A Mendicant
The term mendicant refers to begging or relying on charitable donations, and is most widely used for religious followers or ascetics who rely on charity to survive. Plate & Co.
Colombo
The Entrance, Mount Lavinia Hotel, Colombo
The Mount Lavinia Hotel was originally built in 1806, and after falling into disrepair, Mount Lavinia House was rebuilt in 1830 by the British Governor Edward Barnes at a cost of 30,000 pounds.
Singhalese ayah (Nurse Maid)
Plate & Co. in Colombo dominated the postcard trade on the island of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), and sold half a million postcards in 1907 alone, an enormous sum for a single publisher.
Continental Pneumatic Carriage Tyres
Before there were cars, there were carriages, and even these could benefit from pneumatic tyres which were inflated by air and led to more comfortable rides.
Head of Tamil Girl
The sitter's expression is among the more memorable antique postcard portraits.
Bristol Hotel, Colombo
Hotel advertising postcards played an important role in the rise of the medium; they are often found in guest rooms today too, ready to send home and market the establishment where a loved one is staying.
Greetings from John Hagenbeck & Co.
[Original German translated] Buy tea from Hagenbeck's Ceylon Tea.
The main driver of Sri Lanka’s economic growth during the colonial period was the tea industry.
The Grand Orient Hotel, Colombo
The Grand Orient Hotel is located on the waterfront in the Fort area of Colombo. The GOH (note initials at top of the building) as it is commonly known, was built in 1837 for British soldiers. In 1875 it was converted into a hotel.
A Buddhist Priest, Ceylon
An unusual keyhole view by Plate & Co. The top part of the front of the card could also have been used for a message. Plate's Art Card series was distinguished for its rich use of color on a slightly embossed or corrugated halftone surface.
Rice Fields, Ceylon
Traditional wet rice farming involves keeping the rice seeds and young plants submerged under water to keep weed infestation at bay until the young rice plants are well established.
