Ships, boats, ferries, canoes etc.

An early Saskatoon real photo card, postmarked June 4, 1906 and addressed to MIss Ella MIghton, Muir, Ont., but with no message (as it's an undivided back card). This shows a ferry crossing the South Saskatchewan River.

Valentine & Sons card no. 105,147 posted on September 11, 1912 at St. Boniface, Man. to Mr. Justus Morria, Acton Vale, Quebec, with a message in French. The Winnitoba was a popular passenger vessel owned by the Hyland family. It mainly carried passengers from central Winnipeg to the Hyland amusement park downstream around Middlechurch. This card provides a nice view of the ship, which sailed for only a couple of seasons before being destroyed in a fire.

Another in the "Beautiful Manitoba Series" published by Russell, Lang & Co. of Winnipeg, this time showing championship rowers out on the Red River. The message is amusing: "Oct. 22nd/04 Poplar Point / Dear Ethel, How did you enjoy yourself at the fair. I should like to know how many different young men you had to take you home. I like to keep up with the times. Fred" Referring to the image of the young oarsmen, he adds, mischievously, "Pick which you like, four for a Dime (5d)." This is addressed to Miss E. Stokes, 4 Poplar Grove, Narnabell St., Holderness Rd, Hull, Yorkshire, England. The postmark on the undivided back card appears to be October 25, 1904.

Port Arthur, Ont. (now part of the City of Thunder Bay). A Rogers photo, 1912.

Mailed on February 4, 1914 to Miss Fraser, c/o Miss Charlton, 138 Allcroft Rd, Gospel Oak N.W., London, England. Nice view of Fort Rouge Park. Valentine & Sons card no. 109,521.

Postmarked October 1, 1910 at Sault Ste. Marie. No maker, but it says "No. 6 Made in Germany" on the back. The addressee is Miss Hilda A. Rogers, 52 Shannon Street, Toronto, Ont. -- the sender is her "Daddy" who tells her that he will be arriving by boat.

MacFarlane no. 115. Undivided back postmarked August 17, 1904 and sent to Miss Lida Browne c/o M. R. A. Ltd., King Street, St. John, New Brunswick. While the postmark reads simply "Bowden, Alta.", the sender has added "N. W. T." as would have been accurate until the next September when Alberta became a province.

Mailed May 23, 1914 from the Sault (Ont.) to P. Sanger, Trenton, Mich. with the note: "In Dry town where they only play Rum & Crib for a whole week. Be home Monday."

Imperial Series No. 136, Picture Postcard Co., Ottawa. Postmarked May 25, 1905 at Ottawa.

A Camera Products Co. card showing a steamer in the Mackenzie River, Northwest Territories. Hand coloured real photo image, probably from around 1930. Unused. Noted as having been "Published for the Mackenzie River Transport". The S.S. Distributor sailed from 1920 into the 1940s: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steamboats_of_the_Mackenzie_River

Card by Novelty Manufacturing & Art Printing Co. of Montreal. Likely 1920s. Numbered 425 and 49024 in the stamp box. Unused. Showing the U.S. side of the locks so the reference to Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario seems slightly misleading.

Valentine & Sons card -- you can see that the number has been cut off at lower left, with only the top of the circled "JV" showing. Interesting view of the locks at the end of the Rideau Canal and the bridge across to Quebec. Unused.

N. Co. card. Postmarked October 22, 1907 at Hamilton, Ont., addressed to Miss A. M. Bex, 93 Avondale Rd., Sth Croydon, Surrey, England: "21/10/07 Thanks for P.P.C. Dear M. This is the Boat I went on to see Grace. It is called "Alberta". It is a very nice ship + the dinner was great. Had a nice trip. Left Grace well + all the rest. Good bye for now. Your Loving Bro, Harry"

My first Newfoundland card. I thought these were very evocative images. The card is by the Newfoundland Pictorial Post Card Co. and is dated 1904. It is unused.

Card 2097 for M. Denman of Sault Ste. Marie. Nice double view showing the original lock and the modern lock "largest in the world".

Mailed March 17, 1908 from Edmonton to Mrs. J. W. Brill of Bolton Centre, Quebec. No indication of maker.

Postmarked on May 31, 1910 at Peterborough, Ont. Addressed by J. T. K. Smith to "Dear Friend" Mrs Farrant, 78 Gillingham Rd., Gillingham, Kent, England with a brief message. While it is a Valentine & Sons card, there is no evidence of a serial number on the front.

This Valentine & Sons moonlight card (no. 101,806) was sent by Alfred J. Clark with the typewritten message: "139 Spadina Ave. Toronto, Ont. , Canada 19.2.1911 Dear Miss Leech, Shall be glad to exchange cards with you Mr. T. Walker as [has?] done collecting so gave me your address. I shall be gald to hear from you SOON. What kind do [you?] like. Yours Etc. Alfred J. Clark." Interestingly this message is typed across the entire back but there is a cancelled stamp in the stamp box -- it looks as though the card was mailed in an envelope and then Miss Leech cut the stamp off the envelope and pasted it over the stamp box on the card. Kind of a pretty moonlight card showing the amusement park at Hanlan's Point on Toronto Island.