Vintage Marseille France 1930s -40s French Family Vacation Snapshot Photo Albums - store 542 Photos: Paris Provence Cote d'Azur Dogs Cars and More

Glimpses into the past, two photo albums of a family's and friends' vacations in the 1930s and 1940s. One album contains 210 snapshots and the other 332. Subject matter is the landscapes they visited and the group, almost always of adults in their 30s to 50s, well dressed and "stylish" looking. This family must have been reasonably prosperous to have been able to take vacations in their car between the wars, and after WW2, when much of the European population did not have funds to spare for vacations (according to my European friends). There are a few boats and ships, and a couple of biplanes. There are two cars shown, both Peugeot 201s, an earlier model in the 1930s album, and a later one in the 1940s album; the 201 was made from 1929 to 1937 and had body style changes. Featured prominently is a dog, perhaps a Jack Russel, who was obviously very much loved and traveled with them. Also a number of other dogs. Some of the places shown are Paris (Opera, Vincennes Zoo, and I think the Colonial Expo in 1931), Col d'Allos at the 1934 Tour de store France, Fontainbleau, Montreux, Sausset-les-Pins, Istres, Annency, St. Remy de Provence (Glanum), Marseille, Rouen, Pont du Gard, and many unidentified locations. This group liked skiing and hiking, as many photos are taken in mountainous areas. Their Peugeots were apparently able to make the climbs on rugged roads, today we would probably not try it without 4wd. They were adventurers and looked to be having good times.

Most of the photos have no writing on the reverse, although I have not taken them all out to look. There are also no names, there is no way to identify these people, which is unfortunate. I feel sure it originated in Marseille, as both albums have stickers from shops in Marseille, and the one studio photo of a girl in what I think is her Catholic confirmation dress is from a studio in Marseille. The albums were acquired in Carpentras, about an hour and a half from Marseille.

The albums themselves are not in great condition, but are most surely part of the story and should be included. My sample photo pages are not of the best or the worst in the albums, they are a good representation of what you will see inside.

I want to sell all of the photos together, in their original albums. I believe it is important for the context and history of the photos, and there is a story being told. Many collections of vintage photos being sold are simply an assemblage of rootless photographs without a frame of reference. That the albums remain intact as they were made 70-80 years ago makes them very special. Many antique and vintage photo albums are simply filled with studio portraits, having no hint of the real lives of the subjects. This collection is a vivid view into how this group of people spent their leisure time. I rarely find this kind of a collection, in fact this is the largest and best I have found.

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