If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 385

The Viaduct de Busseau, Creuse, France, ca early 1900s

This vintage postcard with a real photograph is one that was shared by my French friend.   The card has the number 116 at the upper left and identifies the place and indicates that the picture is an ND Phot.  Unfortunately the ND is insufficient for identifying the photographer or the studio. 

With the stamp placed on the picture side of the card it suggests that the card was mailed shortly after it was possible to write a message on the backside of the card.  Prior to about 1908 postcards had undivided backs and messages were penned on the picture side of the card with only the address and stamp permitted on the reverse.  This card has a divided back with a message plus the address but that left no room for the stamp so it went on the front of the card instead.  Once people became used to the divided backs a space was outlined on the back for the stamp. 

The viaduct is an iron railway bridge that crosses the Creuse River located in Ahun, Creuse, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France.  It is about 1,111 feet or 338.7 meters long and about 185 feet or 56.5 meters high.  It is a lattice truss and deck truss bridge.  Originally built in 1863 but was damaged during World War II.  It was then repaired in 1944-45 and is still in use today.  

The image of the sowing woman was used on French stamps for about 100 years from 1840 to 1940.  I found some examples of this 10c stamp listed as issued in 1906 and that corresponds with the tentative dating of when the card was mailed or around 1910.


As always a special thanks to my friend for sharing the postcard.
 
For additional information, see:

https://structurae.net/busseau-viaduct