In Memory of Brian Lund
The Postcard World was deeply saddened to learn of
the passing of Brian Lund on December 3, 2025.
I first met Brian at one of the monthly Bloomsbury Fairs in London. His display was unforgettable—an inviting array of postcards, publications, and back issues of Picture Postcard Monthly (PPM). Brian and his wife, Mary, welcomed everyone with warm smiles, especially delighted to encounter another collector from “the States,” as they liked to say. By then, more American collectors and dealers were making the trip overseas—hunting for unusual cards, savoring the search, and often funding their travels through postcard sales.
I may already have been a PPM subscriber at that time, so many of the names and faces were familiar. The Lunds were wonderfully gracious, introducing me to other dealers and helping me feel part of the community from the very beginning.
Modern postcards were a new and rapidly growing field then, and several dealers at those fairs specialized in them. We were drawn to their bold graphics and fresh designs. There was so much to learn—and so many friendships to be made. In those days, we corresponded by good old-fashioned snail mail, often ordering books and publications directly from the Lunds, who were always the best source. They seemed to know everyone, and they frequently arranged for authors to autograph copies before mailing.
Brian, a former teacher, left the classroom to pursue what became a remarkable shared career with Mary. Together, they built Reflections of a Bygone Age, a publishing and postcard business that made a lasting contribution to our hobby. Over the decades, they produced Picture Postcard Monthly for thirty-five years and the Picture Postcard Annual for forty-three. They published more than two hundred richly illustrated books, managed the Nottingham postcard fair, and traveled widely as dealers at other events.
But more than their accomplishments, it was their spirit that defined them. Brian and Mary were tireless champions of postcard collecting—encouraging research, supporting writers, and helping countless enthusiasts share their passion. As active members of the Postcard Traders Association, they played a major role in organizing the 1994 Picture Postcard Centenary Exhibition in London—the “granddaddy” of postcard fairs, drawing exhibitors and dealers from around the world.
Brian himself was always friendly, generous, and eager to share stories and knowledge about the hobby he loved. In 2022, he delivered a delightfully illustrated talk, “Best Catman Ever,” celebrating the extraordinary artistry of Louis Wain, the artist who put so much personality into his artwork of cats and animals. Brian’s talk remains available online: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cD2lyHs_43E.
Brian Lund will be remembered with deep affection and gratitude—for his energy, his scholarship, and his unwavering friendship to postcard collectors everywhere.
Thanks so much for sharing these notes about remembering Brian Lund with your great audience at Postcardhistory.net. Bill Burton and Ray Hahn are the BEST.