THE CABINET CARD GALLERY

This engaging early 20th-century theatrical postcard features Mlle. Pomponnette, a young stage dancer captured mid-movement, holding her skirt in a lively, playful pose. The image reflects the popular style of music hall, café-concert, and revue performers who flourished in France and across Europe during the postcard boom of the Belle Époque. Pomponnette’s costume—light, decorative, and designed to emphasize motion—suggests a performer known more for charm and personality than for formal ballet. Such poses were typical of dancers who appeared in popular entertainment venues rather than classical theaters, and postcards like this served as inexpensive celebrity images, eagerly collected by admirers. The name “Pomponnette” is almost certainly a stage name, a common practice among dancers of the period. These whimsical or diminutive names were chosen for memorability and marketing appeal, particularly when images were widely distributed as postcards. Basically, “Pomponnette” was a generic name used by a number of performers. Roughly translated, the word means “dainty tassel or ornament”. The word could be interchanged with “flapper”, “chorus girl”, or “show girl”.  This postcard dates to the golden age of performer postcards, when images of singers, dancers, and actresses were among the most sought-after subjects by collectors and the general public alike. Based on the postcard format, image style, and overall presentation, this card dates to circa 1900–1907, during the Undivided Back era, when the entire reverse side was reserved for the address and messages were written on the front or image side. This postcard is in overall very good vintage condition. There is light corner wear consistent with age. The image remains sharp with good tonal contrast There are no creases, tears, or losses (see scans). 

This real photo postcard is available for purchase at my store, The History Peddler, for $24.00 at auction.

Interested collectors may view the listing here:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/336421316637

This cabinet card photograph features a lovely middle aged woman. A name appears on the reverse of the photograph and it likely belongs to the subject. The photographer of this cdv is Guglielmo Sebastianutti (1825-1881) and Franz Benque (1841-1921). Sebastianutti has one portrait in England’s National Portrait Gallery. It is evident that the photograph is an early cabinet card because Sebastianutti died in 1881 and because the years he won photography awards reveal the approximate time this photo was taken. The reverse of the photograph lists a number of awards won by the photographers. They recognized in Berlin, Germany (1865), Paris, France (1867), Hamburg, Germany (1868), Groningen, Netherlands (1869), and Vienna, Austria (1870), Since Sebastianutti’s photography career ended in 1878, it is clear that this image was taken between 1870 and 1878. Sebastianutti’s studio was located in the city of Trieste, which is a port city located in northeast Italy. During Sebastianutti’s career, he partnered with celebrated German photographer, Franz Benque (1841-1921). Benque moved to Trieste in 1864 and partnered with Sebastianutti in the opening of a photography studio. At the time Sebastianutti was watchmaker. In 1868, Benque married Sebastianutti’s step-daughter, Isabella. Despite the success of his studio, Benque returned to Germany in 1869, and opened a studio with his cousin, Conrad Kindermann, in Hamburg. Benque must have had wanderlust because in 1870, he immigrated with his family to Brazil. There, he partnered with Alberto Henschel (1827-1882) and operated studios in Bahia and Pernambuco. Benque’s studios gained the reputation of being the best in all of Brazil. In 1878, Benque must have had another episode of wanderlust which propelled him back to Trieste and a partnership with Sebastianutti. Benque must have had one more “relocation” left in him. In 1903 he moved to Villach, Austria. This cabinet card image is in very good condition (see scans).

This cabinet card is available for purchase at my store, The History Peddler, for $36.00 at auction.

Interested collectors may view the listing here:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/336417743549

This is an original early-20th-century French theatrical portrait postcard depicting the actress (1871-1941) , shown in an elegant studio portrait wearing a wide-brimmed hat adorned with feathers and a strapless, beaded stage costume. The image has been tastefully hand-colored, with delicate pink tones applied to the cheeks, bodice, and floral elements—an enhancement commonly used on Parisian actress postcards of the Belle Époque. The caption beneath the image reads “DIETERLE (Bouffes-Parisiens)”. The name in parentheses refers to the theatre with which the actress was professionally associated at the time the postcard was issued. The Théâtre des Bouffes-Parisiens, founded by Jacques Offenbach, was one of Paris’s most important venues for operetta and light musical theatre. Dieterle was a French stage actress and singer active during the Belle Époque, a period marked by the flourishing of operetta, musical comedy, and boulevard theatre in Paris. She is best documented through her appearances in theatrical portrait photography and commercial postcard series, a primary means by which actresses of this era achieved public visibility. Born in Strasbourg, France, Amélie Diéterle rose to prominence as an actress and singer, becoming a central figure in Parisian theater. Her performances at the Théâtre des Variétés and collaborations with notable composers and playwrights solidified her reputation. Beyond the stage, she inspired renowned artists such as Auguste Renoir and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, who immortalized her in their works. Diéterle’s influence extended into the realm of early cinema, with appearances in several silent films during the 1900s and 1910s. The photograph seen on this postcard was taken by Manuel, a prominent Parisian studio photographer active in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Manuel specialized in theatrical portraiture, producing formal studio images of actresses, singers, and stage performers for publicity and commercial use. His portraits are noted for their careful studio lighting, soft tonal modeling, and emphasis on costume and theatrical presentation. The imprint “ND Photo” in the lower right corner identifies the publisher as Neurdein Frères, one of the most important French photographic publishing firms of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This postcard is part of Neurdein’s numbered actress series (No. 32). The postcard is a divided-back French card, postmarked in 1907. SOLD

This vintage real photo postcard features a portrait of the multi talented actress, dancer, and singer, Gaby Deslys (1881-1920). Miss Deslys performed at the beginning of the twentieth century in both Europe and the United States. She was extremely popular worldwide. In fact, she was able to earn four thousand dollars a week when performing in the United States. She performed several times on Broadway. She had a dance named after her, “The Gaby Glide” (1911). You can find the sheet music, with Gaby on the cover, elsewhere on ebay. Her love life was the topic of much public gossip. She probably added to the sensationalism surrounding her by posing in a number of risque postcards. She was courted by many wealthy and powerful men, including the King of Portugal. Her life was cut short by the “Spanish” influenza. 
This striking real photo–style theatrical postcard features Miss Gaby Deslys, one of the most celebrated and fashionable stage performers of the early 20th century. The card was issued by The Philco Publishing Co.(London).  The portrait shows Deslys in an elegant three-quarter pose, turning slightly toward the camera with a confident yet playful expression. She is dressed in a lavish Edwardian costume, featuring puffed sleeves, decorative embroidery at the bodice, and a high, structured collar embellished with layered bands that resemble pearls or beadwork. Most dramatic is her enormous feathered hat, crowned with sweeping plumes and a prominent fabric rosette at the front—an extravagant fashion statement very much in keeping with Deslys’s reputation as a trendsetter whose costumes were widely copied on both sides of the Atlantic. The overall effect is theatrical, glamorous, and unmistakably pre-war. The reverse is a divided-back postcard that bears a handwritten message, neatly penned in dark ink. The message reads: “To Claire. Love, good wishes, kisses & every thing else good is the sincerest wishes of Ernest & Lena.” No stamp is present, suggesting the card may have been written but not mailed, or possibly hand-delivered. Based on the divided back format, the Philco imprint, and Deslys’s peak popularity, this postcard dates to circa 1906–1912, squarely within the Edwardian era. This postcard is in  good antique condition overall, with expected light surface wear and mild age toning consistent with a postcard well over a century old. There is a noticeable vertical mark originating at the top border and extending downward into the image, reaching the upper portion of the feathered hat. This appears to be a surface mark or printing/handling issue. The mark is not a crease, and it does not affect the subject’s face or body. There is minor corner wear and no tears or creases. The photographic image remains strong, with good contrast and excellent detail in the costume, facial features, and elaborate hat. The reverse is clean and fully legible, with the handwritten message clearly preserved (see scans).

This cabinet card is available for purchase at my store, The History Peddler, for $24.95 at auction.

Interested collectors may view the listing here:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/336412384365

This vintage real photo postcard features French performer, Clara Faurens. Faurens was an actress and a singer. The New York Times (1912) described hear as a rival to the celebrated performer, Gaby Deslys. The photograph on this postcard was taken by celebrated portrait photographer, Leopold Reutlinger. His studio was located in Paris, France. He photographed many theatrical stars and other celebrities. The postcard was published by SIP. This vintage real photo postcard is in very good condition (see scans).

This real photo postcard is available for purchase at my store, The History Peddler, for $6.00 

Interested collectors may view the listing here:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/336422447004

This is an elegant vintage French real photo postcard published by S.I.P. and photographed by Léopold-Émile Reutlinger, one of the most celebrated portrait photographers of the Belle Époque in Paris. The card is titled “DOLL” and bears the series number 1243. The image features a striking young woman in a gracefully draped, light-colored gown standing in a wooded or studio set suggesting a natural glade. Her long, wavy hair, ethereal expression, and the subtle hand-tinting of the photograph reflect the artistic aesthetic of early 20th-century Parisian portraiture, where actresses, dancers, and models were often captured in atmospheric tableaux rather than formal studio images. Léopold-Émile Reutlinger (1863–1937) was a Peruvian-born French photographer from a distinguished photographic family active in Paris from the late 19th century through the interwar period. His studio specialized in portraits of actresses, dancers, singers, and fashionable women, often used for postcards and theatrical publicity. There is no confirmed historical biography or theatrical record that clearly identifies the model referred to simply as “Doll” on this card. Unlike many other Reutlinger postcards that depict well-documented stars of French music-hall and theatre, this card’s subject appears to be a lesser-known model or performer whose stage name or mononym did not enter larger archival records. This postcard was issued sometime between circa 1905 and 1915, a heyday of Belle Epoque postcard collecting. This card is in very good antique condition. The image has excellent clarity and artistic presence. There is lovely light hand-tinting across the forest background and gown. The card has very light corner wear  and no creases, tears or paper loss (see scans). 

This real photo postcard is available for purchase at my store, The History Peddler, for $19.95 at auction.

Interested collectors may view the listing here:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/236607374380

This dramatic real photo postcard captures a U.S. Army training exercise photographed at Camp Lincoln, Illinois, in September 1908, as identified by the period handwritten inscription at the lower right of the image. The scene shows a group of uniformed soldiers assembled in a tent camp, clearly engaged in what appears to be a staged training or disciplinary drill rather than an actual execution. One soldier lies on the ground at center, theatrically posed with one arm raised, while a semicircle of fellow soldiers aim rifles and sidearms toward him under the supervision of an apparent instructor or officer. The exaggerated posture and casual demeanor of several participants strongly suggest this is a demonstration or mock scenario, likely intended to illustrate proper weapons handling, firing-line discipline, or battlefield procedure. Behind the men are rows of canvas Army tents, arranged in a formal encampment pattern beneath mature trees—typical of National Guard and regular Army training camps of the period. Camp Lincoln was located just west of Springfield, Illinois, near the Sangamon River. Established in the late 19th century, it served as a major Illinois National Guard training ground and was also used by regular Army units. By 1908, Camp Lincoln was actively hosting summer encampments, drills, and weapons training exercises as part of the U.S. military’s post–Spanish-American War modernization.  Camp Lincoln remained in military use through World War I and later became the site of Camp Lincoln Cemetery, now a well-known Illinois veterans’ burial ground. The soldiers appear to be holding U.S. Springfield Model 1903 bolt-action rifles, the standard service rifle of the U.S. Army beginning in 1903. These rifles are identifiable by their long barrels, wood stocks, and military sling hardware. Some soldiers also appear to be holding sidearms, likely Colt revolvers commonly issued during this eraThe presence of Model 1903 rifles aligns perfectly with the 1908 date noted on the card. This postcard has a Cyko stamp box dating the card sometime between 1904 and 1920. This postcard is in overall very good antique condition. The image remains strong with good contrast and clarity. There arwe no creases of tears. There is minor corner and edge wear. The inscription is clear and legible (See Scans).

This vintage postcard is available for purchase at my store, The History Peddler, for $45.00 at auction.

Interested collectors may view the listing here:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/336411285260

This vintage real photo postcard features American singer, dancer, and comic performer, Fanny Fields (1880-1961), who was a successful performer in British music halls and pantomimes in the early 1900s. During her career she was frequently billed as “Happy” Fanny Fields. She was born, Fanny Furman, in New York City, to a Jewish family. She first appeared in variety shows in NYC sometime around 1899. In her act, she sang and told stories. In 1902, she performed in London and had a very positive reception. One reviewer described her as “one big bubble of mirth and merriment”. She toured with Welsh harpist, Nansi Richards. She also performed “The Suffragette”. In an accompanying monologue, she encouraged woman to make a stand for their rights. In 1912, she performed in front of King George V. She also starred in a silent film short entitled “Happy Fanny Fields and the Four Little Dutchmen” (1913). She retired from the entertainment business in 1913. She returned to the United States and married Dr Abraham Rongy (1878-1949). He was a gynecologist and set up maternity hospitals. In 1933, he published one of the first books proposing the legalization of abortion. Fanny became an active fundraiser for Jewish medical organizations. This postcard features a close-up portrait of Fanny Fields. She looks young and pretty. The postcard was published by Rotary Photo as part of a series (no.4007 C). This postcard is unused and was published circa 1906. The postcard is in good condition (see scans).

This real photo 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/236610955880