This vintage real photo postcard features theatre actress, Hilda Guiver. She had an active acting career between 1905 and 1917. She sat for one portrait that can be found in the National Portrait Gallery of Great Britain. Interestingly, the portrait owned by the National Portrait Gallery is the very same one as seen in this postcard image. The photographer of this photograph is Percy Guttenberg of Manchester, England. The photo was taken in about 1905. Alexander Percy Guttenberg (1870-?) came from a family that produced a number of photographers. His father, Marcus Guttenberg (1828-1891) began as a daguerreotypist in Hungary, Prussia, Poland and Germany before starting a photography business in England (1851). One source reports that he established 24 studios in England but settled in the Manchester area. Percy, like his father, was also very successful. In fact, there are fourteen of his photographs in England’s National Portrait Gallery. Percy was famous for his work photographing actors and actresses. Finding information about Miss Guiver took some effort. I did learn that she appeared in “Cinderella (1906)” at The Kings Theatre in London. Actress, Ethel Ward, also was part of the cast. Hilda Guiver is also known for her starring in “The House that Jack Built (1916)”. This patriotic show was popular during World War I. The play was written in the tradition of English pantomime so the role of the principal boy needed to be played by a woman. Hilda Guiver took on that role with great swagger and dash. Dressed as a handsome naval officer, she sang patriotic songs and received “enthusiastic reviews”. Guiver was a natural for the role as she was considered one of London’s leading principal boys. SOLD
THE CABINET CARD GALLERY 
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