Made in Marrakech: Can you tell us about your background?
Eric Bron: I was born in 1950 in Montpellier, son and grandson of photographers from Montpellier. Originally, I did not follow in their footsteps, preferring architecture, but photography eventually caught up with me. My passion for photography and the images it conveys led me to publish a book of infrared black and white photographs of my hometown. I later created a publishing house focusing on books with themes of 'cities and villages of yesterday and today', juxtaposing vintage postcards and photos I took myself.
Made in Marrakech: Which passion came first, Marrakech or postcards?
Eric Bron: I first came to Marrakech in January 2004, and was immediately enchanted by this fascinating and captivating city. By February, I returned to Marrakech in search of a small dar (house). By the end of 2004, I was the proud owner of a house in Sidi Mimoun. After a year of renovation work and two years of furnishing it, my desire to better understand Marrakech led me in 2007 to start this collection. Vintage postcards are plentiful and relatively affordable, and they remain, along with old photos and books, remarkable witnesses of an era not so long ago, but already past.
Made in Marrakech: What ambitions drove you to make this collection?
Eric Bron: There isn't really a specific ambition, but more a desire and wish to better know Marrakech as it was before its transformation. I am very interested in the history and the way people lived at the beginning of the 20th century.
Made in Marrakech: Where do you get all these postcards?
Eric Bron: Mostly from online auction sites. Also from salons and collectors' fairs, which are very common in France, and from flea markets.
Made in Marrakech: How many do you have?
Eric Bron: About 600, all viewable on my site Marrakech Autrefois.
Made in Marrakech: Which is the oldest? What does it represent?
Eric Bron: 'Souvenir de Marrakech (Morocco)'. It's the first one on the website which serves as a presentation platform. It shows a bridge likely in the palm grove of Marrakech. The white border around the image was used for correspondence. The back was used only for the recipient's address. This one has never traveled and I date it around 1900 to 1905.
Made in Marrakech: Do you have a favorite?
Eric Bron: Yes, it's of the bookseller at Djemaa el Fna square. An image full of charm and nostalgia.
Made in Marrakech: How much does an old postcard cost?
Eric Bron: The price of the cards is subject to the law of supply and demand. It is difficult to establish a precise standard. Let's say the most common range between 1 and 5 euros. The rarer ones can exceed 50 euros. The animated cards (with characters) are the most sought after. The condition of the card is important, the rarer a card is, the more defects are penalizing.
Made in Marrakech: Do you have an anecdote about your cards?
Eric Bron: Yes, some rare old postcards, which I wanted and were 'sniped' from me by a last-minute bid on the internet. I was able to find them later at flea markets for a modest price.
Made in Marrakech: When will there be an exhibition other than on the Internet?
Eric Bron: It's difficult to exhibit postcards because of their small size. The internet remains the best way to share this cultural and artistic heritage that the vintage postcards represent. I plan to have an exhibition of photos of Marrakech and Morocco that I have taken during my stays, but that is another story!
Interview : C. Alary