This carte de visite portrait features Austria-Hungarian theater actress Hermine Albrecht (1856-1929). She studied acting with German actor, Karl Wilhelm Meixner and made her debut in 1875. In that year she signed with the Vienna City Theater where she worked until 1884. In 1887 she joined the ensemble of Burgtheater ensemble and in 1890 she was appointed a court actress. She left the theater in 1893 to join private life. She was married to Count Tamas Nyary de Bedegh (1838-1902). Her sister was also an actress (Charlotte Albrecht).The photographer of this image is Dr Szekely. He is cited multiple times in the photographic journals of his time for his photography research. Dr Szekely operated a studio in Vienna, Austria. As of this writing, the Cabinet Card Gallery has two other photos by Szekely. One of these images is of Austrian theater actress Josephine Wessely (1860-1887). To view the other photographs by Szekely, place his name in the blog’s search box.This photograph was taken during or after 1873. This is known because of the the award medallions seen on the reverse of the photograph is dated 1873, (SOLD)
This vintage real photo postcard features stage and film actress Lucy Jousset (1884-1914). She is beautifully dressed. Note her beaded necklace and large hat. She also has a feathered wrap partially around her shoulders. Jousset’s IMDb filmography includes three films, all produced in 1914. Unfortunately, she lived a short life, dying at the young age of thirty years old. The cause of her death and additional biographical details were not determined in my preliminary research. Miss Jousset’s portrait was taken by celebrated theatrical photographer, Leopold Reutlinger of Paris, France. This postcard was published by Societe Industrielle de Photograpie (SIP) of Rueil, France, as part of a series (no 14-65). The postcard is postmarked in Arlon, Belgium (1907.) The postcard is in very good condition (see scans). 
Meet Elsie Cook. I wish there was something I could tell you about her. I assume that she is a performer of some kind. Most likely she is an actress that did not receive much acclaim as my initial research into her background found nothing. Perhaps a visitor to the Cabinet Card Gallery can provide us with some information about this pretty young woman. This vintage real photo postcard was published by Stewart & Woolf. The firm was located in London, England. The postcard is part of a series (115, no. 42). (SOLD)
The lovely actress seen in this vintage real photo postcard is named Gerda Maurus (1903-1968). She is posed next to a beautiful Airedale terrier. This unusual profile photograph was taken by celebrity photographer Alex Binder. His studio was located in Berlin, Germany. Maurus was active in film and television between 1928 and 1968. She was an Austrian actress of Croatian descent. Maurus was the daughter of an engineer/inventor. She grew up in Vienna and received training as a singer and dancer. She hit the stage at age fifteen. The IMDb biography of Maurus describes her as ” a strikingly beautiful blonde with high cheekbones an expressive blue eyes”. She began her career on the stages of Vienna. She was “discovered” by director Fritz Lang and he cast her in the female lead in the silent film “Spione” (1928). Lang was smitten by maurus and his marriage was destroyed. She then appeared in a number of German films during the Weimar and Nazi eras. Maurus married director Robert A. Stemmie in 1937. He directed her in “Daphne and the Diplomat” (1937). Like many actresses of her time, her acting career was hurt by the introduction of “talkies”. Further complicating matters was her nebulous association with Nazi propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels. This relationship had negative impact on her career after World War II. Due to lack of film offers, Maurus retreated to the German stage. The IMDb filmography of Gerda Maurus lists 33 credits. Here is a side note about Airedales. The first World War increased the popularity of Airedales because they became famous for their bravery on the battlefield. In the US, Presidents Theodore Roosevelt, Calvin Coolidge, and Warren Harding all owned Airedales. In the 1920’s, Airedales became the most popular dog in the US. This postcard was published by Ross Verlag and is part of a series (no. A1320/1). (SOLD)
This vintage real photo postcard features Hungarian actress Camilla von Hollay (1899-1967). She was born in Budapest. Her father was a factory director and as she entered young adulthood her parents tried to steer her into going to medical school. Instead, Camilla pursued acting. She was active in film during the silent film era. IMDb credits her with sixty-eight film credits between 1916 and 1930. Early in her movie career she appeared in films with Bela Lugosi. Later, he became known in the US for his portrayal of Dracula. Camilla was blonde and attractive. Many of her films in the 1920’s were filmed in Germany. Her first acclaimed role was in “The Lightship” (1922). Camilla is quoted as stating that film “offers me the opportunity to live my life, to walk in many different forms, and to see myself in a hundred mirrors of just as many human figures”. It is believed that Camilla’s acting career disappeared with the advent of sound film. It is likely her Hungarian accent was seen by film companies as unsuitable for significant roles. She was married to a journalist. Nothing is known about her post acting life. This portrait postcard was published by Iris Verlag/Amag. Iris Verlag was a popular Austrian postcard producer. Amag (Albrecht & Meister) was a publisher located in Berlin. The company took over Aristophot in 1909. Amag ceased production in 1920. This photo portrait postcard is in excellent condition (see scans).
This vintage real photo postcard is another member of the Cabinet Card Gallery’s collection of international silent film stars. The beautiful actress featured on this postcard is Italian silent film star Pina Menichelli (1890-1984). She began her career in theater and in a number of small film roles. When she appeared in the lead role of “The Fire” (1916), she became elevated to stardom. For the next nine years, Menichelli appeared in many films and became a global star. She frequently appeared in roles where she played the role of a diva. She also showcased her, what wikipedia calls, her “decadent eroticism”. She retired in 1924 at the ripe old age of 34. Menichelli was born in Sicily to parents who were both touring theater actors. Her three siblings also became actors. She began acting as a child. Her theater travels took her to Argentina in 1908 and she married and relocated there. She returned to Italy in 1912 and acted in 35 films between 1913 and 1915. In 1918, one of her films was banned from theaters by Italian censors because Menichelli was “too fascinating” in the film. The IMDb website credits her with 62 film appearances between 1913 and 1925. A YouTube video biography of Miss Menichelli can be seen below. This postcard was published by Alberto Traldi of Milan, Italy. He was a publisher there beginning 1902, and according to one source, he ended his Milan business in 1918. This postcard was part of a series (no. 408). After World War II he returned to publishing postcards, including pin-up and cinema postcards. (SOLD)
THE CABINET CARD GALLERY 