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)
This carte de visite photograph features an impeccably dressed adolescent boy. He is decked out in a three piece suit and has a pocket watch, walking stick, and long coat. This fashionista fellow looks like he walked off the pages of “Gentleman’s Quarterly”. The photographer of this exceptional CDV is Heinrich E. Herkner. He operated a studio in the city of Gablonz, which is the German name for a city located in present day Czechoslovakia. The city is now named Jablonec. SOLD
The three siblings posing in this vintage real postcard portrait are beautiful children. The kids are beautifully dressed. The boys are wearing sailor type caps. The younger brother can not contain a smile. Big sister appears to be in her teenage years. The photograph was taken at the American Photo studio in Prague, Czechoslovakia. This image has terrific clarity and is in excellent condition (see scans).
This image is an exceptionally beautiful cabinet card portrait of a pretty mother and her adorable young son. Mom is very well dressed and wearing a necklace, ring, and earrings. She appears confident as she stares at the camera. Her son, standing on a chair, has his arms draped around his mother’s shoulders. He is wearing a nautical type outfit. There is a book on a table in the background. An inscription on the reverse of the photograph indicates that mom’s name is “Jetty” and her son’s name is “Erich”, or possibly, “Emil”. The inscription is difficult to decipher, so the names I provided are just my best guess. The cabinet card photo was taken at the Strauss studio. Strauss had studios in Vienna (Austria), Brunn (Czechoslovakia), and Budapest (Hungary). It is likely that this photo comes from the studio in Brunn. SOLD
THE CABINET CARD GALLERY 