A Postcard You May Not Have Wanted To Receive

The front is serene snow scene:



The back however is a bit ominous:



The message is written in Latin. So far I've been able to translate it as follows:

Neglegentia = negligence or neglect

est = is

mo??

amicitiae = friendship

The missing word is probably something like "bad" but I haven't been able to make it out. Is it just me or is the drawing, together with the message, a bit scary even for 1908

That's why I love old postcards. You get a peek into someone's life for an instant. I must admit though, I've never seen one quite like this. Usually the worst is 'why don't you write'.

Santa Rosa doesn't often get snow

The Latin translates as "This could be your last copy of our catalog."

Actually, "Negligence is the death (mors) of friendship."

I sure wish Fingerhut would abide by that

I bought something for my Mum once from a catalog and I'm still getting copies of Women Within!

Yes, I believe KGB has the correct translation. The standing figure it fighting off "death" neglect. The prone figure at the bottom "friendship" has "died" and the sole "bird" is departing the body.

Snowfall in Santa Rosa is quite rare, and the postcard records an extraordinary event. Since recordkeeping started in 1902, measurable snow accumulation has occurred there only three times: 3" in January 1907 (the subject of this card); an astonishing 24" in January 1917; and an impressive 6.5" in April 1963. For the mild, Bay-influenced climate of Santa Rosa, any snow accumulation over 0.25" is noteworthy. The fact that the sender chose to send this striking image from Berkeley to San Diego in mid-summer makes the written sentiment even more stark as a wake-up call--or perhaps early 20th century "stalking". Be my friend or else ...

The upside-down, angled position of the stamp also may have communicated something. Wasn't there some kind of code for this positioning in the early 20th century?

Looks like that position of the stamp means "My heart is yours" according to this website.

http://www.philatelicdatabase.com/n...e-of-stamps/

I wonder if the Electric Company here knows that my heart is theirs.

The stamp position looks closer to "I will await you". Possibly more fitting to the subject of the sender being neglected, but its speculation at best.

Tell George Lucas that there is prior art on Darth Vader, but that you will burn it, for a price.

KGB thanks for figuring out the missing word. I think the translation though is "Neglect is the death of friendship" (neglect fits better than negligence). But yeah like someone said above, a simple "why don't you write" would have been less menacing. I never noticed the placement of the stamp - I wonder what the writer was trying to convey.

Hmmm and wasn't George Lucas from the Santa Rosa area?

After a second closer look at the website, the positioning looks like "I will await you" which would be more consistent with the written message/drawings. I also find these older postcards that have been sent through the mails with personal message fascinating as one imagines and speculates about the people and their lives on either end of the communication.

Translations are flexible, of course, but Latin has words meaning 'neglect' and 'negligence.'

As for stamp positioning, you mean I've been telling the Electric Company that I'm waiting for a visit?