The Good Old Days: Rural Life in Vintage Postcards

February 17, 2018 By Brett in Art, History, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Photography, Quebec, Society Tags: Canada, Farms, Labor, Landscape, Postcard, Rural Life, Vintage 37 Comments

Hay Making, Nova Scotia (about 1960)

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Out in the country people work hard, and back in the proverbial good old days they worked even harder. Whether on a farm, a fishing village or in the forest, rural folk have always had to put their bodies and souls into their labors to eke out a living.

As these vintage postcards from the eastern parts of Canada attest they at least did so amidst beautiful settings.

River Saguenay at Chicoutimi, Quebec (about 1940)

Ox Cart, Rural Quebec (about 1940)

Spinning in Rural Quebec (1950)

Back of Spinning in Rural Quebec (1950): “Dear Ma – That’s you and me working. Lots of little farms and little houses here. Horses do most of the work. Farms are very small. In winter the men work in the lumber business, in summer farming. Women do fancy work in winter to sell it in the summer. Love Helen”

: Old Church, Tadousac, Quebec (about 1940)

: New Glasgow, Nova Scotia (about 1940)

: Peggy’s Cove, Nova Scotia (about 1960)

: Tobacco Field, Leamington, Ontario (1940)

: Wood Carver, Rural Quebec (about 1940)

: Sleigh, Montreal (1911)

: Dog Cart, Quebec (about 1940)

Similar posts in O’Canada:

⊕ Quebec Charm in Vintage Postcards

⊕ “Dear Auntie . . don’t be cross”: Scenic British Columbia in Old Postcards

⊕ Moonlit Views of Yesteryear Canada

“Dear Auntie . . . don’t be cross”: Scenic British Columbia in Old Postcards

February 19, 2017 By Brett in Art, British Columbia, Society Tags: Antique, Canada, History, Landscape, Letters, Outdoors, Postcard, Vintage 59 Comments

gorge-bridge

Postmarked July 12, 1921 (Note Is Below)

Back in the day writing letters and cards was the routine thing to do if you wanted to stay in touch with distant friends and relatives. Picture postcards also allowed the recipient vicariously to experience what the sender did and saw. As suggested by the note below on one of these cards of British Columbia, the folks back at home expected a long form letter if possible and sending only a postcard from a trip was an occasion for an apology (being Canadians and all). 🙂

gorge-bridge-note-side

Note Side of Card Above of Gorge Bridge, Victoria, B.C.

Yoho Glacier, near Field, B.C. (About 1910)

Simash Rock, Stanley Park, Vancouver, B.C. (About 1905)

Seven Sisters, Stanley Park, Vancouver, B.C. (About 1910)

Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge, Vancouver, B.C. (About 1915)

Fraser River, Yale B.C. (About 1910)

Capilano Suspension Bridge, Vancouver, B.C. (About 1951)

Mod Design: Vintage Postcards of Expo 67

July 9, 2016 By Brett in Art, History, Quebec, Society Tags: Canada, Design, Expo 67, Montreal, Postcard, Retro, Vintage 40 Comments

Forest Pavilion

Canada Forestry and Paper Pavilion

With the Rio Summer Olympics being just around the corner this prompted me to ponder the differences between the Olympics and the World Fairs. While both are cultural showcases that bring together people of many nations to good-naturedly preen about their countries, World Fairs seem more ad hoc than the more structured, media spectacle of the Olympics.

Coinciding with Canada’s centennial in 1967, Montreal hosted what is considered to be one of the most successful World Fairs, which was the first to adopt the “Expo” moniker by which all subsequent World’s Fairs have been named. As attested by these postcards, the various national pavilions at Expo 67 served as grand displays for then cutting-edge, very “mod” design and innovation.

Kaleidoscope Pavilion

Great Britain Pavilion 1

Great Britain Pavilion 2

Canada Pavilion 1

International Scout Center

Cuba Pavilion

Ontario Pavilion

France Pavilion 1

India Pavilion

Canada Pavilion 2

Quebec Pavilion

France Pavilion 2

Man in the Community Pavilion

New York Pavilion

Polymer Pavilion

Overhead Cable Cars

U.S. Pavilion

USSR Pavilion

Venezuela and Ethiopia Pavilions

Yugoslavia Pavilion

Habitat

Quebec Charm in Vintage Postcards

March 20, 2016 By Brett in Art, History, Quebec Tags: Canada, History, Montreal, Photography, Postcard, Quebec, Street Scenes, Vintage 32 Comments

aaCartier Market

Jacques Cartier Market, Montreal, Early 1900s

Bank of Montreal, Postmarked Jun 17, 1930

Chateau Frontenac, Early 1900s

Rue St. Champlain, Quebec, Early 1900s

Mount Royal, Montreal, Dated July 30, 1925

Montreal Harbor Bridge, Postmarked 1941

Montreal Post Office, Postmarked Dec 31, 1935

Sous Le Cap, Quebec, Early 1900s

Winter Scene, Quebec, 1950s

Similar Posts on O’Canada:

• Bridges As Depicted in Vintage Postcards

• “Having a swell time . . .”: Vintage Hospital Postcards

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• Ever-Bustling 20th Century Toronto

• Vintage Quebec: Ox Carts, Dog Carts and Sleighs

“Having a swell time . . .”: Vintage Hospital Postcards

March 29, 2015 By Brett in Art, New Brunswick, Ontario, Quebec Tags: Canada, Cityscapes, History, Hospitals, Montreal, New Brunswick, Ontario, Postcard, Vintage 19 Comments

Postmarked 1913. A cozy looking place.

Hospitals seem a peculiar and dreary subject for postcards. But back in the day — before routine outpatient procedures and hospitals speedily freeing up beds — time in hospital (as patient or visitor) regularly spanned several days or longer, so penning a brief note to update absent friends or loved ones was probably not so odd. And what better way to do it than with one of the colored cards conveniently available at the hospital!

Postmarked 1945. The note starts out: “Having a swell time.” Love those roadsters!

About 1948. Yikes — looks more like a prison!

About 1910. Regal digs. Notice horse and buggy to bottom left.

Postmarked 1935. Street car or bus passing by.

The Great Canadian Outdoors: Vintage Rockies Postcards

January 31, 2015 By Brett in Alberta, Art, History Tags: Alberta, Canada, Canadian Rockies, History, Photography, Postcard, Vintage 34 Comments

Lake Louise & Victoria Glacier — About 1949

It’s safe to say that when many Americans think of Canada they visualize vast expanses of nature and, in particular, the Canadian Rockies. These vintage postcards — most of which are colored photos — feature scenes of the Rockies in Alberta, spanning the early 1900s up to the early 1960s.

Athabasca Glacier — About 1960 (Love that funky snow bus!)

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Bow Valley, Banff — About 1950s

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Bow Valley, Showing Golf Course — About 1950s

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Cascade Mountain, Banff — Early 1900s (This was quite a ride then in a horse drawn carriage.)

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Cascade Mountain, Banff — 1920s

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Wind Mountain, Alberta — About 1910s

Canada-U.S. Friendship Postcard and Stamps

July 4, 2014 By Brett in Art, Ontario, Society Tags: Bridges, Canada, Ontario, Postcard, St. Lawrence Seaway, Stamps, U.S. Canada Relations, Vintage 13 Comments

While bridges literally connect places, they also serve as a wonderful metaphor for connectedness between people and cultures. I have a collection of old postcards depicting various Canadian bridges that I plan to post shortly. Of these — especially during this week that includes the Canada Day and Independence Day holidays — the one that I feel best displays the connectedness idea is this postcard from around 1959 of the Thousand Islands International Bridge between southern Ontario and upstate New York.

The original holder of this card added a nice touch by including three very appropriate postage stamps to the front: the 4¢ Canadian and 5¢ American joint-issue stamps from 1959 marking that year’s opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway and an older 1948 U.S. 3¢ Century of Friendship stamp, which fittingly shows a bridge between the two countries over the Niagara River (first spanned in 1848; additional background can be found here).

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Ever-Bustling Early 20th Century Toronto

June 1, 2014 By Brett in Art, History, Ontario Tags: Antique, Architecture, Art, Canada, Cityscape, History, Postcard, Toronto, Vintage 21 Comments

No Postmark– Around 1920s

The cityscape of Toronto, with its many tall buildings adorned with fine architectural detail and its bustling street-level activity, is most akin to what Americans encounter in the busy cities of New York and Chicago. These early 20th century postcards highlight the magnitude of Toronto even then. The people and vintage vehicles in these tinted images add interest and help define scale.

No Postmark — Around 1920s

Postmarked 1910

Postmarked 1918

Postmarked 1939

When Motels Were Newer and Grander

March 29, 2014 By Brett in Art, History, Ontario, Quebec, Society Tags: Canada, History, Motels, Nostalgia, Ontario, Postcard, Quebec, Vintage 21 Comments

Lovely watercolor effect, simple signage and lines, very retro!

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From the 1920s to the early 1960s, the automobile led the way to leisurely road trips and the chance for a quick getaway down newly paved highways across Canada and the U.S. The cozy roadside motel filled the need for an affordable, convenient place for the weary driver and family to kick back and relax in relative luxury with then modern conveniences (such as showers in each room, radio, TV and Hi-Fi!), as these vintage postcards attest.

Montreal Tourist Court, LaPrairie, Quebec; Card boasts that the motel is Canada’s most modern and largest tourist center and a shower in each room; love the streamlined map as well

Motel Lac St-Jean, Quebec; Card notes Modern Motel, TV, Radio, Lounge

Sea Gull Motel, Perce, Quebec

Richer Motel, Quebec; Card notes that motel has electric heat, shower, TV

Alamo Motel, Niagara Falls, Ontario; All rooms with wall-to-wall carpeting, controlled air conditioning and heating, TV, radio and Hi-Fi; the neon sign out front is very cool

Early 1900s Town Markets

March 29, 2014 By Brett in Art, History, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Quebec, Society Tags: Antique, Brockville, Canada, Early 1900s, Halifax, History, Montreal, Old Cities, Postcard, Vintage 10 Comments

These colored photo postcards from the early 1900s highlight the importance of town markets as hubs of community activity. Lots of horses and wagons, ladies in long dresses and men in dark hats and not an automobile in sight.

Postmarked October 6, 1910, Reads: “Dear Cousin, I have not received any letters from you, nor from Oscar. Hope you will write to the above address and by the time I return here, there will be many letters. Kind Love, Edgar”

No postmark, but likely around 1910; No note

Postmarked September 8, 1909; No note

♦ Vintage Postcards: Canadian Churches

♦ Whimsical Wednesday: Vintage 7 Day Kisses

Moonlit Views of Yesteryear Canada

March 9, 2014 By Brett in Art, History, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Quebec Tags: Art, Canada, History, Landscape, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Photography, Postcard, Quebec, Vintage 29 Comments

While thumbing through a large group of vintage Canadian postcards at a local antique shop a half-dozen or so among the thousand-plus cards stood out because each featured a highly stylized moonlight view of their subjects, giving each card a dark and moody feel. Most were from about 1906 to 1908, with one as late as 1919, and all but one were marked as being printed by Valentine & Sons, a noted Scottish postcard publisher of the time with offices in Toronto and Montreal. A little online research revealed that the cards were collotype photographs taken in daylight with a full moon, clouds and lighting effects layered on top, after which the images were hand-tinted.

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Vintage Postcards: Canadian Churches

March 2, 2014 By Brett in Art, History, New Brunswick, Ontario, Quebec Tags: Art, Canada, Church, History, New Brunswick, Old Churches, Ontario, Postcard, Quebec, Vintage 29 Comments

I came across these old postcards in a local antique shop, most of which are watercolors or hand-tinted photos. They range from the early 1900s through about 1950.