ANITA PAGE w/ CAT : SILENT FILM STAR : MGM : ROSS VERLAG : RPPC 1920s

This sepia-toned publicity postcard features Anita Page (1910-2008), an iconic silent and early sound film actress, posing with a tabby cat. She cradles the cat gently in her lap, both arms encircling it protectively. The cat appears calm, eyes half-closed in contentment or sleep, nestled into Page’s arms. Anita is styled with soft, sculpted blonde curls typical of late 1920s-early 1930s glamour. She wears a tailored dress or top with a broad, satin-trimmed collar and decorative slashes on the cuffs, along with a double-stranded pearl necklace and a bracelet on one wrist. Her expression is wistful—perhaps intentionally melancholy or dreamy—a popular aesthetic in studio portraits of the era. Her makeup emphasizes the eyes with dark liner and curved brows, enhancing her expressive gaze. The presence of the cat lends the portrait an intimate and slightly whimsical tone, softening the glamorous studio setting and humanizing the star. It was not uncommon for stars to be photographed with animals to add charm or relatability. The publisher of this postcard is Ross Verlag, a German company based in Berlin. The card is identified as (No.6247/1). The circular logo in the bottom right corner of the card belongs to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), the major Hollywood studio with which Anita Page was under contract. The message on the reverse of the card is written in Czech (or possibly Slovak). A rough translation reads: “Your devoted, Wishes you everything good – Your dear Miloš,  I send you this card for memory. The card is dated 1929. Anita Page was a major screen star in the late 1920s and early 1930s, often called “the girl with the most beautiful face in Hollywood.” She rose to fame starring alongside Joan Crawford in Our Dancing Daughters (1928) and appeared in The Broadway Melody (1929), which won the Academy Award for Best Picture. She retired young in the 1930s but returned sporadically to the screen in later years. She was one of the last surviving stars of the silent film era.  (SOLD)

FOUR CHILDREN WITH KITTENS : BY MARTINOT FRERES : GRENOBLE, FRANCE : CABINET CARD

This enchanting cabinet card portrait captures a tender domestic scene from the late 19th century. The image features four children—three girls and a boy—posed formally in a studio setting. Their expressions are a blend of poise and innocence, with a touch of curiosity and seriousness common in portraits of the period. Each child is neatly dressed, their attire reflecting the middle-to-upper-class fashion of the Victorian era. The two older girls, seated on a stone bench, gently cradle small kittens in their laps, adding a heartwarming, spontaneous touch to the otherwise composed image. Their delicate white dresses are adorned with ruffles and lace, and they wear matching striped stockings and black shoes. Their hair is neatly styled, with ribbons typing it back, creating a soft angelic appearance. Beside them stands their older brother, dressed in an immaculate dark nautical outfit, complete with a wide sailor collar, decorative buttons, and a silk tie. His right hand holds a large straw hat, and his confident posture suggests a protective older sibling role. The youngest child, a toddler, stands in front on a miniature chair, wearing a ruffled white dress with puffed sleeves and a curious expression. Her chubby cheeks and tousled bob haircut lend her a particularly charming presence. The photographer of this beautiful image is Martinot Frères, whose studio was located in Grenoble, France..The elaborate typography and decoration on the back of the card advertise the studio’s prestige, including a mention of awards received at the Exposition de Bordeaux in 1882. The inclusion of this medal suggests a respected reputation and hints at the high quality of the photography.  (SOLD)

Published in: on June 29, 2025 at 12:44 pm  Leave a Comment  
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TWELVE BRITISH POLICEMEN & A CAT : UNIFORMED WITH HELMETS : RPPC c1905

This striking antique real photo postcard captures a formal group portrait of twelve British police officers, likely taken in the early 1900s during the Edwardian era. Dressed in full uniform, the men are arranged in two neat rows, seven standing in back and five seated in front—outside what appears to be a stone police station or municipal building. Their uniforms are traditional for the period, featuring double-breasted tunics with shiny metal buttons, high collars marked with identification numbers, and the iconic custodian helmets adorned with royal insignias. Adding a subtle touch of hierarchy to the scene, one officer seated in the middle wears a peaked cap instead of a helmet, suggesting he may have held a higher rank, possibly an inspector. A few of the officers also display chevrons on their sleeves, denoting the rank of sergeant. One especially charming detail that sets this postcard apart is the presence of a cat, calmly perched in the arms of one of the seated sergeants—an unusual and endearing addition to an otherwise formal composition. SOLD

ADORABLE LITTLE GIRL AND HER THREE PHOTOGENIC CATS : RPPC : 1914

This color tinted vintage real photo postcard features an adorable little girl and her three beautiful cats. The child is wearing a pretty hat. The cats are extremely photogenic. This postcard is dated 1914 and was published by Rotophot (RPH) as part of a series (No.4315/2). Rotophot eventually morphed into Ross Verlag.  SOLD

Published in: on May 25, 2025 at 12:00 pm  Comments (1)  
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ADORABLE LITTLE GIRL : WHITE CAT : HANI REINWALD : FAUVETTE : RPPC 1913

This color tinted vintage real photo postcard features a barefoot adorable little girl and her white cat that she is carrying in a cloth bag. She is also carrying a bouquet of flowers and has a basket on her back. The model seen in this postcard photo is most likely, Hani Reinwald, sister of popular postcard model, Grete Reinwald. Both girls became stage and film actresses. I own another postcard from the same series as this postcard. That postcard is postmarked 1913, indicating that this postcard also dates back to that year. This French postcard was published by Fauvette as part of a series (No.1319). SOLD

SIX PEOPLE RELAXING ON FRONT PORCH : CAT, ROCKING CHAIR, HAMMOCK : VINTAGE PHOTO

This vintage photograph captures six individuals relaxing on a large porch. There appears to be four women and two children enjoying some leisurely time. At least one woman is sitting in a rocking chair while another two are on hammocks. A young boy is perched on a railing. There is a cat sitting on an unoccupied rocking chair with a pillow behind him/her. There is a nice view of two houses across the way.  SOLD

Published in: on May 8, 2025 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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FOUR PORTRAITS OF PROVOCATIVE GERMAN SILENT FILM STAR RUTH WEYHER

POSTCARD 1
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POSTCARD 2 (SOLD)

                             

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is ruth-weyher_0001.jpgPOSTCARD 3  (SOLD)

RUTH WEYHER : SULTRY GERMAN SILENT FILM ACTRESS : RPPC - Picture 1 of 3

POSTCARD 4  (SOLD)

Postcard 1 is a vintage real photo postcard that features German silent film actress, Ruth Weyher (1901-1983). She was born in Neumark, East Prussia, Germany.  Weyher grew up in Danzig where she studied painting until she switched to a conservatory to study singing. An illness robbed her of her singing voice and in 1919 she travelled to Berlin where she studied a Max Reinhardt’s theatre school. Reinhardt was a well known director and producer. She appeared in 48 films between 1920 and 1930. She starred in director Georg Wilhelm Pabst’s film “Secrets of the Soul” (1926). She also produced a film in 1929. During her career, Weyher only appeared in a few sound movies and she abandoned acting after marrying publisher Hans Geiselberger in 1932. It is reported that she retired at her husband’s request. The video clip below features Miss Weyher in her appearance in the film “Shadows: A Nightly Hallucination” (1923). The film title translation was done by “google translate”. Weyher’s costar in this film was Austrian stage and film actor Fritz Kortner (1892-1970). A review of this film describes Weyher as “beautiful and passionate”.  Ruth Weyher’s appearance in this film can be described as risque or provocative. One of the themes of this film is infidelity. This postcard was published by Ross Verlag and is part of a series (no. 3529/1). The portrait of Miss Weyher was taken by Alex Schmoll, a photographer located in Berlin, Germany. There is Italian print on the reverse of the postcard that roughly translates as “Exclusive sale publisher: Ballerini and Fratini, Firenze (Florence, Italy). A bit of research reveals that the publishing house, Ballerini & Fratini Montespertoli began in Florence in the year 1912.                                     

Postcard 2 features Ruth Weyher and was published by Ross Verlag. The postcard is part of a series (no. 3089/1). This portrait of Miss Weyher  has her posed in position to display her bare back. She has an engaging smile and holds a large fan of dark feathers. Some may find this image somewhat sexually provocative. The photographer of this photograph is Kiesel of Berlin, Germany.  (SOLD)

Postcard 3 is a vintage real photo postcard that features Miss Weyher holding an adorable kitten. This postcard was published by Iris Verlag and is part of a series (no. 892). The portrait of Miss Weyher was taken by Kiesell, a photographer located in Berlin, Germany. This postcard has remnants of it’s former scrapbook home on back of card. It is in  overall good condition (see scans).   (SOLD)

Postcard 4 was published by Ross Verlag and is part of a series (no. 3318/1). The portrait of Miss Weyher was taken by the Kiese studio in Berlin, Germany.   (SOLD)

 

PORTRAIT OF A BEAUTIFUL WHITE CAT : ROTARY PHOTO

catThis vintage real photo postcard features a beautiful white cat. This regal looking feline deserves “best of show” honors. The postcard was published by Rotary Photo which was located in London, England. It was produced in the 1900’s decade and was part of a series (A.710). The Rotary Photographic Company was founded in London in 1901. It was a major publisher of real photo postcards.  SOLD

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Published in: on October 8, 2021 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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THE CATS ARE LEAVING THE CATSKILLS : WONDERFUL POSTCARD FOR CAT OR CATSKILL COLLECTORS

This vintage postcard takes a humorous look at the Catskills, a mountain resort area in upstate New York. The Catskills resorts were very popular in the mid twentieth century. Though less visited, many of the resorts are still in operation. The Catskills are located about 90 minutes from New Yok City. This postcard presents two cats riding in a cart being pulled by two other cats. The riders have a lot of baggage as they leave the resort area. A train can be seen in the background. This postcard was published by The Ruben publishing Company. The firm was located in Newburgh, New York. This postcard was part of a series and has two identification numbers (216947 and 62).The Ruben Publishing company was founded by Jacob Ruben (1882-1974). He also operated a stationery store.. Ruben emigrated to the United States from Russia. He became a well known commercial photographer in the Hudson River Valley. He was noted for his tourist photographs as well as for his photos of local civic projects occurring in the area. SOLD

Published in: on April 27, 2021 at 12:00 pm  Comments (1)  
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SMILING GIRL AND TWO ADORABLE KITTENS (1906)

This vintage undivided real photo postcard features a smiling girl holding two adorable kittens. She appears to be in her teenage years. This card was published by the Photograph Company of America. The firm was located in Chicago, Illinois. The message on this postcard was written in 1906. Interestingly, the writer wrote in the stamp box, “I am out of stamps”. (SOLD)

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Published in: on April 23, 2021 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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