This vintage real photo postcard features actress and singer, Miss Aileen Davies (1902-1981). At first glance, this image appears to be a photograph of a pretty woman on a bad hair day. However, this is actually a photograph of Miss Davies playing the role of “Mad Margaret” in “Ruddigore”. The comic opera was also known as “The Witches Curse”. The production was presented by the D’Oyly Carte Opera Company and the music and libretto was written by Gilbert and Sullivan. It was first performed in 1887 for a run of 288 performances and was revived in 1920. The “Gasbag” (2006) quotes a review of Miss Davies performance in a 1926 revival of “Ruddigore”. In regard to the actress, the reviewer admires “her prissy delivery and skittish style” and describes her “wonderful sexy lift ” into song. This photo postcard was published by Parksle Pictures as part of a series (No. 157). Davies is best known for her role in The Mikado (1926). The YouTube video below presents Beatrice Elburn, Elsie Griffin, and Aileen Davies, performing a song from “The Mikado”. This vintage postcard is in very good condition (see scans). SOLD
This vintage postcard features Spanish model and operetta star, Maud d’Orby (1851-1929). She performed during the Belle Epoque era. d’Orby was born in Valladolid, Spain. She began her career as a comic opera singer toward the end of the nineteenth century. It is unknown whether she performed in Spain, she only appeared in the French press from that period of time. She worked in Paris (theaters included La Cigale, Scala, Olympia, Lyric) and Brussels (Folies Bergere, Theatre du Vaudeville). She received praise for her acting talent and for her singing ability. She was described as having a “melodious cheerful voice”. She often played the role of “La Commere”. This role involved being the character who narrated the opera’s story and connected the adjacent scenes. One writer stated that she was successful in this role because of her “playful and cheerful way” and her “eye-catching appearance”. d’Orby was also a successful fashion and postcard model. She was photographed many times by Leopold Reutlinger. These photos were published in the most popular fashion magazines. She looked phenomenal in her beautiful clothes, large feathered hats, and magnificent jewelry. At the exhibition of 1900 in Brussels, her photographs were exhibited and well admired. d’Orby was also a model for Jean Agelou, a prominent photographer who specialized in taking erotic photos. The photographer of this postcard’s photo is also an esteemed lensman of his era. The photograph was taken by Henri Manuel (1874-1947). In 1900, Manuel opened a portrait studio in Paris with his brother Gaston. He quickly became well known for his portraits of politicians, artists, and athletes. His images were used by news agencies . His studio became the largest studio in Paris and it attracted many young photographers who sharpened their skills there. In 1925 the brothers expended their business to include fashion photography. They worked for such designers as Chanel, Patou, and Lanvin. The studio shut down during World War II and many of their photographic plates were destroyed. Manuel was the official photographer for the French government from 1914 through 1944. The publisher of this postcard was CCCC (Charles Collas et Cie, Cognac). CCCC was established by Charles Collas (1866-1947) in Cognac, France. It began operating at the end of the 19th century as a bookstore and printing business. He began to produce postcards in 1894. The company also produced books and maps. By 1914, the publisher employed 500 people. CCCC postcards are cherished by serious collectors today. In 1914, the firm was taken over by Fleury & Cie. (SOLD)
Image 1 is a vintage postcard that features French actress Lucy Gerard (1872-1941). She appeared both on stage and in film. She began her stage career in 1888 at the Theatre de la Renaissance and continued her career in France through 1900. She was absent from the performance scene for quite awhile until she returned to the stage with a “new” name, Lucy Mareil. During her stint away from the stage, she became an antique dealer. Equipped with her new name, Gerard landed numerous roles in theater and cinema from 1911 to 1923. In The IMDb credits Gerard with 24 film roles. The IBDb reports that she appeared in one Broadway play, “A Night with the Pierrots / Sesostra / The Whirl of Society” (1912). Lucy Gerard was a very pretty actress and her photo on this postcard shows her in what appears to be a Middle Eastern costume. On the top left hand corner of the front of the card is the word “Vaudeville”. At the time that this photo was taken, Miss Gerard was appearing at the “Theatre du Vaudeville” in Paris. The photographer of this postcard photo was Charles Pierre Ogerau (1868-1908). He was a Frenchman and was considered an excellent photographer. He was also known to be an anarchist activist at the beginning of the twentieth century. Ogerau opened his photographic studio on boulevard Montmartre in around 1885. He specialized in photographing actresses and his subjects included Cleo de Merode and Emma Calve. This vintage postcard portrait is uncommon. (SOLD)
Image 2 is a Cabinet Card portrait of the Miss Girard. She looks beautiful in this photograph. She is dressed in a fancy gown. This photo was taken at the celebrated Reutlinger studio. The Reutlinger Photography Studio was opened by Charles Reutlinger in Paris in 1850. Reutlinger was of German descent. The studio took portraits of many of the world’s beautiful, rich and famous people of the era. In 1880, Charles’ brother, Emile (1825-1907) took over operation of the studio. He was joined by his son Leopold (1863-1937) in 1883. Leopold began running the studio in 1890 and operated the business until 1930 when he lost an eye in an accident involving a champagne cork. A stamp on the reverse of this cabinet card reveals that it was formerly owned by Culver Pictures of New York City, New York. Culver Pictures has been collecting photographs and illustrations from the 19th and first half of the 20th century, since 1926. These pictures are used in books, films, and other forms of media. At the time that this cabinet card was stamped by the company, Culver Pictures was located in New York City. (SOLD)
This vintage real photo postcard features dancer Maraquita Rostano. Although my research found other postcard images of Miss Rostano, I was unable to locate any biographical information. The postcard was published by Georg Gerlach & Co.. The firm was a real photo card publisher and printer based in Berlin, Germany. The postcard was part of a series (no725/3). The message on the card was written in 1910 and the card was addressed to En Ville (In Town). This postcard is in very good condition (see scans).
Buy this Vintage Real Photo Postcard (includes shipping within the US) #3442
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$17.89
Buy this Vintage Real Photo Postcard (includes International shipping outside the US) 3442
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Postcard 1 features Miss Weixler at a younger age than postcard 2. The image shows Grete in her night clothes and holding a teddy bear in her left hand. A second stuffed animal lies near her feet. Note Grete’s long braided hair, worn over the front of her left shoulder. This image was created at the Helga Schmitt studio which had two locations in Germany (Wehl and Friedenau). The postcard was published by Photochemie, a firm located in Berlin. The card is part of a series (No 1506). The message on the reverse of the postcard indicates that it was written in 1917. Miss Weixler was about 17 years-old when this photograph was taken. This vintage real photo postcard in in very good condition (see scans).
Buy this Vintage Real Photo Postcard (includes shipping within the US) #3420
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$24.17
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$33.17
POSTCARD 2
POSTCARD 2 (CLOSE-UP)
Postcard 2 features German silent film actress, Grete Weixler (1900-1921). She appears to be quite young in this photograph; possibly in her teenage years. Grete has the appearance of a cute and vivacious young woman. She was the younger sister of actress Dorrit Weixler (1892-1916). Her grandfather was a successful actor in Hungary. She made her film debut in 1915 in a film directed by Franz Hofer, who was married to her sister Dorrit. In an interview, Grete described the different type of roles that she played in comparison to her sister. She states that Dorrit specialized in playing child-like young woman who “know nothing but know everything”. She added that Dorritt had “a shade of humor”. On the other hand, Grete asserts that she herself was drawn to more “serious” roles. Dorrit had a tragic life. She became addicted to morphine and died from suicide in 1916. In addition to acting in film, Grete was also a theatre actress. Her last film was the “The Daughter of the Seduced”. The IMDb reports that Grete appeared in 37 films between 1915 through 1921. The stamp box of this postcard has an interesting story. “NBC” (Neue Bromsilber Convention) was a price cartel established in 1909 that continued until the 1930’s. The purpose of the cartel was to ensure that the minimum price charged for postcards was kept at a sufficiently profitable level. A number of postcard publishing companies joined the cartel in an effort to stave off the effect of competition on the pricing of postcards. This postcard is part of a series (no. 121/2). The logo for the motion picture company “Film Sterne” can be seen in the lower left hand corner of the postcard. The photo studio that took this photograph was Becker & Maas. The firm was located in Berlin, Germany. This portrait postcard is in very good condition (see scans).
Buy this Vintage Real Photo Postcard (includes shipping within the US) #2993
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$16.85
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This vintage real photo postcard features French singer and nurse, Nelly Martyl (1884-1953). Nelly was born in Paris. Her mother was English and her father was French. She was trained as a singer at the Conservatoire de Paris. Martyl was a soprano opera singer in Paris who made her professional debut in 1907 at the Grand Opera in Paris. . She joined the Opera-Comique in 1909. She sang many parts there and performed in several premieres. She sang in London’s Covent Garden in 1910. She was a frequent model in fashion magazines (notably, Les Modes). She advertised gowns by famous Paris designers. She became a French heroine by working as a Red Cross nurse during World War I. She served in the 1916 Battle of Verdun and earned the nickname of “la fee de Verdun” (the fairy of Verdun). She also worked as a nurse during the Second Battle of the Aisne in 1917. She didn’t just do “cameo roles” at military hospitals. She heroically worked in dangerous, close to the front, hospitals. Her nursing career included being wounded and gassed several times. She was awarded the “Croix de Guerre” for her dangerous work during the war. After the war, she was a nurse to victims of the 1918 flu epidemic. Later, Martyl partnered with an automobile racecar driver in creating a charitable medical foundation Somehow, Nelly found time to have a personal life. She was married to French artist George Scott (1873-1942). This photo of Miss Martyl was taken by the studio of Boyer & Bert. Paul Boyer (1861-1908) operated his studio in Paris. He was very talented and won many awards. He produced many portraits of theater performers as well as other celebrities. This postcard was published by Societe Industrielle de Photograpie (SIP) of Rueil, France, as part of a series (no. 2075). It is in very good condition (see scans).
Buy this Vintage Real Photo Postcard (includes shipping within the US) #3418
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$22.00
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This vintage real photo features dancer/actress Lydia de Rostow. She is dressed in a dance costume that accentuates her shapely figure. The photograph was taken by Felix studio, which was located in Paris, France. Luminous-Lint describes Felix as a “photographer of couture in the first decades of the 20th century in France”. He was an early fashion photographer who operated, according to Luminous-Lint, during two decades (1900-1920). The name “R Guilleminot” is printed on the reverse of the postcard. Guilleminot was a firm based in Paris that manufactured photographic plates and papers. Much of their photo paper was used for printing real photograph postcards. The company existed between 1858 and 1994. This vintage postcard portrait is in very good condition (see scans).
Buy this Vintage Real Photo Postcard (includes shipping within the US) #3409
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$28.00
Buy this Vintage Real Photo Postcard (includes International shipping outside the US) 3409
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Dolly Davis (1896-1962) was a French film actress. She is described by IMDb as very pretty and very “lively”. She was very active in film during the 1920’s. That was also the height of her popularity. She appeared mostly in comedies. She often acted in films with her companion, Andre Roanne. She appeared in international films near the close of the silent film era. She continued to act with the advent of sound films. She retired in 1937 and focused on painting. The IMDb reports that she has 52 film credits ranging from 1920 through 1936. This vintage real photo postcard is part of a series, “Peugeot 12 six Collection”. Miss Davis is seen entering into a chauffer driven luxury automobile. The photographer of this image was GL Manuel Freres. The studio was founded by brothers Gaston and Lucien Manuel. This vintage postcard is in very good condition (see scans). SOLD
This vintage real photo postcard features Italian stage and film actress, Mimi Aylmer (also spelled Almieri) (1896-1992). She was a star during Italy’s fascist era. Aylmer was born in Rome. Her family was of the bourgeois class. At age seventeen, she made her debut as a chanteuse (female nightclub singer of popular songs). Shortly after her debut, she was hired by the Riviste Papa stage company. In 1914, she launched her film career. She starred in her first film and remained a major star for more than twenty years (until 1936). After World War II, she played character roles in two films before retiring from the entertainment world in 1959. In 1964, she moved to Bologna where she lived in a rest home for entertainment artists. The IMDb reports that Aylmer has twelve film credits ranging from 1914 to 1951. As this photo postcard demonstrates; Miss Aylmer was a pretty woman. She has an aura of sweetness and a nice half smile. This vintage postcard is in very good condition (see scans).The reverse of the card has the stamp of Milan photographer Attilio Badodi (1880-1967). He was a talented and very successful photographer of European celebrities. His photos immortalized many actors and actresses. He also did portraits of Benito Mussolini. The stamp box on this postcard indicates that it was published by K Ltd. sometime between 1918 and 1936. The postcard is in good condition (see scans).
Buy this Vintage Real Photo Postcard (includes shipping within the US) #3400
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$32.00
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This vintage real photo postcard features pretty performer, Jane Ivon. Take a close look at her hat. Yes, that is a real deceased bird decorating her hat. The bird looks as if it is staring into Miss Ivon’s eyes. There was a time when whole birds were considered desirable decorations on lady hats. This was to the detriment of many bird species that were nearly wiped out by hunters looking to make a quick buck from the millinery industry. One of the venues that Ivon performed at was the Theatre Marigny. The Marigny was, and remains located, near the corner of Champs-Elysees and the Avenue Marigny. The theatre was opened in 1894 and was the home to operetta and other musical theatre. It was a popular venue for musical productions until the 1930’s. There have been many changes in the venue overtime, including a major rehabilitation and restoration in 2018. The theatre still operates today. This portrait postcard was photographed by Lucien Walery. He was a celebrated Paris photographer known for his portraits of artists and cabaret dancers from the city’s music halls. He is very well known for his portraits of Mata Hari and Josephine Baker. Walery did a lot of work in the genre of nude/erotic photography. He photographed the beautiful women of Paris between the early 1900’s and the 1920’s. The postcard is part of a series (n542). This vintage portrait postcard is in very good condition (see scans).
Buy this Vintage Real Photo Postcard (includes shipping within the US) #3393
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$25.50
Buy this Vintage Real Photo Postcard (includes International shipping outside the US) 3393
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IMAGE 1 (SOLD)
IMAGE 1 CLOSE-UP (SOLD)
POSTCARD 2
POSTCARD 2 (CLOSE-UP)
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