Wednesday 6 February 2013

Graeff; postcards from my collection


Four comic postcards published by Valentines between 1910 -1913, three of the four signed "Graeff" 
Each features a little dog, although on the unsigned card, it's a toy dog on wheels.

Mixed bathing, posted in July 1913. 
Dear Tommy, I hope you are doing all you can for dad. It is lovely here but very rough (presumable referring to the sea not the place!) Give my love to Mr. L and others. Your loving mother.

Designer clothing for dogs is obviously nothing new! I love the way the trunks worn by the dog match the swimming costume worn by the girl, and her shoes wouldn't look out of place on a catwalk.  I had no idea you could buy swim trunks for dogs until I looked on the web Bahamas Swim Trunks for Dogsnotice the handy cut-outs!


What every woman knows - "That it is her privilege to have the last word." 

Sent to a Mrs. J Bonwick on December the 23rd 1910 with the message to wish you a merry Xmas and a Happy New Year, Yours, Rags.

"The Limit"
Artist unsigned postcard (I assume by Graeff) posted September 1910. 

Dear Agnes, I suppose you are sorry your holiday is at an end, but really the weather has been so awful that it is not a nice time to be away from home. With much love to both M.Clifton.  

I bet Agnes was delighted to receive that cheery message!

The Comet at last! Posted July 11th 1912.

Message reads Dear G, thanks for P.C. jolly ripping that hedge. I should like to see it. We have just arrived home, worse luck. Sedbergh is the worst place. I will give your love to Miss D. Mather. How will you have it given to her, in small pieces or one big lump? You seem to be having a ripping time, love Phyl.

Sedbergh is one of three official Book towns in the United Kingdom. Hay-on-Wye in Wales and Wigtown in Scotland being the other two. I’ve visited Hay and Wigtown, and Sedbergh is next on the list. It's within the Yorkshire Dales National Park, so I'm pretty sure it's not the worst place - I bet it's lovely.


I assume the comet reference is because Haley's comet passed very close to the earth in 1910 but as the card wasn't posted until 1912, I can't be sure. Any better ideas anyone?


24 comments:

  1. These are so cute. I got quite the chuckle out of that bird feather hat.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh, just way too cute! I love the faces, the clothes, the way the legs and feet are. These are precious.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi Barbara

    The little dog with the bathing costume in the first picture is so cute.

    Mixed bathing has come a long way and so have the costumes.

    My Mum told me a story about a one piece bathing costume someone knitted for her when she was a teenager. Put it on, went swimming and as she came out of the water the knitted bathing costume just about fell off her body as the weight of the water in the wool stretched the costume to about three times the original size. I bet it was my Grandmother that knitted it for her, she was always knitting 'something'

    I have to admit I've never heard of Graeff. They really are lovely cards, a gorgeous little set you have there.

    ReplyDelete
  4. The Desert Rocks7 February 2013 at 23:32

    Cute postcards. May have mentioned that I have a collection but these are adorable.

    ReplyDelete
  5. These are so cute and the faces are so expressive! I love them all!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Oh yeah, matching bathing suits are a must for pets and pet owners. I love that postcard most, and the one about what every woman knows was precious! {It's good manners to let ladies have the last word. Gentlemen can roll their eyes behind our backs as much as they want to. That's fine, but we must have the last word.}

    ReplyDelete
  7. barbaraannefisher8 February 2013 at 12:02

    I just love that hat! Glad you enjoyed them and thanks for calling in. Barbara.

    ReplyDelete
  8. barbaraannefisher8 February 2013 at 12:07

    Thanks Donna, they are certainly precious to me.

    ReplyDelete
  9. barbaraannefisher8 February 2013 at 12:14

    Hi Michelle,
    Oh my goodness you just reminded me of a story my dad used to tell. My mum knitted him a pair of swimming trunks, and the same thing happened. It makes me laugh just thinking about it. I think there is a ‘photo of dad in the trunks somewhere. I will have to see if I can find it.

    I did try to find about Graeff before doing the post but there’s not much information available, so I decided not to include it in the end.

    ReplyDelete
  10. barbaraannefisher8 February 2013 at 12:20

    That’s wonderful, thanks for taking the time to leave a comment.

    ReplyDelete
  11. barbaraannefisher8 February 2013 at 12:22

    Hi Eve, I don’t think you have mentioned your collection before. Do you collect a certain kind or just anything that takes your fancy? I’m in the anything that takes my fancy category.

    ReplyDelete
  12. barbaraannefisher8 February 2013 at 12:26

    Hello Claudine, thank you for making me laugh! The trouble is I have eyes in the back of my head, so I would definitely spot Terry if he was rolling his eyes behind me!! (My mum always used to say she knew exactly what I was doing because of the eyes in the back of her head – and I believed her!)

    ReplyDelete
  13. How how lovely! Thank you for hopping on board The Great Blog Train! -Marci @ Stone Cottage Adventures, Helen @ Blue Eyed Beauty and Angie @ Gods' Growing Garden

    ReplyDelete
  14. I love old postcards. These are so fun! I think the comet one was probably about Haley's, too! I love the matching bathing suits. How cute! It is also interesting to see what people had to say on their postcards. :)

    ReplyDelete
  15. barbaraannefisher8 February 2013 at 21:44

    Happy to be on board, thanks for having me! Thanks also for calling in and leaving a comment.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Wonderful! Or, as the song goes - 'postcards from heaven...'

    ReplyDelete
  17. barbaraannefisher9 February 2013 at 09:46

    I’ve not thought of that song in ages – was it by the LightHouse family? The only tune I can think of at the moment is pennies from heaven! I’m off to YouTube now to refresh my memory. Thanks for commenting.

    ReplyDelete
  18. I love postcards and it's always wonderful to see what people have written on them :)

    ReplyDelete
  19. barbaraannefisher9 February 2013 at 19:34

    I think so! Thanks for calling in.

    ReplyDelete
  20. barbaraannefisher9 February 2013 at 19:36

    Hi Nikki-ann, I agree. Half the fun is seeing what’s on the back, and some of these old postcards have wonderful messages.

    ReplyDelete
  21. barbaraannefisher9 February 2013 at 20:53

    I wonder if matching bathing suits for people and dogs will catch on. How funny would that be? Thanks for calling in.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Madeleine Richards11 February 2013 at 01:15

    Aosoltuely Charming!

    ReplyDelete
  23. barbaraannefisher11 February 2013 at 09:32

    Thank you Madeleine, I'm so pleased you like them. Barbara

    ReplyDelete

I really appreciate your comment. Thank you!
Barbara xx