This vintage real photo postcard is another member of the Cabinet Card Gallery’s collection of international silent film stars. The beautiful actress featured on this postcard is Italian silent film star Pina Menichelli (1890-1984). She began her career in theater and in a number of small film roles. When she appeared in the lead role of “The Fire” (1916), she became elevated to stardom. For the next nine years, Menichelli appeared in many films and became a global star. She frequently appeared in roles where she played the role of a diva. She also showcased her, what wikipedia calls, her “decadent eroticism”. She retired in 1924 at the ripe old age of 34. Menichelli was born in Sicily to parents who were both touring theater actors. Her three siblings also became actors. She began acting as a child. Her theater travels took her to Argentina in 1908 and she married and relocated there. She returned to Italy in 1912 and acted in 35 films between 1913 and 1915. In 1918, one of her films was banned from theaters by Italian censors because Menichelli was “too fascinating” in the film. The IMDb website credits her with 62 film appearances between 1913 and 1925. A YouTube video biography of Miss Menichelli can be seen below. This postcard was published by Alberto Traldi of Milan, Italy. He was a publisher there beginning 1902, and according to one source, he ended his Milan business in 1918. This postcard was part of a series (no. 408). After World War II he returned to publishing postcards, including pin-up and cinema postcards. (SOLD)
The year was 1924. The place was Barcelona, Spain. A pretty young woman, probably a teenager, went to an unidentified photography studio and had her portrait taken. She is attractively dressed and wearing a pair of beautiful long dangling earrings. There is a dedication, written in Spanish, on the reverse of the photo. This vintage photograph measures about 4″ x 5 5/8″ and is in very good condition (see scans).
This Carte de Visite portrait features an adorable little boy. He is dressed in a very cute outfit for his day at the photo studio. Note his wonderful hat. He is standing next to a table holding an open book. Having viewed thousands of cdv’s and cabinet cards, it is clear that books are among the favorite props used by photographers during that era. The photographer who took this cdv photograph is from the Ph. & E. Link studio, which was located in Zurich, Switzerland. Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland. This carte de visite photo is in very good condition.
This vintage real photo postcard features five adorable uniformed boy and girl scouts sitting in a row on an unidentified beach. These children are enjoying life. Nothing like the innocence of youth. These kids offer good examples of “wind-swept hair”. This real photo postcard portrait is in very good condition (see scans).
This vintage real photo postcard features a handsome and dapper man wearing a three piece suit. He is sitting at a table, on which sits, an open book. He is flanked by a house plant and a vase of flowers. This photograph was taken by Taylor Brother’s Swanswell Studio, in Coventry, England. Coventry is a city in England’s West Midlands. This photo postcard is in excellent condition (see scans).
I wish I knew more about this young lady. She has an infectious smile. Her dress is frilly and has rows of lace. Judging by her attire, my guess is that she is a “dancehall girl” or actress. Perhaps a viewer of this vintage old photo postcard has another opinion as to the story behind this image. Please share via leaving a comment. Some might consider this photo a bit risque. The woman seen in this image is wearing a very short dress for her era. An ink stamp on the reverse of the postcard reveals that this photograph was taken at the Avery studio. We only know that the studio was located on King’s Cross Road. King’s Cross is an area located in Central London. It may follow that Avery’s studio was located in London.
THE CABINET CARD GALLERY 