ADORABLE LITTLE GIRL : MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA : CABINET CARD PHOTOGRAPH

This cabinet card portrait features an adorable little girl wearing a longish gown. It is entirely possible that this little girl is actually a little boy. During the cabinet card era it is frequently difficult to know if a baby or toddler is a boy or girl. Boys and girls were dressed similarly and also often styled their hair similarly. The photographer of this image is W. R. Miller who operated a gallery in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He also had branch galleries in Fergus Falls (MN), Ashland (WI), and St. Cloud (MN). This cabinet card has gold bevelled edges and is in very good condition (see scans).

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Buy this Vintage Cabinet Card photograph (includes shipping within the US) #5131

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$38.00

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Buy this Vintage Cabinet Card photograph (includes shipping outside the US) #5131

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$47.00

Published in: on February 17, 2023 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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15 YEAR-OLD PROFESSIONAL BALLERINA : LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA : VINTAGE PHOTO

This vintage photograph features a young ballerina. An inscription on the reverse of the photograph reveals that she is 15 years old and already had danced professionally for 2 1/2 years. In addition, the inscription provides her name and her location (Los Angeles). The photo studio embossed its name on the lower right corner of the image (Reithner Studio). (SOLD)

Published in: on February 14, 2023 at 12:00 pm  Comments (3)  
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PRETTY, PHILANTHROPIC AND PATRIOTIC : STAGE AND FILM ACTRESS LILLIAN GREUZE

                POSTCARD 1   (SOLD) 

GREUZE 2020-04-06_225304 POSTCARD 2   (SOLD)       

greuze92020-05-17_223658POSTCARD 3

    This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is 5488_0001.jpgPOSTCARD 4  (SOLD)

These vintage real photo postcards feature Lillian Greuze (1890-1950), a French model, and actress of the stage and screen. She was a protege of Sarah Bernhardt. She performed at New York’s French Theatre. Her debut in New York was in 1915. Greuze was one of many French performers recruited to perform at the French Theatre. When she performed there in “Mademoiselle Josette Ma Femme” (1915), one reviewer praised her playful acting quality, and cited her “gaminerie”. My vocabulary does not include the word “gaminerie” so I looked up it’s meaning. According to Wikipedia, “gaminerie” is defined as “a slim, elegant young woman who is, or is perceived to, mischievous, teasing or sexually appealing”. Greuze also had a film career. She appeared in “The Recoil” (1917). The IMDb reports that she appeared in nine films between 1910 and 1935. Most of her roles were in European films. Greuze was an active philanthropist. While on a cruise in 1915, she agreed to kiss a man who had offered to donate two hundred dollars to a charity for orphans she was soliciting for. During World War I, Greuze was a volunteer with the Red Cross at the French front (1917). During the war, she also worked as a nurse at a hospital in Neuilly, France.                                                                                                         –

–The photographer of this portrait of Miss Greuze, seen in Postcard 1, is celebrated theatrical photographer, Leopold Reutlinger of Paris. The card was published by Societe Industrielle de Photograpie (SIP) of Rueil, France, as part of a series (no 2080).   (SOLD)

–Postcard 2 features a photograph of Miss Greuze from the same series as Postcard 1. This image is more revealing and risque because of Greuze’s low cut gown. The photograph, like Postcard 1, was shot by Leopold Reutlinger and published by SIP. The two postcards share the same number in a series (no 2080). This postcard has two 1912 french postmarks.   (SOLD)

–Postcard 3 finds Lillian Greuze playing Diablo. She is beautifully dressed in a pink checkered dress and a hat covered with pink flowers. It is difficult to imagine her playing the game in her fancy clothes. In the top left hand corner of this postcard is the word “Gymnase”. This word probably refers to  Théâtre du Gymnase Marie-Bell in Paris, formerly Gymnase-Dramatique. The Gymnase is a historic theatre. This postcard was published by Reutlinger of Paris and is part of a series (no.2275). The postmark indicates that the card was mailed in 1908. The postcard has a French stamp on it’s front side. This lovely postcard is in very good condition (see scans). Below,  is an interesting YouTube  video for those unfamiliar with “Diabalo”.

The portrait seen on Postcard 4 was taken by celebrated theatrical photographer, Leopold Reutlinger of Paris. The card was published by Societe Industrielle de Photograpie (SIP) of Rueil, France, as part of a series (no 2080). This postcard was postmarked in 1909.  (SOLD)

Buy this Vintage Real Photo Postcard (includes shipping within the US) #3077

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$20.46

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$28.96

POSTCARD 1  

GREUZE 2020-04-06_225746 POSTCARD 2 

greuze 15 2020-05-17_223931 POSTCARD 3

POSTCARD 4

ALMA STANLEY : THEATER ACTRESS : (PORTRAIT BY MARC GAMBIER)

Theater actress Miss Alma Stanley is the subject of this cabinet card portrait by talented photographer Marc Gambier. To view other photographs by Gambier, click on the category “Photographer: Gambier.  In this photograph, Miss Stanley is in costume and wearing a military style uniform with sash and sword. She appears to be saluting or staring into the distance and shielding her eyes from a fictional sun. This full body photograph highlights her thin waist. The photograph is a bit risque for its time. The backdrop and the scenery are expertly done. She truly appears to be standing outdoors. Alma Stanley (1853-1931) was a multi-talented English entertainer. She was an actress, dancer, comedienne, and singer. She appeared in such roles as Little Don Caesar de Bazan. A theater magazine reported that Miss Stanley was the daughter of an English army officer who named her Alma in honor of  the battle in the Crimea War. The battle of Alma occurred in 1854 and Alma Stanley was born in 1853 so the story of how she received her name likely falls under the realm of  “public relations”. She made her first stage appearance in Milan in 1872 and her first English appearance in the following year. Her New York debut occurred in 1880. She performed with D’Oyly Carte  Opera Company as well as with Tony Pastor’s Broadway Theater. Alma Stanley died in a London jail cell. She was being held on a charge of drunkenness when she died of  “natural causes”. At the time of her incarceration, her jailers did not know her identity.  SOLD

PRETTY YOUNG WOMAN: FASHION : BEAUTIFUL DRESS : VIENNA, AUSTRIA : CABINET CARD

A pretty young lady poses for her portrait at the studio of A. Deutsch in Vienna, Austria. The woman is beautifully dressed. Perhaps she is wearing a wedding gown. Her fancy dress indicates that she probably comes from an affluent family. She is holding a bouquet of flowers in one hand and white gloves in the other hand. She is wearing a bracelet on each wrist. She appears to be in her teenage years or slightly older. The reverse of this cabinet card has pretty and unusual advertising for the Deutsch studio. This portrait cabinet card has excellent clarity and is in very good condition (see scans). 

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Buy this Vintage Cabinet Card photograph (includes shipping within the US) #5126

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$36.00

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Buy this Vintage Cabinet Card photograph (includes shipping outside the US) #5126

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$45.00

Published in: on February 11, 2023 at 1:55 pm  Leave a Comment  
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ETHEL OLIVER : BRITISH STAGE AND SILENT FILM ACTRESS : GAIETY THEATER : RPPC

POSTCARD 1 (SOLD)

POSTCARD 2 (SOLD)

Vintage postcard 1 features British stage and film actress, Miss Ethel Oliver. She is wearing a costume from one of her performances. Little information is readily available about Miss Oliver. She is listed as being a chorus member in the play at the Gaiety Theater, “The Orchid” (1903), In 1917, Oliver starred in the musical comedy “Pomponette at the Newcastle upon Tyne Theatre Royal. The IMDb reports that she acted in two films; “The Return” (1921) and “A Soul’s Awakening” (1922). Oliver was also a dancer. She was a sitter for twelve portraits in Britain’s National Portrait Gallery. This vintage close-up portrait postcard was published by Philco as part of a series (No.3260 E). (SOLD)

Postcard 2 is a vintage close-up portrait postcard. It was published by Rapid Photo as part of a series (No.3387). (SOLD)

POSTCARD 1

POSTCARD 2 (SOLD)

SWEET LITTLE BOY RIDING HIS HANDCAR : TOY : MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA : RPPC

This vintage undivided back real photo postcard features a sweet little boy riding a handcar. The message on the reverse of the card reveals that the boys name is Robert and the card was mailed to his grandparents in Alliance, Ohio. The message is written by the boy’s parents in wording as if the boy himself wrote the card. Robert tells his grandparents that he has much fun on the handcar and that he wishes that they could see how fast he can ride. The message also reveals that the postcard was written in 1906 and that Robert and his family resided in Minneapolis, Minnesota.  Typically, a hand car is a railroad car that is powered by it’s passengers. They were used by the railroads as well as in mines. (SOLD)  

Published in: on February 5, 2023 at 3:36 pm  Leave a Comment  
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PRETTY WOMAN: GEORGE BRETZ : FAMOUS PHOTOGRAPHER : COAL: POTTSVILLE PENSYLVANIA

A pretty young lady poses for her portrait at the George M. Bretz gallery in Pottsville, Pennsylvania.The woman has a serious facial expression. She is beautifully dressed. She is wearing a dark dress, dark gloves, and is holding an umbrella. She is certainly a fashionista. Her dark manner of dress may indicate that she is wearing a mourning dress.  George M. Bretz (1842-1895) is a well known and acclaimed American photographer. He is best known for his photographs of the Northeastern Pennsylvania Coal region as well as for his portraits of coal miners. This cabinet card is in very good condition (see scans). The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History and the University of Maryland both have collections of his photographs. His images were displayed at the World Expositions of 1884 and 1993. Bretz built the reputation of his being an authority about coal mining. Many articles about his photography were published. SOLD

Published in: on February 4, 2023 at 12:44 pm  Leave a Comment  
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MARY PHILBIN – BEAUTIFUL AMERICAN FILM ACTRESS

 

mary philbin

POSTCARD 1   (SOLD)

 

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is 5032_0001.jpgPOSTCARD 2   (SOLD)

This vintage real photo postcard portrait (Postcard 1) features American actress Mary Philbin (1902-1993). She was active in film between 1918 and 1930. One of her most noted film roles was in “The Phantom of the Opera” (1925). She co-starred with Lon Chaney. A number of her roles involved playing the “beauty” in “Beauty and the Beast” type stories . Mary was born in Chicago, Illinois. Her parents were middle-class and of Irish descent. Her mother was convivial but controlling and domineering. She pushed her strong religious beliefs onto Mary. She adored her father who was “quiet, shy, and reserved”. She was very similar, personality-wise, to her dad. She would accompany him to the theater and there she developed a passion for the stage. She pursued dance and played the pipe organ and piano. She lacked a singing  voice, and surprisingly, never received training in acting. Mary’s acting career was launched after she won a beauty contest sponsored by Universal Pictures. The motion picture company promptly signed her to a contract. Her screen debut was in 1921 and during the following year she was named a WAMPAS Baby Star. This prestigious annual award, given by an association of film advertisers, was awarded to thirteen young women each year. These women were predicted to be on the verge of becoming major movie stars. During the 1920’s, Mary’s film career blossomed and she starred in a number of successful films, including “Drums of Love (1920), directed by D. W. Griffith. When “talkies” arrived, she played in a few films and even dubbed her own voice for the sound version of “Phantom of the Opera”. Unfortunately, her voice was considered too “girlish” to be suitable for talking pictures. She retired from the screen in the early 1930’s in order to become a caretaker for her elderly parents. She lived the rest of her life as a recluse. She never married and seldom made public appearances. An exception occurred when she attended the Los Angeles opening of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical version of “Phantom of the Opera”. She died of pneumonia at the age of ninety and is buried in Los Angeles, California. The IMDb reports that Mary appeared in 34 film between 1921 and 1929. She never married.  In 1926 she became engaged to Universal producer, Paul Kohner. When her family learned of the engagement, they were infuriated. They demanded a meeting with Kohner and all went reasonably well until the subject of religion arose. Kohner was Jewish and Mary’s family was Catholic. Mary’s mother was adamant in her belief that Kohner would attempt to convert Mary to Judaism. Paul and Mary informed her parents that no such thing  would happen. An argument developed between Paul and Mary’s parents. She was told by her parents that she would be disowned if she proceeded with her wedding plans. Mary was ambivalent but, in the end, despite still loving Paul, she returned her engagement ring to him. A biographer contends that this traumaticrd experience is the reason Mary never married. This vintage postcard was published by Ross Verlag, of Berlin, Germany. It is part of a series (no. 968/1). The name of the film distribution company (Filmhaus Bruckmann) can be seen on the bottom right corner of the image. A stamp on the reverse of the postcard indicates that it once was part of a collection belonging to Herman Overeem, of Utrecht, the Netherlands.  (SOLD)

Postcard 2 was published by Ross Verlag, of Berlin, Germany. It is part of a series (no. 3239/1). The name of the film company (United Artists) can be seen on the bottom left corner of the image.  (SOLD)

 

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POSTCARD 1   (SOLD)
 

POSTCARD 2 (SOLD)

SIR CHARLES SKELTON: MAN FOR ALL SEASONS

This Cabinet card is an image of Sir Charles Skelton. Research about this interesting man reveals that his name shows up in all sorts of places. He was a busy man with many interests. He died in 1913 after suffering a stroke. He was considered a modern puritan. He was very engaged in and financially supportive of the Methodist New Connexion Body in Sheffield, England. He was also very active in the big spending highway committee of the Sheffield City Council. He was a major proponent of the use of granite in highway and transportation construction. This was a controversial issue and a anti-granite association was formed to oppose him. In 1895, he became Mayor of Sheffield. In 1897, during a visit from Queen Victoria, Skelton was knighted. Sir Charles Skelton is cited in many varied publications. In 1897, he was mentioned by the British Medical Journal as active in advocating the study and eradication of Tuberculosis. In 1904, The Zoophilist and Animals Defender, reports that Skelton was an active advocate of the antivivisection organization. (Vivisection is conducting surgery on animals for simply experimental purposes). Skelton was a man before his time; if alive today he would be anti animal testing and a member of PETA. It is written that “he was one of the really big men of the City” who was known for his integrity, thoroughness, and “unswerving honesty of purpose”. The man was a non conformist; he opposed militarism (the boer war), and was a teetotaller and opposed liquor traffic. The photographer of this image is J. Crosby of Rotherham, England. Rotherham is a town in South Yorkshire. Rotherham and Sheffield are about four miles apart. The reverse of this card has an inscription stating  “Uncle Sir Charles Skelton”.  (SOLD)