Antique & Vintage Postcards

Tall, dark cypresses — the ahuehuete trees sacred since pre-Columbian times — stand sentinel along a glassy Xochimilco canal as a flower-heaped trajinera drifts beneath an arch of blooms spelling out MARCO, its two passengers crowned in traditional dress amid a riot of red, yellow, and pink blossoms that seem almost to float free of the painting itself. This linen-era illustrated card captures the festive spirit of Xochimilco's floating gardens, a UNESCO World Heritage site whose ancient chinampas date to the Aztec empire. Published by Cía. Merc. "FEMA" S.A. of Mexico City (Apartado 7190), the card is unused and bears what appears to be a partial stamp remnant in the upper right corner area, with foxing spots on the reverse suggesting storage age. The image carries an artist credit in the lower left corner reading Xochimilco / Roberto Zárate (or similar), linking it to Mexico's tradition of painterly postcard illustration.