This vintage real photo postcard features a portrait of the multi talented actress, dancer, and singer, Gaby Deslys (1881-1920). Miss Deslys performed at the beginning of the twentieth century in both Europe and the United States. She was extremely popular worldwide. In fact, she was able to earn four thousand dollars a week when performing in the United States. She performed several times on Broadway. She had a dance named after her, “The Gaby Glide” (1911). You can find the sheet music, with Gaby on the cover, elsewhere on ebay. Her love life was the topic of much public gossip. She probably added to the sensationalism surrounding her by posing in a number of risque postcards. She was courted by many wealthy and powerful men, including the King of Portugal. Her life was cut short by the “Spanish” influenza. It was published by E. A. Schwerdtfeger Company of London and printed in Berlin (no. 0291/5). The company also had an office in New York (opened in 1910). This publishing house printed many different types of real photo postcards but was known for its hand-colored real photo postcards of actresses and fashionable women in exotic costumes. The photographer was the Talbot studio (Paris). The creator of Miss Deslys’s hat is also credited (Lewis). Gaby Deslys is shown in a softly lit studio setting, posed in a three-quarter view and looking directly toward the camera with a gentle, confident smile. Her expression is warm and engaging. She is wearing a fashionable cloche-style hat adorned with an enormous silk bow, dramatically oversized and extending widely on both sides of the hat. The bow has been hand-colored in a deep blue tone, making it the most visually striking element in the photograph. The photograph itself is sepia-toned, but selective hand-coloring has been applied to parts of her clothing—most notably the bow, the yellow lining of her coat or wrap, and subtle tinting on her blouse—creating a refined, elegant effect. Deslys is dressed in an elegant outfit consisting of a dark wrap or coat with a light-colored lining, worn over a delicate lace blouse. Around her neck she wears multiple strands of pearls, reinforcing her image as a glamorous stage celebrity. On her right hand she wears a ring, and her hand is posed lightly against her coat lapel, a classic studio pose meant to convey poise and sophistication. The background is softly blurred and neutral, ensuring full attention remains on the sitter. The overall composition—large hat, pearls, lace, and hand coloring—creates a strong sense of Parisian fashion and theatrical elegance from the late 1910s or early 1920s. Overall, this is a striking and stylish Paris studio portrait that captures Gaby Deslys at the height of her fame, emphasizing fashion, glamour, and personality—everything that made her one of the most famous French music hall stars of her era. This vintage postcard is in excellent condition (see scans).
This vintage postcard is available for purchase at my store, The History Peddler, for $45.00 or best offer.
Interested collectors may view the listing here:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/336520522171
THE CABINET CARD GALLERY 
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