GILDA DARTHY : SCANDALOUS FRENCH ACTRESS : RISQUE

This vintage real photo postcard features French actress, Gilda Darthy (1878-1952). She was an actress on the Paris stage. She was known for being fashionable and was the subject of many photo postcards and photographs. Her stage costumes were created by some of the most famous costumers of their time. She had striking red hair. She was a passenger on a 1910 flight from Algiers to Timbukto and her flying on the plane was used to publicize the New French air service making the flight. During World War I, Darthy was one of the French actresses employed to portray “La Patrie”, a symbol of France. She made her American debut in “The Ironmaster”. The New York Times (1916) reported on her performance and the review was very favorable.  The reviewer described Darthy as being among the most gifted and skillful actresses of the french theater. The wrtier added that “she has all the natural grace and technical skill” of the schooled actresses of the french theater. The reviewer also commented about Darthy’s appearance by stating she had “a moderate amount of gallic beauty”  besides her talent. Finally, the theatrical writer reported that Darthy had an extraordiary amout of emotional powers and a lovely voice. Darthy also appeared in the New York productions of Sapho (1917) and “La Rafale” (1917). In addition to being famous for her acting and fashion roles, Darthy was also a headliner in the area of noted scandals. The New York Times (1917) reported that actress, Irene Bordoni filed suit in the New York Supreme Court against her husband, actor Edgard Beekman, on the grounds of alleged misconduct with Darthy. Darthy was also sued for damages for alienating Boroni’s husband’s affections. Beekman was Darthy’s leading man in a theatrical production at the time of the affair. A similar situation occured with actress Cora Laparcerie and her husband Jacques Richepin. That particular conflict escalated to the point of physical violence between the two women. In 1929, Darthy won damages in a court case, after being injured in an automobile accident. The injuries caused her to have to cut her “trademark” long hair and damages were justifiable because she refused to “deceive the public by wearing a wig”. This vintage postcard portrait of Gilda Darthy was taken by Paul Boyer, the esteemed celebrity photographer. Boyer’s studio was located in Paris, France.  (SOLD)

Published in: on July 27, 2022 at 12:00 pm  Comments (1)  
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LA SYLPHE : ACTRESS & EXOTIC DANCER : EDITH LANGERFELD : RISQUE RPPC

This vintage real photo postcard features American actress exotic dancer, La Sylphe. Her off stage name was Edith Lambelle Langerfeld (1883-1968). She attracted a great deal of attention in the 1890’s while performing at the Folies Bergere. She was born in New York City. Her father was German and her mother was Irish.Her father invented a machine used in the mining of coal. Edith was a dancer, but US laws prevented her from performing on stage due to her young age. The laws were more liberal abroad so when Edith turned six, she was taken abroad by her mother. She travelled around the world for eight years, spending the majority of her time performing in Europe. She became fluent in five language. During her second world tour, she was the primary dancer at the Alhambra Theatre in London. Next, she performed at the aforementioned Folies Bergere. Her debut in the US occurred when she was fourteen. In 1899, she introduced her rendition of “The Vision of Salome” dance. When “Salome” was banned by the Metropolitan Opera in 1907, La Sylphe’s popularity in the US soared. She named her performances “The Remorse of Salome”. She adopted the Far East body dance, otherwise known as “the houchee kouchee”. She began performing in vaudeville. She did toe dances, spanish castanet dances, muscle dances (belly dances),  and of course, the Salome dance. She also performed what she called the Devil dance. Some of her performances were risque. In one skit, her mid waist was covered by only pearls. In other performances she wore tights, picket fence skirts and a gossamer (light and thin) bodice. Her performances in New York shocked the public but the shows were tame compared to her routines in Europe. Some of her New York shows were attended by plainsclothes police officers to ensure that she did not cross over the morality boundary.. In 1919 and 1920, La Sylphe was in the cast of “George White’s Scandals”. Her performances included an Acrobatic act, as well as a Contortionist act. After 1928, she began performing in ballets. In one interview, La Sylphe expresses an interesting opinion about matrimony. In an article from “The Evening World” (1908), she states that being an old maid is a good idea. She asserts that she is going to be one. “Marriage is fine for men, but it’s rotten luck for a woman, This vintage real photo postcard was published by Philco as part of a series (No.3103A). The photo was taken by noted celebrity female photographer, Lallie Charles. (SOLD).

Published in: on July 13, 2022 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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BLANCHE SWEET : SILENT FILM ACTRESS : 161 FILM CREDITS : BY FRED HARTSOOK : 1917

Blanche Sweet (1896-1986) was an American silent film actress. Her mother was a dancer and her father was a wine merchant. Blanche began show business at an early age. At age four she was performing with a touring company with stars, Marie Burroughs and Maurice Barrymore. At age thirteen, she was working at Biograph Studios under contract with D. W. Griffith. She became known as “The Biograph Blonde”. In 1914, Sweet moved to Paramount (Famous Players – Lasky). Paramount had offered her more money than Biograph could pay. During the 1910’s, Sweet appeared in several prominet film roles and kept her place as a popular leading lady. She played in a number of Cecil B. DeMille films. She and Marshall Neilan (actor, director, producer, screen writer) had an affair which led to Neilan obtaining a divorce and marrying young Blanche. She was about 16 years old. The marriage ended in 1929 because Neilan was an alleged philanderer. When “talkies” began, Sweets career suffered causing her to retire in 1930. The IMDb lists 161 film credits in Blanche’s filmography. Her post film career included radio work and non major Broadway roles. When job offers dissipated, she began working in a Los Angeles department store. She later worked with historians and gave lectures about the early days of Hollywood. This photo portrait of Miss Sweet was taken by American photographer, Fred Hartsook (1876-1930). He owned a chain of California studios described as “the largest photographic business in the world” at that time. The photo was taken circa 1917. Hartsook photographed many silent film stars as well as Woodrow Wilson during his Presidency. This vintage postcard’s AZO stamp box indicates that the postcard was published sometime between 1910 and 1930. This postcard is in very good condition (see scans).

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Published in: on June 12, 2022 at 1:24 pm  Leave a Comment  
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TESSIE HACKNEY : BRITISH STAGE ACTRESS : PHOTO BY RITA MARTIN : (1907)

This vintage real photo postcard features English musical comedy actress, Tessie Hackney (1885-1967). Tessie was the daughter of a butcher. In 1913, she married a Commander in the Royal Navy. She played important roles in “The New Aladdin” (1906), “The Girls of Gottenberg” (1907), “The Hon’ble Phi”l (1908), and “A Persian Princess” (1909). Her sister, Mary Hackney, was also a musical comedy performer. There are two photographs of Tessie Hackney in Britain’s National Portrait Gallery. In one of these images, Hackney appears in the same costume as the one she wears in this postcard. The portrait of Miss Hackney seen on this postcard was taken by famed female celebrity photographer, Rita Martin. SOLD

Published in: on June 4, 2022 at 1:08 pm  Comments (2)  
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FLORENCE TURNER : SILENT FILM STAR : ACTRESS : VITAGRAPH : POSTCARD

This vintage postcard features a portrait of Florence Turner (1885-1946). She was an American silent film actress known as the “Vitagraph Girl”. She was born in New York City. She began performing on the stage at age three, thanks to a zealous stage mom. In 1906 she was signed by Vitagraph studios to a film contract. She made her movie debut in “How to Cure a Cold” (1907). She became the studio’s leading box office draw. As time went by, more actresses became well known throughout the movie industry. Turner’s popularity waned and in 1913 she moved to England and began performing in music halls. Part of her schtick was impersonating celebrities of the day. Apparently, she had much talent as an impersonator. While in England, she set up her own production company (Turner Films). She wrote screenplays and directed films. In 1924 she returned to the US and pursued acting. She was no longer seen as a film star and she played supporting roles during the 1930’s.  Turner has 197 credits to her name, between 1907 and 1943. This postcard was published by the Ess an Ess Photo Company, located in New York City. (SOLD)

Published in: on June 2, 2022 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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MARIE WAINWRIGHT: PORTRAIT OF A THEATRE ACTRESS (PHOTOGRAPHED BY SARONY)

This cabinet card features Marie Wainwright (1853-1923), an American stage actress and singer. She also appeared in three silent films between 1918  and 1920. Most of her fame came from the Victorian stage. She was born in Philadelphia and as educated in Paris, France. She received her acting training in Paris.This  photographic portrait is by Napoleon Sarony’s New York City  studio. Sarony was a famous celebrity photographer. This image shows Wainwright wearing a white gown and bonnet. A copy of this photograph can be found in Wikipedia’s entry for Wainwright. She is holding a book and rosary beads. This cabinet card portrait has some cornerwear and a slight curl. The photo is on thinner than usual card stock. Overall, this photograph is in good condition (see scans).

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Published in: on May 23, 2022 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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LORRAINE DREUX : PRETTY STAGE ACTRESS : DIES YOUNG AND TRAGICALLY : CABINET CARD

This cabinet card is a portrait of theatre actress, Lorraine Dreux. The  image is part of the Newsboy Series (#385) and was published in New York City. The Newsboy series was used for advertising purposes by the Newsboy Tobacco Company. Celebrity photographs were given away as premiums upon the sale of tobacco products. Ms. Dreux looks like she ran through the woods in order to arrive at the photography studio in a timely fashion. She has twigs and leaves on her head and even is wearing a necklace of branches around her shoulders. It seems she is modeling “the natural” look. Her eyes are looking upward, as if to say, “Am I really wearing sticks and leaves?”. Who was Lorraine Dreux? The Illustrated America (1893) describes her as “young and pretty, with soft dark eyes, a tremulous little mouth, and a dazzling complexion”. She was born in Marquette, Michigan, of well to do parents. Her father did a great deal of business in the East and she spent much time on the banks of the Hudson River in New York. She was educated at home by a governess supervised by Dreux’s beautiful mother. She decided that she wanted to be an actress while in her early teens. Her parents reluctantly gave her permission and her first experience acting occurred while she was in London, England, with her mother. She was engaged by Mr Charles Wyndham to play comedy parts in London stage shows. She next joined the London Globe Theatre Stock Company playing sentimental roles. She then joined an English traveling theatre company. She soon returned to America and appeared in a number of plays, including “Ninety Days” with William Gillette. The article closes with the prediction that Dreux would be a successful actress in America because she possessed both beauty and talent. The New York Times (1894) reported on Dreaux’s appearance in “Lem Kettle” at the Bijou theatre. She also appeared in “Rush City” (1894) which was staged in Brooklyn (New York), and also in “Nance Oldfield” (1896) in New York. Dreux appeared in one Broadway production, “The Spectator” (1896). The New York Dramatic Mirror (1908) reported the tragic death of Lorraine Dreux. She was described as a well known and capable leading women of many stock companies outside of New York City. She died in New York’s Bellvue Hospital at age 35. The article reports that she “had fallen on evil days” and was “too proud to let her friends know of her plight”. She let an illness go till it turned  into acute pneumonia which led to her death. Her last two engagements were in Worcester, Massachusetts and Rochester, New York. She received excellent reviews for her acting in both productions. However, her wardrobe was stolen and she was criticized for the way she dressed for her part in Rochester. She returned home “down hearted and discouraged” and sick, penniless and homeless. She met an old friend on the streets of New York who took her home to be fed and cared for but her condition worsened. A collection was made from other actors and actresses and the money was used to admit her to Bellvue Hospital where she died. Aid from the Actors Fund paid for her funeral and burial at Evergreen Cemetery. (SOLD)

Published in: on May 22, 2022 at 5:39 pm  Leave a Comment  
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MISS WATT : PERFORMER AT LA SCALA : PHOTO BY WALERY : FANCY COSTUME : RPPC

This vintage real photo postcard features performer, Miss Watt.. The title on the card indicates that Miss Watt performed at the La Scala in Paris, France. Miss Watt was photographed in costume. This photo portrait was taken by Walery at his Paris studio. He was a well known and talented celebrity photographer. (SOLD)

Published in: on May 21, 2022 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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SUSY VINING : BEAUTIFUL ACTRESS AND FASHIONISTA (EXTRAORDINARY CABINET CARD BY BENJAMIN FALK); AND TWO RPPC’S :

PHOTO 1 (SOLD)

PHOTO 2 (SOLD)

PHOTO 3 (SOLD)

I am not prone to hyperbole. Without exaggeration, I find this cabinet card portrait (photo 1) quite extraordinary. The pretty woman in this photograph is beautifully dressed. She deserves the moniker of “fashionista”. If she walked into a noisy crowded room, I’m quite sure all activity would cease, and she would become the center of attention. I wish I knew the identity of this fabulous lady. She is probably an actress, which I assume by her appearance, and by the fact that she was photographed by celebrity photographer, Benjamin Falk. An inscription on the reverse of this photograph identifies her as “E Vinning”. I could not find any information about any performer with that name. However, my research did discover an actress named “Susy Vining”. Photographs of Susy Vining show a person who looks similar to the woman in this cabinet card photo. Note the real photo postcard image of Susy Vining below. Do you think “E Vinning” and “Susy Vining” are one and the same person? Just a few more words about this cabinet card. The subject is holding a fur stole and umbrella in one hand, and a top hat in the other. Considering that she is already wearing a head covering, I would love to know the story behind the top hat. This cabinet card image is not on regular cabinet card stock paper. This photograph is printed on thinner than usual stock paper. The card is gold beveled. There is a bar code sticker on the reverse of the photograph. It is very possible that this image is a REPRODUCTION, rather than an original photograph. (SOLD)

Photograph 2 is a vintage real photo postcard of actress Susie Vining. Her bare shoulder dress makes this photograph a bit risque. The actress is holding a cute small dog. The dog looks like a Yorkshire Terrier. This photograph was taken by the Foulsham & Banfield studio as part of a series (no.1946 A). Foulsham & Banfield were well known celebrity photographers. Frank Foulsham and A. C. Banfield operated a studio from the 1900’s through the 1920’s. The postcard was published by Rotary Photo. (SOLD)

Photograph 3 was published by C. W. Faulkner & Co. as part of a series (no.483A). The postcard’s message was written in 1905. The writer tells the addressee that “our Meg has got a place at Fisherrow School”. The postmark is also from 1905. The card was postmarked in Kirkcaldy, Scotland and addressed to Musselburgh, Scotland. (SOLD)

PHOTO 1
PHOTO 2
POSTCARD 3
Published in: on May 1, 2022 at 4:00 pm  Comments (1)  
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MISS AUDREY FORD : BRITISH STAGE ACTRESS : PIQUANT AND HUMOROUS : RPPC : (1910)

This vintage real photo postcard features pretty British theater actress, Audrey Ford. “The Sketch” (1896) includes her in their review of the stage play, “Josiah’s Dream”. The reviewer states that “Miss Audrey Ford is very piquant, and has a charming turn of humour”.  A visit to the dictionary revealed that “piquant” is defined as intriguing or stimulating. This postcard was published by Rotary Photo as part of a series (No.4416 C). Miss Ford’s portrait is by the Foulsham & Banfield studio. The card was postmarked in 1910. This postcard is in fair condition. Note the stain in the upper left hand corner of the card (see scans).

Buy this Vintage Real Photo Postcard (includes shipping within the US) #3876

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Published in: on April 23, 2022 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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