Friday, August 13, 2010

Postcard Friendship Friday



Postcard Friendship Friday is hosted each week by the lovely Beth.

Each week you can see a variety of postcards from the old to the new, the comic to the serious, a true variety. Be sure to visit!



Several weeks ago I told you about my Fibber McGee and Molly closet and the box I found the linen postcards in. I went back to the closet and the box looking for some old photographs.

I found the photos I was searching for and found these postcards.

I have no idea why they were in the box, where or who they came from.

I have been to Washington, D.C., but much later than these cards were made.

Mysteries!!!!!!







I didn't scan the back of this card as there was very little there:
"47.12 Ceremonial vessel of the type yu. Chinese, Chou dynasty, 10th century B.C. Bronze casting, 9 x 9 inches.
Freer Gallery of Art, Washington 25, D.C."



Freer Gallery of Art



"Freer Gallery of Art, Washington 25, D. C. North Front. Photograph by B. A. Stubbs, Washington, D.C.
The Freer Gallery of Art, The Freer Collection, and an endowment fund to provide for the study of the civilization of the Far East and for the acquisition of fine examples of Oriental art were given in trust to the Smithsonian Institution by Charles Lang Freer of Detroit. Building opened May 2, 1923.
Open daily, except Christmas Day, from 9 A. M. to 4:30 P. M."

The cards were printed by The Meriden Gravure Company, Meriden, Conn.
The company won international renown for the quality of its art reproductions, posters and illustrations for books and catalogues.
They were sold to another company around 1975.

A little more mystery for you, I would write a paper in a graduate class on Asian Art on Chinese Bronzes. I got the only "A" in the class. It wouldn't be until we moved to Houston in 1998 that I would finally get to use that love of Asian Art doing research at the museum for the Asian curatorial staff.

Synchronicity!!!???!!!

Wishing you well and a beautiful weekend!

Happy PFF!



12 comments:

Joy said...

Life's coincidences add to its interest and sometimes are a little spooky.

Postcardy said...

Happy PFF. what else do you have buried?

papel1 said...

Interesting about the Freer Gallery of Art. Asian Art is very interesting. Happy PFF
Judy

MrCachet said...

Great story! I like all things Oriental.

Lyneen said...

Lovely cards. Will have to look up the Freer Gallery. Thanks for sharing... PFF

and Thanks for stopping by.

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Very interesting, Snap.... Since you love Asian art, have you ever visited any of the Asian countries??? My hubby did a teacher exchange with China for several years back in the early 90's. He absolutely LOVES China...

When his wife died, his daughter thought that he would move to China fulltime... Luckily, he didn't --and then he and I met!!!!

Beautiful old postcard.
Hugs,
Betsy

Anonymous said...

The great thing about living not that far from DC is that we can go to the Smithsonian and this building is spectacular as is the whole place. Great engraved old postcards. Thanks for sharing your knowledge on Asian art. xox Corrine

Cezar and Léia said...

Really nice vintage stuff!
God bless you!
Cezar

Kate Tracton said...

Hey Snap!

Lovely cards. The first one especially reminded me of my Early Far Eastern Art History class I took in college. We took a field trip to the Cinncinati art museum (I think that was the one) which had the most AMAZING collection of early Asian art. Bliss...

Thanks for the memory,

Kate

Dorincard said...

The more creative you are, the Freer you are.
:)
"More free".

DoanLegacy said...

Wonderful looking postcards!

Aimee Dars said...

Lovely vessel! I have a fondness for Asian art, but I am certainly no expert! It must have been exciting to put your skills to work for a museum!