The printer famous for saucy seaside postcards has called in the receivers and laid off 11 staff.
Scarborough-based ETW Dennis & Son contacted accountants last week after it failed to beat the squeeze from competition.
The 49-strong workforce was cut to 38 staff this week and the receiver, RSM Robson Rhodes, is battling to save the firm, which has an in-house repro department, six-colour Roland B1 press, and a turnover of around 3m.
ETW Dennis prints the famous Bamforths cards, seen on seaside shop racks on promenades and piers across Britain since the 1920s. But this is a small part of its business, said receiver Keith Hinds.
The firm also prints charity postcards, calendars and brochures. It sold a publishing division last year.
"This is symptomatic of the commercial printing sector," said Hinds, based in Leeds. "There is an oversupply of businesses competing on prices for a limited market."
Hinds said he saimed to sell the firm as a going concern but gave no timescale. Hinds said he was speaking to interested parties and a loyal customer base. An FT ad appeared on Tuesday.
"Im focused on looking at preserving jobs and keeping the business going. The liabilities are the last thing on my mind," added Hinds.