A Penny for Your Pansy - Scented Vintage Postcards


There's pansies, that's for thoughts….. from Hamlet (Act IV, Scene V) Shakespeare



Ophelia was referring to the French word for pansy (pensée) which literally translates to ‘thoughts.'


(This vintage postcard message translates to 'my thoughts follow you.' A card like this is pure romance.)

The cheerful 5 petaled flower seems to have a human face. In August it leans forward in the heat as if in deep thought. This delightful play on words pops up on many French vintage postcards. If you want to show someone that they are in your 'thoughts' the pansy will certainly get your message across.



(This vintage postcard is certainly a creative souvenir from this town!)

The idea that pansy blossom juice is a love potion exists. … ‘the juice of it, on sleeping eyelids laid, will make man or woman madly dote upon the next live creature that it sees.’ Au revoir ! I'm off to the garden center!

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6 cool cats commented:

Katie said...

What sweet pansy postcards! And I really like the dress that woman is wearing in the romantic "my thoughts follow you" card. I want a dress like that!!

Starman said...

Just a bit of name dropping....the Bob and Robb K & K have been talking about recently is us. I feel so famous!
Merci beaucoup for dropping the code thingy. I really, really hated it.

Anonymous said...

Pansys always make me think of my grandmother (Nanny). She grew them and violets like crazy. I bet there are vintage postcards in heaven!

Blog Bee said...

Pansies are cute, but the name always makes me think "why're you calling those flowers names? Why???"

B said...

I've never known that pansies were symbolic in France for thoughts. That makes them even lovelier. Thanks for sharing these beautiful vintage postcards. They are so wonderful. I look forward to returning to your blog and browsing through your vintage postcards for inspiration!

papel1 said...

Your blog is most interesting. I will have to look thru my box of flower postcards and search for Pansies.
Judy