Sunday Stamps #59

This Sunday is February 26, and the theme is anything you wish.

I scanned these stamps a long time ago, back when I was thinking of starting this meme.  I went through many of my Postcrossing postcards, turning them over and marveling at the different stamps on them.  How could I have missed this in my 2+ years  and 800 cards of Postcrossing?  What a discovery to see the beauty of stamps from many nations.

Today is sunny but cold in the USA Midwest and I guess I miss flowers.  So I am sharing flowers with you.  Happy Sunday!

Theme next week: Streetcars and all sorts of public transportation.

Viridian

Sepia Saturday #114

The theme for this week is Shoes and the prompt photograph shows some ladies trying on shoes.
However, what I was reminded of was my forays with my mother into Filene's basement in Boston, as it once was.

I knew it in the 1960's and 1970's, but the Basement (which really was in the basement) had a long history before that.  Filene's was a chain of department stores in New England with their flagship store in downtown Boston.  Items that were past season, clearance, shopworn, or had a slight flaw would be sent from the main sales departments to the Basement.  You could find some real deals there.

Shoppers could get very intent and intense.  This photo, from a web page about the history of Filene's basement, reminded me of the prompt.  No shoes in sight, but ladies in hats indeed.

I'm joining up with Sepia Saturday!

Viridian


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Postcard Friendship Friday

A reproduction card from a Postcrosser in the Ukraine.  Happy PFF!

viridian
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Sunday Stamps #58

In which today's theme is cats and dogs, and other pets on stamps.

Here a playful cat from the Ukraine is not really chasing those birds.  A delightful se-tenant set from a recent Postcrossing postcard.  I am not sure if the background is supposed to be grass, or a thatched roof?  Also note the birds are black and white like the cat.

Let's share some stamps of our dear companions, our pets.

Theme next week:  Anything you wish.

Viridian

Sepia Saturday #113

Once again for Sepia Saturday I am sharing a photo from American Memory, part of the Library of Congress.  This photo comes from the collection of the Denver Public Library Digital Collection.



On the Denver, Boulder & Western Ry. / photo. by L.C. McClure, Denver.
SUMMARY: Three men in overcoats standing between Denver, Boulder & Western Railroad (formerly Colorado and Northwestern) narrow gauge tracks and large snowbank; one man pointing skyward with umbrella, numerous initials inscribed in snowbank; ridge in background denuded of trees.
People seem to always wish to carve their initials into something, don't they? Whether it be snow, trees, or rocks.

Viridian

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Happy Postcard Friendship Friday!

Not a Valentine's card!  But a Stenvall - who loves painting these ducks, in various poses.  This is a card from a Postcrosser from Finland.

I'm linking up with Beth at the Best Hearts are Crunchy!

Viridian
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Postcrossing postcard

From a postcrosser in Italy.
Viridian

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Sunday Stamps # 57

Theme this week: Love and Valentine's stamps, or Chinese New Year stamps.

Talking to Chinese students at my school, I found out that the Chinese New Year/Spring festival  goes on for a few weeks, so I am OK in posting this stamp:

This is the USA stamp for  the Lunar New Year, and is much better than last year's stamp (in my opinion).

From the US Postal Service website:
"Dragons aren't always scary monsters. Consider the colorful creature depicted by the U.S. Postal Service® in its 2012 Year of the Dragon (Forever®) stamp, fifth in the Celebrating Lunar New Year series! The Year of the Dragon begins on January 23, 2012, and ends on February 9, 2013.


Combining original artwork by Kam Mak with two elements from the previous series of Lunar New Year stamps — Clarence Lee's intricate paper-cut design of a dragon and the Chinese character for "Dragon," drawn in grass-style calligraphy by Lau Bun — art director Ethel Kessler has created a culturally rich stamp design that celebrates the diversity of the American experience."


Theme for next week:  Cats and dogs, and other pets on stamps.

Viridian

Sepia Saturday 112 Children with books

When I am short on a sepia photograph I tend to check out American Memory at the Library of Congress website.  I secretly hope  no one else does!  So I am the only one with this daguerreotype:

[Group portrait of an unidentified boy and girl, three-quarter length, seated on upholstered bench, facing front, holding books].


CREATED/PUBLISHED:  [between 1840 and 1860]

NOTES:  Photographer unidentified.

See  http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/daghtml/daghome.html  for more.

The Library's daguerreotype collection consists of more than 725 photographs dating from 1839 to 1864. Portrait daguerreotypes produced by the Mathew Brady studio make up the major portion of the collection. The collection also includes early architectural views by John Plumbe, several Philadelphia street scenes, early portraits by pioneering daguerreotypist Robert Cornelius, studio portraits by black photographers James P. Ball and Francis Grice, and copies of painted portraits.

Viridian

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Sunday Stamps #56

Well it has been a busy and tiring week, so I at least am glad that the theme today is anything you wish. And let's hope all the website problems are over.  Here is a stamp from Norway celebrating sporting events.  Please join me for Sunday Stamps.

Theme for next week:  Love and Valentine's day stamps, or yet more Chinese New Year stamps.

Viridian

Sepia Saturday 111: Photographs with Dogs

The photo I have chosen today is from the collection of the Ashfield (MA) museum collection of Howes Brothers glass negatives.

Some of the children are holding pets, and I am sure there is a dog there.

From the Ashfield Museum website: "The Howes Brothers photographic collection consists of over 23,000 glass negatives. The photographs were taken between 1882 and 1907. These photographs are a valuable resource for historians interested in this period.  The three Howes brothers were natives of Ashfield. ...  by 1886 Alvah and his brother Walter toured as itinerant photographers. In 1888 Alvah opened a studio in Turners Falls. Alvah employed various assistants, and his youngest brother George was sometimes one of them."

They had to sell their photographs, so there are pictures of families in front of their homes, school groups, factory workers, and so on.  It's not know for sure, but the invention of roll film and the box camera probably ended their career.

I feel a close connection here, as my great grandmother and grandmother grew up in Ashfield.  I don't think the Howes brothers took any photos of the family however.


Please check out other vintage photos at Sepia Saturday!

Viridian

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