sure if this is a Cattleya or Phalaenopsis. If anyone can identify the orchid, do leave a comment. I will then research more about the said orchid.

MF23: Philippine Orchid Postcard

MF21: Philippine Orchid Postcard

The postcard shows one of the many orchids that are endemic in the Philippines. Unfortunately I could not identify this specific orchid. I have checked online but no luck. I have also checked my stamp collection and found souvenir sheets or miniature sheets of different Philippine orchids, but also cannot find it!

MF21: Philippine Orchid Postcard

TRIVIA: The Philippines is home to more than 800 species of orchids.

MF4: Flower Bouquet Postcard

The postcard shows another flower bouquet. I can only name one of the flowers, or I might be wrong. The two white flowers are Bellis annua or the Annual Daisy. However, I do not know the name of the violet (or is it lavender) and the red flowers.

MF4: Flower Bouquet Postcard

MF1: Flower Bouquet Postcard

The postcard shows a flower bouquet; however, the postcard does not mention for what occasion the bouquet is or the names of the flowers included in the bouquet.

MF1: Flower Bouquet Postcard

"Madonna postcards"

One of the most treasured postcard set in my collection are the postcards printed by JMC Press, Inc. of Quezon City and distributed through Goodwill Bookstores. The company does not have its own website so I cannot give detailed history about their postcard production.

The postcards are chrome types. They have a glossy surface and are made from color photos. "Madonna postcards" also include some 3D postcards. Quite unique I must say. Most of the images on the postcards were taken in the 60's. This is the reason why I treasure the set. You can see the changes the capital and some parts of the country underwent in the past 40 years.

Back of a "Madonna postcard"

At the back of a "Madonna postcard," one can see the stamp box at the upper right portion of the card; however, not all postcards have this. At the bottom right portion are the year of the copyright, which is 1967, and the name of the printing company, JMC Press, Inc., Quezon City, Philippines.

Typical with modern divided postcards is the line down the middle that separates the message portion from the address portion. You can also see the word "Madonna" at the middle. This is the reason why I named them Madonna postcards. At the bottom left portion of the card is some text (information and/or location) about the image.

Below the line is the publisher code, I call it. The code is used to uniquely identify their postcards, and for me to easily sort out the postcards. I have so far seen three different codes in my set of postcards. They are:

(1) Fx (x is a number)
-- I believe F stands for flower since all postcards with this code have images of flowers!
-- Size: 4"x5.5"
-- Type: Chrome
-- Lowest code I have in my collection is F1, highest is F23

(2) x (x is a number)-- Images mostly are landmarks from different parts of the country (lots of Luneta Park images), rural scenes, Philippine folk dances and flowers (again)
-- Size: 4"x5.5"
-- Types: Chrome, and some 3D (Yes, Three-dimensional postcards)
-- Lowest code I have is 15, highest is 45

(3) xxxx (x is a number)
-- Images mostly are landmarks from different parts of the country, rural scenes (harvesting, fishing, etc.), Philippine presidents, and Philippine folk dances
-- probably same as #2; just a 4-digit code (but i don't have any 3-digit coded postcards)
-- Lowest code I have is 1001, highest is 1504
(4) xxx-85 (x is a number)
-- The name of the city is inside the colored border and the city's recognizable landmark as the image
-- Wondering if 85 is the year of copyright, 1985
-- size 4"x6"
-- Type: Chrome
-- Lowest code I have is 135, highest is 171

In my following posts, I added the letter M before the publisher code to identify the postcards in the post.

Mosbach Town Hall Postcard

The postcard shows the Town Hall (Rathaus) of Mosbach which was built between 1554 and 1558 on the remains of the Church of Cecilia. The building which is in the Renaissance style has four storeys, with the ground floor containing a market (bakers and butchers) and the second floor the Citizen Hall. The Tower of the Town Hall is 34 metres high. Of the three bells in the Tower, one comes from the old Church of Cecilia.

Mosbach Town Hall Postcard

SOURCE:
Mosbach Tourism

Cathedral of Trier and Church of Our Lady Postcard

The postcard shows the Cathedral of Saint Peter (on the left) and the Church of Our Lady (on the right) in Trier, Germany. The Cathedral of Saint Peter in Trier is the oldest cathedral in Germany. The history of the cathedral begins in Roman times when a church was built by Constantine. The West front in five symmetrical sections remains typical of Romanesque architecture. The cathedral's central attraction is the Holy Robe of Christ. The relic is enshrined in a reliquary housed in the baroque Chapel of the Holy Robe, located behind the altar.

Cathedral of Trier and Church of Our Lady Postcard

The Liebfrauenkirche (Church of Our Lady) is a 13th-century parish church in Trier, separated from Cathedral of Saint Peter by a narrow passageway. The Liebfrauenkirche, in the shape of a Greek cross, was completed in 1260 and was one of the first Gothic churches in Germany. In 1951, the Pope designated the church a Minor Basilica.

Since 1986 the Cathedral of Saint Peter and Church of Our Dear Lady have been on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites.

SOURCES:
Cathedral of Trier Wikipedia Entry
Liebfrauenkirche, Trier
Trier Cathedral

Airlines Terminal Building Postcard

The postcard shows the now-demolished Airlines Terminal at 42nd Street and Park Avenue (directly across from Grand Central Station) in New York City. The Art Deco-style building was designed by John B. Peterkin, constructed in 1939 and replaced the 22-story Belmont. The idea of the "terminal" is that one could buy here a ticket and ride on a dedicated bus to the LaGuardia or Newark Airports. Airlines that served here include American Airlines, Eastern Air Lines, Transcontinental & Western Air, United Air Lines and Pan American Airways System.

Airlines Terminal Building Postcard

Rene Paul Chambellan sculpted the large eagles on the roof. The eagles were saved and moved to Best Foods in Richmond, Virgina. Oscar B. Bach was commissioned to do the polychrome stainless steel mural map of the world in niche above main entrance, four Plexiglas wing-shaped shafts supporting a modern clock, and the arching mural with zodiac frieze.
The Airlines Terminal Building was razed for the construction in 1982 of the Philip Morris Building that now occupies the site.

SOURCES:
The Midtown Book: Park Avenue by Carter B. Horsley
Louisville Art Deco: Rene Paul Chambellan
Oscar B. Bach Commission List
Airlines Terminal Building

New York Times Building Postcard

The postcard shows the 25-storey (365 feet) high skyscraper Times Building (now called One Times Square) in Times Square, New York City. Upon completion in 1904, the skyscraper, originally built to be the headquarters of The New York Times, was acknowledged the second tallest building in the world. The famous New Year's Times Square Ball drop is performed annually from its roof.

New York Times Building Postcard

The Times sold the building to Douglas Leigh in 1961. Leigh then sold the building to Allied Chemical in 1963 who greatly modified the building's facade, replacing intricate granite and terracotta elements with marble facing and simple concrete paneling.

SOURCE:
One Times Square Wikipedia Entry

Westminster Palace Postcard

The postcard shows the Westminster Palace or the Houses of Parliament in London. Also seen in the postcard are the 98.5-metre Victoria Tower on the left and 96.3-metre Clock Tower (commonly known as Big Ben) on the right side, the Westminster Bridge, and a glimpse of Westminster Abbey behind the Clock Tower.

Westminster Palace Postcard

The Palace of Westminster, also known as the Houses of Parliament, is the seat of the two houses of the Parliament (the House of Lords and the House of Commons). The palace lies on the north bank of the River Thames. After a fire in 1834, the present Houses of Parliament were the work of the architect Sir Charles Barry and his assistant Augustus Welby Pugin.

UNESCO inscribed the Palace of Westminster, along with neighbouring Westminster Abbey and St. Margaret's, as a World Heritage Site in 1987.

Brief Description:

"Westminster Palace, rebuilt from the year 1840 on the site of important medieval remains, is a fine example of neo-Gothic architecture. The site – which also comprises the small medieval Church of Saint Margaret, built in Perpendicular Gothic style, and Westminster Abbey, where all the sovereigns since the 11th century have been crowned – is of great historic and symbolic significance."

SOURCES:
Palace of Westminster Wikipedia Entry
UNESCO World Heritage: Westminster Palace, Westminster Abbey and Saint Margaret's Church

Denver Civic Center Postcard

The postcard shows an incompletely developed Denver Civic Center (when this postcard was produced). Civic Center is a neighborhood and park located in central Denver, Colorado just south of the Central Business District. The park is home to many fountains, statues, and formal gardens, and includes a Greek amphitheater, a war memorial, and the Voorhees Memorial Seal Pond. It is well known for its symmetrical Neoclassical design.

Denver Civic Center Postcard

Among the institutions in the Civic Center are the Denver Art Museum, the Denver Public Library's Central Library, the Colorado State Capitol and the City and County Building of Denver, the Wellington E. Webb Municipal Office Building, the Colorado History Museum, and the Colorado State Judicial Building.

SOURCE:
Civic Center, Denver Wikipedia Entry

Philippine International Convention Center Postcard

The postcard shows the Plenary Hall of the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC). A low-slung bridge through tropical gardens connects to the Plenary Hall and Reception Hall, which can accommodate people in a theatre-like arrangement.

Philippine International Convention Center Postcard

Miss Universe 1994, the 43rd Miss Universe pageant, was held at the PICC on May 20, 1994.

SOURCES:
Philippine International Convention Center Homepage
Miss Universe 1994 Wikipedia Entry

Philippine International Convention Center Postcard

This is another postcard of the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC). The PICC has been the venue of political summits, medical conventions, and concerts of international artists as varied as Luciano Pavarotti, the Bolshoi Ballet, and Josh Groban.

Philippine International Convention Center Postcard

Again, the PICC has five building modules, the Delegation Building, Secretariat Building, Plenary Hall, Reception Hall and The PICC Forum. The five-storey Delegation Building houses meeting rooms, banquet halls, office spaces and lounges that can accommodate different groups.

SOURCE:
Philippine International Convention Center Homepage

Philippine International Convention Center Postcard

The postcard shows the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC), a convention center located at the reclaimed area now known as the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Complex in Pasay City. The PICC was designed by Leandro V. Locsin, a Filipino National Artist in Architecture. The PICC formally opened on September 5, 1976 and became Asia's first international convention center.

Philippine International Convention Center Postcard

The PICC has five building modules, the Delegation Building, Secretariat Building, Plenary Hall, Reception Hall and The PICC Forum, and has more than 60,000 square meters of floor area.

SOURCE:
Philippine International Convention Center Homepage

Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre Postcard

The postcard shows the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) that was built along the Victoria Harbour in Wan Chai North, Hong Kong Island. The original building of the centre was built on reclaimed land off Gloucester Road in 1988. The second phase of the centre was constructed from 1994 to 1997, and features a bird-like rooftop. It was designed by Larry Oltmanns.

Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre Postcard

Convention facilities statistics:
* 6 exhibition halls
* 2 convention halls: total seating for 6,100
* 2 theatres: total seating for 1,000
* 52 meeting rooms
* Pre-function areas
* 7 restaurants: total seating for 1,870
* Business centre
* Carpark spaces parking: for 1,300 cars and 50 vans
* Capacity: 140,000 visitors per day

SOURCE:
Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre Wikipedia Entry

Baguio City Convention Center Postcard

The Baguio Convention Center is located in the southern part of Baguio city and is within short walking distance from the University of the Philippines Baguio campus which is just across the street. You can see in the postcard a replica of the Oblation which is the iconic symbol of the University of the Philippines.

Baguio City Convention Center Postcard

SOURCE:
Landmark and Scenic Sites: Baguio City Convention Center

Baguio City Convention Center Postcard

The postcard shows the Baguio Convention Center located in Governor Pack Road in Baguio City. Baguio Convention Center was constructed in 1974 by the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) on property it owned in the city. The Center, designed with an Igorot motif, was inaugurated July 17, 1978 by former President Ferdinand E. Marcos. The Center initially gained international prominence when it became the venue of the 1978 World Chess Championship series between two Russian grandmasters - Anatoly Karpov and Victor Korchnoi.

Baguio City Convention Center Postcard

SOURCES:
Landmark and Scenic Sites: Baguio City Convention Center
Baguio Convention Center

Tutuban Center Mall Postcard

This multi-view postcard shows the Tutuban Center Mall located at the forefront of Divisoria at Claro M. Recto Avenue right off Jose Abad Santos Avenue in Manila. The Tutuban Center Mall was once the old train station, a semi-Victorian Neoclassical architecture of the 1880s. The trains of Tutuban Railroad Station run from Manila to Dagupan, Pangasinan.

Tutuban Center Mall Postcard

The fully air-conditioned Tutuban Center Mall has stores that offer many assortments of food, clothing, jewelry, furnishings, cellphones and a wide array of local handicrafts.

SOURCES:
Tutuban
Train System during Turn-of-the-Century Manila

Mall of Asia Postcard

This multi-view postcard shows the Mall of Asia at Bay City in Pasay City. The SM Mall of Asia (MOA) is a shopping mall owned by the SM Group of SM Prime Holdings. SM Mall of Asia is the 2nd largest shopping mall in the Philippines after SM City North EDSA, and the world's fourth largest mall.

Mall of Asia Postcard

The SM Mall of Asia mall grounds consists of four buildings interconnected by walkways; the Main Mall (shopping and dining establishments), the Entertainment Mall, and the North and South Carpark Buildings. A roundabout was constructed in the front of the mall with a huge bronze globe similar to that of the Universal Studios Theme Parks. This can be seen on the first image on the bottom part of the postcard. Arquitectonica was the design architect of the mall.

SOURCE:
SM Mall of Asia Wikipedia Entry

Greenbelt 3 Postcard

This is another multi-view postcard of Greenbelt 3 in Makati City, this time showing its parks. Greenbelt 3 is an upbeat, entertainment arena with lots of open air street setting, and plenty of outdoor seating and viewing spots overlooking the park.

Greenbelt 3 Postcard

Callison Architecture blended the area's natural foliage with city street life in designing the Ayala Center, Greenbelt 3 in Manila. One can enjoy a garden path of courtyards and walkways that uses a variety of natural materials, including flowering plants, shrubs and water features.

SOURCE:
Ayala Center Greenbelt 3

Greenbelt 3 Postcard

This multi-view postcard shows Greenbelt 3 shopping mall located at Ayala Center in Makati City. The 5-storey mall (including basement) opened in 2002 and is owned by Ayala Malls. It features 44 retails shops (such as Calvin Klein, Lacoste, Marks & Spencer, Topshop, etc.), 61 food and dining places, and 7 cinemas.

Greenbelt 3 Postcard

Architect: Callison Architecture, Seattle
Landscape Architect: Edward D. Stone & Associates ACL ASIA

SOURCE:
Greenbelt (Ayala Center) Wikipedia Entry

Gateway Mall Postcard

The postcard shows the Gateway Mall which features more than 300 shops and restaurants, 10 cinemas with digital sound and full stadium seating including the first La-Z-Boy theater in the country. Gateway Mall has won some awards in terms of its mall design and tenant mix, including the 2006 Merit Award from International Council of Shopping Centers.

Gateway Mall Postcard

SOURCE:
Gateway Mall (Araneta Center) Wikipedia Entry

Gateway Mall Postcard

The postcard shows the "Pavilion" of Gateway Mall at the Araneta Center. Gateway Mall, inaugurated in 2004, comprises five levels. It has features that include a floating garden, named "The Oasis", and the Fabergé Egg-like "Pavilion" which serves as Gateway’s entrance.

Gateway Mall Postcard

SOURCE:
Gateway Mall (Araneta Center) Wikipedia Entry

Araneta Center Postcard

This multi-view postcard shows the Araneta Coliseum and Farmers Plaza at the Araneta Center in Cubao, Quezon City. The Araneta Center is a 35-hectare commercial area with the Araneta Coliseum as the centerpiece of the complex. The coliseum, with a seating capacity of 25,000, opened as the world’s biggest indoor arena in 1960.

Araneta Center Postcard

One can find at the Araneta Center Gateway Mall, Ali Mall, Farmers Plaza, Farmers Market and
Aurora Tower.

SOURCE:
Araneta Center Wikipedia Entry

Abanao Square Postcard

The postcard shows the Abanao Square, a 5-storey commercial building located on the corners of Abanao and Zandueta Streets in Baguio City. The building opened in November 15, 2002 and is owned and operated by Pacific Land and Building Corporation.

Abanao Square Postcard

* Level 1 & 2 - Food establishments and other special services
* Level 3 - dry goods, mostly clothing, shoes and accessories
* Level 4 - zoned for a salon, additional apparels, mobile phones, novelty items and business centers
* Level 5 - zoned for amusement, home improvements, trade exhibits, and other special services

SOURCE:
Abanao Square Homepage

World Trade Center Postcard

The postcard shows the North and South Towers of the World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan, New York. It also shows the Brooklyn Bridge and other skyscrapers in the area.
The World Trade Center Towers were the world's tallest buildings from 1972 to 1973. The original World Trade Center was designed by Minoru Yamasaki in the early 1960s using a tube-frame structural design for the twin 110-story towers. The World Trade Center (WTC) complex were destroyed in 2001 in the September 11th terrorist attacks.

World Trade Center Postcard
(PH Wish from Erin O'Brien of NJ)

The North Tower (Tower 1) of the World Trade Center opened in 1972 at a height of 417 m (1,368 ft), distinguishable from the South Tower (Tower 2) by the 360-foot-tall telecommunications antenna or mast on its roof. On the 106th and 107th floors of this building was a well-known restaurant called Windows on the World.

The South Tower (Tower 2) of the World Trade Center opened in 1973 at a height of 415 meters (1,362 ft). On the 107th floor of this building was a popular tourist attraction called Top of the World Trade Center Observatories.

SOURCES:
World Trade Center Wikipedia Entry
North Tower Wikipedia Entry
South Tower Wikipedia Entry

Petronas Twin Towers Postcard

The postcard shows the 88-storey (1,482.6 ft) Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The towers were the world's tallest buildings before being surpassed by Taipei 101, but the structure is still the tallest twin buildings in the world.

Petronas Twin Towers Postcard

The towers were designed by Argentinian-American architect Cesar Pelli. The towers are inspired by the geometric shape found in Islamic architecture. It is composed of two rotated and super imposed squares with small circular infill around the edges. A 58.4 metre sky bridge at levels 41 and 42 links the Twin Towers.

SOURCES:
Petronas Twin Towers Wikipedia Entry
Petronas Twin Towers