Figure 1.--This French-mase post card was made in France, but postally used in the Netherlands in 1932. Notice the Dutch greeting. The hand painting varied from card to card and was not related to the actual color of the boy's sweater. Clock on the image to prove this.

One French postcard company in 1932 was making cards woth a "M" in an oval logo. The cards were being exported to the Netherlands. We do not know, however, if the portraits for the cards were shot with special themes and clothing for the Netherlands. It did have a Dutch greeting. The cards employed rather fanciful hand painting as well as improbable scenes.

The Company

We lnow very little about this compmpamy. It does not seem to have been as large as some of the other French companies. We do know that the company in 1932 was making cards woth a "M" in an oval logo. The cards were being exported to the Netherlands. We do not know, however, if the portraits for the cards were shot with special themes and clothing for the Netherlands. It did have a Dutch greeting. With all the snow, the card does seem to have more of a Dutch than a French look about it. The cards employed rather fanciful hand painting as well as improbable scenes or garments. Note that the numbering system does not identify a certain card, but apparently a specific photograpic shoot.

Flowers

Postcard companies loved to have flowers in the photographs with both boys and girls. Notice that even in the dead of winter, flowers are included in this card.

Hand Coloring

Some of the hand coloring was done in improable colors. We know that the color of the boys sweater here was painted on and has no real relationship to the actual color of his sweater. Prove this by clicking on the image. The purple sweater and red trim does not look quite right for the 1930s, but the card was not rediculosly colored as was the case of some cards in the 1920s.

Improbable Costumes

Actually the costume shown here seems quite plauible in some ways. The boys cap and sweater certainly would have been wiorn during the winter. And many French and Dutch boys wore short pants all year round, including during snowy weather. What is improbable, however, is that he would have worn white shorts in the winter. These would have been much more common in the summer. Also improabable is that he would have been allowed to go ourside and play in what look to be new strap shoes. We believe that this style was a summer play style or a style for dressier occasions.

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Created: November 5, 2001
Last updated: November 5, 2001