Two weeks ago, Paulo & I took a little roadtrip to Amsterdam. After much vla, stroopwafles and hagelslag, we ventured into the obligatory visit to postcard shops to stock our collections. And what better place to do this in Amsterdam, than 'Friends of Art’, in Keizergracht 510?
'Friends of Art’ is a postcard & poster shop in Amsterdam that is well-known amongst local postcrossers – and for a good reason! Their collection is so vast that they have it neatly organized by themes and artists. No matter how peculiar your subject of interest is, you can find a postcard of it here! Sacha Siebels, who runs the 'Friends of Art’, tells us that postcrossers often come to the shop with lists of requests, trying to find that special postcard that will make the receiver happy :)
A big part of the postcards sold in 'Friends of Art’ are printed by Art Unlimited, a Dutch company founded in 1981 by Jos Smit, who we’ve met during this visit. Being in the business of printing postcards for almost 30 years, Mr. Smit has a lot of stories to tell – he can pick a postcard almost at random and tell us something interesting about the work of art or the artist who did it. He describes Art Unlimited's moto as “a passion for pictures”, shadowing away from touristic viewcards and prefering to focus on postcards with paintings, illustrations or artistic photography. His approach to which ones get printed is rather simple: “If I like it, there are bound to be others who like it as well!”, he explains. If the sales of over 300 million postcards in 35 countries are any indication, he seems to have excellent taste! :)
Last Saturday, a large group of Dutch postcrossers visited the Art Unlimited warehouse & shop in Alkmaar, and reported back with lots of photos – and postcards! Check out Jetske's lovely photos from the event.
Can’t visit Amsterdam? Don’t worry! Art Unlimited's postcards are available in museums and stationery shops all around the world, or through their online shop.
40 comments so far
Oh wow, that is paradise! Cool photos, Jetske!
It was a wonderful day and I love this blog post. Very nice! :)
Amazing! Love the pictures! I think I would spend way to much money in a store like that ;-)
Thanks for sharing
Tell them to open a store in Florida :P
Wowww, nice story and great photos!!! And I was there too !!!
So nice to see them officially on Postcrossing, I went to their store many times and sometimes I order online. It's a real nice store and the staff is friendly :)
Some day I will own similar shop :)
Thank you for sharing these amazing photos.
Oh they have lots of cards with mice. ^^
Cool blog and even more cool pictures ;)
I was there too and it was amazing!
*I WANNA GOOOO*
OMG! Here in "the country" we can get about 3 dozen touristy view cards, some diddl, sheepworld and dark dudes and that's about it. I could go crazy at a store like that, but I guess I'd have to rob a bank first LOL
Awesome photos!
POSTCARD HEAVEN! haha
wowww I want to go there
I was there too and I love it!! It was an amazing day! So I hope I will visit it more times...
This blog is nice!!! :D
I have a big collection of Art Unlimited postcards that I've found in Chicago. The pictures of that store...OMG....I'm not sure I could take THAT much postcard excitement!!!
It is simply heavenly! I would lose my mind! And my paycheck! :o)
MAGIC place!!!!!! I'll put it in my itinerary in Amsterdam ;)
So many beautiful cards! Oh, I envy you! :)
Now i know why i always get such supricing amazing postcards from Netherlands. Now i have visit the place.
:O :O
I always order my cards online by Art Unlimited. The more you buy the cheaper it gets. I always receive them in good condition. Offcouse I buy also postcards at any other shop I find anywhere. I just love postcards that don't look to standard touristic.
I was there too at the meeting at the Art Unlimited warehouse. A total paradise for Postcrossers and I will definitely come back there since there also some cards that cannot be ordered online... ;) Thanks for the lovely blogpost. :)
I have admired the ART UNLIMITED postcards, and when I visit Vancouver, I pick up many...I know that I would go broke in the shop that you visited...too many.
I would love love love to visit that shop!! I could spend a fortune :-D
Whaaa-- I study in Amsterdam and I had no idea this store existed! I am so checking it out the next time I have some hours to spare...
And I've found a lot of the postcards I send end up being from Art Unlimited. Usually when I find a nice postcard, I don't even have to look at the back anymore to find AU made it. :)
I would so love to go here. I would have to have lots of money to spend though! :)
boah, what a paradise!!!??! REASON TO GO TO NL during my next trip to europe!!!!!!!!!!!!! thx for this posting!!!
I live in Alkmaar and even though I am (very!) familiar with the Art Unlimited cards I didn't know there was a shop in my own town! I will visit it very soon (:
Wow! What a treasure of a shop! Definitely would have to win the Lotto first before stepping into AU.
Thanks for sharing the fun photos, too, Jetske.
Wow so cool
I'm going to amsterdam next december , thanks for the tip , I´ll pay this store a visit for sure!
It was big fun that day!!
I must go to Amsterdam too, quickly!
Heaven!
Ahhhhh!!! I spent 4 days in Amsterdam in 2008 and I didn't know about this shop...... I think I need to head over for a weekend :-)
It was a wonderful day!
I always order my cards from Art Unlimited... but next time I'm in Amsterdam I will go to this shop for sure. Need to save up first though... seems like postcard heaven!!!!
This shop is just amazing!
Wow! I just NEED a shop like that :3
Oh my god that looks like heaven to me! *drools*
I always shop on there website, that's also heaven...........Shop till you drop. Nice photo's Jetske!
Oh my god , i cant beleive , i was in Alkmaar in Amsterdam last year in October and i didnt know about the shops: i wanna go there again.Feeling soo sad , in my town there are a few postcards and over there are billions of them,i wanna cry,:(
OOps, just put the comment in my daugther profile,princessbi, my mistake , me csofiatorpes and lordz1978 where in holland.:)
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