A Window into the Past: The "Photo-Brown" Charm of Nefyn

 There is a specific kind of magic found in the tactile nature of vintage ephemera. As a collector, few things are as satisfying as unfolding a Valentine’s Letter Card. These weren't just postcards; they were miniature, foldable galleries of a traveller’s journey. Today, we’re looking at a beautiful "British Production" from my collection: a 6 View Letter Card of Nevin (now more commonly spelled in the Welsh, Nefyn), nestled on the stunning Llŷn Peninsula in North Wales.

Produced in a rich, sepia-toned "Photo-Brown," this set captures a moment when Nefyn was asserting itself as a premier destination for those seeking rugged beauty, sea air, and the burgeoning social prestige of the golf links.

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The Aesthetic of "Photo-Brown"

Before we dive into the locations, let’s talk about the medium. The "Photo-Brown" process used here was a popular choice for Valentine & Sons, the famous Dundee-based printing giant. By using a monochromatic sepia palette rather than full colour or standard black-and-white, the publisher achieved a sense of warmth and "heritage" even when the photos were contemporary.

The letter card itself is an ingenious design. For the price of a halfpenny stamp (if left unsealed), a visitor could send six distinct views and a short message home. If they had more to say—perhaps about a particularly challenging bunker on the golf course—they could seal it up for a penny-halfpenny.

Exploring the Six Views

The images selected for this card provide a comprehensive "tourist's eye view" of Nefyn and its sister village, Morfa Nefyn.

1. The Two Bays, Nevin: This sweeping aerial-style shot shows the unique geography of the area, where the town sits perched between the Great and Little Bays. You can see the dense clusters of stone houses and the organized strips of farmland stretching toward the sea.

2. Golf Links, Nevin: Perched on the dramatic headland of Porthdinllaen, this course is world-famous today. Here, we see it in its earlier years. The figures on the green, dressed in what appears to be traditional early 20th-century sporting attire, emphasize the area’s transition from a fishing hub to a leisure destination.

1. Nevin Bay & Rivals: This view looks eastward toward the dominant peaks of Yr Eifl (The Rivals). The jagged silhouettes of these mountains provide a dramatic backdrop to the soft curve of the coastline.

2. Nevin Beach: A classic seaside study. The tide is out, revealing a vast expanse of sand dotted with holidaymakers. You can just make out the small bathing huts or structures at the foot of the cliffs, a staple of the British seaside experience.

1. Nevin From Across the Bay: This view highlights the verticality of the village. The houses of Morfa Nefyn seem to cling to the cliffside, with winding paths leading down to the water's edge.

2. Cliff Walk, Morfa Nevin: My personal favourite. It captures the rugged, overgrown path toward Porthdinllaen. It invites the viewer to imagine the wind whipping off the Irish Sea and the scent of gorse in the air.

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Dating the Collection: A Philatelic Clue

One of the most frequent questions I get is: "How do you know when it was made?" Without a postmark, we have to become detectives.

The most significant clue lies on the back of the envelope: "Postage 1½d.—If stuck down and used as letter."

In the United Kingdom, the inland letter rate rose from 1d to 1½d in June 1920. It remained at this price until 1922, briefly dropped, and then fluctuated throughout the interwar period. However, the specific combination of the "Photo-Brown" branding and the typography suggests a publishing date in the mid-to-late 1920s. The serial numbers on the images (ranging from 84000 to 210000) also align with Valentine & Sons’ cataloguing system from the post-WWI era.

There is a settled, peaceful quality to these images that captures the "Long Garden Party" atmosphere of the 1920s, before the Great Depression and the subsequent modernization of the 1930s changed the face of domestic tourism.

Why Nefyn Still Matters

Looking at these images today, what is most striking is how much has not changed. While the cars on the roads are different and the "bathing machines" are gone, the silhouette of The Rivals remains unchanged. The Ty Coch Inn (likely visible as a small speck in the Porthdinllaen views) still serves pints to weary walkers.

This letter card is more than just cardstock and ink; it’s a time capsule of Welsh coastal life. It represents a period when the Llŷn Peninsula was a hidden gem, accessible by rattling trains and early motorcars, offering a "Photo-Brown" escape from the industrial smoke of the cities.

Moonlight Over the Cobbles: A Rare Glimpse into Historic Clovelly

 There is a specific kind of magic found in the tactile nature of a vintage postcard. For years, I have carefully curated a collection of these "snapshots in time," but few capture the atmospheric soul of a place quite like this sepia-toned gem of High Street, Clovelly.

This isn't just a piece of cardstock; it is a portal to the Devon coast as it existed over a century ago. Captured by the renowned artist Elmer Keene and published as part of the "Chic" Series by Charles Worcester & Co. of Bristol, this postcard is a masterclass in Edwardian-era romanticism.

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High Street, Clovelly, Devon  Elmer Keene

The Artistry of Elmer Keene

When you look at the front of this postcard, you aren’t looking at a simple photograph. Elmer Keene (1853–1929) was a prolific artist famous for his "moonlight" scenes. He had a unique talent for taking a landscape and infusing it with drama through the use of light and shadow.

In this depiction of Clovelly’s famous High Street, Keene uses a full, hazy moon to illuminate the steep, pebbled path. The light reflects off the wet stones—perhaps after a coastal evening mist—creating a leaden glow that guides the eye up the hill. The inclusion of figures and donkeys adds a layer of "living history." In the early 20th century, donkeys were the primary "engines" of Clovelly, used to haul goods, luggage, and even tourists up the 400-foot climb from the harbour. Seeing them pictured here reminds us of the village's legendary refusal to submit to the motorized age.

A Walk Up the High Street

The composition of the card is striking. On the left, we see the recognizable facade of the New Inn, its sign hanging proudly over the narrow street. The New Inn remains a landmark in Clovelly today, and seeing it here—rendered in Keene’s signature sepia style—bridges the gap between the modern traveller and the Victorian wanderer.

The steepness of the street is palpable. Clovelly is famous for its "Up-a-long" and "Down-a-long" geography. As you look at the figures trudging upward, you can almost hear the rhythmic click of donkey hooves against the "cobbles" (which are actually smooth boulders gathered from the beach below).

The Reverse: A Collector’s Story

Turning the postcard over reveals the clean, unused "Back" of the card. For a collector, an unposted card is a bit of a double-edged sword. While we lose the historical context of a handwritten message or a dated postmark, we gain a pristine look at the typography and branding of the era.

The "Chic" Series logo and the attribution to Charles Worcester & Co., Bristol, help us date the piece. Worcester & Co. were prominent printers in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The "divided back" (with separate sections for correspondence and address) tells us this card was likely printed after 1902, when the British Post Office first allowed messages to be written on the same side as the address. Before then, the back was for the address only, forcing people to scrawl their notes across the front of the image!

Why Clovelly Endures

Clovelly is a private village, a fact that has largely preserved its timeless quality. Because it is still owned by a single estate, the village has avoided the neon signs and architectural sprawl that have affected other seaside towns.

When I hold this postcard in my hand, I am struck by how little has changed. If you stood in this exact spot on High Street tonight, the silhouette of the New Inn and the steep incline toward the horizon would look remarkably similar to Elmer Keene’s vision.

Collecting these cards is about more than just owning paper; it’s about preserving the "mood" of history. This postcard doesn't just show us what Clovelly looked like; it shows us how Clovelly felt—mysterious, hardworking, and deeply beautiful.

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Collectors’ Tips: Identifying Elmer Keene Postcards

If you are looking to add Keene’s work to your own collection, keep an eye out for these hallmarks:

1. The Signature: Almost all his works feature "ELMER KEENE" in the bottom corner in block capitals.

2. The Lighting: Look for the "Nocturne" style—high-contrast moonlight and reflections on water or wet streets.

3. The Subject Matter: He frequently painted British coastal scenes, particularly in Devon, Cornwall, and Yorkshire.

Final Thoughts

This piece remains a highlight of my collection. It serves as a reminder that even in our fast-paced, digital world, there is immense value in the slow, the steep, and the moonlit.

The Eternal Bloom: A 1930s Glimpse of Agrigento’s Temple of Juno

 There is a specific kind of magic found in vintage postcards—a stillness that captures not just a place, but a mood. This recent addition to my collection, a sepia-toned "Vera Fotografia" of the Temple of Juno in Agrigento, Sicily, is a stunning example of how history and nature can be frozen in a single, evocative frame.

The image depicts the ancient Greek ruins perched atop a rugged ridge, framed by a frothing sea of almond blossoms. It is a scene that feels almost too poetic to be real, yet it represents one of the most iconic landscapes in the Mediterranean.

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Deciphering the Artifact: Dating the Card

One of the most rewarding aspects of postcard collecting is the "detective work" required to pin down a date. Looking at the reverse of this card, we find several definitive clues:

• The Fascist Era Notation: On the left margin, the text reads: “Edizione del Museo Civico - Rip. Vietata - 1937 - XV”.

• The Roman Numerals: The "XV" refers to the fifteenth year of the Era Fascista (Fascist Era), which began in October 1922. Year XV corresponds precisely to the period between October 1936 and October 1937.

• Production Style: The card is labelled "Vera Fotografia" (Real Photograph), a popular style in the 1930s that utilized silver halide processes to create a depth of field and sharpness that printed lithographs couldn't match.

Estimated Date of Publishing: Early 1937.

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The Subject: Hera Lacinia (Juno)

The temple itself, known traditionally as the Temple of Juno Lacinia (or Hera Lacinia), dates back to approximately 450 BC. It sits at the highest point of the famous Valley of the Temples. By the time this photograph was taken in the 1930s, the structure had survived nearly 2,400 years of history, including a fire set by the Carthaginians in 406 BC and an earthquake in the Middle Ages.

In the postcard, the columns stand as stoic sentinels. The Doric architecture—thick, fluted columns without bases—is highlighted by the high-contrast photography of the era. The ruins don't look like a "site" here; they look like a natural extension of the Sicilian earth.

The Seasonal Romance: Almond Blossoms

What truly elevates this postcard is the foreground. Agrigento is world-famous for its Sagra del Mandorlo in Fiore (Almond Blossom Festival). Every year, usually in February, the valley is transformed by clouds of white and pale pink blossoms.

To the traveller of 1937, this postcard promised a specific sensory experience: the scent of the blossoms carried on the Mediterranean breeze and the stark, sun-bleached beauty of the ancient world. Even in black and white (or sepia), you can almost feel the softness of the petals against the hard, weathered stone of the temple.

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Why This Postcard Matters

This piece is more than just a souvenir. It was published by the Museo Civico, suggesting it was part of an official "Serie Artistica" intended to promote the cultural heritage of Sicily during a period of intense national pride.

For a collector, the "clean" back—unposted and free of stamps—allows us to appreciate the typography and the multilingual descriptions (Italian, German, and English). It tells us that even in the late 1930s, Agrigento was a cosmopolitan destination drawing tourists from across Europe.

When I hold this card, I’m struck by the continuity of the landscape. If you were to stand in this exact spot today in early February, the view would be remarkably similar. The temple remains, the almond trees still bloom, and the Sicilian sun still casts those long, dramatic shadows.

This postcard is a testament to the enduring allure of the "Grand Tour" spirit. It captures a moment where the ancient past and the cyclical life of nature meet in perfect harmony.