This vintage real photo postcard features a traditional Swiss folk music and dance group wearing traditional ethnic clothing. Note the accordion being held by the man in the center of the front row. The group was based in the town of St. Gallen. This real photo postcard is in good condition (see scans). There is a mar which can be seen on the man all the way on the right side of the top row. SOLD
Bessie Love (1898-1986) is the subject of this vintage real photo postcard. She was beautiful and her postcard and photo images are very collectible. Bessie was an American-British actress who initially became popular by playing sweet, pure, and innocent young girls. She went on to play virtuous leading ladies in silent and early sound films. Her career had amazing longevity; she acted for more than eight decades. She worked in many areas of entertainment. In addition to her film work, she acted on the stage, and on radio and television. Bessie was born in Midland, Texas. Her father was a cowboy and a bartender. Her mother was a restaurant manager. She attended Midland schools until the eighth grade. She and her family moved to Arizona, New Mexico, and then Hollywood, California. Once in the Golden State, her father became a chiropractor and her mother worked in a clothing factory (Jantzen). Bessie attended Los Angeles High School and in 1915 she went to a film set to meet with Tom Mix who had promised to help her to “get into pictures”. Mix was unable to meet with her but film director D. W. Griffith was able to meet with her and he promptly put her under contract. Love dropped out of high school in order to pursue her film career. Impressively, she did complete her diploma in 1919. Bessie began with a small role in a Griffith movie, “Intolerance” (1916). Her first major role was in “The Flying Torpedo” (1916). That same year, she appeared in movies opposite William S. Hart and Douglas Fairbanks. Her first starring role was in “A Sister of Six” (1916). Love quickly became a popular performer. Early in her career, Bessie worked for “Fine Arts”, “Pathe” and then Vitagraph. In the 1920’s Love sought roles outside of the “sweet and innocent girl” parts. In two movies she played Asian women. She had the role of a drug addicted mother in “Human Wreckage” (1923) and in other films played an underworld flapper as well as a woman accused of murder. In the 1925 movie, “The King on Main Street”, Love became the first person to dance the Charleston in a movie (see the video below).. The dance became the rage of the era. Also in the 1920’s, Bessie appeared in a film based on Arthur Conan Doyle’s novel “The Lost World”. In addition, she appeared in a romantic comedy directed by Frank Capra. She signed with MGM in 1928. In 1929, Love exhibited her talent in musical comedy. She toured with a musical revue for sixteen weeks. It is thought that her singing and dancing performances in vaudeville helped prepare her for sound films. That same year, she made her debut in her first feature length sound film, the musical “The Broadway Melody”. Her performance led to her receiving a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress. MGM rewarded her with a five year contract and a three thousand dollars a week (equivalent to $45,000 a week in 2019). She continued to act in musicals and her success was reflected in her becoming “the screen’s first musical comedy star”. Between 1931 and 1943, Love entered semi-retirement. She had married in 1929 and during this break in her career, she began focusing on her personal life. Her husband was an agent, William Hawks. She had celebrity bridesmaids, including Carmel Myers, Norma Shearer, and Mary Astor. Love had a daughter in 1932, and in 1935, she moved to England. She obtained a divorce in 1936. During World War II, Love worked as a film script supervisor and also worked for the American Red Cross. After the war, Love resumed acting. Much of her work was in theater, television, and radio. She also played minor roles in British film. In 1958, she wrote and performed in a semiautobiographical play. Some of her later films included “The Barefoot Contessa” (1954), “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” (1969 a James Bond Thriller), and “Sunday Bloody Sunday” (1971). Bessie Love had a long and successful acting career. The IMdB reports that she had 156 acting credits between 1915 and 1981. This vintage postcard was published by Cinemagazine (Paris Edition) as part of a series (no.163). The postcard has excellent clarity and is in very good condition (see scans). SOLD
This vintage postcard is unusual (uncommon). It features two female dancers, I believe they are performing a type of ballet. The dancer that is holding up the other dancer has very muscular legs. Is she a he? An inscription on the reverse of the card appears to say “Jennoff”. I was hoping that the name “Jennoff” would lead me to more information about this postcard. It failed to do so. The story behind this Italian vintage postcard, intrigues me. (SOLD)
This vintage real photo postcard features Russian ballerina, choreographer, and silent film star, Vera Karalli (1889-1972). She was born in Moscow. Her father was an entrepreneur and her mother was an actress. Karalli was active between 1914 and 1921. Karalli was a graduate of the Moscow Theatre School in 1906. She performed in the Ballets Russes company in 1909, and then again, in 1919 and 1920. She was a soloist with the Bolshoi Theater and after two years became a ballerina in 1915. She often danced with ballet star, Mikhail Mordkin. Karalli becan acting in 1914 and she became one of Russia’s most celebrated film actresses. From 1914 to 1919, Karalli appeared in about sixteen Russian silent films. One of these films was an adaptation of Tolstoy’s “War and Peace”. Her last film was a German drama released in 1921. Karalli was a mistress of the Grand Duke Dmitri Pavlovich of Russia. He was the cousin of Nicholas II. It was reported that she was a co-conspirator in the 1916 murder of Grigori Rasputin. After the October Revolution, she fled to the West. Between In the 1920’s she taught dance in Lithuania. Between 1930 and 1935 she was ballet mistress of the Romanian opera in Bucharest. She lived in Paris between 1938 and 1941. She later settled in Baden, Austria. (SOLD)
The pretty woman in this vintage real photo postcard is the Spanish dancer, Carmen De Foya. “The Sketch: A Journal of Art and Activity (1905) reported on the De Foyas “consderable grace and skill” when she performed at the Alhambra theater in London, England. Her photo accompanied the article. “The San Francisco Call” (1905) labelled her a “famous Spanish Dancer” and announced her London appearance. The newspaper also added that when De Foya performed in Berlin, she danced at a function attended by the Kaiser. The German leader not only complimented De Foya, but also gave her diamond earrings. It is reported that the pair had an interesting exchange about marriage. When De Foya stated she wanted to get married, the Kaiser suggested that she marry an Englishman because they make the best husbands. “The Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News” (1905) described De Foya’s act as “poetry in motion”. “The Esoteric Curiosa” (2014) tells a racy story about Miss De Foya. It seems Spain’s King Alfonso XIII nearly went to “the limit of foolishness” over “little Carmen de Foya”. She “knew how to make eyes at a King without getting into trouble”. One night at the Madrid Opera, she kicked her satin toes right at him. The next day King Alfonso sent her flowers and a card. The card said “The loveliest flowers of Spain, to Spain’s loveliest” The King was a known womanizer and he often acted on impulse. In an effort to avoid scandal, Defoya left the next day for Paris. Another version of this story has the two romantically linked. The photograph of Miss De Foya seen on this postcard, was taken by Leopold Reutlinger, a very well respected talented photographer based in Paris. One of his specialties was theatrical photography. The postcard was published by Societe Industrielle de Photograpie (SIP) of Rueil, France. The card is part of a series (no. 1309). The postmark indicates it was stamped in Arente (Italy) in the year 1906. (SOLD)
This vintage photograph features a young woman dressed in a dance costume. The previous owner of this image reported that the woman was a dance school student ,and that at the time of this photo, she was at a recital or a recital rehearsal. The student appears to have been in her teenage years. Her costume is unusual and interesting. Note her wide wristbands and striped cap. She may also be wearing a cape although her pose blocks an adequate view of that part of her costume. The subject of this photo is identified by an inscription on the reverse. Her name is Louise J. Howlan (1915-1970). Her father worked for a gas and electric company. At the age of 25, she worked as a stenographer. This photograph was taken by a Utica, New York studio. I am unable to decipher his name which can be found on the lower right hand corner of the image. The photo is from circa 1920’s. The photograph measures about 4 1/8″ x 6 1/4″. (SOLD)
PHOTOGRAPHERS NAME
This vintage real photo postcard captures a glimpse of latin social and dance history. This is a photograph of a Havana, Cuba, nightclub in which the patrons participate in a festival of music and dance. The featured dance is the rumba. I have seen two other postcards in this “Typical Rumba” series. This postcard is by far the nicest of the three. The photographer has signed the photo with the name “Ronay”. A sign on the wall states “La Comparsa”. A comparsa is a group of dancers, singers, and musicians that perform in carnival and other festivities in Latin America and Spain. The most well known comparsas are the ones that take part in the “Carnival of Santiago de Cuba”. Does the United States have Comparsas? The most similar carnival held in the United States, according to some writers, is Mardi Gras in New Orleans. Cuban comparsas originate in the eastern part of the island, specifically the city of Santiago de Cuba. The singers, musicians and dancers form the “conga”, the ensemble that performs the canrival music, Havana has it’s own version of carnival. Each city has specific comparsas that tend to perform there. The term “rumba” refers to a style of music and dance. The rumba was exported by Cuba to North America, much like it’s replacement, salsa. The history of the rumba, as well as Comparsas, is much too complex and detailed to be adequately presented in this description. This postcard is from circa 1950 and it is in excellent condition. (see scans). (SOLD)
The subject of this vintage real photo postcard is Miss Aida Overton Walker. The caption above her name refers to her as “A Dusky Beauty”. Seems like a racist title to me. I don’t recall ever seeing its equivalent, “A Pasty Beauty”, on a portrait of a white female performer. Aida Overton Walker (1880-1914) was known as “The Queen of the Cakewalk”. She was African-American and an American vaudeville performer, singer, actress, and choreographer. She has been called the most famous African American female performer of the early twentieth century. She was married in 1899 to vaudeville performer, George Walker. Aida and her husband performed with the highly successful Bert Williams. They were the major black vaudeville and musical comedy act of the era. She was also a solo dancer and choreographer for a number of other vaudeville shows. Aida was well known for her 1912 performance of the ”’salome” dance. Aida was born in Richmond, Virginia and moved to New York City when she was young. She was educated there and received a great deal of musical training. When she was fifteen years old she joined the “Octoroons”, a black touring group. In 1900 she gained national notice with her performance of “Miss Hannah from Savannah” in the play, “Sons of Ham”. The song became a major hit. Overton Walker had significant theatrical success with her performances in Dahomey (1902), Abyssinia (1906), and Bandana Land (1908). Overall, Aida was praised by critics and fellow performers. She was financially successful. In 1908 she retired to care for her ill husband. In 1910 she returned to the stage as a solo act. In 1911, her husband died. By 1912, she was on tour again. That same year, she performed on Broadway as Salome. In 1914, Walker died suddenly from kidney failure. Two years before her death, she was performing in white variety theaters. She and Bert Williams were the only Black performers “permitted” to do so. At that time, African Americans were expected to confine themselves to “lower” entertainment such as comedy and ragtime. “High” art, like dramatic theater and classical dance were reserved for whites. Aida helped break that racist tradition. During her career, Aida addressed the issue of racial relations. She stated in an article in “The Colored American Magazine (1905), her view that that the performing arts could have a beneficial effect on race relations. Walker asserted “I venture to think and dare to state that our profession does more toward the alleviation of color prejudice than any other profession among colored people.” She also worked to improve working conditions, and to expand roles for black women on the stage. During the period Walker was performing, female actresses, especially black actresses, were seen as “immoral and oversexed”. Aida wrote “a woman does not lose her dignity…when she enters stage life”. Walker also worked to develop the talents of younger black performers within the framework of refinement and elegance. In 1908, she began organizing benefits to assist such causes as the Industrial Home for Colored Working Girls. This vintage postcard was published by Raphael Tuck, of Paris, France. The photographer of Miss Walker was Cavendish Morton (1874-1939). The National Portrait Gallery possesses 104 of Morton’s portraits. Morton had several careers including electrical engineering, architecture, acting, illustrating, and in the 1890’s he took up photography. He is known for his theatrical photo portraits. His son was a well known watercolor artist. This postcard was postmarked in 1908, The postcard is in good condition. See the youtube video below. It is a tribute to Aida Overton Walker. (SOLD)
This vintage press photo features five darling young Vietnamese girls giving a dance performance. The girls are wearing long white dresses and translucent shawls. The photograph was taken for the Bureau of Press Information in 1957. I believe that this photograph was taken in North Vietnam as opposed to South Vietnam, based on the wording of the stamp on the reverse of the photograph. This photograph was taken at a turbulent time in Vietnam. In 1957 the South Vietnamese President, Ngo Dinh Diem visited the United States and was hailed as a hero for saving South Vietnam from Communism. The term Viet Cong began to replace the term Viet Minh. There was insurgency against Diem and the U.S. government doubted the stability of Diem’s regime. Diem did much to repress opposition to his rule, and as a result, alienated many South Vietnamese people facilitating the growth of communism in the nation. The seeds were being planted for a long and tragic war. I am sure that dance performances, such as this one, offered a welcome distraction during troubled times. This vintage photograph is in very good condition (see scans).
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VINTAGE PHOTOGRAPH 1 (SOLD)
VINTAGE PHOTOGRAPH 1 (CLOSE UP) (SOLD)
POSTCARD 2 (SOLD)
POSTCARD 3 (SOLD)
This vintage real photo postcard features theater actress Minnie Ashley (1878-1946). She was one of the great “stage beauties” of the end of the 19th century. She was a talented singer and dancer and she was featured in the madcap musical “1492” (1892). In Boston she performed with the Museum Company and in New York she was a member of the Augustin Daly Company. She had many successes including her performance in “A Country Girl”, “Wang”, and “San Troy”. Her acting resulted in a medical problem. The prolonged exposure to theatrical arc lights caused vision problems. In 1902 she left her acting career and married politician William Astor Chanler who was an affluent grandson of John Jacob Astor. Medical treatment did not help her vision problems and Miss Ashley than put her efforts into sculpting. Chanler and Ashley separated in 1909. She made an attempt at returning to the stage in 1911 but soon opted to pursue her sculpting. During her artistic career she worked under the name of Beatrice Ashley Chanler. In addition to the sculpting, she was active in philanthropy. The book “Famous Prima Donnas” (1900) by Lewis Clinton Strang, devotes a chapter to Minnie Ashley. He describes her as having “artless girlishness, remarkable personal charm, and skill as an imaginative dancer scarcely equalled on the American stage”. He adds that these talents explain her “sudden success” in musical comedy. He describes her dancing as “artistic in every sense” but asserts she was not exceptionally talented in the realm of acting and singing. However, Strang is very complimentary of Ashley’s appearance. He states “nature was indeed good to her when it endowed her with a most fascinating personality, a pretty piquant face, and a slim graceful figure. Vintage Photograph 1 features a young Minnie Ashley. She is a beautiful. Her facial expression is very engaging. The photographer, B. J. Falk was a very well known for his penchant for photographing theatrical stars. He was also recognized for his talent as a celebrity photographer. The image was copyrighted in 1896. this photo measures about 4″ x 5 3/4″. It appears upon very close examination that this image may have been trimmed. Note the imperfection in the top right hand corner. This vintage photograph is in overall good condition (see scans). (SOLD) Postcard 2 was published by the Rotograph Company (New York) and was part of a series (no. B 174). (SOLD) Postcard 3 has the same portrait of Miss Ashley except the image is color tinted. It became common practice around 1902 to hand color photo postcards. Rising labor costs led to the decreasing use of this practice after the 1930’s. This postcard, like the one above it, was produced by the Rotograph Company (New York) and was part of a series (H.B. 14/30). The postcard was mailed and has a 1910 postmark from Warren, Ohio. (SOLD)
POSTCARD 1
POSTCARD 2
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