Date of use : 1913 Belgium

Aug. Diefenthal & Bourgeois – Brussels Optical Dealer

The early twentieth century was a period during which photographic and optical technologies developed rapidly and were distributed across Europe through expanding commercial networks. Cameras, optical devices, photographic plates, and laboratory equipment were not supplied solely by manufacturers; they were also marketed through regional distributors and commercial suppliers. This postcard, sent from Brussels and dated 1913, represents an interesting document illustrating the functioning of these commercial networks.

The printed letterhead at the top of the card reads: "Fournitures générales pour l'Optique et la Photographie – Instruments de précision – Maison Aug. Dietenthal-Bourgeois." This wording indicates that the sender was a company providing general supplies for optical and photographic equipment. The inclusion of the phrase "Instruments de précision" suggests that the firm dealt not only in photographic materials but also in precision instruments and optical devices. The address given on the card refers to premises located on Avenue du Midi in Brussels. During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, Brussels was an important commercial center in Belgium and played an active role in the trade of optical and scientific instruments. Firms of this kind commonly supplied microscopes, telescopic devices, photographic lenses, and laboratory equipment to both professional users and amateur photographers.

The note printed along the left margin of the card—"Dépôt des plaques et papiers Guilleminot"—is also significant. This phrase indicates that the company served as a distribution or storage point for the photographic plates and photographic papers produced by the French manufacturer Guilleminot. From the late nineteenth century onward, glass photographic plates and light-sensitive photographic papers formed the essential materials of photographic production. As a result, such distribution networks played an important role in the expansion of the photographic industry.

The recipient of the card is identified as "Madame Gallier," with the address "14 rue de Cerny" in the French city of Amiens. Amiens, located in northern France, was an important commercial and industrial center and occupied a strategic position within the economic connections linking Paris and Belgium. Although the exact profession of the recipient cannot be determined, the content of the message suggests that the correspondence was personal in nature. This example demonstrates that commercial postcards bearing printed letterheads were not used exclusively for official business communication but could also serve as a medium for personal correspondence. The exchange between Brussels and Amiens thus reflects the everyday functioning of European communication networks during this period.

The text of the letter contained in the document is as follows:

Brussels, 14 September 1913

My dear little mother and dear Abel,

I received your card this evening at eight o'clock when I returned from my trip. I will leave on Friday and have now made up my mind. I no longer wish to wait, as my subscription expires on the 19th. It will still be valid on Friday and will cover the journey to the border. This will compensate for half of the return journey to Amiens and will not prevent me from leaving again on Tuesday morning for Boulogne.

Before departing I will leave my samples. I do not need a shirt, but I would like two or three pairs of very fine wool stockings. The cotton ones are too thin. I also need shoes, as I left my slippers in my old room.

Madame Siemens left today for Holland and will remain there until Friday. I will not see her again before my departure.

I will leave on Friday at 3:28. I will dine with my cousin, and I hope you will be able to meet me at the station.

Record Information

Title: Aug. Diefenthal & Bourgeois – Brussels Optical Dealer

Category: Photographic History / Optical Trade

Subcategory: Commercial Correspondence / Personal Use of Business Stationery

Country: Belgium (Sender) / France (Recipient)

City: Brussels (Sender) / Amiens (Recipient)

Date of use: 14 September 1913

Company (Sender): Maison Aug. Diefenthal-Bourgeois, Avenue du Midi, Brussels. Supplier of general optical and photographic equipment ("Fournitures générales pour l'Optique et la Photographie") and precision instruments. Also served as a depot for Guilleminot photographic plates and papers.

Recipient: Madame Gallier, 14 rue de Cerny, Amiens, France.

Object Type: Commercial postcard with printed letterhead, used for personal correspondence.

Language: French

Material: Card stock

Dimensions: Standard postcard format

Collection Theme: Aug. Diefenthal-Bourgeois, Brussels commerce, Belgian optical trade, Guilleminot distribution, photographic supplies, precision instruments, early 20th-century business stationery, personal correspondence, Amiens history, European communication networks.

Archival Significance: This 1913 postcard illustrates the dual use of commercial stationery for personal correspondence and documents the distribution network of Guilleminot photographic materials in Belgium.

Research Note:

This article is based on historical research and independent analysis of the material in the author's collection. The text has been prepared as an original interpretative study and does not reproduce copyrighted material.

This item is documented as part of the Photography in Postal History research project.
For research context, see the Research Methodology.
For academic reference, please refer to How to Cite This Archive.