Tuberosa - 1908

Yesterday afternoon I went for a long, aimless walk in Rome, taking side streets that I don't usually follow and generally enjoying the gorgeous sunshine of a beautiful spring day. As it happens, my wander took me to a second-hand book shop that I didn't know and which also had a small stall of vintage postcards set-up outside. I discovered this stunning real photograph flower postcard of a white Poliamtha Tuberosa and thought it would be a perfect image to share right away. It reminds very much of Robert Mapplethorpe's photographs of flowers...

I assume that it was printed in France, although the card was written and probably hand delivered - if it ever actually reached its destination at all - in Rome, Italy. It is addressed locally to a certain Amalia M. Rocca on Via Conte Verde, with Rome indicated merely as "Città" (city), but there is no sign of there having ever been a postage stamp. It appears to be a bromide print judging by the overall matte surface with some metallic-looking tarnishing towards the edges of the postcard.

If you look very carefully in the bottom left hand corner on the front of the card there is a tiny publisher's logo - NRM above a coat of arms - although I've been unable to discover anything more about them.