St. Anne postcards usually feature pictures of young women and sewing machines. The images are more romantic than practical: yards of frilly fabric and flower bouquets are usually cluttering up the work area. St. Anne is the patron saint of seamstresses, hence the association with sewing machines.
The card was printed in France, and illustrates a Swiss-made Tavaro sewing machine called the Elna, later known as the Elna #1 or the Elna Grasshopper. The machines were introduced in 1940, which sounds like a good timeframe for the postcard.
Although not specifically advertising the Elna Grasshopper, its distinctive color and shape jump right out at you from this card. No longer mentioning St. Anne, the card is still a romantic depiction of a seamstress. Another French postcard.
The Elna #1 was another entrant in the portable, electric sewing machine arena. The machine fit snugly in its own (green) carrying case, which folded flat to make a sewing surface (not pictured in the card). The machine and case together weighed in at 14.5 pounds.
I can't help but giggle every time I see this card. The pose with the bird reminds me of the song "A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes" from the Disney movie, Cinderella. But I think the model has a smirk on her face as if her inner thoughts are far from Disney-esque!
