Travelling the Paris Metro is an adventure of a lifetime, and the Metro itself is a monumental work of art. I'm not sure if it has been declared a World Heritage Site as yet. If not, it should be. :-)
Saturday, December 21, 2013
Paris Metro (and Bus) Map - May 1990
I am still amazed at the design and production quality of these maps which used to be given away free, in the thousands, at every Metro station.
Travelling the Paris Metro is an adventure of a lifetime, and the Metro itself is a monumental work of art. I'm not sure if it has been declared a World Heritage Site as yet. If not, it should be. :-)
Travelling the Paris Metro is an adventure of a lifetime, and the Metro itself is a monumental work of art. I'm not sure if it has been declared a World Heritage Site as yet. If not, it should be. :-)
Snail Mail - 11 / From Trichy to Namakkal / 1940
I found this in the garbage bins area outside my apartment block. I dread to think how many other classic, beautiful blasts from the past were lost that day - some neighboring apartment was apparently doing a long overdue spring cleaning.
Some interesting things to note: The address is simply,
Sri Raosaheb
N R Venkatarama Ayyar
Vakil
Namakal
(+ Namakal in Tamil)
No house number, no street name!
"Vakil" is the English transliteration of the Tamil word for "Lawyer".
The writer also mentions a "mamie" (aunty) who will leave "Madura" and arrive in Namakal. He instructs his "dear father" to send "Velan" to the bus stand. Velan must have been the Man Friday in this genteel, lawyer's household.
The temperature in the middle of March 1940 in Trichy was a 105 degrees (C?)!
And finally, the cost of the Post Card was "NINE PIES" and the emperor of India was (I think) George V.
Lovely little window into the past, this....
Remember, we were still 7 years away from Independance!
Some interesting things to note: The address is simply,
Sri Raosaheb
N R Venkatarama Ayyar
Vakil
Namakal
(+ Namakal in Tamil)
No house number, no street name!
"Vakil" is the English transliteration of the Tamil word for "Lawyer".
The writer also mentions a "mamie" (aunty) who will leave "Madura" and arrive in Namakal. He instructs his "dear father" to send "Velan" to the bus stand. Velan must have been the Man Friday in this genteel, lawyer's household.
The temperature in the middle of March 1940 in Trichy was a 105 degrees (C?)!
And finally, the cost of the Post Card was "NINE PIES" and the emperor of India was (I think) George V.
Lovely little window into the past, this....
Remember, we were still 7 years away from Independance!
Snail Mail - 10 / From Hong Kong to Triplicane / 1966
One of mom's best friends, this doctor. Must have given this to my brother since he collected stamps.
Friday, December 20, 2013
33 Year Old Moustache
This seems to be the season for objects of some vintage!
This polite bandicoot has a crisp salute to go with his magnificent moustache and faux-military demeanour. You'll find him most evenings at the entrance of Madhuri restaurant on the corner of Airport Road and Wind Tunnel Road. And, if you take the trouble of asking him about his moustache he'll tell you that he has been nurturing the vegetation for the last thirty three years.
While on the subject of moustaches, you might want to read Roald Dahl's "The Twits" - this delightful book was apparently inspired by the deep fear and loathing that Dahl, as a child, had for a moustachioed school teacher.
You could also read Dahl's dire description of that teacher's moustache in his "Boy - Tales of Childhood".
And even if you haven't the faintest interest in Dahl's take on moustaches, read his books anyway. I'm yet to meet a person who has read them and not loved them.
Comics - 06 / Korak Son Of Tarzan / Gold Key / October 1968
The price of this comic was Rs.1.15 in 1968. A king's ransom! Also, all these comics had a bonus story (usually a mini comic series) and other features of a more or less educational nature. The mini-series in this comic was one of my favourites and this episode probably went a long way into subliminally triggering my enduring love story with dawgs! :-) Mabu, Jungle Boy and Ki-Yee!!! Yes!
Philately - Portuguese India - Viva Sorpotel!!!
A couple of stamps from when a part of India was a Portuguese colony!
Philately / Snail Mail - 10 / Golden Jubilee of First Aerial Post / 1961
A set of 2 lovely FDCs from India Postage. Check the special cancellation design. Beauties!
Comics - 05 / TARZAN / Gold Key Comics / June 1968
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| Tarzan Of The Apes - 1968 - Cover |
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| Random page from the comic |
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| Advertisement on the back cover |
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
Snail Mail - 09 / From Corsica With Love
Another thoughtful beauty from Agathe Keller. 2006. The stamp is a commemorative of the Fête du Timbre - The Festival of the Stamp.
Also, the caption on the stamp says "MONDE 20 g" (WORLD 20 g) - no idea what that means. Is this a stamp that can be used (could have been used) for posting in any country in the world for upto 20 grams? I must check this out sometime.
Also, the caption on the stamp says "MONDE 20 g" (WORLD 20 g) - no idea what that means. Is this a stamp that can be used (could have been used) for posting in any country in the world for upto 20 grams? I must check this out sometime.
Monday, December 16, 2013
Snail Mail Stuff - 08 / recently from Sydney to Chetpet
Snail Mail is slowly dying. People do not need snail mail any more to communicate with each other.
These days, sending a snail mail is more an act of nostalgia nurturing or retro chic or conscious souvenir sharing. The effort involved in sending traditional mail is just too much and the end result is usually redundant because the same effect (or even better) could have been achieved with just a few clicks of the mouse.
One day, sooner than we imagine, snail mail will be dead, just like the telegram died recently in India.
Still, the sheer act of receiving a genuine snail mail is one of the greatest and simplest pleasures of an age that is slowly but surely passing.
There is no possible way of saving this form of communication from extinction, but we can still indulge in it while it lasts. Try and discover the pleasure of writing by hand, selecting a nice stamp, licking it and sticking it on the card or envelope and the sense of minor, happy closure that the act of dropping the missive into the postbox brings. Happy snail mailing, while there is still time for it!!!!
These days, sending a snail mail is more an act of nostalgia nurturing or retro chic or conscious souvenir sharing. The effort involved in sending traditional mail is just too much and the end result is usually redundant because the same effect (or even better) could have been achieved with just a few clicks of the mouse.
One day, sooner than we imagine, snail mail will be dead, just like the telegram died recently in India.
Still, the sheer act of receiving a genuine snail mail is one of the greatest and simplest pleasures of an age that is slowly but surely passing.
There is no possible way of saving this form of communication from extinction, but we can still indulge in it while it lasts. Try and discover the pleasure of writing by hand, selecting a nice stamp, licking it and sticking it on the card or envelope and the sense of minor, happy closure that the act of dropping the missive into the postbox brings. Happy snail mailing, while there is still time for it!!!!
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| Address n txt |
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| Sydney collage |
Comics - 04 / Doctor Solar / Gold Key Comics / April 1968
I can find only the front cover of this one right now. I hope the rest of the comic is still there in one of the unopened cartons. The Quaker Oats ad on the inside front cover is pretty cool, too, anyway. (Click on the image for a full screen view). Note the term "South Arabia" in collection #4. This was 1968, and I wonder which country this was, exactly.
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| Dr Solar |
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| Dr Solar Inside Front Cover |
Comics - 03 / GORGO / Charlton Comics / Vol 1, Number 18 / May 1964
For more images, details and history check http://www.comicvine.com/gorgo/4050-2030/
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| Cover Page |
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| Random Page (#4) |
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| Advertisement on Back Cover |
Sunday, December 15, 2013
2013 Wallet Calendars
Asafoetida...( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asafoetida) is a condiment / flavour enhancer widely used in Indian cuisine...
Anyway. Here's a series of 3 complimentary "wallet calendars" for the almost done year, 2013, from an unknown asafoetida manufacturer from a largely unknown corner of India.
The dimensions of these calendars, including the lamination sheets, are about 10 CM X 07 CM. They fit quite nicely into an average wallet.
In particular, check the details on the Muruga image! (Click on the images for a full screen version.) Note the procession on the bottom right, the hoarding on the shop in the background of the procession, the folk dancer couple on the bottom left, the temple elephants....!!!!
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| Shiva and His Family |
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| Lakshmi |
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| Muruga |
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| 2013 Calendar with each weekday's inauspicious time periods |
Saturday, December 14, 2013
Bicentenary of the French Revolution - 1989
Three postcards from a commemorative series celebrating the 200th anniversary of the French Revolution (1789-1989)...
Comics - 01 / Justice League America / DC Comics #45 / June 1966
I have a small collection of comics. The core of this collection is what was handed down from my brother. And then over the years, I added to that by buying some and forgetting to return some. ;-) I want to share the covers and a few pages (especially the advertisements) from each of my comics. There are, of course, infinitely better resources for comics on the Net, but this is my personal take on this magic medium/genre/art form/whatever.
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| JLA Cover |
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| Advertisement for toys on inside back cover |
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