Raphael Tuck and Sons
Written by admin on 23 August, 2009 – 11:57 am -Raphael Tuck was born August 7, 1821 in Koschmin, a small village in Eastern Prussia (now Poland). In 1848 he married Ernestine Lissner. In 1864 the outbreak of the Second Schleswig War lead to the decision to leave Prussia. Raphael went to London in 1865 and found work and housing. Ernestine and their seven children soon followed.
In 1866 the Tucks opened a small shop on Union Street selling prints and frames. The small shop soon flourished, with Ernestine carrying out the role of business administrator, whilst Raphael provided the creative flair.
In 1869 they moved to larger premises in 177 City Road and sons Herman, Adolph (30 January 1854 – 3 July 1926) and Gustave joined the business. In addition to selling and framing prints, they also started to publish lithographs, chromolithographs and all kind of printed novelties.
By 1870 the contribution of the three sons to the business success was obvious. Adolph assisted his father, whilst Gustave and Herman were adroit salesmen.
Christmas Cards
In 1871 Raphael Tuck published his first Christmas cards. In 1879 the young Adolph Tuck offered prizes of a total of 500 guineas to design new Christmas cards. Thousand of designs were submitted and were judged by members of the Royal Academy. Newspapers around the world reported the enormous success. Suddenly, it seemed that the name Raphael Tuck was known worldwide. Christmas cards were in common use thereafter.
In 1880 the Company registered the trademark of the “Easel and Palette” along with the inscription “The World Art Service”. From 1881 the Company name was officially “Raphael Tuck and Sons”, but Raphael and Ernestine retired at that time. The Company expanded further, moving to 72/73 Coleman Street in the City of London and opening a branch in Chiswell Street.
Ernestine Tuck died in 1885. In the same year the Company was formed into a “private Limited Company” with Adolph as managing director and Herman and Gustave as co-directors. Adolph Tuck was the company's driving force – constantly looking for new artists and new ideas. In 1895 he again offered prizes, this time especially for amateur writers and painters. There were more than four thousand prizes in money and “judges' diplomas” for the winners of the different groups. Again, members of the Royal Academy judged. This time, there were about 10,000 competition entries.
In 1893 Queen Victoria granted the Company her “Warrant of Appointment” in recognition of the publishing of her letter to the nation on the death of the Duke of Clarence. Every reigning head would later honour the Company at least once.
Postcards
Adolph Tuck was a pioneer in the UK postcard industry. Tuck's Oilette cards were a very high quality product, looking just like a real oil painting. In 1894, when the Post Office first allowed postcards to be sent in the UK, Tuck issued his first picture postcard, with a small picture of Mount Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) in the upper left corner. By 1900, Tuck and Sons offered 40,000 different picture post cards.
Adolph was one of the main protagonists in the campaign for postcards to measure five and a half by three and a half inches. For a number of years the Post Office stuck to its guns and insisted that cards should be no larger than four and a half by three and a half. Tuck produced the first larger view cards in November 1899 when the Post Office relented and allowed full size cards to be posted in Great Britain. From 1902, the postcard finally evolved into its current format as the address and message were finally allowed to be printed on the same side of the card thus leaving the maximum area for illustrations.
In 1898, the company's first numbered series was produced - 12 lithographed vignette views of London. The Tower of London was number 1 in the series. In April 1898 Raphael Tuck laid the foundation stone for “Raphael House” which was opened June 6 1899. Tuck died in 1900, aged 79.
In 1900, the first US office was opened in New York, whilst in 1901 Raphael Tuck and Sons became a public Company, its Board of Directors consisting of Adolph Tuck, Chairman and Managing Director, Gustave Tuck, Vice Chairman and Director, and Herman Tuck. It also included Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, author of the Sherlock Holmes series. Furthermore, Reginald (8 July 1883 – 12 May 1954) and Desmond, sons of Adolph and Jeannette Tuck, also joined the Company. In 1910 Adolph Tuck was created a Baronet of the United Kingdom – Sir Adolph Tuck.
At the start of World War I, Reginald Tuck joined the army and Desmond volunteered for overseas service, serving in the French Air Force, and subsequently in the Royal Flying Corps and the RAF. The war also saw the seizure of the Company's German assets. In July 1926 Sir Adolph Tuck died, having just overseen the last big success of the Tuck Company – Valentine's Cards.
WWII – London Blitz
In December 1940 at the height of the Blitz, Raphael House was completely destroyed. Desmond Tuck was able to rescue a small number of items, including the framed Royal Warrant of Appointment. Amongst the other things rescued were a catalogue of the oldest Tuck products, a booklet with the results of the 1894 literary and painting competition, an April 5, 1898 issue of The Times and the Daily Telegraph, some greeting cards and periodicals and a hand written Company history up to 1898, by Adolph Tuck.
Things were never quite the same after WWII, Reginald (now Sir Reginald) died in 1954 and his son Bruce inherited the title of baronet but soon left the Company. Desmond Tuck was the last Tuck in the Company. He stimulated the Company with all his flair and energy. After he retired in 1959 the Company changed hands several times. The quality of their printing was never at issue, but somehow, the former magic had deserted Raphael Tuck and Sons Ltd.
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| raphael tuck valentine postcard love is king | ![]() |
0 Bid | £3.00 | 3h 17m |
| Lily Langtry Raphael Tuck Card | ![]() |
0 Bid | £8.41 | 4h 8m |
| NEWTON LINFORD Leicester c1940s Raphael Tuck CHF8 | ![]() |
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£2.85 | 4h 34m |
| JUST A LINE Raphael Tuck Oilette Postcard No 9853 c1905 | ![]() |
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£2.85 | 4h 39m |
| HAWKSHEAD VINTAGE RAPHAEL TUCK MULTIVIEW RP POSTCARD | ![]() |
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£1.55 | 8h 51m |
| Raphael Tuck Sons Kings Queens of England postcard | ![]() |
2 Bids | £.99 | 16h 33m |
| Raphael Tuck Sons Kings Queens of England postcard | ![]() |
0 Bid | £.99 | 16h 39m |
| Raphael Tuck Sons Kings Queens of England postcard | ![]() |
0 Bid | £.99 | 16h 51m |
| Raphael Tuck Sons Kings Queens of England postcard | ![]() |
0 Bid | £.99 | 17h 19m |
| Raphael Tuck Sons Kings Queens of England postcard | ![]() |
0 Bid | £.99 | 17h 42m |
| Raphael Tuck Sons Kings Queens of England postcard | ![]() |
0 Bid | £.99 | 18h 1m |
| 6 collectable postcards Royal Carriages Raphael Tuck | ![]() |
0 Bid | £.99 | 21h 43m |
| Oxford Pageant 1907 RP Raphael Tuck Offical Postcard | ![]() |
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£1.99 | 1d 1h 38m |
| RAPHAEL TUCK ROUGH SEA AT THE WISH TOWER EASTBOURNE | ![]() |
0 Bid | £.99 | 1d 3h 29m |
| RAPHAEL TUCK CAT MONKEY SELLING MICE POSTCARD | ![]() |
1 Bid | £4.99 | 1d 4h 10m |
| WARWICK CASTLE W Coburn Raphael Tuck postcard c1920 | ![]() |
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£2.75 | 1d 20h 16m |
| RAPHAEL TUCK BEACHY HEAD CLIFFS LIGHTHOUSE EASTBOURNE | ![]() |
0 Bid | £.99 | 2d 1h 38m |
| RAPHAEL TUCK OILETTE THE ROSE WALK FINCHCOCKS 1905 | ![]() |
0 Bid | £.99 | 2d 1h 38m |
| 2 RAPHAEL TUCK POSTCARDS OF THE ISLE OF MAN | ![]() |
0 Bid | £.99 | 2d 2h 31m |
| 2 RAPHAEL TUCK POSTCARDS OF THE WIDE WIDE WORLD | ![]() |
0 Bid | £.99 | 2d 2h 31m |
| 3 RAPHAEL TUCK CARDS ENGLISH LAKES BY HBWIMBUSH | ![]() |
0 Bid | £.99 | 2d 2h 31m |
| RAPHAEL TUCK SUNKEN GARDENS NORTH PARADE BLACKPOOL | ![]() |
0 Bid | £.99 | 2d 2h 56m |
| RAPHAEL TUCK OILETTE A YOUNG PREACHER BLACK CHILDREN | ![]() |
0 Bid | £.99 | 2d 2h 56m |
| RAPHAEL TUCK CHRISTMAS SERIES NO C1054 SNOW SCENE | ![]() |
0 Bid | £.99 | 2d 3h 42m |
| Nairn River at Whinnieknowe Old Raphael Tuck Postcard | ![]() |
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£1.99 | 2d 5h 57m |
| St Pauls Cathedral RP PC Raphael Tuck Sons 2192 | ![]() |
0 Bid | £.99 | 2d 6h 39m |
| Weather Reports Fair in Places Raphael Tuck c1910 | ![]() |
1 Bid | £.99 | 2d 7h 10m |
| THE NEEDLES Raphael Tuck Rough Sea series No 867 | ![]() |
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£1.00 | 2d 16h 14m |
| OLD TOPO POSTCARD BEACH RD OLD COLWYN RAPHAEL TUCK 1910 | ![]() |
0 Bid | £.30 | 2d 18h 40m |
| The UniversityGlasgow postcard Raphael Tuck | ![]() |
0 Bid | £.99 | 2d 20h 14m |
| Raphael Tuck Oilette Whitehall Sentry on Guard c1920 | ![]() |
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£1.50 | 2d 22h 26m |
| GIRL on SWING with DOLL RAPHAEL TUCK GLOSS | ![]() |
0 Bid | £.75 | 2d 22h 30m |
| WORLEBURY Old Lodge Cafe Raphael Tucks Postcard c1954 | ![]() |
1 Bid | £.99 | 3d 1h 56m |
| RAPHAEL TUCK CHRISTMAS SERIES MAPLESTEAD HALL ESSEX | ![]() |
0 Bid | £.99 | 3d 2h 10m |
| RAPHAEL TUCK OILETTE SCOTTISH THISTLES HUME | ![]() |
0 Bid | £.99 | 3d 2h 53m |
| Bala Lake Raphael Tuck Real Photographic Series 5075 | ![]() |
0 Bid | £.95 | 3d 3h 13m |
| Chepstow Castle Raphael Tuck Real Photographic 5074 | ![]() |
0 Bid | £.95 | 3d 3h 16m |
| Coniston Lake Raphael Tuck Postcard c 1920s | ![]() |
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£2.50 | 3d 4h 27m |
| Old Postcard Of Gun Dogs On The Moors Raphael Tuck | ![]() |
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£2.50 | 3d 4h 33m |
| 1949 RAPHAEL TUCK GY 13 real photo GREAT YARMOUTH | ![]() |
0 Bid | £.99 | 3d 19h 2m |
| EXETER Devon Raphael Tuck No EXTR6 1949 used | ![]() |
0 Bid | £.99 | 3d 19h 6m |
| RAPHAEL TUCKSONS OILETTE 1937 POSTCARD | ![]() |
0 Bid | £.99 | 4d 2h 7m |
| POSTCARD RAPHAEL TUCKS CALENDAR BROKEN PITCHE GREUZE | ![]() |
0 Bid | £.99 | 4d 3h 5m |
| Raphael Tuck PostcardWW1 Biplane In Full Flight | ![]() |
0 Bid | £1.99 | 4d 3h 6m |
| Raphael Tuck PostcardWW1 Biplane Seaplane in Flight | ![]() |
0 Bid | £1.99 | 4d 3h 6m |
| Raphael Tuck PostcardWW1 Biplane Diving Engine Running | ![]() |
1 Bid | £1.99 | 4d 3h 6m |
| Raphael Tuck PostcardWW1Voisin Biplane | ![]() |
0 Bid | £1.99 | 4d 3h 13m |
| Raphael Tuck PostcardWW1Farman Biplane | ![]() |
0 Bid | £1.99 | 4d 3h 16m |
| 6 x Postcards by Dinah published by Raphael Tuck | ![]() |
0 Bid | £.99 | 4d 3h 27m |
| RAPHAEL TUCK SONS No9815 OILETTE YE DAYS OF OLDE | ![]() |
0 Bid | £.99 | 4d 17h 10m |
| RAPHAEL TUCK PICCADILY CIRCUS LONDON POSTCARD | ![]() |
0 Bid | £1.99 | 4d 21h 5m |
| RAPHAEL TUCK ST IVES HARBOUR POSTCARD | ![]() |
0 Bid | £1.99 | 4d 21h 5m |
| RAPHAEL TUCK ST IVES HARBOUR POSTCARD | ![]() |
0 Bid | £1.99 | 4d 21h 5m |
| RAPHAEL TUCK ST IVES PORTHMEAR RD POSTCARD | ![]() |
0 Bid | £1.99 | 4d 21h 5m |
| Beatrice Glamour Raphael Tuck A Asti | ![]() |
0 Bid | £4.99 | 4d 23h 25m |
| Postcard BBC Broadcasting House Raphael Tuck Gravure | ![]() |
0 Bid | £4.99 | 5d 19h 18m |
| RAPHAEL TUCK ART CARD No3379 U B WHITE STAR LINE | ![]() |
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£6.00 | 5d 19h 45m |
| LIFE IN JAPAN Raphael Tuck Postcard 1904 | ![]() |
0 Bid | £.99 | 5d 20h 32m |
| Japanese Woman JAPAN Raphael Tuck Postcard 1905 | ![]() |
0 Bid | £.99 | 5d 20h 37m |
| Raphael Tuck Postcard Tarn Hows Langdale Pikes Cumbria | ![]() |
0 Bid | £.99 | 5d 23h 39m |
| Raphael Tuck Postcard Trinity Church Stratford on Avon | ![]() |
0 Bid | £.99 | 6d 52m |
| Raphael Tuck Postcard St Phillips Cathedral Birmingham | ![]() |
0 Bid | £.99 | 6d 57m |
| Three Salmons Beachley Glos Raphael Tuck Postcard | ![]() |
1 Bid | £2.99 | 6d 1h 29m |
| CHINA MARAUDING CHUNCHUSES Raphael Tuck POSTCARD E20C | ![]() |
1 Bid | £2.99 | 6d 2h 46m |
| DONEGAL MARKET DAY Co Donegal RAPHAEL TUCK PC E20C | ![]() |
0 Bid | £4.99 | 6d 3h 8m |
| LERWICK SUNDAY MORNING POST OFFICE Raphael Tuck PC E20C | ![]() |
0 Bid | £4.99 | 6d 4h |
| OILETTE POSTCARD RAPHAEL TUCK SONS FLOWER TIME 8880 | ![]() |
0 Bid | £2.99 | 6d 5h 21m |
| RHODESIA Raphael Tuck Rhodes Grave old postcard | ![]() |
0 Bid | £1.99 | 6d 6h 12m |
| SCARBOROUGH Raphael Tuck No SC11 1949 used postcard | ![]() |
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£2.50 | 6d 7h 27m |
| UK ART TUCKS THE MADONNA ANSIDEL RAPHAEL SANZIO PC | ![]() |
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£4.50 | 6d 16h 9m |
| TWO EYES OF BLUE Raphael Tuck Glamour No 4567 c1920s | ![]() |
0 Bid | £.99 | 6d 17h 35m |
| RAPHAEL TUCK IOM 58 Legs Of Man DOUGLAS 1958 | ![]() |
0 Bid | £.99 | 6d 17h 36m |
| DINAH Booked Raphael Tuck 1952 Comic Children | ![]() |
0 Bid | £.99 | 6d 17h 36m |
| ROBERT BROWNING GRAVE Poet Raphael Tuck RP c1930s | ![]() |
0 Bid | £.99 | 6d 17h 36m |
| SNOWDONIA Llyn Dinas Moel Hebog Raphael Tuck 1949 | ![]() |
0 Bid | £.99 | 6d 17h 36m |
| ON THE OCEAN Raphael Tuck Amethyst Glosso 8431 c1910 | ![]() |
0 Bid | £.99 | 6d 17h 36m |
| Raphael Tuck Postcard Rough Sea on East Coast C478 | ![]() |
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£.99 | 6d 19h 28m |
| Raphael Tuck Postcard Douglas IOM 1957 RefC465 | ![]() |
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£.99 | 6d 19h 32m |
| BIG BEN LONDON REAL PHOTO POSTCARD RAPHAEL TUCK UNUSED | ![]() |
0 Bid | £1.94 | 6d 21h 10m |
| London life Messenger Boy Raphael Tuck series III 9172 | ![]() |
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£8.00 | 6d 21h 41m |
| G E SHEPHERD COMIC RAPHAEL TUCK OILETTE PINCH OF SALT | ![]() |
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£3.00 | 6d 21h 48m |
| G E SHEPHERD RAPHAEL TUCK OILETTE COMIC SHRIMP SAUCE | ![]() |
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£3.00 | 6d 21h 48m |
| Market Place LUTON 1905 Raphael Tuck Oilette series7289 | ![]() |
0 Bid | £.99 | 7d 3h 53m |
| HIGH TOR MATLOCK BATH RAPHAEL TUCK SILVERETTE POSTCARD | ![]() |
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£1.25 | 7d 9h 18m |
| Raphael Tuck Postcards | ![]() |
1 Bid | £.50 | 7d 23h 31m |
| Raphael Tuck Postcards | ![]() |
1 Bid | £.50 | 7d 23h 35m |
| 30 RAPHAEL TUCK POSTCARD FROM 1902 | ![]() |
1 Bid | £3.99 | 8d 1h 24m |
| DOUGLAS Isle Of Man Raphael Tuck POSTCARD 1925 | ![]() |
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£2.00 | 8d 3h 11m |
| LONDON Raphael Tuck POSTCARD c1920 Bank Royal Exchange | ![]() |
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£2.00 | 8d 3h 11m |
| LONDON Raphael Tuck POSTCARD c 1920 StPauls Ludgate | ![]() |
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£2.00 | 8d 3h 40m |
| LUCKNOW India Raphael Tuck POSTCARD c 1920 Bailley Gate | ![]() |
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£2.00 | 8d 3h 40m |
| CANADA Raphael Tuck POSTCARD 1905 Boats Stormy Sea | ![]() |
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£2.00 | 8d 3h 40m |
| Exeter Cathedral Raphael Tuck Postcard War Memorial | ![]() |
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£2.50 | 8d 3h 40m |
| RAPHAEL TUCK CHROMO toy yacht BOURNEMOUTH DORSET pool | ![]() |
0 Bid | £.99 | 8d 8h 28m |
| RAPHAEL TUCK CHROMO ILFRACOMBE ART DRAWN DEVON VIEW UK | ![]() |
0 Bid | £.99 | 8d 8h 29m |
| RAPHAEL TUCK OILETTE PICTURESQUE COUNTY WORCESTER ART P | ![]() |
0 Bid | £.99 | 8d 8h 30m |
| RAPHAEL TUCK CHROMO BOURNEMOUTH DORSET from pier dorset | ![]() |
0 Bid | £.99 | 8d 8h 30m |
| RAPHAEL TUCK OLD VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY CHARLOTTESVILLE US | ![]() |
0 Bid | £.99 | 8d 8h 32m |
| RAPHAEL TUCK OILETTE CRATHIE CHURCH BALMORAL ROYALTY | ![]() |
0 Bid | £.99 | 8d 20h 24m |
| RAPHAEL TUCK aquarette LOCH KATRINE STIRLING ARTIST PC | ![]() |
0 Bid | £.99 | 8d 20h 24m |
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Sources / more information:
www.hertfordshire-genealogy.co.uk
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