Geraldine's Collection (part 2)

Children and dogs just go together.  The quality of these images, the endearing children, the expression and calmness in the Pyrs, just makes you smile.  I can speak to the card in the lower right corner - Les Pyrenees (2e Serie) Jeune Chienne des Pyrenees (MUNIA) with two different card numbers that I'm aware of - 965 or 711 - probably from the 1910s.

Geraldine's Collection (part 1)

Geraldine is lucky to have family in SW France and on her trips overseas is able to leisurely browse the shops and open markets for Pyrenees items.  She sent me these scans of some of the postcards she has collected.  Who can't help but love these!  Many of the early cards have dogs with very deep markings and the question always arises "Is it really a Pyr?" or one of the "cousin" breeds?  For hobby collectors, it often doesn't really matter as the dog has many similar features to a Pyrenees even if it is not identified.  For the purists in the breed, you may just pass the card off as a pretty photo of a dog and stick only to the postcards that you "know" are Pyrs.  Again, does it matter?  That is up to the individual.

78 La Douce France - Les Pyrenees

Le Col d'Aubisque.  Edition d'Art YVON, Paris.  Reproduction Interdite.  Fabrication francaise.  This card was postmarked from Cauterets Hautes Pyrenees and dated 1930.  The signature Yvon appears on several cards in my collection.  These vintage cards look wonderful matted and framed and hung in a grouping on the wall...miniature works of art to be enjoyed.

C 175 Vallee d'Aure

"Altesse" chienne des Pyrenees (Hotel Loste a Guchan)  ARUM-EDITIONS 1, rue Cornac - BORDEAUX.  A more recent card, likely from the 1960s.

79 Les Pyrenees

Types Regionaux Ossaloise allant a la Fontaine.  Editions Chantecler.  Postmarked 1953.  If I remember correctly (now I'll have to check) this dog appears in an identical pose in another card from the same era.  I don't have that particular card in my collection, yet, so I'll have to rely on a web search to confirm.  The publisher's/photographer's logo appears in the lower right corner, a rooster, with the lettering Chantecler underneath.  It is times like this that I realize that I am not that far away from getting a better pair of glasses or, at least, a magnifying glass to read the fine print on some of these cards.

10002 St. Jean-d'Aulph (Hte-Savoie)

alt. 810 m. Paturages, vers Clos-Florine.  Les Editions J. CELLARD 13, rue de l'Economie - BRON (Rhone).  Rarely do you see a Pyrenees postcard with the dog tending to a flock of sheep...even less so working among cattle...so this card almost passed me by.  I'm glad I found it as it gives a different perspective to the working dog in the mountains.

M Leon Ross

Directeur des Grottes de Betharram.  C'est ce Breton de Saint-Malo qui a eu l'idee l'audace de faire de tres grands travoux pour amenager ces merveilleuses Grottes.  De ce fait, Leon Ross a ouvert ou tourisme une des plus belles curiosites naturelles des Pyrenees.  Collection des Grottes de Betharram.  This card was included in a postcard booklet for sale to tourists, probably dating from the 1930s.  Because of the detail in the description, I am sure that this M. Ross can be traced through a bit of research into the Grotto.