I've just arrived

I thought this would be an appropriate card to start with. A classic seaside card. McGill used the "I've just arrived" caption many many times over the years.

This card is a "New  Donald McGill Comics" by D Constance Ltd. No. 31.

Originally published in the late 1930s, probably 1936, the copies I have are from the late 1940s. The first is postmarked 1948 (I think), the other is unposted but both have the "We saved to win the war" rhyme on the reverse.

At first glance these look to be exactly the same apart from the caption. Closer inspection shows that the second of the two cards is a much crisper drawing, some colours are different and there are various subtle changes to the detail:

• although her garters show in both the glimpse of petticoat or knickers has disappeared from the second version
• the comb's teeth are pointing upwards in one, downwards in another
• the contents of the pink handbag are different
• the lady in the background has a smaller hat but more billowing skirt
• the man has a red tie with spots in one, without in another
• shadows are different
• a yacht has appeared on the horizon

And so it goes on...

McGill obviously liked this image because he used it again with a different caption - D Constance Ltd. R No. 31.

There was also a companion version of the "I've just arrived" which shows a man falling over and spilling the contents of his suitcase - so far I've only seen the one version of this card (D Constance Ltd No. 32)