This vintage real photo postcard (RPPC) features the actress Miss Florence Lloyd, elegantly posed in a full-length studio portrait. The photograph was taken by Dover Street Studios and published by Rotary Photo, one of the leading postcard publishers of the Edwardian era. The card is part of the Rotary Photographic Series and is numbered 1719 F. Florence Lloyd is shown in a lavish gown decorated with beaded embellishments, floral embroidery, and flowing panels of satin and chiffon. Her elaborate dress is paired with a sparkling jeweled choker and necklace, giving her the refined look of an Edwardian stage star. Her dark hair is styled in the fashionable upswept manner of the period, adding to her striking appearance. What makes this portrait especially fascinating is her unexpected pose: Lloyd holds a cigarette delicately in her right hand while exhaling smoke rings that are faintly visible in the studio air. At the time this postcard was produced (circa 1905–1910), public smoking by women was still considered improper and even scandalous in polite society. Smoking was associated with rebellion and the changing roles of women in modern life, and it did not become broadly acceptable for women to smoke in public until the 1920s and 1930s, as social norms shifted during and after World War I. This photograph captures not just an actress, but a provocative image challenging Edwardian conventions. Her expression is one of poise and slight detachment, with her gaze turned upward as if lost in thought. The combination of elegance, theatricality, and a hint of defiance makes this an unusually compelling postcard. Lloyd was English and the daughter of actor Samuel Lloyd. She often acted as a boy impersonator. In 1905 she acted in New Zealand as part of a theatrical tour. Lloyd was a Gaiety Girl for George Edwardes & Co. in 1894. The reverse of this postcard reveals that it is a divided back card. This postcard is in very good condition for its age. There is only light corner and edge wear with no creases or tears. The photographic clarity remains sharp, with strong tones and detail (see scans).
This vintage Postcard is available for purchase at my store, The History Peddler, for $14.00 or best offer.
Interested collectors may view the listing here:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/236387956086
THE CABINET CARD GALLERY 
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