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Author Archives: Sharman
Ānanda Metteyya: The British Buddhist Captivated by Burma
The postcard above is one of the most unusual I have collected. I could see right away that the man in the Burmese monk’s robes was Western, not Burmese. The story behind this man is intriguing. How could one … Continue reading
Vintage Christmas postcards from Burma
Previously I have referred to postcards of typical scenes from Burma being overprinted with a Christmas message, and how odd that seemed. I’ve since added more to the collection and would like to share them with you as my Christmas … Continue reading
Posted in Early Photography in Burma
Tagged Burma postcard, Christmas Burma postcard, Raphael Tuck, Tuck Oilette
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Mr. A. C. Martin: a victim of a petty official in 1915
The name A.C. Martin means very little to people now, except for the handful of remaining descendants of the Armenian community living in Yangon today. If you have been to Yangon, Myanmar, you have walked past some of A. C … Continue reading
Collecting Old Postcards of Burma
One of the things my uncle Arthur collected, as well as second hand books about Burma, was old postcards. Apparently he had kept many postcards from Burma, and from the description of how many there were, I had guessed he … Continue reading
Early Photography in Burma, Part 2: Willoughby Wallace Hooper
Willoughby Wallace Hooper was born in London in 1837 and by the age of sixteen he became a writer in the East India Company. A writer was a junior clerk at the lowest level who took minutes, recorded the entries in … Continue reading
Early Photography in Burma, Part 1: Linnaeus Tripe
Linnaeus Tripe was born in Devonport, Devon on April 14, 1822, the ninth of twelve children. His father Cornelius was a surgeon. In 1839 he joined the East India Company as an ensign in the 12th Madras Native Infantry, and travelled … Continue reading
Posted in Early Photography in Burma
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The Burmese Zodiac: An Astonishing Discovery
The Burmese are a superstitious people. There are astrologists, numerologists and palm readers in every town, earning a good living. Most people seek their help in deciding an auspicious date for a wedding, starting a business or going to … Continue reading
Posted in Travels in Burma
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Antiques Roadshow, Burmese Style
I’ve always loved old things, especially useful but baffling objects from the 19th century. In museums you will find me staring at cases full of marrow scoops and asparagus tongs or marvelling at complete dessert services for 100 people, including … Continue reading
In Praise of Boring Books: A Golden Example
Have you ever stopped reading a book that everyone is raving about because you just found it…..boring? Have you persevered to the end of dull books just because you think you might learn something and afterwards regretted all that time … Continue reading