This is a striking and unusual antique real photo postcard (RPPC) featuring a young man posed confidently beside a full-sized alligator, its jaws open to display its teeth. The sitter rests one hand casually on the alligator’s head while standing behind a simple railing, creating a dramatic and memorable image that blends portraiture, novelty, and spectacle. The man is well dressed in a dark suit, white shirt, and straw boater-style hat, placing the image squarely in the late 1910s to early 1920s. The backdrop is a painted tropical scene with palm trees and water, clearly a studio setting rather than an outdoor photograph. The alligator—almost certainly a taxidermy or carefully staged prop—was a popular novelty element used by certain studios during this era, particularly in Florida and other southern or tourist-oriented locations. During the early 20th century, alligators were frequently employed as studio props to convey adventure, exoticism, and regional identity. Studios catering to tourists or novelty portrait seekers often featured taxidermied alligators, faux swamps, and painted tropical backdrops. These images were meant to be eye-catching souvenirs—proof of having “visited the wild” or participated in something daring. Alligator imagery was especially common in Florida-related studio work, sideshows, and amusement venues, where such props became iconic symbols of place and bravado. The postcard is printed on AZO photographic paper, with the stamp box showing four triangles pointing up, a configuration that dates production to approximately 1918–1930. The card is unused, with no writing or postal markings, allowing the image to remain the sole focus. (SOLD)
THE CABINET CARD GALLERY 
This guy has real Harry T. Stone vibes.