Featured Gem 11
Real Photo Postcard

‘Lily & her friends’

Date: Unspecified
People: ‘Lily’ far left. Others only identified as ‘friends’!
Studio: Unidentified
Postcard Back: Written in pencil ‘Lily & her friends’

Notes: I recently acquired this fabulous photo postcard from a seller in Canada but I have no idea if that is where the photo originates. The numbers at the bottom left read: 7893. I am not sure if these represent the image number? I have other cards where the number has obviously marked the date of the photo. Any ideas?

Aren’t the costumes fabulous? You’ve probably gathered that clown/ pierrot/harlequin costumes is another favourite of mine! The seaside backdrop is nice and subtle and doesn’t detract from the subjects. The backdrop makes me think it could perhaps be a photo taken at an amusement park or pier. I am gathering quite a collection of ‘amusement’ or ‘arcade’ photos and am enjoying doing a little research into their history. It seemed to be quite a popular thing to do for fun!

Featured Gem 10
Real Photo Postcard

‘Friends on the Moon’

Date: Unspecified
People: Unidentified
Studio: Unidentified
Postcard Back: Blank
(has been trimmed )

Notes: I once read that if you have three or more of anything you have a ‘collection’. So it’s official, I now have a collection of vintage paper moon images (well okay I have three!). Rummaging through a box of old photos in an antique store, I came across this gem.

It’s a shame there are no details on the back! I wonder if they’re friends or sisters. Where they at an event or a fun fair? Their dresses and shoes are fabulous!

This style of image was often shot in portable photographic studios at carnivals and fairs, so they’re often not the best quality — sometimes out of focus and so on. I think that this adds to their charm. The one of the two ladies in hats (below left) says on the back: “Whitney Bros ‘Electric Postcard Studio’ Souvenir, Bendigo Easter Fair, 1913. Australia”. The faces are a little out of focus and there are scuff marks from swinging feet below the moon…but it’s a special piece of history.

NB: I have had some feedback regarding the copyright attribution of the vintage photographs on my website. All of the digital files are copyrighted to me and have been taken from original images in my collection. Please feel free to get in touch if you’d like to inquire about image licensing or obtaining larger image files. The watermarks were put in place because of some previous issues with image theft. I am temporarily trialling the copyright information below the large clickable image file only, so that the images can be enjoyed watermark free. Please don’t spoil it for everyone else by reproducing the image elsewhere.

Featured Gem 9
Real Photo Postcard

‘Clowning Around’

Date: Unspecified
People: Unidentified
Studio: Unidentified
Postcard Back: Blank

Notes: Clown/Pierrot and carnival costumes are another favourite theme of mine, so I was excited to find this wonderful ‘gem’ whilst scouring a toy fair with my sister. I know very little about the image as there are absolutely no identifying markings! It appears to have been kept safely in an album for many years (yellowing in the bottom left). It is in lovely condition!

I do love the detail of this costume and the pose is perfect.
Just check out that wig!!

Featured Gem 8
Real Photo Postcard

‘Joyce as a Fairy’

Date: Unspecified
People: Joyce
Studio: Broothorn Studio, Melbourne (active in Australia 1900s –1940s)
Postcard Back: “Joyce as a Fairy, at Mrs Fred Fairbairn’s Ball”

Featured Gem 7
Real Photo Postcard

‘Stick’em Up’

Date: Unspecified
People: Unidentified
Postcard Back: Blank

Notes: While I don’t really like guns at all (or even condone littlies playing with toy guns!), I think this photograph is brilliant despite it’s poor print quality.

The expression on the little girls face and her body language is so perfect. She’s the one that means business even if her gun is upside down! Her big brother(?) looks far less threatening.

This image is just begging for a dialogue. If you listen carefully you can hear them…