Stamps and Postmarks

The vast majority of these postcards were sent in envelopes.,and when they were sent through the post, French mail for much of the period required stamps to be affixed to the front of postcards. However, not all the postcards were sent from France. I have a decent amount of cards mailed from Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands, as well as a couple examples from the days when French stamps did go on the back. Since they are colourful, informative, and enjoyable to look at, here is a selection!

Photomontage

Photomontage-- the method of combining two or more photographs into a new creation -- was commonly seen in postcards of the 1900s, although its popularity seems to have declined through the 1910s (incidentally, as the use of photomontage among artists increased). However, in their quest for new ways to spice up the cliche scenes at the heart of the field, the creators of these postcards sometimes played around with it as well. 

personal collection

personal collection

A Passionate Embrace

Some embraces more passionate than others...

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personal collection

Black and Gold II

More examples of the trend to frame a tinted image in black stencilled with gold. 

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The effect seems to have been achieved by prolonging the light exposure of the non-image parts of the print. This hyperexposure results in a very high density of silver in the black regions. Denser regions of photographic prints are more prone to the type of deterioration known as silver mirroring, resulting in the blue-silver appearance in the black regions of most of these types of card. When they were first made, the black would have been solid and matte. 

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This card was sent for New Year's 1942, probably almost a decade after it was made. 

On a Boat

The natural extension of all that time spent at the park and the coast. 

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personal collection

The Child

While the majority of these cards depict couples, individual women, and individual men, the same treatment was sometimes given to images of children as well. Usually these show one child (often with flowers, of course), although sometimes you see a child and mother or both parents in a little family group (though the adults (often the same models seen elsewhere) rarely look old enough to actually be the child's parents).

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personal collection

Romance in the Park

To celebrate the coming of May, postcards depicting lovers enjoying romantic days in the park. 

personal collection

personal collection