EDITH STOREY : AMERICAN SILENT FILM ACTRESS

This vintage real photo postcard features American silent film actress, Edith Storey (1892-1967). She was born in New York City and began acting when she was still a child. Her first film was “The Two Brothers” (1908). By 1913, she had appeared in 75 films and between 1908 and 1921 she performed in nearly 150 films. She performed in many Westerns and was noted for her excellent horseback riding skills. She also did her own stunts. She worked for Vitagraph Studios (New York) for the majority of her career. Storey also acted on stage and was noted for acting in a number of male impersonation roles. She appeared in two Broadway plays. The first was in 1903 and the second was in 1904. She retired at the age of 29 in the year of 1921. During the Spanish Flu Epidemic, Storey drove an ambulance in New York City for the National League for Women’s Service. It is also reported that she worked as a hospital night nurse at the height of the epidemic. After retiring she served almost 30 years as village clerk for Asharoken, Long Island. She died at the age of 75 in Northport, Long Island, New York. Within the message on the this postcard, Daisy (the sender) tells Lucille (the recipient) that Edith Storey is her favorite movie actress. A caption on the front of this card states that Storey has brown eyes and dark brown hair. This postcard was published by Kraus Mfg. Co. of New York.  (SOLD)

Published in: on July 22, 2025 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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DOROTHY TENNANT : AMERICAN STAGE & SCREEN ACTRESS : “THE COLLEGE WIDOW” STAR RPPC

This undivided back vintage real photo postcard features American stage and screen actress, Dorothy Tennant (1865-1942). She is best known for her stage roles in the first ten years of the twentieth century. Her most prominent starring role was in the 1904 comedy, “The College Widow”. She performed in this play both on Broadway and on tour. She first appeared on stage in 1901 in the New York production of “White Roses”. The IBDb reports that she appeared in eight Broadway plays between 1902 and 1932. The IMDb states that Tennant acted in eight films between 1929 and 1938. This postcard was published by the Rotograph Company of New York City as part of a series (No.B936). The photo of Tennant seen on this card was taken by esteemed photographer Jacob Schloss.  SOLD

Published in: on July 21, 2025 at 12:00 pm  Comments (2)  
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THE SCANTILY CLAD BELLY DANCING HARRISON SISTERS CAVORT TOGETHER

harrison

Meet the Harrison Sisters, or the “Sisters Harrison” if you prefer the title on this vintage real photo postcard. The sisters are dressed like belly dancers and perhaps that is their trademark talent. Judging by their expressions, the young women don’t appear to be too interested in their career choice. Note the dancer’s sheer skirts and abundance of jewelry. The provocative skirts and the performer’s bikini top certainly makes this a risque photograph for it’s era. Postcard images such as this often appeared with a Salome theme. Salome, the daughter of Herod II and Herodias is involved in the story of John the Baptist, or more specifically, the head of John the Baptist. Salome was a popular subject in literature, theater, and art around the time that these images were produced. Salome became a symbol for dangerous female seductiveness. To make a long story longer, I am not sure if the inspiration of this postcard’s image is Middle Eastern belly dancing or the temptress Salome. Preliminary research uncovered nothing about the “Sisters Harrison” and clearly more extensive investigation is required. Perhaps the Cabinet Card Gallery’s research department (it’s visitors) have some information to share about these dancing siblings.  SOLD

harrison 1

Published in: on July 20, 2025 at 12:00 pm  Comments (2)  
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ACTRESS ON A SWING IN PARIS, FRANCE (PORTRAIT BY SAZERAC)

SAZERAC FRONT

This cabinet card portrait features an unknown actress in a provocative pose sitting on a swing. An exposed leg and lacy undergarments propel this photograph into risque territory. The curly haired young woman flashes a terrific smile at the camera. The photographer of this image is the Sazerac studio which was located at the “Hotel Prive” in Paris, France. No information could be located about Mr. Sazerac but one can easily find real photo postcard portraits of French show girls that were produced by his studio. Sazerac cabinet cards are less common.  SOLD

 

Published in: on July 19, 2025 at 12:01 pm  Comments (2)  
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VIOLA DANA : PROLIFIC SILENT FILM ACTRESS : FACED SIGNIFICANT LOSS

POSTCARD 1   (SOLD)

POSTCARD 1 (CLOSE-UP) 

dana4POSTCARD 2  (SOLD)

The pretty woman seen in this vintage real photo postcard is American silent film actress, Viola Dana (1897-1987). The photographer captured Miss Dana as she was about to eat something that looks a lot like dessert. Dana hailed from Brooklyn, New York. Her given name was Virginia Flugrath. I understand why she changed her name in the interest of her film career. She had two sisters, and they both became actresses. Their names were Shirley Mason and Edna Flugrath. Dana began performing on the stage at the ripe old age of three years-old. She continued to act in theater but between 1910 and 1912, she made appearances in four films. At age 16, she became an audience favorite in David Belasco’s “Poor Little Rich Girl”. Around this time, she began to perform in vaudeville with famed actor, Dustin Farnum. In the early part of her film career she became a star with Edison Studios. She fell in love with a studio director there, John Hancock Collins. She married him in 1915, at or around the age of eighteen. In 1916, Dana and Collins went to work for Rolfe Photoplays which released their films through Metro Pictures. Tragedy struck when Collins died from influenza during the 1918 flu pandemic. Dana continued acting for Metro through the 1920’s. Over time her popularity faded. Interestingly, one of her roles toward the end of her career, was in Frank Capra’s first film, “That Certain Thing” (1928). She retired in 1929, at about 32 years of age. She had appeared in over one hundred films. Dana, like many other film performers, was a casualty of the transition from silent films to sound films. Her voice was not compatible with the new medium. Dana had more than her share of tragedy in her personal life. After losing her first husband, she began a relationship with Ormer Locklear. He was an aviator and a burgeoning actor. He also was a married man. In 1920, while filming the movie, “The Skywayman”, Locklear was killed when his aircraft crashed. Dana witnessed the accident and did not fly again for 25 years. In 1925, she married Yale football star and actor Maurice “Lefty” Flynn. The marriage ended in divorce in 1929. Her third marriage was to Jimmy Thompson, a professional golfer. The marriage lasted fifteen years and ended in divorce in 1945. During her later years, she volunteered at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital. She became a resident there in 1979.

— Postcard 1 was published by Iris Verlag as part of a series (no 370). AMAG, another publishing house is also listed on the card. The bottom left corner of the image has the name “Metro Pictures”, which as stated earlier, was the company responsible for releasing a number of Dana, and her husband Collins, films.  (SOLD)                                                                                                                  –

-Postcard 2 was published by the Photo Card Co. of Los Angeles, California. This photo card was likely published in 1929. The AZO stamp box indicates that the postcard itself was made sometime between 1910 and 1930. Miss Dana’s beauty is evident in this image. She has lovely eyes.  (SOLD)

POSTCARD 1

POSTCARD 2
Published in: on July 10, 2025 at 12:00 pm  Comments (1)  
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PRESS PHOTOGRAPH OF ACTRESS GRETA GARBO IN A SCENE FROM THE “TEMPTRESS” (1926) AND TWO REAL PHOTO REAL PHOTO POSTCARDS

 PHOTOGRAPH 1  (SOLD)

GRETA GARBO : RISQUE :SWEDISH FILM STAR :1920'S & 1930'S : ACADEMY AWARDS : RPPC - Picture 1 of 3

POSTCARD 1 (SOLD)

POSTCARD 2 (SOLD)

Photograph 1 is an original vintage  is a French press photo from 1991. The image features the actress, Greta Garbo in a scene from the silent film, “The Temptress” (1926). Garbo (1905-1990) was a Swedish film actress in the 1920’s and 1930’s. She was beautiful and she was talented. During her career she was nominated three times for the Academy Award for best actress. The American Film Institute rated her fifth on their list of the greatest female stars of classic Hollywood cinema. Her first film role was in the Swedish film “The Saga of Gosta Berling” (1924). Louis B. Mayer, the head of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) was impressed by her performance and brought her to Hollywood in 1925. Her performance in the silent film “Flesh and the Devil” made her an international star. Her first talkie was “Anna Christie” (1930). Many film experts believe her finest performance came in the film “Camille” (1936). By1938, her career went into a tailspin and she retired from the movie industry at the ripe young age of 35. In total, she had appeared in twenty-eight films. She led a very private life in her retirement and she became an art collector in her later years. She clearly knew her art, evidenced by the fact that her collection was worth millions of dollars when she died.  (SOLD)

Postcard 1 is a vintage postcard that is risque. Garbo’s dress is quite low cut. This vintage postcard is part of the “Picturegoer” series (No.503). (SOLD)

Postcard 2 was published by Ross Verlag (Berlin) as part of a series (5287/4). Note the logo for MGM in the bottom right corner of the image. (SOLD)

PHOTOGRAPH 1

POSTCARD 1

POSTCARD 2

Published in: on June 26, 2025 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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EXTRA LARGE CABINET CARD : JULIA CALHOUN : SILENT FILM ACTRESS : NEWSBOY : NEW YORK

This vintage large format cabinet card features American stage and silent film actress, Julia Calhoun (1870-?). She was adept at playing roles in comedy films including  a number of roles opposite Oliver Hardy from about 1914 into the 1920’s. Her photograph appears in the Billy Rose Theater Collection at the New York Public Library. She was married to Kirkland Calhoun, also an actor. Julia Calhoun, according to the IMDb, appeared in 32 films between 1912 and 1923. Some of her more well known films include “The Human Orchid (1916)”, “The Man that Stayed at Home (1919)”, “The Match-Breaker (1921)” and “Just Like a Woman (1923)”. This cabinet card was published as  part of the Newsboy tobacco advertising collection (No.54). This photograph measures about 6 x 9 inches. SOLD

Published in: on June 21, 2025 at 2:22 pm  Leave a Comment  
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LAPARCERIE : FRENCH ACTRESS & POET : REUTLINGER : SIP : RPPC 1902

This vintage real photo postcard features a beautiful French actress, theater director, and poet, named Cora Laparcerie (1875-1951). Laparcerie looks quite beautiful, and goddess like, in this profile postcard portrait. Note her ornamental hair band. She played various theatrical productions, including classical plays and original French drams. Laparcerie began her career at the Odeon theater in Paris. Soon she was taking on major roles in French theaters. She was married to Jacques Richepin, the son of poet, Jean Richepin. The pair were a notable couple in French artistic circles. Laparcerie managed several prestigious Parisian theatres. In her later career she concentrated on writing poetry, theater columns and early radio dramas. This postcard was published by SIP and Laparcerie’s photograph was taken by Leopold Reutlinger. This is an undivided back postcard (at least pre 1907).    SOLD 

Published in: on June 19, 2025 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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STAGE ACTRESS MARIE JANSEN IN FOUR IMAGES (1887,1888, AND 1892 PHOTOGRAPHS BY FALK)

CABINET CARD 1   SOLD

CABINETCARD2CABINET CARD 3

JANSEN4CABINET CARD 4

Marie Jansen (1857-1914) was an American actress and vocalist. She was a well known star of comic operas. She was born in Boston and her birth name was Hattie Johnson. Jansen made her theatrical debut in Boston at the Park Theatre in 1881. Her first major success occurred in 1883 with her appearance in “The Beggar Student”. In 1884 she was engaged by Charles Wyndham to create the title role in “Featherbrain” which ran in London, England. She then appeared  in the United States for several years as the leading woman in Francis Wilson’s comic opera company. In 1901, Jansen formed her own company that she took on tour. The top  image was photographed by famed celebrity photographer Falk of New York City. SOLD

Postcard 2 shows Jansen in costume for the play, “The Oolah”. “The Oolah” was a comic opera produced by the Francis Wilson Company in 1887. The music was written by Charles Le Cocq and the libretto was written by Sydney Rosenfeld.

Postcard 3 was also photographed by Falk. This cabinet card is dated 1888 and is a bit risque for that time in history. The third image of Jansen also captures her in a bit risque costume. It was photographed by  Falk in 1892 and the cabinet card was used as a premium for Newsboy tobacco products.

Postcard 4 features Jansen in costume and sitting on a wicker chair. She is holding a cane and wearing gloves. This undated photograph is also by Falk. To view other photographs by Falk, click on the Cabinet Card Gallery category “Photographer: Falk”.

Published in: on June 12, 2025 at 12:01 pm  Leave a Comment  
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MADGE SAUNDERS : ENGLISH STAGE AND FILM ACTRESS : REAL PHOTO POSTCARD

This vintage real photo postcard features theater actress and singer, Madge Saunders (1894-1967). She was born in South Africa. She was married twice, both times to actors. She appeared in two film (1918, 1930). There are 47 portraits of Saunders in England’s National Portrait Gallery. This photo portrait of Miss Saunders is one of the images in the gallery’s collection. This photograph was published by J. Beagles & Co. as part of a series (no.253A). Saunders was photographed by a celebrated female photographer, Rita Martin. SOLD

Published in: on June 7, 2025 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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