This vintage real photo postcard features pretty French film actress, Jeanne Helbling (1903-1985). She was known for “The Three Sided Mirror: (1927), “Nuit d’Espagne” (1931), and “Three Waltzes” (1938). The IMDb credits her with 63 film appearances between 1936 and 1946. This postcard was published by S. Bluet as part of a series (no.367). A caption indicates that the photograph was taken in Paris, France. Bluet was a postcard publisher in Vienna, who became a subsidiary of Rotophot (Berlin). Rotophot developed branches in Vienna and Cologne (with F Manger). The companies used the same group of models for many of their sets. (SOLD)
This vintage real photo postcard features Geraldine Farrar (February 28, 1882 – March 11, 1967). She was an American soprano opera singer and film actress. She was one of the most popular singers of the early 20th century and she appeared in several silent films as well as on stage. She was also a successful recording artist and a leading figure in the world of opera. She was known for her beauty, as well as her powerful and expressive voice. She was also known for her striking stage presence and her ability to convey emotion through her singing. Farrar had a particularly successful career at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City, where she performed for many years. She also performed in many other major opera houses around the world including La Scala (Milan), The Royal Opera House (London), and the Opera-Comique (Paris). Geraldine Farrar was born in Melrose, Massachusetts, in 1882. She began her career as a singer in vaudeville and later studied voice in Paris. In 1902, she made her debut at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City, where she quickly became one of the most popular singers of her time. Farrar retired from the opera stage in 1922 and settled in New York City. She continued to perform in concerts and recitals for several more years. She also appeared in a few films, including a silent film version of Carmen, in which she played the title role. This postcard photo of Geraldine Farrar was taken by Julius Cornelius Schaarwachter (1847-1904). The photographer has five portraits in Britain’s National Portrait Gallery. Farrar is dressed in costume for her performance in the opera “Faust”, by composer, Charles Gounod. This vintage postcard is in very good condition (see scans).
Buy this Vintage Real Photo Postcard (includes shipping within the US) #5444
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La Jana (1905-1940) was an actress and dancer. Her nationality was Austro-German. She was the illegitimate daughter of a master gilder and his housekeeper. Her parents wed four years after her birth. Her family was Jewish. She went by the name, Henny.. She trained as a dancer at the Frankfurt Opera Ballet and her first stage appearance was at the age of eight. She later began dancing in revues. She was “discovered” in Paris and brought to Berlin to meet with Frederic Zelnik who got her into films. The film director who “discovered” her said that the first time he saw her dance, “that woman possessed the most attractive body that I had set eyes upon” in my not all that long life. He went on to describe her as simple, nice and approachable. He added that she “had as much interest in sex as in Immanuel Kant” meaning, none at all. As her career advanced, she danced in revues in Berlin, Stockholm, London, and many other cities. When she appeared in “Casanova” she viewed by the audience semi-naked and on a silver platter. In Berlin, she began an affair with Crown Prince Wilhelm. There were also rumors that she had an affair with Joseph Goebbels. Charlie Chaplin was also one of her lovers. Clearly, her attitude about sex changed from the earlier days of her dancing career. In 1937, her performance in a film catapulted her to film stardom. In 1940, while touring Germany, entertaining troops, she fell ill with pneumonia and passed away. The IMDb gives La Jana 23 film credits between 1926 and 1940. La Jana’s portrait for this postcard was taken by the Manasse studio in Vienna, Austria. The Manasse studio was in existence between about 1922 and 1938. The studio was run by Olga Solarics (1896-1969) and her husband Adorja’n von Wlassics (1893-1946). Olga was known for her interest in photographing nudes. The studio flourished in Vienna during the 1930’s. Many of the portraits taken by the studio had an erotic flavor. The studio attracted some of the leading ladies of film and theater. This postcard was published by Ross Verlag (no.7043/1). This vintage postcard has a small imperfection located under La Jana’s left elbow. (SOLD)
This vintage real photo postcard features British born Austrian film actress, Vivian Gibson (1898-1981). Her early education included dance training. She is most associated with “Tense Moments From the Opera” (1922), “The Man Who Sold Himself” (1925), and “The Gypsy Baron” (1927). She began her film career in England, she also appeared regularly in German productions. Although she was a sucess in silent film, she was unable to make the transition into sound films. She retired and went to Vienna where she authored books. Little is known about her private life beyond that she never married. The IMDb gives Gibson 57 film credits between 1916 and 1932. This vintage postcard was published by Ross Verlag (Berlin, Germany) as part of a series (No.1827/1).Gibson’s portrait for this card was taken by the Lindner studio. He was probably a German photographer but I could not confirm his background. This postcard is in excellent condition (see scans).
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This cabinet card portrait features German born Austrian actress Rosa Albach Retty (1874-1980). Retty appeared on the stage and in movies. She was daughter of actor Rudolf Retty. She began her theatrical career in 1890 at the Deutsches Theater and the Lessing Theater. In 1895 she appeared at the Volkstheater in Vienna and in 1903 became a member of the Burgtheater ensemble. She made her film debut in 1930 in Georg Jacoby’s “Money on the Street”. Her last film credit was for a role in “Congress Dances” (1956). She was married to Karl Albach, an Austro-Hungarian Army officer. Albach-Retty’s son, Wolf Albach-Retty was an actor as was her granddaughter (Romy Schneider {1938-1982}). Albach-Retty clearly had the “theatrical gene” as well as the gene for longevity. She died at the age of 105. She is buried in Zentralfriedhof in Vienna. The photographer of this image is Hans Makart and his studio was located in Vienna, Austria. The photographer Hans Makart is not the same individual as Austrian Hans Makart (1840-1884), the celebrated artist. It is an interesting coincidence however, that Makart the artist utilized photography in his work. Another portrait of Albach- Petty as well as an image of her gravestone can be seen below. The third photograph is a portrait of Romy Schneider.
The Cabinet Card Gallery needs help identifying the gentleman in this photograph. The pensive man in this image was photographed by Karl Emil Stahlberg (1862-1919) in Helsinki, Finland. The cabinet card is exceptionally large, 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″ and was photographed in 1894. . Stahlberg was a Finnish photographer and engineer. Stahlberg was a man for all seasons. In 1904 he opened Finland’s first film theatre. He was also the nations first film producer. He initially specialized in short documentaries. He later produced Finlands’s first fictional film and hired painter Louis Sparre to direct the film. Stahlberg was the cousin of Finland’s first President, Kaarlo Juho Stahlberg. The reverse of this cabinet card may offer clues as to the identity of the gentleman pictured in the photograph. In pencil on the back of the card is the inscription “Greve (unclear word) Sparre”. There is a second inscription on the reverse of the card; and a copy of this inscription is provided above. Is the subject Louis Sparre or one of his relatives? Any help in identifying the subject of this photograph would be appreciated. UPDATE: Thanks to the cabinet card gallery’s vast research department (in other words, the sites visitors), the gentleman in this photograph appears to have been identified. Check out the comment section to see how a visitor identified the gentleman in less than 24 hours time after the photograph was posted. The gentleman is not just a gentleman; he is also a Swedish Count. Ambjorn Pehr Sparre (1828-1921) was the son of Pehr Sparre, a Colonel and author. Ambjorn Pehr Sparre was the father of artist Louis Sparre. He participated in Parliament, headed a bank note paper mill, and between 1855 and 1871, established a printing house which printed stamps for the national post office. He is associated with the first Swedish hydrogen balloon ascent. He was an inventor whose work was done in the areas of security paper, weapons, bicycles, flying machines, underwater vehicles as well as a number of other areas.