If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 715

 

 

 

 

 

The Ducal Palace, Nevers, France, ca 1906 to 1915

 

The two unused postcards shared this week were part of a booklet set, consecutively numbered 6 and 7, found at the lower left.  The title centered at the bottom and the publishing house identified by the logo, letter P with ND in the middle and “hot.” under the top part of the letter P [ND Phot.].  The cards have divided backs and the typical greenish color common on vintage cards from France.  Not visible on the card are the fine perforation marks along the left margin where the cards were removed from the booklet set.  These two black & white postcards feature the city of Nevers and the Ducal Palace.

 

The Ducal Palace seen on the first card served as the residence castle of the counts and dukes of Nevers in the 15^th and 16^th centuries.  It is on the list of French historic monuments for 1840.  Built on a hill where an old fortress used to be, it is considered the first of the Loire castles.  It has been rebuilt and restored more than once during the intervening years.  The restoration project in the 1980s provided space for a town hall that included the mayor’s office and council chamber.  There are also a tourist office, exhibition halls, a reception area, a permanent exhibition on the history of the city, and an aquarium featuring Loire fish.  Pieces of 14^th century artillery were found during the restoration in 1988. 

  

 

 

Nevers, France, General View, ca 1906-1915

 

The general view of the city of Nevers is featured on the second card.  Nevers was first named Noviodunum and later Nevirnum by the Romans.  In 52 BCE Julius Caesar used this convenient position on the banks of the Loire River as a depot.  As a result, medals, coins and other Roman Antiquities have been found on the site.  At the end of the 5^th century, it became a seat of a Roman Catholic bishopric and it still is today.  Charters were obtained by the citizens in 1194 and 1231 and for a brief period the town was home to a university.  In 1565 the town became the seat of a branch of the Gonzaga family.  The Gonzaga Dukes of Nevers died out in 1708.  A number of products, such as porcelain, agricultural implements, glue, iron goods, boots, shoes, fur garments plus other things, are produced in the town which support the economy. 

 

 We can estimate the date to between 1906 and 1915 when the company was using the ND Phot. Logo; although, it is possible it was reprinted after the company combined with L.L. but continued to use the old logo.

 

 

Logo of the Neurdein postcard company

 

The photographer, Étienne Neurdein (1832-1918), established his business in 1864 and began publishing postcards in 1875 under the name Neurdein et Cie.  His brother, Louis-Antonin Neurdein (1846-1914), joined him in 1885 and together they owned and ran the company now called Neurdein Frères.  By 1906 they were using the ND Phot. logo.  Lévy and Letellier (L.L.) acquired existing Neurdein postcard plates and continued to offer them under the Neurdein ND logo but also under the L.L. logo.  In 1915 the name changed to Neurdein and then from 1916 to 1918 it was Neurdein & Cie.  The French government began funding the production of Algerian images to promote colonial tourism and private investment.  The cards had views of major cities and types and costumes of the local people.  Emile Crété acquired both companies in 1920 and published some cards under both ND and L.L.  Then in 1932 the joint company was further consolidated by Compagnie des Arts Potoméchaniques (CAP) although it remained at the same address.*

 

For additional information, see:

 

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

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

https://www.archnet.org/authorities/9539

 

 *  *  *  *

 

  *[see also Reference:  Rebecca J. DeRoo “Colonial Collecting: French Women and Algerian Cartes Postales” in Postcards: Ephemeral Histories of Modernity, David Prochaska, and Jordana Mendelsohn, eds. (State College, Penn., Penn State University Press, 2010), 159-71]

 

 

 

If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 653

 

 

 

 

 

 

168 Marseille, La Corniche, France

 

A black & white photograph of waves crashing on the rocks at Marseille, France is featured on this postcard published by La Cigogne (the swan).  The number 168 is found at the left of the title on the front of the card, lower right.  The back does not have a line dividing the address space from the message area but it would be considered a divided back card. 

 

The Corniche is a seaside roadway that follows along the Mediterranean coast near Marseille, France.  The 5 km or 3.1 miles of roadway includes a 3 km or 1.8 mile section renamed in honor of President John F. Kennedy.  There are spectacular views of the Mediterranean Sea and 19^th century villas along this short route. 

 

Marseille is the third most populated metropolitan area in France after Paris and Lyon.  The rugged coastal area has fjord-like inlets.  East of the city is Sainte-Baume, a mountain ridge with a deciduous tree forest.  To the north are the Garlaban and Etoile mountain ranges.  To the west is a former artists’ colony called l’Estaque; farther west is the Côte Bleue, the Gulf of Lion and the Camargue region in the Rhône delta. 

 

 

 Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer

 

As I have mentioned in previous postcard posts, it is always fun to find a card that is either a place I have visited or near one.  In 2012, as part of a high school AP French tour group, my daughter, grandson and I briefly visited the Camargue.  The tour bus stopped to give the group a few hours at the beach of Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer.  Our guide said the beach was well known by locals but not many tourists went there.  She was always concerned about our safety and warning us about pick-pockets, so we were advised to stick together and not be taken in by people hawking wares at small stands.  The day we were there the beach was nearly empty, with the beautiful azure blue water of the Mediterranean inviting us to put in a finger or toe to test the temperature or perhaps just to say we had been to the Mediterranean.  Thankfully we did not encounter any thieves.  After testing the water, and while waiting for the bus to pick us up, we enjoyed sitting with a few other people and watching some older men playing what looked like bocce ball in a small grassy area.   

 

 

 

 Later that same day we stopped at a farmhouse where we had an outdoor picnic. 

 

 

Picnic shelter

 

 

 Camaraguais

 

The Camargue has its own horse breed, the white Camarguais, that are ridden by French cowboys called gardians.  Our guide explained that the horses develop their distinctive white color as they mature.  This area is also home to over 400 species of birds including flamingos.  We saw a huge flock of flamingos as we were driving along in the tour bus, but sadly did not get any pictures of them.

 

For additional information, see:

 

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

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

https://marseille.ca/attractions/lacorniche.html

 

 

If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 619

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lyon (France), La Cathedrale St. Jean, ca. Early 1900s

 

This unused Vintage L.L. (Levy – Leon) postcard features a black & white photograph of the Cathedral in Lyon, France called Saint-Jean-Baptiste, and dated early 1900s.  The card has a divided back but no identifying number on the front or reverse.  The top edge of the card is perforated as if the card was torn from a booklet or fold out collection of cards. 

 

The seat of the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Lyon, the cathedral is dedicated to John the Baptist.  There were ruins of a 6^th century church on this spot when construction of the cathedral began in 1180.  It was not until 1476 that it was completed.  Two crosses, one on the right and one on the left of the altar, date from 1274.  This building along with other historic sites in Lyon were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1998.

 

One of the features of the cathedral is a 29 ft or 9 m tall astronomical clock dating from 1661.  This elaborately decorated clock indicates the date and position of the Moon, Sun, and Earth as well as the stars.  It replaced an earlier similar type clock that was made in 1383 but destroyed in 1562.  The clock has several figures that are automated, such as angles that strike bells, turn an hourglass, the Virgin Mary who kneels in the chapel and turns to the Angel Gabriel as he opens the chapel door and a white dove descends representing the Holy Spirit.  A Swiss Guard rotates around the dome.  A tune is played on bells and the hour is struck.  All movements of the figures cease at the sounding of the hour.  There are several YouTube videos showing the clock movements and views of the interior of the cathedral.

 

For more information, see:

 

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

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

https://youtu.be/99ifX1jS4_E   (Lyon Cathedral and Astronomical clock video about 4 min. long)

 

If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 606

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rue Monceau, Dry, France, ca 1926

 

Originally a postcard from the mid 1920s issued by Lainé Labbé Editions with a black and white photograph of a street scene in the village of Dry, France, this image has been made into a standard note card.  As was common during the time the card was sent, but seems strange today, the stamp was placed on the picture side of the card.  The orange “sower” stamp was issued in 1926 and helps to date the postcard.

 

My friend who sent the card wrote:  “You can see on the postcard a view of the village called Dry…  The place has changed a lot, indeed, but it is still a lovely town in the middle of the fields we go for walks in the country.”

 

The picture on the card provides us with a hint of what everyday life might have been approximately 100 years ago.  The man and woman on the right side of the card are carrying long handled rakes.  Another man is riding a bicycle, a third man is wearing clothes typical of that time period and a distant man is walking down the street.  The spotted dog in the center completes the scene.  

 

 

 

 

A modern view of Dry

[By Havang(nl) - Own work, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=20370891]

 

 

Dry is located in Loiret, a department in the Centre-Val de Loire region of north central France.  It is about 68 miles or 110 km southwest of Paris.  For a then and now comparison, more of the church visible on the left side of the card can be seen prominently in the modern photograph of Dry.  The buildings on the card are also partially shown in the picture just behind the parked cars.

 

As always, thank you to my friend for sharing the card.

 

For more information, see:

 

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

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dry,_Loiret

If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 605

 

 

 

 

 

 

Côte d’Emeraude, Rotheneuf, France, ca 1908

 

 

It takes a careful look, perhaps even with a magnifying glass, to see all the details on this vintage black & white postcard with a photograph of the sculptured rocks of Rotheneuf in the north west of France.  Rotheneuf is located about 5 km or 3.1 miles north-east of Saint-Malo.  The card was never mailed but does have a typed note on the reverse.  

 

 

 

Typed message on the reverse

 

Also, note the name of the Parisian printing firm, E. Le Deley is found along the left side on the reverse.  

 

 

 

Imprint E. Le Deley Paris, reverse, left side margin

 

Ernest Louis Désiré le Deley (1859-1917) was a photographer and the founder of the printing firm.  This company published heliotype, black-and-white postcards and had a large retail store.  They also produced gravure and tinted cards.  Heliotype printing involved exposing a gelatin film under a negative, hardening it with chrome alum, and printing directly from it.  Photogravure is a process where metal plates or cylinders were etched, inked, and images were then transferred to paper.  Tinting involved coloring in the black and white images and reproducing them.  After Le Deley died his sons ran the firm until the 1930s when it apparently went bankrupt.

 

Rothéneuf is a village not far from Saint-Malo in the north west of France.  It is a seaside resort most famous for the sculpted rocks shown on the postcard.  The sculptor, Abbé Fouré (1839-1910), lived a life as a hermit following a stroke.  Differing accounts say that he was either paralyzed on one side or was a deaf mute following the stroke.  With the aid of an elderly helper, Fouré carved over 300 faces and figures in the living rock.  The images are of pirates, fishermen, smugglers, monsters and other allegorical scenes.

 

For additional information, see:

https://www.gardenvisit.com/gardens/rochers_sculptes_rotheneuf

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

https://en.wikidata.org/wiki/Q97593148

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:E._Le_Deley

https://rhcards.co.uk/pclogos/data/ELD/ELD_0.1.html

https://www.doaks.org/research/library-archives/dumbarton-oaks-archives/collections/ephemera/names/e-le-deley

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gravure

 

If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 603

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chambéry – Entrée du Château – Portail St. Dominique – L.L.

 

This vintage L.L. postcard features a tinted photograph of the entrance to the Château Chambéry.  The title and the number 56 are found on the bottom front margin.  The back of the card is divided, putting the date after 1907.  The card does not have a stamp nor a postal cancelation mark, but does contain the unsigned message: “This is the entrance to the Castle Yard.  I have been through this gate twice.  Notice the magnificent work on all these walls and gates.”  This is another card that I found in a shoe box jumble of old cards at a local antique mall. 

 

Chambéry has been the historical capital of the Savoy region in southeastern France since the 1200s.  It was annexed into France in 1860.  The city is located at the foot of the French Alps and is an important railway and highway crossroads.  There was a fortress here that was expanded in the early 1300s to serve as the residence, seat of power and administration and also as a stronghold for the House of Savoy.  During these years there was a period of constant hostilities with France.  The castle proved to be obsolete as a serious fortification and resulted in Duke Emmanuel Philibert deciding to move his capital to Turin.  In 1640 the then Duchess of Savoy, Christine Marie of France, returned to hold court at Chambéry.  The castle was the site of the marriage of Victor Amadeus II of Sardinia and Anne Marie d’Orléans, niece of Louis XIV, in 1684.  The Royal Wing was added in 1786 by Victor Amadeus III. Later Napoleon rebuilt and redecorated the South Wing.  Still later modifications were made when Savoy was annexed to France.  Today it houses the political administration of the department of Savoy and is open for tours and concerts.

 

For additional information, see:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chamb%C3%A9ry

 

If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 598

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bar le Duc, Boulevard de La Rochelle, France, ca 1914-1918

 

French soldiers from World War I can be seen on the curbs and sidewalks of Bar le Duc on this unused black & white real photo postcard.  Visé Nancy – C and the number 27 can be seen under the title at the center top of the card.  The logo seen at the lower left on the card is identified as Visé Paris, enlarged below.  Even when significantly enlarged, the writing around the center is difficult to read.  Beginning at the bottom center and going clockwise it appears to read:  “Notnf. T.T. A. Ruwar Maitris Imprintus du France.”  The postcard back is divided with Carte Postale at the center top.  

 

 

 

Postcard logo – Visé Paris

 

Cards with this logo appear during World War I and often have soldiers in the pictures.  The number on this card, 27, is considerably smaller than most of the war cards that usually are numbered in the 700 to 800 range.  It could mean that this photo was taken earlier than those with higher numbers.  Also, many of the war cards were produced by P. Gaultier, Boulogne-s-Mer or P.G. Visé Paris 800.  This particular card, while it does have soldiers shown has Visé Nancy – C  27. 

 

It is a city street seen, hence the 5 or more hay wagons shown along both sides of picture suggest that cavalry horses may have been in use. 

 

Bar le Duc is a community located about 46 miles or 74 km from Nancy in northeastern France.  From 1354 to 1480 it was the county seat for the independent Duchy of Bar.  After which it was acquired by the Duchy of Lorraine.  Bar was a fortified town with steep narrow roads and staircases.  The 16^th century remains of houses, clock tower, college, and the castle of the dukes of Bar are found in the Ville Haute area.  The lower part of the town has official buildings and churches.  During the Battle of Verdun in 1916,  Bar-le-Duc served as an assembly point for essential supplies.

 

For additional information, see:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bar-le-Duc

http://www.fergusmackain.com/2014/07/what-is-the-meaning-of-vise-p...

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Logos_of_postcard_publishers

If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 592

 

 

 

 

 

Lyon, La gare des Brotteaux et les jardins, France, ca 1908 

 

This unused black & white postcard features the Brotteaux railway station and garden in Lyon, France.  The original station was created in 1858, then replaced by the current station built in 1904 and inaugurated 29 March 1908.  Aside from the title that appears at the top of the card, there is no other information about the postcard company or the photographer. 

 

In 1982 the exterior of the building together with the roof and hall were classified as historical monuments.  In 1983 the new Gare de la Part-Dieu began to be used instead of this one.  The station on the card was closed because it needed extensive renovation, new platforms, plus better access and car parking to solve traffic problems.  The building for passengers retained the original décor and includes paintings by several artists.  In 1988 the building was rehabilitated by architect Yves Heskia.  It was sold the same year.  It currently hosts the auction house of Jean-Claude Anaf, the Brasserie de l’Est by Paul Bocuse, the architectural workshop of Arche, and other things.  In 2002 the station was renovated at a cost of 7.4 million euros.  That same year it was labeled heritage of the 20th century. 

 

For additional information, see:

 

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

 

If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 591

 

 

 

 

 

Bourg.  Place Carriat,  Société Générale, France, ca early 1900s

 

Today’s unused vintage postcards feature black & white photographs of from the prefecture Bourg-en-Bresse, located in Ain department of Eastern France, about 70 km or 43 miles northeast of Lyon.  The top card is numbered 29 at left of the title.  The photograph shows the square and fountain.  The company Léon & Lévy (LL) took the photographs and printed the card.  LL was a prolific postcard producer in France during the golden age of postcards, 1890 to 1915.  The logo LL or L.L. is found on the title line. 

 

The woman’s clothing, the fact that she is wearing a hat and carrying a parasol plus the horse drawn carriage at the right middle of the picture all provide a a way to date the photograph to the early 1900s.

 

 

Bourg, La Préfecture, France, ca early 1900s

 

This second card is numbered 12 at the left of the title.  It also has the LL. Logo and features a black & white photograph, this time of the Prefecture building.  Although there are no people in this picture it has the same green backing as the top card.  That together with the number 12 suggests that it is also from the early 1900s.

 

In Bourg-en-Bresse agriculture and agro-industry include things like cultivation of cereals, cattle breeding, milk and cheese production and poultry farming.  Tourism and handcrafts also play important parts in the economy.  Several colleges and research institutions are located in Bourg-en-Bresse too. 

 

Not much is known of the early history; however, Roman remains have been found in Bourg-en-Bresse.  It became a free town in 1250 and became the capital of Savoy in the 15^th century.  It was the site of a 6-month siege during the Franco-Savoyard War of 1600-1601 when it finally ceded to France. 

 

I purchased both cards, found in a shoe box jumble of postcards, at a local antique mall.  

 

For additional information, see:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bourge-en-Bresse

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

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%A9on_%26_L%C3%A9vy

 

 

If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 590

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dinan, Place Ductos, France, ca early 1900s

 

Similar to some of the other cards shared from this time period, this unused vintage postcard with a black & white real photograph, has a scene from the walled Breton town of Dinan.  The card above is numbered 79 at the lower left, and is titled:  DINAN. – Place Ductos or Ductos place.  It is French and has a divided back dating it to 1903 or later.  The publisher/distributor, identified as Artaud et Nozais, Ima.-Edit, Nantes [France], is written on the center line on the reverse.  Artaud et Nozais was actively producing photo postcards from 1910 to the 1920s.  Notice that although there are some horse-drawn carriages there are also automobiles.  Also, barely visible in the picture are the same telephone poles with insulators and wires as seen on the potato market cards shared 15 December 2022 and numbered 586.

 

A walled Breton town, Dinan, is exceptional because instead of being on the valley floor like most of the towns in this area, it is located on the hillside overlooking the river Rance.  Steep streets connect the town of Dinan with the port of Dinan.  The town also has rail connections to Saint-Brieuc, Lamballe, and Dol-de-Bretagne.  The town has many fine old buildings, some dating from the 13^th century.  A large section of the original city wall still exists and part of it can be walked around.  In even numbered year during the third week in July a two-day festival, Fệte des Remparts is held.  Many local residents dress in medieval costumes for the festival. 

 

For additional information, see:

 

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

 

 

If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 589

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dinard, France, ca early 1900s

 

This is another Léon & Lévy (LL) unused, black & white photograph postcard.  The number 138 is found at the lower left, the title, in English:  “The Church, After Mass.”  The company started using the LL. Trademark in 1901.  The picture shows one horse drawn carriage and another horse, entering the scene from the right side.  The rest of the vehicles are automobiles putting the date in the early 1900s.

 

Dinard is located in the Ille-et-Vilaine department, Brittany, northwestern France.  The climate is mild and the beaches make it a popular holiday destination.  The resident population of 10,000 swells to about 40,000 during the summer.  An international film festival is held here and there are villas and luxury hotels as well as a casino.  It is considered one of the most prestigious seaside resorts in France.  Only a few of the town’s larger houses built by shipping merchants from Saint-Malo have survived until today.  The resort was popular with wealthy British nationals who built villas on the tops of cliffs and the hillsides along the coast. 

 

 

 

Luxury homes built on the cliff side, [photo from Wikipedia]

 

For additional information and more photos, see:

 

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