I'm really not a chucker, but this huge box of inherited postcards has to go. I've had a last look through them, found a surprising number of swaps, endless comments about the weather, some illegible handwriting and kept a few, shown here, as examples of my favourite types of postcard. Obviously stained glass ones are the best, but they are in a separate collection (described in an earlier blog post here).
The first row, landscapes and some classic captions. A photo from China that looks like a painting, a seaside panorama - always fascinating to see how a place has changed - and another seaside view with congratulations to everyone on the birth of my sister from Nice (signature illegible).
"Isn't this a ridiculous picture!" Excellent message in the form of a list "felicitations sincères pour le bébé"
The second row, paintings. In these tiny versions it's the sentiment, the nostalgia that grabbed me. Visual subject matter is beginning to recur too.
Storm in Nice - Matisse At the Window - Matisse Girl reading in the reeds - Vuillard At Breakfast - Laurits A Ring
The third row, vertical landscapes. Full of pleasing compositions and the odd figure.
Sent from: L'Esterel, Lake Como, Vladimir, Beijing, Rotterdam
The fourth row, animals and people. I remember when I was young these were the only types of postcard I wanted. The mysterious Mary Fedden painting works so well on this scale. However my winner is the painting of a Crow Chief, sent from the Buffalo Bill Historical Centre in Wyoming, with a message that makes me want to go there: "This area is pervaded by ancient Indian culture. Buffalo Bill Cody must have been an extraordinary man. The museum is beautifully done. We went on to explore Yellowstone Nat Park but saw no bears! Herds of buffalo, 2 coyotes, 2 elks, no moose! Fantastic geological formations, geysers, hot springs everywhere, quite fabulous."
Crow Chief - George Catlin Zebra - Mary Fedden
Click on pictures to enlarge