Mud Huts in Asmara, Eritrea

Asmara - Tukul nel villaggio indigeno
Translation: Asmara - Tukul (mud huts) in the indigenous village

C.A.O. - Massaua (Italian for Massawa)

This unused postcard is from 1936.  The photographer is: Cesare Capello-Milano

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Originally, according to Eritrean Tigrinya oral traditional history, there were four clans living in the Asmara area in Africa.  These towns were frequently attacked by clans from the low land, until the women of each clan decided that to defeat their common enemy and preserve peace the four clans must unite. The men accepted, hence the name 'Asmara' which means "they [feminine, thus referring to the women] made them unite". 

The Port in Massawa, Eritrea

Massaua - Il porto
Translation: Massaua - The port

C.A.O. - Massaua (Italian for Massawa)

This unused postcard is from 1936.  The photographer is: Cesare Capello-Milano

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Massawa is a city on the Red Sea coast of Eritrea in Africa.  It was the capital of Eritrea until Asmara became the capital in 1897.

A Shoe Seller in Asmara, Eritrea

Asmara - Mercato indigeno - Venditore di scarpe.
Translation:  Asmara - Indigenous Market - Shoe Seller.

C.A.O. - Massaua (Italian for Massawa)

This unused postcard is from 1936.  The photographer is: Cesare Capello-Milano

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Massawa is a city in the African country of Eritrea. Massawa was the capital of the Italian Colony of Eritrea until it was moved to Asmara in 1897.

Viking Laws

VIKING LAWS

1. BE BRAVE AND AGGRESSIVE
Be direct
Grab all opportunities
Use varying methods of attack
Be versatile and agile
Attack on target at a time
Don't plan everything in detail
Use top quality weapons

2. BE PREPARED
Keep weapons in good condition
Keep in shape
Find good battle comrades
Agree on important points
Choose one chief

3. BE A GOOD MERCHANT
Find out what the market needs
Do not promise what you can't keep
Do not demand overpayment
Arrange things so that you can return

4. KEEP THE CAMP IN ORDER
Keep things tidy and organized
Arrange enjoyable activities which strengthen the group
Make sure everybody does useful work
Consult all member of the group for advice

This unused postcard is from Norway, The Wisdom of the Vikings.  Design and Idea: Amber
I received it in 2017.

Manchester High School Central in New Hampshire

Central Classical High School Building, Manchester, N. H.

This unused, vintage linen postcard was published by The Amoskeag News Company.
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Manchester High School Central is the oldest public high school in the state of New Hampshire.  The name was changed from Manchester High School in 1922 when Manchester West High School opened.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

This cute postcard was postmarked in 2019.  It features two little green ponies by a wishing well.  I thought maybe it was one of the 'My Little Ponies', but there are no markings of the artist on the back.

A Funny Exaggeration Postcard about Fishing

The scenery's grand here
And the fishing is swell,

We're up before dawn
And are busy as h....

This Exaggeration postcard was postmarked in 1940.  I love that the sender wrote in the word 'heaven' on the poem.

USA stamp 1940

Famous Americans - Scientists 

John Audubon, 1 c

Mount Sněžka, Czech Republic

Snežna, královna našich hor

(From a translator:

Snow, queen of our mountains) 

There is a lot of small writing printed on the back of this postcard.  I put it into a translator and got this.... 

-25 C. Poradny vitr. Misty skoro 2m snehu. Nekdy nebylo videt ani na krok. Tak vypadal zacatek brezna r.  2018 na hrebenu Krkonos.  Byla to ma vubec prvni zimni horska solo vyprava, naslapal jsem za nekolik dni desitky km s cca 20 kg batohem.  Asi me nejnarocnejsi foceni.   Krkosose jsem do te doby temer neznal. Z lavinovych oblasti jsem mel respekt, nekdy vsak bylo nutne pro dobry zaber trochu zariskovat -jako treba v tomto pripade.  Nastesti jsem si krom lehcich omrzlin v obliceji privezl dumu nejen zazitky, ale i nekolik slusnych fotografi.  Ty najdete i na mem facebookovem profilu.  

Translation: 

-25 C. Poradny vitr. Misty almost 2m of snow. Sometimes it was not even a step. That was the beginning of March 2018 on the ridge of Krkonoše. It was the first winter horska solo carriage, I trampled in a few days a dozen km with about 20 kg of a backpack. Probably my most intimate picture. I did not know Krkosose until now. I had respect from the avalanche areas, but sometimes it was necessary for me to take a bit of a risk - as is the case in this case. I grew up beside the light frostbite in my face bringing the house not only to the sounds, but also to some sophisticated photographers. You can also find them on my facebook profile.

Ladislav Renner 

This postcard was postmarked from the Czech Republic in 2019. 

Czech Republic (Ceska Republika) stamp 2012

Kamil Lhoták: (1912 - 1990)

A long-haired girl

Divka S Dlouhymi Vlasy 1951

26 kc

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Czech Republic (Ceska Republika) stamp 1993

Cesky Krumlov UNESCO, 3 kc

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Czech Republic (Ceska Republika) stamp 2012

Folk Architecture, Village of Vidim

6 kc

A Sailor and A Merman from Finland

Come to Finland
Travel poster, 2016
Wombat Combat

I think this is my first postcard with a merman on it!  I love the tattoos on him.  However, if you are only looking at that, you will miss the weird butterflies in the top left corner!

This very odd postcard is from 2016.

Pointe des Chateaux, Castle Point, Guadeloupe

Guadeloupe
Pointe des Chateaux

This was mailed from Guadeloupe with a France stamp in 2019.

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Pointe des Chateaux is a peninsula located at the eastern end of the island of Grande-Terre , Guadeloupe.

France stamp 2018

Trees

Betula papyrifera, Paper Birch tree

La Poste, Lettre prioritaire 

A Shrunken Head, Tzantza, from Ecuador

Tzantza (Shrunken Head)

Cabeza reducida

Shrunken head

Foto: Bodo Wuth

This postcard was postmarked in 2015 with three of the same stamps from Ecuador. 

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If you have a weak stomach... do not read any more... 

A shrunken head is a severed and specially prepared human head that is used for trophy, ritual, or trade purposes.

The only tribes known to have shrunken human heads are of the Jivaroan tribes. These include the Shuar, Achuar, Huambisa and Aguaruna tribes, found in Ecuador and Peru. The Shuar call a shrunken head a tsantsa, or tzantza. Many tribe leaders would show off their heads to scare enemies

How it is Done:

The process of creating a shrunken head begins with removing the skull from the neck. An incision is made on the back of the ear and all the skin and flesh is removed from the cranium. Seeds are placed underneath the nostrils and the lips are sewn shut. The mouth is held together with three palm pins. Fat from the flesh of the head is removed. Then a wooden ball is placed under the flesh in order to keep the form. The flesh is then boiled in water that has been saturated with a number of herbs containing tannins. The head is then dried with hot rocks and sand, while molding it to retain its human features. The skin is then rubbed down with charcoal ash. Decorative beads may be added to the head.

In the head shrinking tradition, it is believed that coating the skin in ash keeps the muisak, or avenging soul, from seeping out.

Ecuador stamp 2014

25 Anos

Caida del Muro De Berlin

The 25th Anniversary of 

The Fall of the Berlin Wall

0.75 US