11.00 USD
A thought, or a memory, is actually the origin of the common name for that flower we call the pansy. Its name was taken from the old French, pensif (meaning thought), and put to use in English long ago.
Shakespeare himself, made use of it in different instances. We learn from Oberon in A Midsummer Night's Dream, for example, that the juice of it, "on sleeping eyelids laid, will make a man or woman madly dote upon the next live creature that it sees." In this case, Oberon was referring to "heart's ease," yet another name for the common European wild pansy, much used in herbal medicine, and the progenitor of the 19th century (and beyond) cultivated garden flower that we are so familiar with.
Because the word for "thought" in French is "pensée," and its homonym, "pensée" is also the French name for the flower, pansy, we run across many of these cards in which an image of embracing lovers is overlaid onto, or placed near, an image of a pansy, with a text that translates as "Think of me," or "Thinking of you," or as in this case, simply, "A Thought."
And this was not merely wordplay, but just one small example of the use to which the "Language of Flowers," so popular in those times, was put, when it was actually rather important to know the symbolic "meanings" of different flowers in order to correctly read the intentions of the person giving them to you. Silly parlor games, we might think, but no more so than anything "in fashion" can be deemed silly. Certainly one can be "un-fashionable" and muddle through just fine (I, for example, am a muddler!), sometimes even wearing a lack of fashion as a bold statement. But our personal response to fashion, will always be part of the way we communicate culturally, don'cha think? :)
A lovely, historically relevant, card, published by Alfred Noyer, and dated on the reverse, 1916.
Please examine our high res scans for detail.
The item you are considering for purchase is, unless otherwise noted, a vintage postcard of approximately 5 and 1/2, by 3 and 1/2 inches. Postage is for fully insured, first class, shipping in a secure photo mailer (to avoid any damage to your purchase in the mails), and we happily combine shipping on all paper goods. If you purchase two cards, we will refund the postage on the second card, and when you purchase three or more cards from us at the same time, your shipping will be entirely free, except for international orders which, because of increases in international shipping rates will still be charged one card's shipping fees on orders of three or more. We do not charge for insurance or shipping materials, and as of the date of this listing are still charging below our overall cost on shipping.
And please come visit our blog at:
redpoulaine.blogspot.com
where we post biographical and historical tidbits, images of cards and photographs for sale, some already sold but remembered fondly, related images of historical interest and sometimes even images of items that have not yet arrived in the shop, but that are expected to arrive soon, as well as coupon codes, links to other related sites, and more!