Friday 25 June 2010

L'Hirondelle in the port of Monaco



I have several vintage cards from Monaco, most of them in a booklet of cards which has never been used, and this one of the yacht L'Hirondelle is one of them.  A total contrast to my previous one.

It's fairly easy to date the card.  It has a divided back so it must be after 1905.  The yacht is L'Hirondelle.  Prince Albert I of Monaco had two yachts called L'Hirondelle.  The first dated from 1873 but was replaced in 1891 by the first Princesse Alice.  L'Hirondelle II was built in 1911 and in 1923, after Albert I died in 1922, it was sold in England, so I think the date must be roughly during that time, even allowing for old pictures being used.

The Hirondelle was used extensively in oceanographic expeditions but after it was sold to William Randolph Hearst in 1923 it lay idle in New York.  It changed hands several times and there are conflicting reports as to where it ended up, one saying that it ended up as a pontoon in the Panama Canal.

Of course the skyline of Monaco would give another way of dating the card if you knew the place well.  All I know is that it's completely different from the modern Monaco, easily seen when you contrast it with the modern card I posted last year showing Monaco at night.

This is a post for Postcard Friday, which is hosted by Beth Niquette at The Best Hearts are Crunchy.
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15 comments:

  1. What a great card!! Happy PFF!

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  2. Wonderful card. It is fun to compare with *modern* times. Things change so rapidly. Happy PFF!

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  3. That's some yacht, Sheila! Happy PFF! :)

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  4. Nice post. If you compare the two cards you can see that the 'bridge' behind the boat is still there. Happy PFF!

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  5. A nice yacht to go sailing in, or perhaps take off into the wide blue yonder in the sea plane. Great card.

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  6. That's quite the yacht for back in those days! I bet it was quite something with the sails flowing! Beautiful!!! Happy Friday!

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  7. This beautiful card has such a fascinating history! Intriguing detail in the old image!

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  8. What research on this card you've done. I just don't know how to do that. mine is here.

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  9. It's fun piecing together history from postcard clues. And thanks for the link to your present day Monaco postcard, great contrast.

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  10. It would be interesting to know what really happened to it.

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  11. Fun to imagine what might have gone on on that yacht in Monaco harbor!

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  12. superb naval postcard...a great find and rather collectible i imagine. happy PFF!

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  13. What a fascinating postcard. I liked hearing the history behind it all!

    Happy PFF!

    Don't forget to visit Gemma's Mailbox meme--I forgot to add in the link on PFF--but it's there now!

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  14. Thanks everyone. Beth, no I won't forget, though I realise I'm nearly 12 hours late for Australia!

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  15. Yacht = the rich people's pirogue.
    :)

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Welcome to my postcard collection! I love hearing what you think of the cards - but spam WILL be deleted.

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