THE CABINET CARD GALLERY

This vintage real photo postcard features the legendary French actress, Sarah Bernhardt. The caption under the image states that the photograph shows her in the role of La Tisbe, in “Angelo, Tyrant of Padua”. The play was written by Victor Hugo. This image  relates to Bernhardt’s 1905 performance in the play at the Théâtre Sarah-Bernhardt. The postcard credits the esteemed photographer, Henri Manuel as having produced this portrait of Miss Bernhardt. Henri Manuel opened a Paris portrait studio with his brother Gaston in 1900 and became known for portraits of public figures, artists, performers, politicians, and fashionable society. His studio later became one of the major photographic studios in Paris. The postcard was published by Neurdein et Cie (ND), a French postcard publishing company. Sarah Bernhardt was born in Paris in 1844. She became one of the most celebrated actresses in theatrical history. Known as “The Divine Sarah,” she was admired internationally for her voice, emotional intensity, dramatic presence, and extraordinary ability to transform herself on stage. She performed throughout Europe and America, became an early international celebrity, and was famous not only for her acting but also for her carefully cultivated public image. Her best-known roles included La Dame aux Camélias, Phèdre, Fédora, Théodora, La Tosca, Hamlet, and L’Aiglon. She was also an artist and sculptor, and her personal life became part of her legend. She had one son, Maurice Bernhardt, married the Greek-born actor Jacques Damala, and was known for eccentric habits and theatrical self-presentation. When people say someone is “being Sarah Bernhardt,” they usually mean the person is being highly dramatic, theatrical, or over emotional, a reference to Bernhardt’s larger-than-life stage presence and public persona. This beautiful early 20th-century French photographic postcard shows Bernhardt in an elaborate theatrical costume, richly ornamented with embroidery, jewelry, pearls, and floral decoration in her hair. Her pose is unmistakably theatrical: she leans beside a column, gazing outward with the kind of expressive intensity that made her one of the most famous performers in the world. This postcard was published in circa 1905. The postcard presents very well, with a strong and attractive image of Bernhardt and excellent theatrical detail in the costume. There is minor corner wear and a small scrape or light mark near the lower right image area. The reverse is unused. Overall, this is a very displayable early Sarah Bernhardt theatrical postcard in good antique condition (see scans).

This vintage Postcard is available for purchase at my store, The History Peddler, for $22.00 or best offer.

Interested collectors may view the listing here:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/336586794861

This is a truly charming and visually striking Edwardian-era cabinet card photograph depicting a young girl posed on an interior staircase, holding her beloved doll. The image has a wonderful warmth and depth and appears to be a silver print, giving it that rich tonal quality collectors look for in early 20th-century studio work. The child is beautifully dressed in a light-colored, likely white, dress with delicate detailing at the bodice and sleeves. Her outfit is completed with dark strap shoes (Mary Jane style) and light stockings. Particularly appealing are the two large bows in her hair, one on each side, which frame her face and give her a classic, almost storybook-like Edwardian look. She gently holds a bisque-type doll, which very well could be of German manufacture, as was common for quality dolls of this period. The doll itself wears a long gown and has a serene expression. The setting is equally attractive, with the girl standing on a carpeted staircase beside a finely turned banister, suggesting a comfortable middle-class domestic interior. The composition is thoughtful and balanced, typical of a skilled studio photographer. The mount is imprinted in elegant silver lettering: “W.E. Wright & Sons.” The reverse provides additional insight into the firm, noting that they specialized in “Portrait, Group & Architectural Photographers.” Multiple studio addresses are listed, including Forest Gate, Ilford, Seven Kings, Romford, Leyton, Walthamstow, and Westcliff, all of which place the business firmly in the London / Essex area of England. This was clearly a well-established regional studio operation with several branches serving the greater London suburban districts. On the reverse is a handwritten inscription that appears to read: “To Auntie Hilda with love from Elga Vivian” (handwriting consistent with that reading, though as always, interpretation may vary slightly). This personal touch adds provenance and emotional resonance to the piece. The photograph remains in very good antique condition overall. There is minor edge and corner wear. The image itself is clean and well-preserved, with strong contrast. See Scans. 

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/236821470189

This vintage photograph features a pretty young woman fashionably dressed. She is likely a performer of some kind because the photographer who took this photo specialized in photographing French theatre and film stars. This beautiful photograph comes from the Paris studio of Pierre Apers. 
He was a talented French photographer active in the 1920’s and 1930’s. His studio was in Paris and he specialized in portraiture. Some of his work is in the collection of the Bibliotech Francais in Paris. The front of this photo has Aper’s facsimile signature at it’s bottom. The reverse of the photograph has an ink stamp providing the address of Aper’s studio.  SOLD

This original New York State Prison Department Bureau of Identification mugshot card documents inmate Marco Spiak, prisoner number C9516, photographed and examined in 1911. The card features the classic dual-view mugshot format—profile and frontal portraits—paired with extensive Bertillon-era anthropometric measurements, making it a particularly information-rich and visually compelling early criminal identification record. Spiak is shown wearing a dark suit and bow tie, lending the images a striking contrast between formal appearance and institutional context. His identification number C9516 is clearly visible on the frontal image, anchoring the photograph firmly within the New York State prison system. Recorded measurements and identifiers include: his height (5’4.5″), his weight (137.5 lbs), and race (white). Recorded measurements were relied upon because finger-printing was not in wide use at the time that this mug show created. Spiak was from Troy, New York (Rensselaer County). He was sentenced in 1911 for felony assault in the first degree (assault on a man with a gun). He was sentenced to a minimum of 2 years, 6months to a maximum of 8 years and six months. Spiak was no stranger to the criminal justice system. In 1907 he was sentenced in Rochester, New York for 17 months and in 1910 he was sentenced in Albany, New York for 4 months. Spiak was a recidivist (repeat offender). SOLD

This striking vintage sheet music for “Dream Girl” features words and music by H. Ross Cleveland and was published by the A.J. Stasny Music Company of New York, a prominent Tin Pan Alley firm known for producing visually appealing and widely distributed popular music during the early 20th century. The cover is the real standout—an exquisitely rendered portrait of a young woman with glowing skin, softly curled hair, and vivid, expressive eyes. The cover was created by Rolf Armstrong, one of the most celebrated American illustrators of the period. Armstrong was renowned for his idealized, glamorous female portraits—often referred to as “American Beauties”—and his work helped define the look of magazine covers and advertising art in the 1910s and 1920s. H. Ross Cleveland wrote the words and music for “Dream Girl”. He was one of the many composers working during the Tin Pan Alley era, contributing songs meant for home performance and popular entertainment. “Dream Girl” fits squarely into the sentimental popular song / ballad genre, centered on themes of romance and idealized love. This sheet music captures the spirit of its time beautifully. Between the evocative title, the romantic theme, and the Armstrong artwork, it is highly displayable. In regard to condition, this sheet music is in very good condition. I scanned every page so you can judge for yourself (see scans).

This Sheet Music is available for purchase at my store, The History Peddler, for $18.00 or best offer. 

Interested collectors may view the listing here:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/336588722936

This vintage real photo postcard (RPPC) features the actress Miss Florence Lloyd, elegantly posed in a full-length studio portrait. The photograph was taken by Dover Street Studios and published by Rotary Photo, one of the leading postcard publishers of the Edwardian era. The card is part of the Rotary Photographic Series and is numbered 1719 F. Florence Lloyd is shown in a lavish gown decorated with beaded embellishments, floral embroidery, and flowing panels of satin and chiffon. Her elaborate dress is paired with a sparkling jeweled choker and necklace, giving her the refined look of an Edwardian stage star. Her dark hair is styled in the fashionable upswept manner of the period, adding to her striking appearance. What makes this portrait especially fascinating is her unexpected pose: Lloyd holds a cigarette delicately in her right hand while exhaling smoke rings that are faintly visible in the studio air. At the time this postcard was produced (circa 1905–1910), public smoking by women was still considered improper and even scandalous in polite society. Smoking was associated with rebellion and the changing roles of women in modern life, and it did not become broadly acceptable for women to smoke in public until the 1920s and 1930s, as social norms shifted during and after World War I. This photograph captures not just an actress, but a provocative image challenging Edwardian conventions. Her expression is one of poise and slight detachment, with her gaze turned upward as if lost in thought. The combination of elegance, theatricality, and a hint of defiance makes this an unusually compelling postcard. Lloyd was English and the daughter of actor Samuel Lloyd. She often acted as a boy impersonator. In 1905 she acted in New Zealand as part of a theatrical tour. Lloyd was a Gaiety Girl for George Edwardes & Co. in 1894. The reverse of this postcard reveals that it is a divided back card. This postcard is in very good condition for its age. There is only light corner and edge wear with no creases or tears. The photographic clarity remains sharp, with strong tones and detail (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/236387956086