Collotype

A unusual advertising postcard for one of Karachi's premiere merchants at the turn of the century. As the commercial directory Seaports of India Ceylon (Allister Macmillan, 1908) put it for the first firm in their "Commercial Karachi" section…

An exceptionally rare postcard that makes one wonder how large a market there would have been for these well-fed gentlemen, and whether they were all really bishops – though this seems likely as there are currently 13 bishops in Myanmar.

A beautiful postcard from archaeological photographer Jadu Kissen, who had an office in Srinagar or may have worked for The Archaeological Survey of India in Kashmir at some point.

An view of one of Karachi's major arteries. This view by Fred Bremner is probably from 1889 or the early 1890s when he first settled in the city and became one of its earliest photographers.

La Martiniere College initially consisted of a splendid eighteenth century residence, to which other structures have been added over the years. Located on Dilkusha Road of Lucknow, it was built by the Major-General Claude Martin in 1845.

An unusual dark background, and all the women holding hands and looking off slightly to their left.

The "father of Indian industry." Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata (1839-1904) was born in Gujarat and graduated from Elphinstone College in Mumbai in 1858.

This particular card was mailed to France from Chennai on Dec. 25, 1900. Note the entire message is readable, but from what is seems to say:

[Unclear first word] "Happy new year, Mr. Francis. Really it is not cold here. Antoine."

A very early "Greetings from"postcard. Note how the top two images are also prefixed with a "View of" as part of the title. See the version with a message in French.

Maharajah Sawai Madho Singh II (1862-1922) in front of one of his palaces. The man next to him is British, the boys holding up the ends of his cape are his "morganatic" (non-inheriting) sons Gangaji and Gopalji (thanks to @Cartrick and @Topophilia…