France Architecture Chateau Azay-le-Rideau 1907 Postal Card to Clinton USA

Item Specifics

Country

France

Condition

Unused

Stamp Format

Single

Item Description

Grade: Ungraded
Item: Postally Used Picture Postcard Printed Origin Information (on postcard): Front Caption: "36 Château d'AZAY-LE-RIDEAU. – Façade orientale, vue sur l'Indre." (Château of Azay-le-Rideau. – Eastern facade, view on the Indre River). Mailing Information: Sent From (Postmark Location): France. The departure postmark is partially legible as CHANGÉ, SARTHE. Sender: Signed "E.C." Sent To: Miss Mable Sweet, Savannah Avenue, Clinton, Iowa, U.S.A. Postmarks: Departure Postmark: Location: CHANGÉ, SARTHE (France). Elements of "CHANGÉ" and "SARTHE" are partially visible within the circular postmark. Date: The year must be "07" (1907) to be consistent with the clear arrival postmark. The month appears to be "JUILLET" (July), aligning with the sender's handwritten date. The day numeral is heavily obscured by the cancellation. Based on the sender's handwritten date of "July 2, 1907," a mailing date of July 3, 1907, is the most probable interpretation for calculating transit time. Arrival Postmark: Location: CLINTON, IOWA Date: JUL 11, 1907 Time: 8 PM Travel Time & Distance: Complete Travel Time: Approximately 8 days (calculated using the probable departure date of July 3, 1907, and the clear arrival date of July 11, 1907). Approximate Travel Distance: Changé, Sarthe, France to a French port (e.g., Cherbourg or Le Havre). Transatlantic voyage from French port to a US East Coast port (e.g., New York). US East Coast port to Clinton, Iowa. Estimated total distance: Approximately 7,000-7,500 km (around 4,300-4,700 miles). Historical Context for Postmark Dates: Circa July 3, 1907 (France): The sender wrote the card on July 2, 1907. This was the Belle Époque period in France. The mention of an "auto trip" reflects the early, but growing, popularity of automobile travel for tourism. The Hague Convention of 1907, defining laws of war, was being negotiated around this time. July 11, 1907 (Clinton, Iowa): A Thursday. Clinton was a significant lumber town on the Mississippi River. An 8-day mail transit from provincial France to Iowa was notably efficient for the era. The US was experiencing economic prosperity under President Theodore Roosevelt, though the Panic of 1907 would begin later in the year. Additional Visible Features: The postcard features a sepia-toned photograph of the Château d'Azay-le-Rideau. A French 10 centimes red "Sower" type definitive stamp (Type Semeuse lignée) is affixed. The reverse has a divided back layout, with "Carte Postale" printed. Standard text "Tous les pays étrangers n'acceptent pas la correspondance au recto. Se renseigner à la poste." is present. Handwritten Message (English): July 2. Oh, no I wish we had a chance to see you all. Well I guess we sail tomorrow & will be about a week on the way. Expect us home about 15th. Saw this chateau on a glorious auto trip. With love. E.C. Interesting Facts about the Locations: Château d'Azay-le-Rideau (Indre-et-Loire): An iconic example of early French Renaissance architecture. Changé (Sarthe, France): A small commune near Le Mans. Clinton (Iowa, USA): Located on the Mississippi River, historically a lumber town. Brief Summary: This 1907 picture postcard by Neurdein Frères (ND. Phot.) shows the Château d'Azay-le-Rideau. Written on July 2, 1907, and likely mailed from Changé, Sarthe, France, around July 3, 1907 (based on a partially legible postmark and sender's text), by "E.C." to Miss Mable Sweet in Clinton, Iowa, USA. It arrived remarkably quickly on July 11, 1907 (approx. 8-day transit). The sender mentions an "auto trip" and upcoming transatlantic sailing. The card bears a French 10c Sower stamp.

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