Group of Waziris
[Original caption] The Waziris are a native race inhabiting the north-west frontier of India - the province immediately next to Afghanistan.
Men
A Brahmin Astrologer
Taraporevala & Sons was the premiere Bombay bookstore and publisher, stock full of 19th century illustrated magazines and images eagerly bought and saved in trunks by artists like Ravi Varma as inspiration.
An Afridi
[Original caption] The Afridis are an Afghan or Pathan people, numbering about 300,000 inhabiting the mountaneous region south of the Hindu-Kush. They consist of a number of separate clans, often at feud with each other.
Types of Men (I)
This is actually a real photograph postcard of a water colour on paper by M.V. Dhurandhar, part of a series by the artist on the people of Bombay. The recent and first major book on him, M.V. Dhurandhar The Romantic Realist (DAG, 2018) has three of
A Mountebank
A curious case of an Italian word finding itself stamped upon a postcard of a characteristic type in India (the fakir, in this case a mendacious one). Mountebank is an old word for a charlatan, or salesman of quack medicines.
Watchers Trans-Border Type
One of Holmes most popular images, with "trans-border type" referring to tribesmen who floated between Afghanistan and the Northwest Frontier Province (NWFP) border areas.
This not postmarked card had this written on the back: "These are what wear
How our Food is cooked The Bawarchi The Cook
A humorous card by one of the largest Raj retailers, comparing Western and Eastern cooks and procedures. It is signed by the artist Geo[rge] D. and dated [19]11 in the bottom right corner.
The Deccan Postal Service
[Original French] La Poste Au Deccan. [end]
Kunzli Freres was a Swiss company known for high-quality lithographic printing, and this was part of a series of postcards celebrating the way mail was delivered around the world.
Toddy Drawers
Toddy or palm wine as made from sap collected by climbers like this one in little pouches; fermentation was so fast in the humid air that a mildly alcoholic drink could be had in a few hours.
Ali Brothers, Homerule Leaders
This card, with the handwritten title "Mr. Mahamad Ali and Mr. Shaukat Ali, Homerule leaders" was sent by B. Bhorey in Baroda to "Mrs. A.G.
