Note that in the upper right-hand corner of the photo there is part of a sign:
Here are the backs of the cards in the same order.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Life is Tentative
One American postcard and one French postcard. What they both have in common is a sense of uncertainty.
Note that in the upper right-hand corner of the photo there is part of a sign:
It appears to say: plusieurs appartements et logement à louer or several apartments and lodgings to rent.
Here are the backs of the cards in the same order.
Don't forget to check out all the other Sepia Saturday posts for a real treat.
Note that in the upper right-hand corner of the photo there is part of a sign:
Here are the backs of the cards in the same order.
These days we would have printed the photo straight up and down and wouldn't have left it leaning. They both are historical wonders to me as I haven't ever seen anything like them.
ReplyDeleteYes, Larry -the leaning man and the leaning photo really add to the off-kilter tentative nature of the photo.
ReplyDeleteThe top card somehow looks like an institutional photo, but I can't make out what purpose it would've served. Jack/Youngstown
ReplyDeleteDo agree with you - uncertain - pensive! Beautiful cards.
ReplyDeleteSS is the first time I have been exposed to vintage postcards. Never considered collecting them but am finding it quite interesting. They look especially large to me. Plenty of room to write on for sure.
ReplyDeleteQMM
Tentative, apprehensive, waiting. The boy in the top photo looks interested and just slightly uncertain. The man and boys in the bottom photo look like they're waiting for something ... to come, to happen. Do you know who the people in these photos are? They are wonderful photos.
ReplyDeleteI'll guess both to be school photos, the top one taken by a commercial photographer, the bottom one by a parent of one of the boys. I'll go along with uncertainty, first-day-of-the-school-year uncertainty. I want to say the top photo was taken at a boarding school, and used by school authorities for their records, w/ maybe a handful given to each student to encourage correspondence with Mom and Dad back home.
ReplyDeleteI did some real-photo postcards back in the 1970s. The paper was pretty costly, but the cards looked good. Postcard stock I suppose is still available. Jack/Youngstown
The second one is making me think of the film The Devil's Backbone
ReplyDeleteArtsparker,
ReplyDeleteI had to Google the movie. I haven't seen it, but I can imagine how you would draw the comparison.
That man in the second postcard is scary and the boys look afraid of him (or just afraid). I hope he's not their father. Maybe he's the landlord. If he's hoping to attract some tenants...count me out!
ReplyDeleteThe first little boy is very cute. I'll bet he grew up to be a handsome man.
That second photo makes me think of Oliver Twist with Oliver, the Artful Dodger, and Fagin...French style.
ReplyDeleteWonderful theme and wonderful images!
ReplyDeleteSuch apprehension on all their faces! What were they worried about?
ReplyDeleteI think the first photo still leaves room for a positive interpretation, the kid just looks a bit apprehensive, but I'm sure he could crack a smile in an instant. The kids in the second one look pretty cagey, those down turned mouths don't look like they have smiled in years... perhaps it is all those boot eyelets they had to deal with! Don't know that I agree with B&N that the man in the second pic looks scary- to me he seems to be throwing a glance of cool confidence that says, 'I can take anything you throw at me'.
ReplyDeleteYou are so right about that look, it is almost identical in both cards. Lovely post, it's what Sepia Saturday is all about.
ReplyDeleteTwo real gems, these postcards are. In my opinion, they epitomize the charm and 'pull' of antique postcards. Almost as if they "force" you to take the time and think about past lives...
ReplyDeleteAnd they force you to buy them, even though you know you already have too many.
ReplyDelete