Miss Blanche Copeland lived in Columbia, the pretty borough and center of commerce and transportation on the Susquehanna River of central Pennsylvania.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbia,_Pennsylvania
Blanche’s residence at 1145 Manor Street is no longer standing; the home that is now at that address was erected in 1920.
In January of 1909 (the postmark is partially obscured), Blanche received an art postcard from “G. M.”
The postcard was nailed from Columbia, so we may assume that G. M. lived nearby.
+ + + + + + + + +
The face of the postcard is an original painting that depicts an encounter in the mountains -probably the Alps of Germany or Switzerland.
This scene, possibly a sad farewell, was printed for the international market sometime in the very early twentieth century.
The man, in lederhosen and woolen stockings, sports an alpine cap and carries a staff.
The young woman who clings to him is dressed in a long black skirt; her shoulders covered by a lacy shawl.
This postcard was printed by Paul C. Koeber & Co. of New York and Kirkheim (Germany).
A tiny logo on the reverse, including the word, “Pick”, identifies this postcard as part of the “Peacock Series” of postcards.
Although very large numbers of Koeber postcards are archived, I have not found a history of the company.
https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q109830363
+ + + + + + + +
Many postcard companies, both in the United States and Europe, commissioned original art for the enormous international postcard market.
The quality of the art and of the printing of art postcards was often superior to that of occasional postcards or to postcard photographs of local landmarks.
A large number of postcard artists had flourishing careers in this specialized niche, although only the most successful were permitted to sign or initial their work.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_postcards_in_the_United_States;
On the reverse, G.N. has not written a message; he added only his initials.
We learn more of the sender, and of his relationship to Blanche, in other postcard stories.
