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, 757

 

 

 

 

 

Easter Cake “Kulich”

 

Happy Easter!

 

This used postcard featuring an illustration of a Russian Easter Bread called Kulich was published by A. Yaremenko, New York City.  The identifier:  A.Y. 181 – Y- 11377 is found at the bottom of the center line on the reverse.  There is a written message on the divided back of the card but no addressee is named.  At the upper left corner is: “Easter Cake ‘Kulich.’”  The illustrator's initials "T.H." are found under the right side of the plate.

 

This festive cake, or bread, is baked in a tall cylindrical tin, such as a coffee or fruit juice tin.  The cake, or loaf, has a white icing that drizzles down the sides and is decorated with colorful flowers, eggs, and sometimes flags as seen on the card.  The cake is a type of Paska bread and is a traditional cultural part of Eastern European Orthodox Christian countries like Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Romania, Armenia, Georgia, Moldova, North Macedonia and Serbia.  

 

After Easter services the kulich is blessed by the priest.  Blessed kulich is eaten before breakfast each day between Easter and Pentecost.  It is sometimes served with cheese paska and includes the symbol XB [Khristos voskres, “Christ is risen.”  Any leftover kulich that is not blessed is eaten as dessert.

 

For additional information, see:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kulich_(bread)

If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 751

  

 

 

 

 

Stanley Park Totems, Vancouver, Canada, ca 1970s

 

This unused Majestic souvenir postcard features a color photograph by Gammarax Studios, of totem poles found in Stanley Park, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.  The identifying alpha-numerica code, KS-6875, appears at the bottom of the center line on the reverse.  The card was printed in Canada by Lawson Graphics Pacific Limited and published by Natural Color Productions, Ltd. Richmond, B.C.  At the lower left corner on the reverse is a blurb:  “KM-3A  Totem Poles, Stanley Park, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.  Indian carvings on each Totem Pole tell their own enchanting tale.  Each figure, animal, and head depicts some phase of life or belief of the early coast Indians.” 

 

There are ten totem poles at Brockton Point located in the easterly part of Stanley Park.  Four of them were originally brought from Alert Bay and placed at Lumbermen’s Arch in 1924.  Some of the poles were carved in the 1880s.  More poles were purchased in the 1920s and 1930s from the Haida Gwaii and Rivers Inlet.  All were moved to Brockton Point in 1962 when and overhead road at Lumberman’s Arch was built.  Many of the have since been replaced with replicas, the originals now kept in museums for preservation.  The most recent totem pole was carved by a member of the Squamish Nation in 2009.  The Totem Pole Interpretive Center has a gift shop and visitor center near the totem poles.

 

Thanks to Bob for sharing this card from his scrapbook collection.

 

For additional information, see:

 

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

https://vancouver.ca/parks-recreation-culture/totems-and-first-nations-art.aspx

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

 

If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 739

 

 

 

 

 

Thanksgiving greeting, ca 1910-1920

 

This reproduced vintage illustration was printed by the local company, Laughing Elephant.  They specialize in vintage artwork/illustration preservation and reprinting.  If the artist or illustrator has signed the work, then Laughing Elephant will credit them.  No signature or initials appear on this illustration, so we do not know who created it.  The dress the girl is wearing suggests that it dates from between 1910 and 1920.

 

Although wild turkeys were found in America at the time the Pilgrims, a feast such as we know now as a Thanksgiving dinner most likely does not date from that era.  Instead, it is more likely that writers during the 19^th century, who were popularizing the holiday, featured a turkey dinner and all the trimmings.  The original Pilgrims relied on ingredients native to America that they learned were edible from Native Americans and by experimentation.  Foods such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn or maize, squash/pumpkin, green beans, ad cranberries. 

 

Thanksgiving is a national holiday but also a time to reflect and express gratitude. 

 

Happy Thanksgiving!

 

For additional information, see:

 

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

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

https://laughingelephant.com

 

 

 

If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 716

 

 

 

 

 

La Cattedrale di San Giusto, anteriore al 1840 [Saint Justus, Trieste Cathedral, exterior ca 1840]

 

This is another postcard of three cards from a booklet set that was sent by my friend who lives in Italy.  There is no blurb on the reverse, only the title at the upper left corner.  On the reverse center line: “… Tipografia Villaggio del Fancliullo – Trieste” [printing or publishing house, Villaggio del Fancliullo, Trieste].  The featured illustration on the card looks as if it may be a watercolor painting.  Once again the picture includes people dressed in the clothing of yesteryear that provides us a glimpse of what it might been like in the mid 1800s.

 

This cathedral is one of the historical monuments in Trieste.  My friend says that even though the city has completely changed since the 13^th century, some buildings from that era are still standing including this one. 

 

The first religious building was constructed on this site in the 6^th century using part of an existing Roman structure.  Remains of the original mosaic flooring has been integrated into a modern floor.  Also, markings from the original Christian building can still be seen on the outer walls.  Between the 9^th and 11^th centuries two basilicas were erected on the ruins of the old church.  One was dedicated to Our Lady of Assumption and the second was dedicated to Saint Justus (San Giusto).  Then in the 14^th century more changes were made when one nave was demolished and the two basilicas were then joined.  This resulted in the construction of a asymmetrical façade, a Gothic rose window, and a new bell tower.  Romanesque debris stones were used in some of the remodeling.  In the 1930s archaeological excavations exposed more of the remains of the Roman forum and civic building.  Two lower-floor columns have been reconstructed.  

 

 

I found it fascinating and interesting that items from previous buildings were incorporated, saved, or reconstructed to enhance and preserve the history of the site and the building.  As always, thank you to my friend for sharing the card.

 

For additional information, see:

 

https://en.wikipedial.org/wiki/Trieste_Cathedral

 

If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 713

 

 

 

 

 

San Giacomo [St. James], Trieste, Italy, 1854

 

This is one postcard in a booklet set.  It features a painting of San Giacomo, or St. James, church and part of the surrounding area.  My friend who lives in Trieste recently sent this card and two others from the set.  The only information about the picture is printed on the back of the card at the upper left:  “Nuova Chiesa di s. Giacomo in Trieste, 1854.”  My friend’s note on the card provided some additional information.  He says in part:  “This hill was a good place to see afar and protect the town from raids.  The neighborhood is very old around the cathedral. … It is a very urbanized quarter [now] so all the trees and field have disappeared, alas.  But it is quite lively, with foreign communities from the Balkans and it is a popular neighborhood, not yet gentrified or overwhelmed by tourism.”

 

Notice the detail on the church, the people’s clothing, the horse and wagon, and the hint of the landscape in the background.  The square in front of the church is called Campo San Giacomo.  The church was built between 1851 and 1854.  It seems likely that this picture on the card is representative of the way the church and square appeared when the church was new.  Today this part of the city, near the center of Trieste, is the most populous and houses about one quarter of the city inhabitants.  The neighborhood has every service from supermarkets, bars, taverns, restaurants, to schools.  There is also a “washhouse” that can be visited where a permanent exhibit tells the story of the washerwomen.  This same building is also a venue that can be used free of charge as a meeting place for citizen events and hosting cultural associations.

As always, thank you M for sending the card!

For additional information, see:

 

https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Giacomo_(Trieste)  [select translate option for English]

 

 

If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 698

  

 

 

 

Vintage Valentine card, ca World War I era

 

This used postcard was sent to Miss Eunice McCoy of Duck, Wisconsin from her friend, Elaine.  The stamp is partly torn off and unfortunately it had part of the cancellation mark on it, making it difficult to place the year.  However, from the uniforms and the shoes the girl is wearing it appears to have been printed around the time of World War I, 1914-1918.  The card has a divided back, the number 501 and a trade mark at the upper left corner on the reverse.

 

 

Trade Mark logo 

The card came to me inside a handmade, collage valentine by my granddaughter, M a couple of years ago.  She found the postcard, knew I collect them and kindly sent it.  I am sharing her card too, since I like it very much and it is quite lovely as well.  Thanks M for both cards.

 

 

 

M's homemade collage Valentine

 Happy Valentine's Day!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 692

 

 

 

 

 

 “Declaration of Independence,” painting by John Trumbull

 

This unused postcard was found in a jumble box of cards in a local antique mart.  It has the code:  R-45533 to the left of the dividing line on the reverse.  Along the left margin the publisher is identified as:  B.S. Reynolds & Co. of Washington, D.C.  In the area designated for the stamp is the notation:  “Place stamp here.  One Cent for United States and Island Possessions, Cuba, Canada and Mexico.  Two cents for foreign.”  These postal rates were used between 1914 and 1922.  

 

There is a blurb at the upper left corner on the reverse:  “Declaration of Independence, U.S. Capitol.  Painting by John Trumbull, in the Rotunda of the Capitol, Washington.  John Hancock, President of the Congress, is seated at the table, and in front of him stand the Committee of Five—Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert L. Livingston.”  Note:  while the blurb identifies Robert Livingston as Robert L. Livingston, other sources show him as Robert R. Livingston.

 

John Trumbull, the artist of this famous painting, was born 1756 and died 1843.  As a veteran of the Revolutionary War, he was most well-known for painting historical events of that era.  Four of his paintings can be found in the United States Capitol rotunda.  The Declaration of Independence painting on the postcard can also be found on the reverse of the current $2.00 bill.  In addition to group pictures, such as the one on the card, he also painted portraits. 

 

Three of the members of the Committee of Five, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Benjamin Franklin, are very famous figures in American history.  The two others, Roger Sherman and Robert Livingston, are generally less known.  On 11 June 1776 the committee was appointed to draft a statement to outline why the Colonies were seceding from the British Empire.  They were allotted 3 weeks to work on the statement.  The final version was published as a broadside on 4 July 1776, and the committee dissolved on 5 July 1776. 

 

Roger Sherman (1721-1793), is the only member of the committee who signed all 4 the U.S. state papers, the Continental Association, The Declaration, the Articles of Confederation, and the Constitution.  He also proposed the Connecticut Compromise.  Although he did not have formal education he became an early American statesman, lawyer, and Founding Father of the United States.  Despite not having formal legal training he was encouraged to read for the bar exam and was subsequently admitted to the bar of Litchfield, Connecticut in 1754.  He became justice of the peace in 1762, a judge, elected to the Governor’s Council of Connecticut General Assembly, a judge of the Connecticut Supreme Court of Errors, and Justice of the Superior Court of Connecticut.  He was also appointed treasurer of Yale College and received an honorary Master of Arts degree.  He was married twice and had a total of 15 children, 13 of whom survived to adulthood.  He was elected mayor of New Haven in 1784 and held that office until his death at age 72 in 1793.

 

Robert Livingston, 1746-1813, was also an American lawyer, politician, a diplomat from New York, and a Founding Father of the United States.  He helped draft the Declaration of Independence, but was recalled to the state of New York before he could sign it.  Livingston was appointed the recorder of New York City for a short time.  His association with the anti-colonial Whig Party caused him to be replaced a few months later.  He held the position of New York state Chancellor for 25 years.  He was the one who administered the oath of office to George Washington when he became the first U.S. president, on 30 April 1789.  Livingston was elected a member of the American Philosophical Society in 1801.  From 1801 to 1804 he was the U.S. Minister to France and negotiated the Louisiana Purchase.  He was a Freemason. He was married to Mary Stevens (1751-1814) and they had two children. 

 

For additional information, see:

 

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

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

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

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_R._Livingston

 

If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 691

 

 

 

 

 

Happy New Year, illustration by Frances Brundage, 1910

 

The two postcards shared this week feature reproductions of Vintage cards printed by Laughing Elephant, a small local company.  The card above dates from 1910 and the second card, found below, is dated 1930.

 

The first card provides the illustrator’s signature as Frances Brundage at the lower left, and a printed name with the date of the card, 1910, at the lower right corner on the front of the card.  Frances Isabelle Lockwood Brundage was born in 1854 and died in 1937.  Most of her illustrations include endearing children and can be found on postcards, valentines, paper dolls, and calendars originally published by Raphael Tuck & Sons, Samuel Gabriel Company, and Saalfield Publishing.  She also illustrated children’s classics, such as, novels by Louisa May Alcott, Johanna Spyri, and Robert Louis Stevenson.  A prolific artist she was still producing as many as 20 books when she was in her late sixties.  Her work is said to be highly collectible. 

 

Frances received training in art from her father, Rembrandt Lockwood, who was an architect, a wood engraver, and artist.  She began her professional career as an illustration sometime between the ages of 17 and her early 20s.  There are conflicting reports that her father abandoned the family when she was about 17 and that forced her to go to work as an artist.  However, census records show him still living with the family up until she was in her early 20s.  She married William Tyson Brundage in 1886.  They had one child who died before age 2.  Frances and her husband worked on some projects together. 

 

 

A Very Happy New Year, illustrator unknown, 1930

 

This brightly colored card with a message poem is dated 1930.  The illustrator is unknown, but the artwork is typical of the style in the 1930s. 

 

For additional information, see:

 

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

https://laughingelephant.com/

If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 690

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christmas greeting card illustrated by Helen Marion Burnside, early 1900s

 

Merry Christmas!

 

These three Victorian Vintage postcards are reproductions by Laughing Elephant, a small printing company in Seattle that preserves and reprints vintage illustrations.  The card above has the signature of H. M. Burnside [1841-1923].  She was famous not only for her illustrations but also for the verses she included on the cards.  Over 6,000 of her verses were put on Christmas cards and 150 of her songs were put to music.  She aspired to become a musician when she was young but she became deaf as a result of scarlet fever and chose to write verse and became a talented artist at a young age.  She also wrote several children’s books.

 

 

Christmas greeting with an illustration by James Brundage

 

Not all the early 1900s postcards have the name of the illustrator or their signature but this one was signed by James Brundage. 

 

 

 

Christmas greeting with an illustration by E.A.S.

 

This third card dates from the same era as the other two but has only the initials of the illustrator. 

 

For additional information, see:

 

https://blogs.ucl.ac.uk/library-rnid/2017/10/06/helen-marion-burnside-r-a-carried-the-radiance-of-her-very-soul-in-her-face/

 

https://laughingelephant.com

 

 

 

If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 683

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Halloween

 

These three cards shared this week and are numbered H14, H15, and A16.  They all have examples of symbols used at Halloween. They are unused Halloween postcards printed by Laughing Elephant.com and are reproductions of a vintage illustrations from around 1910.  The card above has the code:  H 16 with an N inside a triangle and a copyright symbol at the lower left side.  The illustrator is not identified but the style dates all three the cards to the early 1900s when greeting cards for all or most holidays were popular.

 

This second card has the code:  H 15

 

 

 

And the third card has the code:  H 14

 

Halloween is also known as All Hallows’ Eve and All Saints Eve.  It is celebrated across the globe and observed in many countries, including the United States, on 31 October.  Many Halloween traditions appear to have been influenced by Celtic harvest festivals such as the Gaelic Samhain.  While some believe it stems from pagan roots many others think it might stem from an early Christian holiday called All Hallows’ Day when a vigil was kept in remembrance of the deceased.  Modern day Halloween activities include things like trick-or-treating, parties with apple bobbing, carving pumpkins to make Jack-o-Lanterns, divination and other games, dressing up in costumes, playing pranks, visiting “haunted houses,” or watching scary movies.  

 

 Jack-o-Lanterns were used as a symbol on All Hallows’ Eve long ago in Ireland.  Since there were no pumpkins in Ireland at the time this tradition began, turnips were used instead.  An old Irish folk tale has a man named Stingy Jack who made both God and the Devil angry, and was therefore not welcome in either heaven or hell because of it.  He was forced to roam the earth with only the turnip jack-o-lantern to light his way.   People would put Jack-o-Lanterns around their homes to keep Stingy Jack from coming to their house on the night that the vigil was kept for the dead.  

 

"Wise women" who in earlier times were known to be helpful with healing illnesses, were feared under Christianity, becoming known as "witches," and considered as symbols of evil and sorcery.   Bats were associated with the myth of vampires.  They were considered spooky because they might transform into a vampire and suck the blood of animals and humans. 

 

Druids believed that evil humans could turn themselves into cats.  Black cats were especially vulnerable since the color black was a symbol of evil and death.  Owls were also thought to be associated with witches and therefore evil.  The sharp call of a Screech Owl made people think of witches flying overhead. 

 

Ordinary playing cards are symbolic of various things too.  Red for warmth and light, black for cold and the powers of darkness.  The four suits:  the spade is in the shape of a leaf; the heart becomes the center of life; the diamond, represents the feminine, and the club the masculine. 

 

Cards are also representations of luck, good or bad as in “the hand that fate dealt.”  The 52 cards in a deck equal the 52 weeks in a year; the 13 cards in each suit equal the lunar months in a year.  All kinds of playing cards, and special divining cards, like Tarot cards, were also used for telling fortunes. 

 

Brooms were thought to be able to sweep away the evil.  It is not clear why witches use brooms to fly around; however, it may stem from pagan times when rural farmers would dance around astride pitchforks and brooms during a full moon to encourage the growth of their crops.

 

For additional information, see:

 

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

https://www.history.com/news/why-witches-fly-on-brooms

https://kinghalloween.com/halloween-symbols/

https://safepaw.com/from-bats-to-black-cats-the-real-stories-behind-halloweens-furry-icons/

https://www.edmonton.ca/city_government/edmonton_archives/halloween-icons#:~:text=Some%20believe%20owls%20and%20bats,Dracula%20was%20published%20in%201897.

https://public.websites.umich.edu/~umfandsf/symbolismproject/symbolism.html/C/cards.html