Antique & Vintage Postcards

Brussels' most beloved bronze scoundrel stands barely two feet tall yet commands the world's attention — this hand-colored Belgian souvenir card captures the Manneken Pis in his eternal act, the stream of water arcing boldly against a soft teal architectural backdrop. The statue, cast by Jérôme Duquesnoy in 1619 and installed at the corner of Rue de l'Étuve and Rue du Chêne, became one of Europe's most visited curiosities; the card's warm golden-brown colorization gives the bronze a luminous, almost gilded quality rarely seen in period photography. Tucked behind the front image is a remarkable accordion-fold insert revealing the statue dressed in a rotating cast of elaborate costumes — military uniforms, folk dress, and ceremonial regalia — reflecting the beloved tradition of gifting the statue outfits that dates to Louis XV in 1747. The fold-out format, a popular interwar novelty, transforms a single postcard into a miniature costume gallery, each panel hand-colored in complementary teal and rose tones. An irresistible piece of Belgian ephemera for any collector of European novelty cards or Brussels memorabilia.