Advice, please

As a relative beginner, I'm always a bit nervous about selliing a card which I think might be 'special'; how to list it, how to get the attention of specific collectors, where to start bidding etc. So, with this card I would appreciate some advice. The photograph was undoubtedly taken in India, since it came in a whole album of postcards of India. The uniforms are WW1.

I've been caught out before - there could be hundreds of them out there...

Advice much appreciated please. Thanks.

Can we have a scan (or description) of the back as well, please?

I know what you mean about unusual/rarer cards. One of the reasons that I still prefer to sell in auction format. I've been caught in both directions. Starting something way to high and not selling, gradually reducing the price over time and also starting way to low and ending up with big bidding wars.

I'd suggest you list it as an auction, use plenty of keywords in the title, at a price that you are willing to accept for it. If it is indeed a rare, highly collectable card the collectors will find it and you'll have a bidding war. If it doesn't sell, you can gradually lower the price until it does get snapped up.

Hi, and thank you for answering. The back of this card gives us nothing, I'm afraid. It is unwritten, and published in English. I'll now post the least interesting scan ever!!!!!

If it weren't for the caption, I would say this is a private photo printed as a postcard.

Suggestions for a title: Forest fire in India? being fought by soldiers

In the description mention that you believe this to be India, because the card came in a batch of Indian postcards. (see my recent batch of Malta postcards, where I was at a loss) Link (http) and Link (http)

I'm not convinced it's in India as they are pine trees more typical of northern Europe, also if it was in India wouldn't Indian troops be fighting the fire?

It could still be a private photo published as a postcard as the title is simply written on the negative in black ink to give the white positive print, and postcard-backed photo card was widely available at the time

I was thinking pine trees. Bound to be pine-like trees in India and if OP says all the rest of the cards in the batch are Indian, this one is likely to be too.

As for who's fighting the fire, it would depend on who's there when the fire was discovered.

Good morning to you both, and thank you.
I went back to the album where I found the postcards. Mostly, they are published postcards, collected quite carefully, but I you are right, there are some others which look like personal photographs, which I suspect were taken by the same camera, giving me some answers.

The photo of the tunnel, attached, shows both British soldiers and local men. There's a tiny word - Baljee - which is right in the north of India, which may explain the pine trees. The second card also shows pine trees.

For me, the interesting thing as that this early photographer had some skill. The 'Forest Fire' picture looks a bit posed, and given that it must have taken time to focus and expose, the faces are remarkably clear. In the tunnel picture he has managed to keep the focus on both the close subjects and the two men above, on horses.

Among the collection are a number of what we might call racially offensive portraits, but I suppose in those days that was sadly the norm.

Again, thank you for your help and interest. Cheers.

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Thanks Colcard, that's useful advice. I'll try it.
Cheers.

The back is typical of Britain as it is denominated in pence, India would be in Anna & Pies or blank (no value). My guess is the photo was taken during training before being shipped out to India.

The value lies in identifying the regiment which if you can not get from the photo, you might be able to work out from details on the Album or other Postcards and would be even better if you could id the location.