POSTCARDS - Lot 21

POSTCARDS Set of 6 old postcards - Paris, 1910 floods and Montreuil-Bellay disaster (1911) Interesting set of six French photographic postcards from the early 20th century, bringing together several visual testimonies of the Belle Époque and the major dramatic events of the period. The set includes two cards relating to the Montreuil-Bellay rail disaster of November 23, 1911, including a general view of the accident showing the upheavals caused by the sunken locomotive, as well as a remarkable scene of survivors taking refuge on their wreckage while awaiting rescue. Two other cards are dedicated to the Paris floods of January 1910: the submerged courtyard of the Palais-Bourbon and a rescue scene on the Seine showing General Armand visiting the stricken districts in a boat. There are also two fine views of monumental Paris in the Belle Époque: the Opera House and its square, bustling with streetcars and automobiles, and an elegant perspective of the Champs-Élysées with the Arc de Triomphe, rich in details of ancient urban traffic. Most of the cards are circulated and franked in Semeuse type; some feature handwritten correspondence and period postmarks, enhancing their documentary and historical interest. Condition: minor marginal wear, handling marks, light soiling and a few minor foxing or creases, but no major flaws. A fine, coherent documentary set. Estimated value: €80 / €150 Postcards devoted to major French disasters - notably the 1910 floods and rail accidents - remain sought-after by collectors specializing in urban history, railways and miscellaneous events. The views of Montreuil-Bellay, relatively less common on the market, add real documentary value here. The two monumental Parisian views harmoniously complete the set, providing a vivid testimony to the Paris of the Belle Époque and its early automobile traffic. In a specialized public sale of postcards or historical documents, this type of homogeneous, illustrated lot can arouse the interest of Parisiana, railway and disaster card collectors. A single, coherent lot seems appropriate here, even if some of the cards could individually fetch more than twenty euros, depending on the competition in the showroom.