THE CABINET CARD GALLERY

This exquisite, hand-tinted real photo postcard features the French performer Manon Loti, posed in a delicate, form-fitting gown adorned with embroidered florals and sheer puffed sleeves. She adjusts her wide-brimmed hat, which is lavishly decorated with large pink roses. With her sculpted hairstyle, porcelain complexion, and elegant stance, she embodies the essence of Belle Époque glamour. Photographed by the celebrated Parisian studio Reutlinger, the card is part of a numbered series and marked 90/83 in the lower left corner. The studio’s name, Reutlinger – Paris, appears in the lower right quadrant of the image, and beneath that is the publisher’s mark: K.F. Éditeurs, Paris, a known postcard publisher that frequently issued hand-colored celebrity cards in collaboration with leading photography studios. The message on the reverse of the postcard reads  “My little Léon, I thank you very much for your kind wishes. Do you think there is another girl who would want so much to kiss her little man? Your little woman. Mlle G.” This personal note, possibly flirtatious or romantic in tone, adds a charming touch of period sentimentality to the card. In regard to the photographer, Léopold Reutlinger was one of the most important Parisian photographers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His studio specialized in portraits of actresses, dancers, and singers, many of whom became stars of the Belle Époque. His work was frequently reproduced in elegant photographic postcards like this one. The publisher of this postcard, K.F. Éditeurs (Paris), a well-known postcard publishing firm active in the early 1900s, recognized for producing tinted postcards, particularly featuring Parisian stage performers. They collaborated with top-tier studios such as Reutlinger and Waléry.  (SOLD)

This vintage real photo postcard features English actress, Eleanor (Nellie) Souray (1880-1931). She was also known as Viscountess, or Lady Torrington. She was known for her roles in Edwardian musical comedies, pantomime, and light opera. Her sister, Maidie Souray was also an actress. Eleanor ran away from school to act in a touring company from Brighton. It was not long before she was starring in plays on the London stage. Among the plays she appeared in were “The Black Tulip” (1898), “The Blue Moon” (1905), and “The Merveilleuses” (1906). She was also a Gaiety Theatre girl. Eleanor was also an author, penning “Over the Garden Wall: A Story of Racing and Romance” (1924). In 1910, she wed George Master Byng, the 9th Viscount Torrington. They only knew each other three day before they were married. They shared a strong interest in horse racing. The pair divorced after World War l. She became more involved in horse racing and that interest led to her bankruptcy in 1930. In 1931 she committed suicide by gas. At the time of her death she was struggling with poverty and loneliness. 

This vintage real photo postcard features a stage beauty named Cecilia Loftus (1876-1943). She was a Scottish actress, singer, mimic, vaudevillian, and music hall performer. Her career spanned the late 19th and early 20th centuries. She was a product of parents who were performers. Her father was a member of a successful variety group and her mother was an actress, music hall performer, and burlesque star. At age seventeen, Cecilia (Cissy) made her debut at the Oxford Music Hall in London. She began her career in Music Halls and then appered in musical comedy at the Gaiety Theatre. In 1894, she appeared in Vaudeville at the Lyceum Theatre in New York City. She joined the Ada Rehan Company, and then the Augustin Daly Company. In 1898, she began to appear in legitimate theatre. She toured with actor Sir Henry Irving. In 1905 she had success appearing in Henrik Ibsen’s “A Doll’s House”. Later that same year, she received much acclaim for her portrayal of Peter Pan. Loftus had a successful career in burlesque as well as on Broadway. The IBDb credits Loftus with appearing in 39 different Broadway productions between 1900 and 1941. Many of her roles were in Shakespeare plays. She also appeared in 14 films from the 1910’s to the 1940’s. Cecilia had a tumultous personal life. She eloped at 17 with an Irish writer, twice her age. The marriage failed. In 1908 she married an American doctor. Within six years, her marriage and health were in bad shape. She divorced her husband. Healthwise, she became dependent on alcohol and pain killers. In 1922, she was arrested for possession of morphine. She received probation from an English court and in 1923, she permanantly left Great Britain and returned to New York City to pursue her career on Broadway and in Hollywood. This postcard presents a beautifully staged studio photograph of the young, strikingly pretty actress posed in what appears to be an interior working space rather than a domestic room. The setting is almost certainly a theatrical or photographic studio set, carefully arranged to suggest activity and character rather than everyday life. She is shown seated at a spinning wheel, her hands engaged with the mechanism as if in the act of spinning wool or thread. The wheel itself is prominently placed in the foreground, its turned wooden elements and spindle clearly visible, lending the image a strong sense of craft and period atmosphere. To the left, a mass of raw wool or fiber rests against the wheel, reinforcing the impression that she is meant to be “working,” though the scene is clearly theatrical and symbolic rather than documentary. Her costume is elaborate and highly decorative, consistent with late Victorian or Edwardian stage imagery. She wears a richly colored dress—hand-tinted in shades of deep plum or rose—with a fitted bodice and full skirt patterned with small floral motifs. The sleeves are puffed and trimmed with lace, and a sheer white lace fichu or shawl softens the neckline. Her hair is styled in soft waves and partially covered with a lace cap or bonnet, adding to the pastoral, old-world aesthetic. Dark lace gloves extend partway up her forearms, emphasizing elegance over practicality. Her expression is gentle and composed, with a direct yet slightly wistful gaze toward the camera. The pose balances grace and suggestion of labor, a common visual trope in actress postcards of the period, where beauty and refinement are foregrounded even in scenes meant to evoke work or tradition. The image is clearly a studio composition, not a real working room. The neutral background, controlled lighting, and carefully placed props indicate a staged photographic environment designed to showcase the sitter’s charm and versatility rather than document an actual interior. At the bottom margin, the card is identified as No. 181 in a series published by J. Beagles & Co., with a  photographer crediting the photographic studio “Window & Grove,”.  Overall, this is a classic British actress postcard: romantic, theatrical, and visually rich, combining period costume, symbolic activity, and the carefully cultivated image of a popular and very attractive stage performer. This vintage postcard is in good condition. There is minor corner and edge wear present (see scans). 

This vintage Postcard is available for purchase at my store, The History Peddler, for $14.00 or best offer.

Interested collectors may view the listing here:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/336366316001

This vintage real photo postcard features a most adorable little girl in a fancy dress standing beside a spinning wheel and her cute dog. A spinning wheel is a device used to spin thread or yarn from fibres. It was an important tool prior to the Industrial Revolution. An inscription on the reverse of this photograph reveals that the girls name is Odette and the photo was taken in 1927. SOLD

This is a beautiful and tender 1906 cabinet card portrait by the highly regarded German court photographer Hermann Klebusch of Mannheim. The image shows a refined mother seated with her young son, who wears a handsome sailor-style outfit typical of children’s fashion in the early 20th century. The boy looks directly at the viewer with a calm, steady expression, while his mother gazes down at him lovingly. She is dressed in an exquisite high-necked blouse with intricate lace, ruffles, and puff sleeves—fashion hallmarks of the Edwardian period. The composition is elegant and intimate. The mother gently steadies an open book on her lap while the boy holds one corner of the page. The chair with its tassel fringe and the soft studio background add richness and depth to the scene. This is a superb example of German studio portraiture during a time when photographic ateliers were producing some of Europe’s finest family images. The front mount is printed in gold with the photographer’s name, Herm. Klebusch, along with the coat of arms indicating his designation as a Hofphotograph—a Court Photographer, a prestigious title granted to photographers who served royalty or nobility. The reverse is beautifully printed in gold, giving details about the photographer’s studio and stating the photograph was taken in 1906. The cabinet card remains in very good antique condition. The photograph itself is crisp and clean, showing only the faintest signs of age. Tonal range is strong. The mount is solid and attractive with light, age-appropriate edge wear but nothing distracting. The gold printing on both front and back remains sharp and vivid. Overall, this is a very well-preserved example with outstanding display appeal.

This Cabinet Card is available for purchase at my store, The History Peddler, for $48.00 or best offer

Interested collectors may view the listing here:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/236550543696