Tom, Tom Beaters
A beautiful studio portrait featuring the "thammattama," drums used in Buddhist rituals in Sri Lanka. They may be derived from a frame drum used in Tamil Nadu, and their sound is said to have irritated British colonists.
Divided back
Hamburg. India Docks
One of those postcards that reminds us how extensive trade was at the turn of the century between India and continental Europe, in as much as the Germans published a postcard showing just the area in Hamburg harbour where ships for India were docked.
A Dancing Girl
An unusual portrait of a dancing girl, simply dressed, with her hands above her head, against a flattened studio backdrop, probably in Mumbai.
A Native Boat, Bombay
A nicely composed postcard showing the progression in the size of ocean-going vessels, from the small boat in the foreground, to the larger ship on right, and even larger ship in the distance on the left.
Hyderabad. Arms Sellers
[Original caption] Arms Sellers, Hyderabad. Hyderabad, the capital of the state of the same name, is celebrated for its swords and other arms.
True's Elixir Is Now Sold In India
One of those fascinating advertising postcards that sheds light in the little remembered tonics and remedies that coursed the world in the 19th and 20th centuries – and still do. True's Elixir was developed by Dr.
Nautch Girl at her toilet
A slightly unusual portrait of two nautch girls in what seems like a room but is likely a studio given the painted column on the left. The bed is a prop, and the woman seated on the floor is apparently holding a mirror to the woman seated on the bed.
Ajmir. General View No. 1.
Ajmer, in the middle of Rajasthan, is a known for its tomb of Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti, a Sufi Saint
Raja Ajay Pal Chauhan founded the city of Ajmer in the 11th century, although even older structures have been found in the area.
Benares. Ganga Mehal Ghat.
Ganga Mahal Ghat is one of the holiest ghats at Varanasi and was built in the 1830s. Note how the hand-tinting has highlighted, not too carefully, the sun umbrellas in the foreground.
Calcutta. Dalhousie Barrack Fort William.
Fort William in Calcutta, completed in 1781, is a remnant British colonial rule.
Dalhousie Barrack, a four-storey building, is a captivating component of Fort William. Today it is the Military Head quarters of the Eastern Command of Indian Army.
