Street Photographer - New Delhi

Just thought I would post these two photos from 1967 when I was visiting New Delhi.  We spotted a man taking photos using an old fashioned box camera.  I got my photo taken by him and then had my photo taken of me getting my photo taken using my old Kodak Instamatic 25 camera in black and white as well.

It might have been taken in an area called Puran Quala, I am not really sure now.

I can still remember him making me pose to show off my new watch which was a Hindustan Machine Tools made watch.  Hope you like this one.

G D Thyagaraj - Two Temples

I think today I will be posting two different paintings of the same entrance to a temple may be?

The second is painted more to the right of the entrance and there are more cows in the picture as well.

G D Paul Raj - Ploughing

I find this painting slightly strange as it hardly contains any colours which is unusual for Paul Raj?  I wonder if it has been exposed to the light over the years and has faded?  

I have only included it on the blog for interest, the signature seems correct but no date is available.

The Face Book page is now getting going in case anyone wants to take a look, it can be found at the following link: G D Paul Raj Facebook page.

G D Paulraj - Banana Market

I have been invited to join a Face-book page set up by family members of Paul Raj.  I will try and find out how I do a link to the page as when I tried to email a link to someone it did not work for them.  Today I will upload a painting I purchased from the USA and it was one of a pair.  The original owner had worked in the USA Embassy in New Delhi in the early 1950's and acquired the two paintings at that time.  I like the bright Bananas but my wife does not she keeps trying to persuade me to sell this one.

The photo is not so good as it has some reflection of lamp shades in the room.  I will take a better photo in the spring when I can take the painting outside into the daylight.

Elephants and Coins

I thought I would go off in a different direction today and post a photograph of a fantastic carved wooden elephant I have.  I think it might have come from the Madras region but was not present when my parents purchased it many, many years ago.

It is a large elephant approximately 12 inches in height by 12 inches in length and beautifully carved.  My mother always said it had to stand facing the door of the room, but I cannot recall why?

Also in my profile I mentioned that i have collected Indian silver coins between 1835 and 1945.  I started with silver rupees and of course progressed to half and then quarter rupees eventually collecting the tiny 2 anna coins as well.  Today I am listing an unusual one due to the fact it is stamped PM.  I have been told it was used in an African country, I think it was Mozambique due to a shortage of coinage at the time.

This coin is dated 1884 and was minted in Bombay.  It has a very small mint mark in the base of the lotus flower on the side of the coin with the date at the 12 o'clock position.

Small picture of the mint mark follows but it is hard to see.

G D Paul Raj - Banyan Trees and Women Washing in the Stream

This painting belongs to a gentleman in the North West of England who I have exchanged a few emails with.  He purchased it at an auction in England in 2007 it was called 'Banyan Trees' in the auction.

The painting looks a lot warmer than the UK at the moment as we move into at least our third week of winter with plenty of snow about causing travel problems.  The next painting is the first Paul Raj that I ever bid for on Ebay it could have been as long as ago as 2005 I am not certain.

It is a very dark subject, the lady in the picture seems to be washing something in the water, the tree roots seem to be exposed.  Does anyone know what kind of trees they might be?  I thought it might be mangroves at first but I think the tree trunks are too thick.  I was disappointed when I did not secure the painting at the auction but with hindsight I am probably glad as it is not one of my favourites.

G D Thyagaraj - Women Working in the Paddy Fields

This painting belongs to a gentleman living in India who is an artist himself and has been very helpful to me in finding out information about the three Raj brothers.  He was happy for me to show this painting on the blog.

It has similarities to the photo taken from the cine film which I posted a while ago.  The sky is very dark so I am unsure whether a storm is brewing or whether evening is falling?  Also on the right where the signature is I assume is an irrigation channel.

I think by now I have posted plenty copies of his signature to show clearly that his initials are 'G D'.  Hope you like this one.  Best wishes to everyone for 2010.