Elphinstone Street, Karachi
An view of one of Karachi's major arteries. This view by Fred Bremner is probably from 1889 or the early 1890s when he first settled in the city and became one of its earliest photographers.
An view of one of Karachi's major arteries. This view by Fred Bremner is probably from 1889 or the early 1890s when he first settled in the city and became one of its earliest photographers.
A very early postcard of Mt. Everest, probably printed in 1901 or earlier, by Darjeeling's premiere studio, run by the Austrian Thomas Paar.
This particular card was mailed to France from Chennai on Dec. 25, 1900. Note the entire message is readable, but from what is seems to say:
[Unclear first word] "Happy new year, Mr. Francis. Really it is not cold here. Antoine."
[Original French,
A rare and exceptional early color postcard by Carl Hagenbeck, the German circus and exotic people's promoter whose fairs throughout continental Europe drew large audiences.
A well-reserved "Lichtdruck" in German or "light-print" which offers the touch of a painted work for one anna.
An exquisite Dhurandhar portrait, this of a widow framed in front of a tree and a temple in the background. Orthodox widows were normally not permitted to remarry and had to obey strict dress codes like not wearing a blouse under her sari.
The role of nautch or "dancing" girl was changing at the time of this postcard. S.S.
Lascars were sailors, mostly from the subcontinent, serving on European ships that sailed the world and who spoke their own multinational tongue, "Lascari." Throughout the 16th through 19th centuries many landed in Britain and America, with a few
Another Dhurandhar postcard masterpiece, with the pale green background and statue of Lord Mahavir, the last Tirthankara of the Jain religion setting off the living priest in the foreground.
A postcard depicting hospitals in Mumbai used to treat some of the Indian troops who fought in World War I as part of the British Army.