This vintage real photo postcard is part of a series named “Les Plus Belles Femmes de France” (The Most Beautiful Women of France). This series is titled “L’Emeraude” (The Emeralds). There were a number of different series published associated with “Les Plus Belles Femmes de France”. As advertised, the model for this portrait is truly beautiful. This postcard was published by well known and acclaimed photographer, Alfred Noyer. His Paris studio operated between 1910 and the 1940’s. Many of the postcards he produced featured nudes or risque images. ADDENDUM: The beautiful woman in this photograph has been identified. I stumbled upon her name while researching another postcard portrait (Miss Hungary) from the 1930’s. This enchanting woman is Agnes Souret (1902-1928) and she was “Miss France” in the inaugural Miss France contest of 1920. She was a actress and a dancer.She was French-Basque and born in Biarritz. She was the daughter of a former ballet dancer. The 5″ 6″ dark haired, brown eyed Souret became “Miss Midi-Pyrenees” in 1919 and then won the “La Plus Belle Femme de France” contest in 1920. This contest morphed into the “Miss France ” competition. The photo on this postcard is from the “La Plus Belle Femme” contest. She was just seventeen years old when she was in this contest. There were over two thousand entrants. Le Figaro stated that she was a “dazzling beauty”. The New York Times called her “the fairest in France”. The publicity about her pageant victories resulted in her becoming very popular in France. Photographs of her appeared in many journals and magazines. She also was covered by the gossip columns of the 1920’s. She appeared as a dancer in the Paris music hall, Folies Bergere and at the Opera de Monte-Carlo. She also acted in two “forgettable” films (1920 & 1921). Souret travelled to England and was in Revues at the Gaiety Theatre in London. She was invited to Hollywood for an audition to appear in films in 1922. No film offers were made. She published a book in 1922. It was entitled “The Famous Book of Beauty Secrets” and published by a Chicago company. Souret led a short life. She died of peritonitis at the age of 26 while touring Argentina. SOLD
This vintage real photo postcard features Miss Tatyana Maslova photographed while she was participating in the 1933 Miss Europe Contest. She was representing Russia. Her entry into the Miss Russia pageant was in a roundabout way. A journalist from Vilnius, Tayana’s hometown, had entered her in the contest. Along with her photo, the reporter wrote a message stating that Tatyana was the “daughter of a Black Sea Fleet officer who was shot during the Civil War in the south of Russia”. The writer also added that Tatyana was nineteen years of age, fluent in five languages, and “represents the image of the classical Russian beauty”. After winning the Miss Russia title, she went on to the Miss Europe contest in Madrid, Spain, where she was crowned Miss Europe. Tatyana won a trip to Portugal for her victory. She participated in a film in Warsaw and than returned to Vilna where she lived a modest life. Not much is known about her life after winning the Miss Europe contest; though the consensus is that she died at an early age. This postcard was published by well known and acclaimed photographer, Alfred Noyer. His Paris studio operated between 1910 and the 1940’s. Many of the postcards he produced featured nudes or risque images. This postcard was part of the Miss Europa series (no. 13G). (SOLD)
This vintage real photo postcard is part of a series of cards capturing portraits of contestants in the Miss Europa (Europe) contest. This beauty pageant includes only European contestants. The contest was established by a French journalist in 1927. The first contest was held at the Paris Opera and 18 countries were represented. The winner in 1927 was from Yugoslavia. The latest winner (2019), is from Spain. Most of the women in this contest won their own country’s national beauty contest, and used the Miss Europa contest as a warm-up for the Miss World pageant. This postcard features Miss Italy and Miss Belgium enjoying the outdoors. They are dressed beautifully and are expert smilers. This postcard was published by well known and acclaimed photographer, Alfred Noyer. His Paris studio operated between 1910 and the 1940’s. This postcard is a product of the 1930’s. (SOLD)
Margaret Leahy (1902-1967) was a British actress. She was born in London. At the age of eighteen, she set up a costume shop and designed women’s clothing. She also modeled her designs for her customers. The story of how she got her start in acting is an interesting one. After winning a beauty contest, she seemed destined for stardom. Unfortunately, despite her rapid launch into filmdom, her career quickly crashed. She made only one film in her short-lived career. The beauty competition occurred in 1922. Actresses, Constance and Norma Talmadge, Joseph Schenck (film studio executive), and Edward Jose (film director) held a beauty contest in England. It’s purpose was to find a new leading lady. The “Daily Sketch”, an English newspaper, offered a starring role in a major Hollywood film to the winner of the contest. Eighty thousand women entered the contest and three girls were chosen to the final competition. The finals were held in Hollywood and Miss Leahy was the winner. Norma Talmadge described Leahy as “the most ravishing girl in England”. Leahy’s start in films was a disaster. She was dismissed from “Within the Law” (1923). The film’s director found her acting talent was nearly non-existent. He threatened to quit unless Leahy was terminated. The year 1923 wasn’t all bad for Miss Leahy. She was named one of thirteen WAMPAS Baby Stars. Evelyn Brent, Eleanor Boardman, and Laura La Plante were among the thirteen. All but Leahy became successful film actresses. Between 1922 and 1934, WAMPAS association supported a promotional campaign that named thirteen young actresses thought to be destined to become stars. Margaret’s next stop was an appearance in a Buster Keaton comedy, “Three Ages” (1923). Leahy received little attention for her role in the movie and her career was stopped in it’s tracks. Leahy did not return to England. Instead she got married and remained in California. She became an interior decorator and was known to despise the movie industry. In fact, she burned all her movie related scrap books. Sadly, Leahy committed suicide at the age of sixty-four in California. This vintage postcard was published by Rotary Photo and printed in England. The postcard is part of a series (no. 5.76.2). The postcard is in very good condition (see scans). SOLD
This vintage press photo features Miss Jean Rutherford, winner of a beauty contest sponsored by the Daily Mirror, a newspaper in Great Britain. The contest had 22,000 entrants. Miss Rutherford was from Perth, a city in Scotland. Besides choosing a winner of the beauty pageant, the contest was supposed to determine whether manual or “brain workers” were the most beautiful. I guess this silly question was supposed to increase interest and excitement about the contest among the newspaper’s readers. Manual workers were determined to be the prettiest because Miss Rutherford worked as a domestic servant. Before I began researching Miss Rutherford, I was hoping that she went on from this contest and has a successful career as an actress, or some other profession. Unfortunately, my preliminary investigating did not reveal any information about what happened to Miss Rutherford after her victory. This press photo was formerly part of the collection belonging to Victor Forbin (1864-1947), accomplished French writer. This photograph measures about 6″ x 8″ and is in good condition (note staining near the upper right hand corner). (SOLD)
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