Alan Mays' photos with the keyword: Alps

A CDV photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. "62. Alpenblumen. 62. Nigritella angustifolia. Rhododendron hirsutum. Leontopodium alp. Aster alp." Backmark: "F. Fridrich, K. Pr. Hofphotograph, Verleger, Prag." ["F. Fridrich, Royal Prussian Court Photographer, Publisher, Prague."] This hand-tinted carte de visite of colorful Alpine flowers came from the studio of Czech photographer František Fridrich (1829-1892) (see Fridrich's entry in the Czech Wikipedia). As indicated in the caption, the flowers include black vanilla orchid ( Nigritella angustifolia , now classified as Gymnadenia nigra ), hairy alpenrose ( Rhododendron hirsutum ), edelweiss ( Leontopodium alpinum ), and Alpine aster ( Aster alpinus ).

Posted to the Vintage Photos Theme Park group for "rattan/bamboo/wicker" theme week. Although the photo is obviously contrived, the gondola--with attached ropes and sandbags--looks like a real wicker basket similar in appearance to those used for hot air balloons. A real photo postcard addressed on the back to: "Mr. and Mrs. J. [Paules?], Oakryn, Pennsylvania, U.S. America." The message on the back: "Sept. 22nd, 1910. We are spending the afternoon at Zurich on our way home from Switzerland, had a lovely drive. The lady in the balloon with us is the one we have been staying with at St. Gallen. Love, Leslie and Ethel."