If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 774

  

 

 

 

 

Parc de Versailles, Le Bassin d’Apollon [Palace of Versailles, The Apollo Fountain], ca early 1900s

 

This is an unused Vintage postcard featuring a black & white photograph of the Apollo Fountain found in the gardens of Versailles, France.  The card has a divided back.  No information about the postcard company, the photographer, or the distributor appears on the card.  The title is found at the bottom center on the front of the card.  The view on the card is looking toward the palace. 

 

When I visited Versailles in 2012, I took a picture of this fountain from the other side.  On that day the fountain was not turned on making it easier to see Apollo and his horse drawn chariot rising from the sea.  It is always fun to find vintage cards from places I have visited.  In the background of the card there is a crowd of perhaps hundreds of people beginning from the palace all the way forward to near the fountain.

 

 

 

  

Fountain of Apollo, 2012

 

The pond, called The Pond of Swans, was originally dug in 1639, when King Louis XIII ruled, then later it was enlarged in 1671 by his successor, King Louis XIV.  King Louis XIV was also known as the Sun King and thus associated with Apollo, the sun god.   The fountain was constructed between 1668 and 1671.  The east-west orientation of the pond and the fountain represent Apollo rising in his chariot as the sun lights the day, riding across the world, west, to the sunset, to rise again the next dawn.  The dawn theme was popular during this era and also appears painted on some European palace ceilings.  

 

 

Gates at Versailles
 

Plenty of gold is found both on the outside and the inside of the palace.  Versailles is a popular tourist destination.  Despite the thousands of visitors, the grounds and palace are kept in beautiful condition.  The gold leaf is redone not on a schedule but when it shows wear and can sometimes last for many years before it needs replacing.  It had been recently redone when we visited in 2012.  The sun theme associated with King Louis XIV is also found on the ornate golden gate into the grounds of Versailles.  

 

 

Looking toward the center of the palace and the gold clock face

 

 

A small section of the exterior of the palace with the gold clock face.  Looking carefully, it is possible to see the sun, for the Sun King, in the middle of the clock dial on the palace.  The 5 June 2012, "Paris -- Picture Gallery," has more pictures of the exterior and interior of Versailles.  Use the search option for Versailles.

 

 

For additional information, see:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bassin_d%27Apollon

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gardens_of_Versailles

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palace_of_Versailles

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 773

  

 

 

 

 

The Rothéneuf Church, Saint Malo, France

 

This unused Vintage postcard with a divided back features a black & white photograph of the Rothéneuf Church, Saint-Malo, France.  At tue upper left on the front of the card can be found the number 4814, the title: “Rothéneuf – L’Englise” or The Rothéneuf Church, and the initials G.F.  At the bottom left corner is:   “Collection Germain – T. Guérin, successeru, St. Malo.”  No additional information is found on the reverse of the card.   

 

Today this would be categorized as an historical card as it shows not only the church but the people dressed in clothing of the era the picture was taken.  Men’s clothing does not change too much but women’s and children’s clothing can help date the picture to the early 1900s or slightly before.  Note:  previous Thursday postcards, numbered 586, 589, 605, 745 and 747, can be found by using the search bar and Saint Malo. 

 

The village of Rothénneuf is located northeast of Saint Malo on the coast.  It is a seaside resort that is most famous for its rock sculptures (see the postcard #605 from 27 April 2023).  The card was found in a shoebox jumble in a local antique mall.

 

Trivia:  The navigator and explorer, Jacques Cartier (1491-1557) who is credited with the discovery of the St. Lawrence River in Canada was born in Rothéneuf.  He also spent his final years there.  His Rothéneuf estate has been turned into a museum.  It is known that he made maps and wrote accounts of his voyages but they no longer exist. 

 

For additional information, see:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roth%C3%A9neuf

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackques_Cartier

 

If this is Thursday it must be postcard, 772

 

 

 

 

 

The Cross at Saint-Servan, Brittany, France ca early 1900s

 

This unused Vintage postcard is numbered 88, and attributed to the postcard/photography studio of Lévy Fils, Paris.  Typical of French postcards of this era the reverse has a slight greenish tint to it.  The back is divided and labeled for Correspondence on the left and Addressee on the right.  Because of the greenish coloration and the divided back the card can be dated to the early 1900s.  The town of Saint-Servan or St. Servan is located in Brittany, western France, about 2 miles from the Saint-Malo ferry port. 

 

The House of the Cross at Saint-Sevan is where Saint Jeanne Jugan performed their charitable works for the Little Sisters of the Poor.  Today Catholic pilgrims can visit this site.   Who was Saint Jeanne Jugan?  She was a French Catholic nun who was born in 1792 and died in 1879.  She is primarily known for dedicating her life to the neediest of the elderly poor.  The daughter of a fisherman she worked as a shepherdess while young and later as a kitchen maid for the Viscountess de la Chou.  The viscountess took Jugan with her when she visited the sick and poor.  Although Jugan had opportunities to marry, she declined proposals and told her mother that God was calling her to a work with elderly sick women.  Her work began in 1839 with service to one blind woman who was also partially paralyzed who had no one to care for her.  Later Jugan rented a room to provide housing for a dozen elderly people.  That beginning morphed into acquiring an unused convent building that could house 40 people. 

 

Eventually Jugan founded the Little Sisters of the Poor.  About this time additional young women joined Jugan in her mission of service.  The sisters would go door-to-door daily asking for food, clothing, and money for the women in their care.  By 1850 over 100 women had joined the congregation.  Sadly, Jugan was forced out of her leadership by Abbott Auguste Le Pailleur, the priest who had been appointed Superior General of the congregation.  He assigned her to do nothing but begging on the street until she was sent into retirement. 

 

The Little Sisters started In France but by 1851 had expanded to England and five communities were in the United States.  By 1879 there were 2,400 Little Sisters across Europe and North America.  Members of the community make vows of chastity, poverty, obedience, and hospitality.  They wear traditional habits, either all-white or black with gray veils.

 

Jugan was canonized a saint in 2009 by Pope Benedict XVI. 

 

For additional information, see:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint-Sevan

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeanne_Jugan

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Sisters_of_the_Poor

 

If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 771

 

 

 

 

 

 

Malta, Strada Reale, early 1900s

 

A black & white photograph of the Strada Reale, or main street, in Malta is featured on this unused Vintage postcard.  At the top is the title, and at bottom middle on the front of the card is “Photo The Grand Studio.”  At the bottom right corner on the reverse is:  09 3221.  No other information is available on the reverse.  It is a divided back card. 

 

The photograph featured on the card shows the main street of the Captial city of Valletta, Malta, that extends the whole length of the Capital.  Parts of the street are paved with flint stones.  This street is known variously as Republic Street, Strada Reale, or Kingsway.  Important buildings and squares are found along the route of the street.  These include the City Gate, Freedom Square, the Courts of Justice, the Parliament of Malta, Palazzo Ferreria, Royal Opera House, the Archaeology Museum, St. John’s Square, Spinola Palace, The Malta Chamber of Commerce, the Casino Maltese and others.  The Valletta Local Council together with the Maltese government manages the street.  It is mostly open to pedestrians and has highly limited vehicle use.  Commercial deliveries load and unload in the early morning.  Only electric cabs/taxis are allowed to drive up and down the street.  Even the Malta Police Forces uses Segways to patrol the streets.

 

Malta is an island country located in the Mediterranean Sea between Sicily and North Africa in Southern Europe.  The name Malta comes from Italian and Maltese, and means a place of honey or sweetness.  Some think the Greeks may have given the island the name after the bees that were found on the island centuries ago.  It could also come from the Phoenician word for haven or port. 

 

In 2019 archaeologist Eleanor Scerri discovered the remains of hearths, stone tools, and the bones of a number of different animals at the Latnija Cave that indicated that hunter-gatherers lived on Malta around perhaps as early as 6500 BC.  Archaeological excavations are still being worked on there. 

For additional information, see:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malta

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_Street,_Valletta

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/en.Latnija_Cave

 

If this is Thursday it must be postcard, 770

 

 

 

 

 

Congress Hall, Philadephia, PA, 1939

 

This is a used Linen postcard dated October 1939.  The title and number 162 appears at the top margin on the front of the card.  The number 41848 appears at the bottom right corn on the front.  On the reverse of the card a blurb is found at the upper left corner:  “Congress Hall is located at Chestnut and Sixth Str.  The site before the Revolution was occupied by a wooden shelter for visiting Indians.  The present building was completed in 1790 and until 1800 was occupied by the Congress of the Nation.  After 1800 it was devoted to criminal courts which now sit in the City Hall, the old building being empty.”  Made in U.S.A. is printed on the reverse center line. The publisher and/or distributor is not identified.  

 

Philadelphia was the capital of the United States during and immediately after the American Revolutionary War.  During that time the United States grew by three new states, Vermont, Kentucky, and Tennessee, and ratified the Bill of Rights of the United States Constitution.  Both George Washington and John Adams had their inaugurations there.  A restoration of the building to its original appearance of 1796 was completed in the 20^th century.  Congress Hall and Independence Hall are adjacent to one another and today are conjoined.  The National Park Service maintains Congress Hall and operates guided tours of the building throughout the year. 

 

For additional information, see:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congress_Hall

If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 769

  

 

 

 

 

The Liberty Bell

 

Since we are near the 4^th of July and the 250the anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, this card and the one for next week will be featuring items of historical interest. I am also including a Vintage card that was shared in 2012 when the Liberty Bell was on a national tour in 1915.

This unused postcard above features the Liberty Bell on a souvenir card from TWA [Trans World Airlines].  It is a Linen card with a divided back.  On the center line of the reverse is “Litho U.S.A.—3-265, 9-95.  It required a once-center stamp.  TWA logo is found at the lower left corner on the reverse.  The blurb is located on the right side on the front of the card: “The Liberty Bell, Color-foto by TWA.  Symbolic of our freedom, the historic Liberty Bell stands on display in Independence Hall, Philadelphia.  Here also our nation’s founders signed the Declaration of Independence.”  

 

 

   

Liberty Bell on tour, Seattle, July 14 1915. 

 

The Seattle was one of the cities on the tour route for the Liberty Bell in 1915.  This Vintage postcard shows Washington State Governor Ernest Lister is standing beside the bell.  Thursday postcard 63, from 1 November 2012 has more detailed information about the card and the bell. 

 

Originally, at the time of the founding of the city in 1682, Philadelphia had a city bell that was used to alert the public to proclamations or civic danger.  The city’s founder, William Penn, brought that bell.  In 1751 a new bell tower was being built and the civic leaders wanted a bell of better quality than the original one so it could be heard at greater distances.  The new bell was known as State House Bell, or Old State House Bell.  The first casting resulted in a crack and the bell was re-cast.  It is the second casting of the bell.  Later the new bell was officially named the Liberty Bell  The crack seen on these cards occurred between 1817 and 1846.  The most common story about the cracking says that it happened when the bell was rung upon the death of Supreme Court Chief Justice John Marshall in 1835. 

 

The Liberty Bell was transported by railroad to seven expositions and celebrations between 1885 and 1915.  The train would make extra stops so that more people could view it.  The bell was put in a glass fronted oak case for protection.  Concern over continued cracking worsening and to prevent souvenir hunters chipping at the bell it was returned to Philadelphia where it is now houses in Liberty Bell Center where visitors pass through exhibits about the bell before reaching the bell itself.  Today visitors can no longer touch the bell.

 

First called Transcontinental & Western Air, operating from New York City to Los Angeles via St. Louis, Kansas City, and other stops was one of the big domestic airlines.  The name was changed as service expanded to overseas travel.  Howard Hughes began buying TWA stock in 1939 and eld a controlling interest in the company by 1944.  He gave up control in the 1960s.  Trans World Airlines operated from 1930 until it was acquired by American Airlines in 2001.  It was listed as a trunk carrier, also known as trunk airlines or trunklines.  This type of airline existed between 1939 and 1941.  Trunk airlines flew the main domestic routes. 

 

For additional information, see:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberty_Bell

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trans_Airlines#Ambassadors

https://en.wikipedia.lorg/wiki/Trunk_carrier

To see the previous blog post #63, put Liberty Bell in the blog Search field

 

 

If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 768

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Royal Canadian Mounted Policeman on horseback, photo courtesy RCMP

 

Here we have another unused souvenir postcard.  This one features a color photograph of a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.  The card was made in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada by Grant-Mann Lithographers, LTD.  The photograph was used with courtesy of the RCMP.  The space allotted for the stamp on the reverse has a 4-cent stamp postage as needed.  The code:  SS-432 is located at the base of the center line on the reverse.

 

The RCMP is a national police service of Canada, in French “Gendarmerie royale du Canada or GRC.”  It provides police services under contract to 11 provinces and territories, exceptions are Ontario and Quebec, 150 municipalities and 600 Indigenous communities.  Commonly called Mounties, the RCMP was established in 1920.  Today the mounted police use horses only for ceremonial events and certain other occasions.  The red jacket, Stetson hat and boots are also only worn at those times.  The Government of Canada considers the RCMP an unofficial national symbol.  In 2013 a survey taken of Canadians showed that 87% of those interviewed said the RCMP was important to their national identity.

 

For additional information, see:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Canadian_Mounted_Police