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A Renoir tribute... Reflection...Postmarked.
An innovative artist, Pierre-Auguste Renoir started out as an apprentice to a porcelain painter and studied drawing in his free time. After years as a struggling painter, Renoir helped launch an artistic movement called Impressionism in 1870s. He eventually became one of the most highly regarded artists of his time.
My thanks to Teddi Rutschman at FoxeySquirrel for starting elements in her beautiful kit ‘Isolda’.
© All Rights Reserved. Please do not use this image on websites, blogs or other media without my prior permission.
This week Macro Mondays theme is "trash". I decided to look through my paper recycle bin in the studio. I found this envelope to my husband's birthday card sent from his parents. I loved the colors and the old barn, which is very reminiscent of our western PA roots (where my in-laws still live).
HMM!
Postmarked from Vatican City just 3 days after Pope John Paul II was shot 4 times in St. Peter's Square.
- have seen this postcard was a 1908 postmark...features a cheerful greeting from Santa Claus, accompanied by a charming collection of toys. The number "1166" at the bottom right might be a series number related to their collections.
This is a vintage Christmas postcard featuring Father Christmas. The card depicts Father Christmas in traditional red robes, carrying a horse-on-wheels and other toys in his side pocket. The text at the bottom simply reads "A MERRY CHRISTMAS."
Theme: The card depicts an old-world Father Christmas figure in a long red robe and hat adorned with holly. He carries a toy horse on wheels and has dolls tucked into his pocket, illustrating the traditional benevolent gift-bringer role.
"Old World Father Christmas" refers to the diverse traditional European depictions of the gift-giver that existed before the standardized, jolly, portly American Santa Claus popularized by Coca-Cola advertising in the 1930s. The image in the postcard above is a good example of this older style. Key characteristics of Old World Santa imagery include: Varied Appearance: Unlike the single modern image, Old World Santas varied widely in appearance depending on the region and period. They were depicted as everything from a "tall gaunt man" to an "elflike figure" or a pious, strict figure. Diverse Attire: Robes and clothing colors were not always the now-standard red fur-trimmed suit. They might wear bishop's robes (reflecting the original St. Nicholas), fur-lined robes in green, blue, or brown, and different hats, often a tall mitre or hooded hat instead of a soft cap. The Santa in the image above is wearing a hooded red robe, not a full suit. Accessories: They were often depicted with a walking stick or staff, and sometimes a simple rope or cord belt instead of a modern leather belt. Origin in St. Nicholas: These figures are generally based on the historical Saint Nicholas, a 4th-century Greek bishop known for his generosity and gift-giving to the poor, who is the original inspiration for the legend. Focus on Tradition: The term is now used commercially to describe decorations and art that evoke this vintage, Victorian or European style, emphasizing historical or regional traditions and a sense of nostalgia.
Wearing holly in his cap or as a crown was a very common element of traditional "Old World" Father Christmas depictions, especially in England.
Here is more detail on the tradition: Pagan Origins: The tradition has roots in pre-Christian Celtic and Roman winter solstice festivals, where people (including priests and chieftains) wore holly wreaths or crowns to symbolize eternal life, ward off evil spirits, and celebrate the return of spring. The "Holly King" in Celtic legend, a precursor to Santa, was depicted wearing a crown of holly.
Traditional English Father Christmas: In medieval and early modern England, Father Christmas embodied the spirit of midwinter merriment and nature. He was frequently illustrated with a green hooded cloak and a wreath or sprigs of holly, ivy, or mistletoe on his head, linking him to the evergreen nature of the season.
Christian Symbolism: As Christianity merged with older traditions, the holly's sharp leaves came to symbolize Christ's crown of thorns, and the red berries his blood, making it a prominent religious symbol.
Transition to Modern Santa: Even as the American-influenced Santa Claus image grew in popularity during the Victorian era and early 20th century, many depictions of Father Christmas still included holly, though the full crown became less common and was often replaced with a simple sprig or hood, as seen in your postcard. This incorporation of holly made it a classic visual identifier for the traditional European gift-giver and festive figure.
Symbolism of the Toy Horse - Childhood Joy and Play: The primary symbolism is that of childhood innocence, happiness, and the simple pleasure of receiving a gift at Christmas. The toy horse was a classic children's item across centuries.
Aspiration and Imagination: Horses have long been symbols of strength, freedom, nobility, and adventure. For a child, a toy horse was a means to engage in imaginative play, allowing them to envision themselves on journeys, emulating adults, and exploring their own bravery.
Family Status and Affluence: During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a well-crafted wooden rocking horse or pull-toy, often with detailed carvings, real horsehair tails, and leather saddles, was considered a luxury item. Its presence in the image suggests a family of means that valued traditional, quality toys, reflecting the family's prosperity and good taste.
The Act of Giving: In the context of Santa Claus holding it, the toy horse represents Santa as the benevolent gift-giver, carrying the dreams and material wishes of children, and ensuring that children have the opportunity for play and recreation.
In essence, the toy horse in this vintage image is more than just a toy; it is a powerful nostalgic symbol of an idealized childhood and the enduring values of hope and connection during the holiday season.
Symbolism Explained:
Sack of Toys: The sack (or basket) is a universal symbol of the gift-giver's generosity. In older, European traditions (such as those involving figures like Krampus or Belsnickel), the sack sometimes served a dual purpose: carrying toys for good children, but also threatening to carry off or punish the naughty ones, embodying a "carrot-and-stick" approach to child discipline.
Doll: Dolls were a very popular and desirable Christmas gift for girls in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, designed to teach them about motherhood and domesticity, reflecting the societal values of the time. Its presence signifies a gift for a good girl and highlights the innocence of childhood.
Horn (Trumpet): The toy horn, or trumpet, was another common and simple toy that was popular with children of that era. It represents simple joy, play, and often announced the arrival of Santa or the general festivity of the season.
Thick Rope Belt (Cincture): The rope belt, often called a cincture, has significant religious symbolism, linking the secular Santa figure back to his origins as the historical Saint Nicholas. It is directly inspired by the simple rope belts worn by Catholic religious orders, particularly the Franciscans. This choice of simple attire over a fine leather belt was a symbol of the vow of poverty and humility taken by these holy figures, a clear example of their precepts. It grounds the magical figure in a tradition of pious giving and selflessness. These elements work together to paint a picture of a traditional, humble, and generous figure rooted deeply in both Christian and folk traditions, before the modern standardized image took hold.
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Postcard publisher: The postcard publisher in 1908 was primarily known as Robbins Brothers (or Robbins Bros. or The Robbins Bros. Co.), based in Boston, Massachusetts. Some sources also mention the name as H.I. Robbins or M.I. Robbins, suggesting a potential individual name behind the business or different branches/divisions.
Key details about the publisher: Location: Boston, Massachusetts. Active Period: The company was active during the "Divided Back" era of postcards (c. 1907–1915), with many postcards postmarked or published around 1907-1908.
Printing Location: Many of their postcards, particularly the view cards, were "Printed in Germany," which was common for high-quality lithograph postcards of that time.
Products: They published a wide variety of postcards, including:
US State & Town views.
Holiday greetings (e.g., Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter).
Embossed and gilt postcards.
Artistic and romantic themed cards.
Notable Works: They are known for their "Quality Line" postcards and published numerous view cards of towns, cities, and specific landmarks, such as railroad depots and local streets. Many of their postcards were manufactured in Germany, a common practice at the time for high-quality printing.
Vidoši is a village in the city of Livno in Canton 10, the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Vidoši is situated on a spring of the river Sturba and it is surrounded by Tušnica's hills. In the last census of 1991 there were 3021 inhabitants. Vidoši is the oldest Catholic parish in the Livno area. The name Vidoši was first documented in the year 1742. These documents stated that the religious widow, Vidošević, had left land, in her will, to the Franciscan order of monks for them to build a church. (In Cyrillic: Видоши)
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Postmarks from Yugoslavia - Yugoslavia was a country in Southeast and Central Europe that existed from 1918 to 1992. The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, founded in 1943 during World War II, was a federation made up of six socialist republics. From 1960 to 1980, the country was something of a regional power and an economic success story. This postmark collection covers the time period from 1955 to 1965.
This item above is a 1991 (1990 photo) TV Sports Mailbag Joe Morgan Hall of Fame Induction Day photocard, which has been personally autographed. This specific card is postmarked with a "Induction Day" Cooperstown, New York cancel on a 1989 Lou Gehrig stamp, dated August 5, 1990, the day of his induction ceremony.
1989 TV Sports Mailbags - This 140-card set features glossy 8" by 10" color player photos and was distributed in packs with four pictures to a pack at the suggested retail price of $4.95. The backs carry the player's name, playing position, and team name.
1990 TV Sports Mailbag sets - There is a numbered set and a small lettered set. Beckett lists the 1989 and 1992 sets but nothing about 1990 and 1991. From what I can tell TV Sports Mailbag put out jumbo sets in 4 years:
Collectible Details - Player: Joe Leonard Morgan, a Hall of Fame second baseman.
Manufacturer: 1990 TV Sports Mailbag Inc., Yorktown Heights, N.Y.
Edition: Limited Edition, card (#34).
Features: The card measures 8x10 inches and features an image of Morgan in his Cincinnati Reds uniform with his career statistics and induction details printed on the right side.
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Joe Leonard Morgan (September 19, 1943 – October 11, 2020) was an American professional baseball second baseman who played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Houston Colt .45s / Astros, Cincinnati Reds, San Francisco Giants, Philadelphia Phillies, and Oakland Athletics from 1963 to 1984. He won two World Series championships with the Reds in 1975 and 1976 and was also named the National League Most Valuable Player in each of those years. Considered one of the greatest second basemen of all time, Morgan was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1990 in his first year of eligibility. After retiring as an active player, Morgan became a baseball broadcaster for the Reds, Giants, ABC, and ESPN, as well as a stint in the mid-to-late 1990s on NBC's postseason telecasts, teamed with Bob Costas and Bob Uecker. He hosted a weekly nationally syndicated radio show on Sports USA, while serving as a special advisor to the Reds.
LINK to video - Joe Morgan 1990 Hall of Fame Induction Speech - www.youtube.com/watch?v=D04Q4PwsKsM
LINK to video - Joe Morgan Career Highlights - www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ba9o1-hUO8
Nevesinje (Serbian Cyrillic: Невесиње) is a town and municipality in Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. As of 2013, the town has a population of 5,162 inhabitants, while the municipality has 12,961 inhabitants.
Under the Ottoman Empire, Nevesinje was mostly part of Bosnian Pashaluk and was a seat of a qadi. The Great Eastern Crisis was ignited at Nevesinje, with the outbreak of the Herzegovinian rebellion of 1875–78 when Serbs of the region rebelled against Ottoman tax collectors. The rebellion soon spread to the rest of Herzegovina and to Bosnia and other parts of the Ottoman Empire.
Neighboring states, Serbia, Montenegro and Bulgaria got involved in the conflict which in turn pulled in great powers of the time. The conflict ended with Congress of Berlin in 1878 and the province of Bosnia and Herzegovina was placed under the administration of Austria-Hungary. At the same time Romania, Serbia and Montenegro were declared independent principalities.
In 2019, Nevesinje experienced a power outage that was named one of the worst crises in the country of Bosnia.
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Postmarks from Yugoslavia - Yugoslavia was a country in Southeast and Central Europe that existed from 1918 to 1992. The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, founded in 1943 during World War II, was a federation made up of six socialist republics. From 1960 to 1980, the country was something of a regional power and an economic success story. This postmark collection covers the time period from 1955 to 1965.
Postmarked London in 1909 and addressed to Miss L.E. Taylor, 15 Wellington Road, Egremont, Cheshire with the message, "Tell Bill that my address is S/S Dunkeld, Fletchers Drydock, Limehouse, London. JK".
Burbank, California is located 12 miles (19 km) northwest of Downtwon Los Angeles, and just northeast of Hollywood. It is home to many studios including Walt Disney Studios, Nickelodeon Animation Studios, and Bugs Bunny's favorite, Warner Brothers Studios.
Cavendish Mews is a smart set of flats in Mayfair where flapper and modern woman, the Honourable Lettice Chetwynd has set up home after coming of age and gaining her allowance. To supplement her already generous allowance, and to break away from dependence upon her family, Lettice has established herself as a society interior designer, so her flat is decorated with a mixture of elegant antique Georgian pieces and modern Art Deco furnishings, using it as a showroom for what she can offer to her well heeled clients.
Today we are in the very modern and up-to-date 1920s kitchen of Lettice’s flat: Edith, her maid’s, preserve. With her mistress out, having a final fitting for her outfit for the Royal wedding of her friend Elizabeth* to the Duke of York**, Edith is enjoying the sense of tranquillity that falls upon the Cavendish Mews flat when Lettice is not home, and is sitting at the deal kitchen table in the middle of the room, looking through one of her small number of cookbooks as she works out a menu for the next few days. Having just boiled the brass kettle on the stovetop behind her, the young maid has made a pot of tea for herself, and it sits within easy reach of her right hand, the spout peeping out from the blue and white knitted tea cosy made for her by her mother. Steam rises from the spout, and from the Delftware cup featuring a windmill as she cradles it in both her hands as she consults ‘Miss Drake’s Home Cookery’*** and considers whether to cook fillets of whiting with oyster sauce or Clementine Sauce for Lettice’s luncheon on Tuesday.
“Let’s see,” Edith says quietly mulling over the recipe for Clementine Sauce aloud. “One ounce of butter, one ounce of flour, half a pint of fish stock, half a gill**** of cream, lemon juice, salt and cayenne to taste. Oh! Parmesan! I don’t have any of that. Well, I can get some from Willison’s easily enough.”
Just at that moment there is a tentative knock on the tradesman’s door leading out of the kitchen onto the back stairs of the flats, shattering Edith’s quiet contemplation and startling her so much that she almost spills tea onto her precious cookbook.
“That’s Frank’s knock.” Edith remarks aloud to the empty kitchen around her, recognising the slightly hesitant tap of her young man, Frank Leadbetter, delivery boy for Willison’s Grocery in Mayfair. “Frank? Frank is that you?” she calls cheerily, quickly standing up and self-consciously brushing down the front of her blue and white striped morning print dress uniform and quickly sweeping some loose strands of her blonde hair behind her ears in an effort to make herself more presentable for her beau.
“It is Edith.” Frank’s voice calls from the other side of the white painted door. “May I come in?”
“Oh yes, do come in Frank. It’s not locked.”
The door opens and Frank pokes his head around the door, his workman’s flat cap covering his head of mousy brown hair. He smiles, his pale skin flush from riding his bike and then climbing several flights of stairs to reach the Cavendish Mews flat from the ground floor.
“You’re just in time.” Edith continues with a smile. “I’ve just boiled the kettle. If you have time that is.”
“Yes, I do.” Frank indicates, walking into Edith’s cosy kitchen and closing the door behind him so as to keep the cool spring air outside. He is struck by the ghostly, yet comforting wafts of butter and herbs from last night’s Chicken a la Minute dinner that Edith cooked for Lettice. “Jolly good Edith. All this bicycling around Mayfair and Pimlico gives a man a thirst.”
Edith walks over to the pine dresser and takes down another Delftware cup and saucer whilst Frank lifts up the Windsor backed chair next to the back door and carries it across the waxed black and white chequered linoleum floor and puts it adjunct to Edith’s own Windsor chair.
“It’s funny, Frank. I was just making a mental note to myself to order some Parmesan cheese from Mr. Willison’s, and here you are!”
“Well,” Frank removes his cap and runs his fingers through his slightly wavy hair before depositing the cap on the surface of the kitchen table. “You know I’m always at your service, Miss Watsford.”
Edith giggles as she and Frank sit down at the table.
As Edith lifts the cosy clad pot and pours Frank a cup of steaming tea, she remarks, “But I don’t have a grocery order, Frank. What are you doing here?” She quickly adds, “Not that I mind, of course.”
“I’m glad to hear it.” Frank laughs good naturedly.
“Don’t tell me that Mr. and Mrs. Willison have shown some heart and given you the morning off.”
“Not likely, Edith!” Frank scoffs casting his eyes to the ceiling above, taking up the sugar bowl and adding two large heaped spoonfuls of sugar to his tea. “No, I finished my round of deliveries early, so I thought I had just enough time to pop in and have a cup of tea with my sweetheart before I was missed back at the shop.”
‘Well, we better make the most of this impromptu visit then, before you are missed.”
“Oh yes! That old Mrs. Willison is a tartar! I think she is more of stickler for time than Mr. Willison is.”
“So, to what do I owe the honour then, Frank?”
“What? Can’t a chap visit his girl just to say hullo?”
“Well of course, Frank.” Edith picks up her own teacup again. “I’m always delighted to be graced with your company.”
“That’s better.” Frank nods approvingly as he stirs his tea with a slightly tarnished teaspoon. He takes a sip and sighs with pleasure before adding, “But actually, I do have an ulterior motive to be here today, Edith.”
“Oh?” Edith queries warily. “What is it, Frank?”
“Well, I know I got off to a bad start with you family the other Sunday,” Frank begins.
“Oh, are you still worried about that, Frank? I thought we’d been through all this on Easter Sunday.” Edith admonishes. With a brave smile she assures him, “I told you: we’ll win Mum over easily enough, given a bit of time and you keeping quiet about some of your more progressive workers’ ideas.”
“I know, Edith, but I’ve got a little something with me that might calm the waters a little, at least with your dad.”
“What is it? What have you got, Frank?”
“These.” Frank reaches into the inside of his white shirt beneath his russet coloured woollen vest and withdraws a small envelope from his breast pocket.
Handing it to Edith with a beaming smile he lets his sweetheart investigate it. The envelope is postmarked with yesterday’s date. Addressed to Frank by hand in a neat copperplate care of the boarding house in Holborn the return address, one in Wembley that she doesn’t recognise, is typed in the top left hand corner.
“What is it, Frank?” Edith asks suspiciously, holding the envelope aloft, poised in the air between them.
“Well, just open it and find out.” Frank encourages her with a broad smile. “It won’t bite.” He chuckles at Edith’s hesitancy.
Edith slips her fingers tentatively beneath the edge of the back of the envelope and hooks underneath it. It comes away easily, having already been opened and simply slipped back into place. Opening the envelope, she peers inside and withdraws several small pale yellow ticket stubs between her slightly careworn fingers. She gasps as she reads the black print on one of the four tickets.
“This is for the White Horse Finals***** at Empire Stadium******!”
“I know.” Frank replies matter-of-factly, but with pride beaming from his expression. “There are four tickets in there.”
“Four tickets!” Edith gasps, looking again, her eyes growing wide in amazement.
“Yes: two for us and one each for your dad and mum.”
“Four! That’s amazing Frank! You can’t get a ticket for the finals for love nor money!”
“I thought they might help make up for my somewhat awkward introduction to your parents, and show that I really do care about you, and them too, of course.”
“Oh Frank!” Edith leaps out of her chair and flings her arms around Frank’s neck as he sits there.
Unaccustomed to such fervent signs of affection from Edith, who is usually very reserved, Frank is taken aback at first, but then settles comfortably into the embrace, smiling as he inhales the sweet smell of his sweetheart: freshly laundered clothes and Lifebuoy soap intermixed with the fragrance of her hair. He wraps his arms around Edith’s waist carefully and for a moment is lost in his love for her before the moment is broken as Edith regains her composure and finally pulls away from him, albeit a little reluctantly.
“How on earth did you get these?” Edith asks in astonishment, resuming her seat. “Magic? Dad’s been trying to get hold of tickets for weeks and weeks, pulling every string and pulling in every favour that he can!”
“I guess they just weren’t the right strings he pulled.” Frank beams elatedly.
“But how did you do it?”
“Well, you know how I said when we had lunch with your parents that there was some doubt as to whether the Empire Stadium will be completed on time.”
“Yes Frank.”
“Well, I know a bit more than the papers let on because I’m friendly with a couple of chaps who are working on the building of it, you see.”
“Really Frank?”
“Yes. Anyway, one of them has a girl who works at the booking office for the football final tickets, and my friend pulled a few strings for me, and there you go!” He waves a hand theatrically towards the envelope, which Edith has now placed face down on the kitchen table between them.
“Oh Frank! You are a wonder!” Edith picks up her cup of tea and takes a sip.
“Well, think of it as more of a good will gesture from me to your parents, than a gift from me to you.”
“But Frank, don’t you see? It is a gift! This will help brush over that awkwardness from the other day, and calm the waters as you say. You’re so clever!”
“Well,” Frank says happily, looking very pleased with himself. “You’re my girl, Edith, and I want your parents’ blessing as well as my Gran’s, when it comes to marrying you one day. I need to make sure that your parents know that even though I may be a bit of a radical thinker, I have your best interests at heart: first and foremost.”
“And this will go well towards building the foundations of their trust in you, Frank! It really will!” Edith enthuses. “Dad’s been like a child with a broken toy according to Mum, moping about the house when he comes home empty handed after seeing friends down at the pub who haven’t been able to get him tickets. He was even thinking of just taking Mum for a picnic and the pair of them would sit outside the stadium and listen to what was going on inside.”
“Well now he won’t have to, Edith! He can go! We all can go!”
“How lucky am I, to have you as my beau, Frank Leadbetter?”
“About as lucky as I am to have you as my best girl, Edith Watsford.”
The par of young lovers laugh as they settle back in their chairs, chatting away happily, making the most of the unexpected stolen moment together before Frank must return to his job delivering groceries and Edith to her household chores around the flat.
*Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, as she was known at the beginning of 1923 when this story is set, went on to become Queen of the United Kingdom and the Dominions from 1936 to 1952 as the wife of King George VI. Whilst still Duke of York, Prince Albert initially proposed to Elizabeth in 1921, but she turned him down, being "afraid never, never again to be free to think, speak and act as I feel I really ought to". He proposed again in 1922 after Elizabeth was part of his sister, Mary the Princess Royal’s, wedding party, but she refused him again. On Saturday, January 13th, 1923, Prince Albert went for a walk with Elizabeth at the Bowes-Lyon home at St Paul’s, Walden Bury and proposed for a third and final time. This time she said yes. The wedding took place on April 26, 1923 at Westminster Abbey.
**Prince Albert, Duke of York, known by the diminutive “Bertie” to the family and close friends, was the second son of George V. He was never expected to become King, but came to the throne after his elder brother David, the Prince of Wales, abdicated in 1936 so that he could marry the love of his life American divorcée, Wallis Simpson. Although not schooled in being a ruler, Bertie, who styled himself as George VI as a continuation of his father, became King of United Kingdom and the Dominions from 1936 to 1952, and saw Britain through some of its darkest days, becoming one of the most popular monarchs in British history.
***’Miss Drake’s Home Cookery’ is a book of standard household recipes suitable for a plain cook or maid-of-all-work like Edith. First published in 1915 it was compiled by Miss Lucy Drake, a trained cookery teacher at the Education Department of Melbourne, and a student of the National Training School of Cookery and other branches of Domestic Economy , Buckingham Palace Road, London.
****The gill or teacup is a unit of measurement for volume equal to a quarter of a pint. It is no longer in common use, except in regard to the volume of alcoholic spirits measures, but was certainly a well known measure in the years prior to the Second World War.
*****The first football match to be played at Wembley Stadium was between the Bolton Wanderers and West Ham United. This match became known as the White Horse final, and was played just a few days after the completion of the stadium.
******Originally known as Empire Stadium, London’s Wembley Stadium was built to serve as the centerpiece of the British Empire Exhibition. It took a total of three hundred days to construct the stadium at a cost of £750,000. The stadium was completed on the 23rd of April 1923, only a few days before the first football match, between the Bolton Wanderers and West Ham United, was to take place at the stadium. The stadium's first turf was cut by King George V, and it was first opened to the public on 28 April 1923. Much of Humphry Repton's original Wembley Park landscape was transformed in 1922 and 1923 during preparations for the British Empire Exhibition. First known as the "British Empire Exhibition Stadium" or simply the "Empire Stadium", it was built by Sir Robert McAlpine for the British Empire Exhibition of 1924 (extended to 1925).
This cosy domestic kitchen scene is a little different to what you might think, for whilst it looks very authentic, it is made up entirely of 1:12 size dollhouse miniatures from my miniatures collection.
Fun things to look for in this tableau include:
Central to our story is the envelope containing the four tickets to the White Horse final, which is a 1:12 size miniature made to incredibly high standards of realism by the British miniature artisan Ken Blythe. To create something so authentic to the original in such detail and so clearly, really does make this a miniature artisan piece. Although known predominantly for his creation of miniature books, Ken has also created quite a number of other items, including envelopes and even tiny legible letters that go inside them. Ken Blythe’s work is highly sought after by miniaturists around the world today and command high prices at auction for such tiny pieces, particularly now that he is no longer alive. I was fortunate enough to acquire pieces from Ken Blythe prior to his death about four years ago, as well as through his estate via his daughter and son-in-law. His legacy will live on with me and in my photography which I hope will please his daughter.
Also on Edith’s deal table stands her teapot. The tea cosy, which fits snugly over a white porcelain teapot, has been hand knitted in fine lemon, blue and violet wool. It comes easily off and off and can be as easily put back on as a real tea cosy on a real teapot. It comes from a specialist miniatures stockist in England. The Delftware cups, saucers and milk jug are part of a 1:12 size miniature porcelain dinner set which sits on the dresser that can be seen just to the right of shot.
The little cookbook, a non-opening 1:12 artisan miniature of a real cookbook, comes from a small American artisan seller on E-Bay.
Edith’s Windsor chair is a hand-turned 1:12 artisan miniature which came from America. Unfortunately, the artist did not carve their name under the seat, but it is definitely an unmarked artisan piece.
In the background you can see a very modern and up-to-date 1920s gas stove. It would have been expensive to instal at the time, and it would have been the cook’s or maid’s pleasure to cook on and in. It would have included a thermostat for perfect cooking and without the need of coal, it was much cleaner to feed, use and easier to clean. It is not unlike those made by the Roper Stove Company in the 1920s. The Roper Stove Company previously named the Florence-Wehrle Company among other names, was founded in 1883. Located in Newark, Ohio, the company was once the largest stove producer in the world. Today, the Roper Stove Company is a brand of Whirlpool.
Postmarked Boston, Mass., Sept. 12, 1911, on the back and addressed to Miss Edith Bates, 27 Bradbury St., Allston, Mass., with a handwritten message: "Are [Our] Little Dear!"
A curious postcard featuring an oversized dog. The name Tige may relate to the dog in cartoonist Richard F. Outcault's popular Buster Brown comic strip, which first appeared in 1902.
For examples of Outcault's drawings of Tige, see Buster Brown and His Dog Tige and Buster Brown Joker (below).
Postmarks from Yugoslavia - Yugoslavia was a country in Southeast and Central Europe that existed from 1918 to 1992. The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, founded in 1943 during World War II, was a federation made up of six socialist republics. From 1960 to 1980, the country was something of a regional power and an economic success story. This postmark collection covers the time period from 1955 to 1965.
Središče ob Dravi is a town in northeastern Slovenia. It is the seat of the Municipality of Središče ob Dravi. It lies on the left bank of the Drava River and borders Croatia. The parish church of Središče ob Dravi is in the neighbouring village of Grabe. The church in the actual settlement of Središče ob Dravi is a chapel of ease and is dedicated to Mary of the Seven Sorrows. It was built in 1637. In the 18th century the nave was vaulted. The population in 2021 was 984.
Postmarked Franklin, Indiana, Dec. 21, 1916, and addressed to Miss Nellie Templeton, Greensburg, Indiana.
Handwritten message: "Dear Nellie, May you and yours have a Merry Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year. Hester Magill."
Lepoglava is a town in Varaždin County, northern Croatia, It is located 32 km southwest of Varaždin, 7 km west of Ivanec, and 22 km northeast of Krapina.
Lepoglava is probably best known for hosting the main Croatian prison, the Lepoglava prison. In 1854, a monastery of the Pauline Fathers was transformed by the authorities into a prison. In the twentieth century, the prison was used to intern political prisoners by the authorities of Kingdom of Yugoslavia, the Independent State of Croatia, and SFR Yugoslavia.
During WWII, the Lepoglava concentration camp was built by the Ustashe; around 2,000 prisoners were murdered there.
The first mention of Lepoglava dates back to 1399. Hermann II, Count of Celje, founded the monastery of Saint Paul the Hermit in 1400. Pauline monks from Hungary soon arrived. Although it was not the first Pauline monastery in Croatia, it was destined to become the most important one.
The start of lace-making tradition - Lepoglava's tradition of lace-making started around 1400 with the arrival of Hungarian Pauline monks, who taught their weaving and lace-making craft to the local population. Initially applied to productions for the clergy and the nobility, it then spread to the general population, the decorated white linen clothing and turbans thus making for distinctive characteristics in the local traditional clothes and folk decoration refinements. It then became part of the ethnographic heritage.
The Croatian Mint has issued a series of gold collector coins “Lace-making in Croatia”, and a series of postal stamps on lace has also been issued.
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Postmarks from Yugoslavia - Yugoslavia was a country in Southeast and Central Europe that existed from 1918 to 1992. The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, founded in 1943 during World War II, was a federation made up of six socialist republics. From 1960 to 1980, the country was something of a regional power and an economic success story. This postmark collection covers the time period from 1955 to 1965.
Acequia, Idaho is located about 5 miles (8 Km) from Rupert, Idaho. Acequia is the Spanish word for canel. The city's population in the 2020 census was 131 people.
This year my Lego Minifigures will assist in highlighting postmarks of towns and cities We'll be traveling around the United States in search of different places to connect with the 'letter of the day' for this year's February Alphabet Fun Month.
Šempas in older sources also Šenpas, is a village in the Vipava Valley in the Municipality of Nova Gorica in western Slovenia. The name of the settlement was first attested circa 1200 as in sancto Passo (and as Sand Pass in 1485 and Sannd Pass in 1523). The Slovene name is derived from šent Pas, referring to either Saint Bassus of Lucera or Saint Bassus of Nice, to whom the parish church was formerly dedicated.
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Postmarks from Yugoslavia - Yugoslavia was a country in Southeast and Central Europe that existed from 1918 to 1992. The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, founded in 1943 during World War II, was a federation made up of six socialist republics. From 1960 to 1980, the country was something of a regional power and an economic success story. This postmark collection covers the time period from 1955 to 1965.
BUCKFIELD is a community in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, located in the Region of Queens Municipality.
- from 1908 "Lovell's Gazetteer of the Dominion of Canada" - BUCKFIELD, a small post settlement in Queens County, Nova Scotia - 16 miles from Bridgewater and 46 miles from Annapolis. The population in 1908 was 86.
- from Charles Bruce Fergusson's "Place-Names and Places of Nova Scotia" book - BUCKFIELD - this community is about four miles north-east of Greenfield and about two miles from the boundary between Queens and Lunenburg Counties. This name is probably derived from the appearance of bucks here. It was settled by Scots, Irish and people from the Liverpool area about 1828. In 1875 a school-house was built. A new school was completed in 1949/ Lumbering and limited farming are the industries. The population in 1956 was 86.
The BUCKFIELD Post Office was established - 1 February 1889 and closed - 15 January 1965 owing to the provision of Mail Delivery service via Greenfield RR No. 1.
LINK to a list of the Postmasters who served at the BUCKFIELD Post Office - www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/postal-heritage-philately/...;
- / BUCKFIELD / PM / XII 15 / 60 / N.S. / cds strike on piece - cds hammer was proofed - 24 July 1951 - (NS-3107 / RF D).