Thursday, May 22, 2008

Scarce Korea Postcard of Destroyed South Gate.

b/w vintage postcard from South Korea depicting a tram and workers in front of the South gate.


Unused, very fine condition.

The Southgate, Namdaemun, made of wood and stone with a two-tiered, pagoda-shaped tiled roof, was completed in 1398 and served as the main southern entrance to Seoul, which was then a walled city. It was the oldest wooden structure in Seoul, an iconic reminder of old Korea in this modern Asian city, the capital of South Korea, and a major tourist attraction. The site is surrounded by a bustling commercial district. Lately, homeless people had sought shelter there.

The gate survived the Chinese and Japanese invasions that devastated the city. It was repaired several times, most recently after the Korean War of 1950 to 1953. When the South Korean government cataloged its national treasures in 1962, it gave the gate the No. 1 ranking.

More antique Photos from Japan and Korea HERE

Saturday, May 10, 2008

Cajetan Felder CdV with authentic Signature from ca. 1880.

Dr. Cajetan von Felder Carte de Visite by the Imperial Photographer J. Löwy in Wien. Authentic signature at the back of the photo.






The autograph comes with a Certificate of Authenticity.

Cajetan Freiherr von Felder (1814 -1894) was an Austrian jurist and entomologist (specializing in Lepidoptera). He was elected to the first district council of Vienna in 1848 and served as mayor of the city from 1868 to 1878.

Felder is chiefly known for his work with his son Rudolf Felder and Alois Friedrich Rogenhofer Reise Fregatte Novara. Zoologischer Theil., Lepidoptera, Rhopalocera. Three volumes (1865-1867). The Novara was an exploration ship. With the help of Rudolf Cajetan von Felder amassed a huge entomological collection.

The insects from the Novara expedition are in the Naturhistorisches Museum in Vienna.

A collection of approximately 1,000 letters and postcards sent to Felder between circa 1856 and 1891 is held by the Natural History Museum. They were sent to Felder from all over the world by leading 19th century entomologists and deal mainly with the exchange and purchase of specimens, Lepidoptera in particular.

More Cartes de Vistite: HERE