GERALDINE FARRAR : PRETTY AMERICAN OPERA SINGER AND SILENT FILM STAR

POSTCARD 1 (SOLD)

POSTCARD 2 (SOLD)

POSTCARD 3 (SOLD)

This vintage real photo, Postcard 1, 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. SOLD

Postcard 2 is a rare close-up portrait postcard of Miss Farrar. SOLD

Postcard 3 is a rare photo of Geraldine Farrar that was published by Paul Fink (Berlin) as part of a series (No.S26). The postcard was postmarked in 1911. SOLD

Published in: on September 20, 2024 at 12:00 pm  Comments (3)  
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SHIRTLESS MSTR. MERINO : MUSCLE AND STRENGTH PHENOMENON : STRONGMAN : RPPC

This uncommon vintage real photo postcard features a shirtless body builder named Mstr. Merino. The caption on the postcard states “Mstr. Merino, Muscle & Strength Phenomenon”. The  body builder’s muscles have muscles. Note his right bicept. It appears that he has barbed wire looped around his right upper arm. Merino has something wrapped around his wrists. The wraps purpose is unknown to me. This postcard was published by Ernst Schneider & Company. The firm was located in Lubeck, Germany and was known for publishing a collection of postcards with portraits of male and female impersonators and cross dressers. These cards were produced between 1900 and 1930.  SOLD

Published in: on September 19, 2024 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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NORTHPORT YACHT CLUB & HARBOR : LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK : RPPC 1906

This vintage postcard features a pretty view of the Northport Yacht Club and Northport Harbor. Although this postcard spells Northport as “North Port”, the card’s spelling is incorrect. It is not unusual for a publisher of postcards to spell the name of a town or person incorrectly. Northport is located on the Northshore of Long Island. The town is at the edge of the Long Island Sound. Connecticut is located on the other side of the Sound. Note the wooden boats in the foreground. The Northport Yacht Club was established in 1899. It was located on Bayview Avenue. The club was established by a group of affluent men who worked in New York City but had second homes in the Northport area. Just a few weeks later a second yacht club, the Independent Yacht Club, was established on Woodbine Avenue. This club was launched for and by the local townspeople. In 1927, the Independent Yacht Club changed it’s name to the Northport Yacht Club. This club closed in 1944 and was replaced by the Edgewater Yacht Club in 1945. The club had no building until 1948. In 1952 the Edgewater club changed it’s name to the Northport Yacht Club. The building seen in this postcard photo is the Northport Yacht Club (formerly the Independent Yacht Club) located on Woodbine Avenue. The message written on this postcard is a sad one. The writer states that “Charles is very much worse” and indicates that he is suffering from diabetes. Insulin was not used on humans until 1922. One can only imagine what a diabetic’s life was like before that. 
This card was printed in Germany and the publisher is not listed. This postcard, unlike Charles, is in good condition. SOLD

Published in: on August 31, 2024 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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BROTHER AND SISTER AND THEIR PHOTOGENIC DACHSHUND IN QUAKENBRUCK, GERMANY

A young boy and girl pose for their photographic portrait at the studio of Wilhelm Graf in Quakenbruck, Germany. The two children are most likely siblings and they are posed with their pet dachshund, sitting nobly on a side table. The children are nicely dressed. Quakenbruck is located in the Lower Saxony section of Germany.  SOLD

Published in: on August 12, 2024 at 12:00 pm  Comments (3)  
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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)

 

Published in: on August 3, 2024 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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JEWISH NEW YEARS PHOTO : HEBREW, GERMAN, & ENGLISH : CUTE CHILDREN : CABINET CARD

This cabinet card photograph actually served as a Happy Jewish New Years (L’shana Tova) card. This photograph was likely given to friends and family by the proud parents of the two children seen in the photo. Printed on the card are New Years greetings written in Hebrew, German, and English. This photograph was produced by the Charyn Studio located on Grand Street in New York City. 
Victor Charyn (1876-1928) was born in Russia and emigrated to the United States.  Some research would likely uncover more biographical information about him. A similar Jewish New Year’s photo from the Charyn Studio can be found at the International Center of Photography (ICP) in New York City.  SOLD

Published in: on July 26, 2024 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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HEDDA VERNON : PRETTY GERMAN SILENT FILM ACTRESS, WRITER AND PRODUCER : RPPC

This vintage real photo postcard features pretty German actress, screenwriter and film producer, Hedda Vernon (1888-1925). She was an important actress in Germany during the days of the early Weimar Republic. Hedda’s father was the owner of a brewery and her mother minded the home. In 1912, Hedda was signed by the German Bioscope as an actress. She made her screen debut that same year, acting in the silent film “The Paper Trail’. This was the beginning of a prolific screen career. In 1914 she began her own production company in Berlin and began to produce her own films. Her husband, Hubert Moest was a film director and also founded his own production company. Hetta wrote two screen plays that Moest turned into films. She acted in a silent film, The Women House of Brescia (1920), which was banned by the British Board of Film Classification. The reason for the banning was that the film depicted prostitution. In the 1920’s Hedda’s film career began to wane. New actresses became the hot commodity in the film industry. She began to act in film supporting roles. In total, Hedda acted in over 70 silent films between 1912 and 1925. Hedda was married three times. Her first two marriages ended in divorce. Hedda died in 1925 but the details of her death are shrouded in mystery. The stamp box of this postcard has an interesting story. “NBC” (Neue Bromsilber Convention) was a price cartel established in 1909 that continued until the 1930’s. The purpose of the cartel was to ensure that the minimum price charged for postcards was kept at a sufficiently profitable level. This photo postcard is in very good condition (see scans).

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Buy this Vintage Real Photo Postcard (includes shipping within the US) #5211

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Buy this Vintage Real Photo Postcard (includes International shipping outside the US) 5211

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Published in: on June 9, 2024 at 10:07 pm  Leave a Comment  
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PRINCE JOACHIM VON PREUBEN : STORY OF A SAD SHORT LIFE

The young man looking sharp in his crisp military uniform is Prince Joachim Franz Humbert of Prussia (1890-1920). He was the sixth child of Wilhelm II, the German Emperor. His mother was Augusta Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein. In 1916, officials in Ireland gave thought to giving the throne to Prince Joachim with the idea that Ireland would be safer a German King if Germany were to win World War I. Prince Joachim was also considered as a possible candidate to the Georgian throne after its independence following the Russian Revolution of 1917. The Prince held the rank of 2nd Lieutenant in the 1st Regiment of Foot Guards. He held over thirty honors awarded by several nations. His awards included the Iron Cross from Germany. In 1916, Joachim married Princess Marie-Auguste of Anhalt (1898-1983). The couple had one son, Prince Karl Franz Josef Wilhelm Friedrich Eduard Paul (1916-1975). They may have had only one child, but they used enough first names to cover six more sons. I suppose that is a liberty reserved for royalty. Joachim became a commoner when his father abdicated the thrown. He became very depressed and committed suicide by gunshot in 1920. He was only 29 years old at the time of is death. It is believed that he had significant financial woes that added to his depression. Prior to his death, he divorced his wife, which likely led to further mood problems. This real photo postcard was published by “NPG” (Neue Photographische Gesellschaft) as part of a series (no.4954). The company was a leading bromide photo printing company for many years.  The photographer was Ernst Sandau (1880-1918). He was born in Sweden and died in Germany. Some believe that he may have been killed in World War I. Sandau operated a studio in Berlin, Germany and was active between 1912 and 1918. His son, Ernst Jr., was also a photographer. SOLD

Published in: on May 29, 2024 at 12:00 pm  Comments (1)  
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CLARA BOW : AMERICAN SILENT FILM ACTRESS : “THE IT GIRL” : RISQUE 

POSTCARD 1 (SOLD)

POSTCARD 2 (SOLD)

This uncommon vintage real photo postcard (Postcard 1) features silent film icon, Clara Bow (1905-1965 ). She successfully made the transition to talkies in 1929. Bow appeared in 46 silent movies and 11 talkies. She was known as the “It Girl” during the golden age of Hollywood. She was known for her vivacious energy, mesmerizing on-screen presence, and her impressive talent. She was born in Brooklyn, New York and grew up in the borough’s tenements. Both of her parents had mental health issues and she grew up in an unstable and chaotic environment. She was a resilient and determined child and she took on a caretaker role for her younger siblings. She was responsible and mature beyond her years. Despite her humble background, she became a very influential figure in cinema history. Her rise from poverty to stardom, and her groundbreaking portrayals of independent and liberated women, helped her gain an enduring legend of the silver screen. Clara Bow was discovered in 1922 when she participated in a magazine contest searching for new talent. Her photographs were seen by film producer B. P. Schulberg who saw her potential and offered her a screen test. Her screen presence was impressive and she signed a contract with Paramount Pictures. In her earliest films, her versatility was was obvious as she transitioned effortlessly between dramatic and comedic roles. It was the 1927 film, “It” that made Clara Bow a superstar and earned her the nickname of “The It Girl”. She was viewed as modern, charismatic, and sexually liberated. Bow was also successful in “talkie” films, despite her Brooklyn accent. While Bow was successful professionally, her personal life was a “hot mess”. She had a long term troubled marriage to actor Rex Bell (m.1931) and she battled her own mental health issues, including anxiety and depression. In 1933, Bow retired from acting and became a rancher. This vintage real photo postcard was published by Ross Verlag (Germany) as part of a series (No.3394/1). Bow is wearing a grass skirt, a Hawaiian Lei, and holding a ukulele. She is showing her bare legs. The card is risque for it’s era. The logo for Paramount Pictures can be found in the images bottom right hand corner.  SOLD

Postcard 2 was published by Ross Verlag (Germany) as part of a series (No.4480/1). Bow is wearing a short skirt. She is showing her bare legs. The card is risque for it’s era. The logo for Paramount Pictures can be found in the images bottom right hand corner.  SOLD

POSTCARD 1

POSTCARD 2

Published in: on May 7, 2024 at 12:00 pm  Comments (2)  
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BUXOM PRETTY YOUNG WOMAN : PURPLE FEATHERED HAT : HAND TINTED : NPG : RPPC

This German vintage risque real photo postcard features a pretty buxom young woman wearing a feathered purple hat. This photograph is meant to titillate. The woman is voluptuous. This photographic portrait was published by NPG (Germany) as part of a series (No.749/6). This postcard’s photograph has been hand tinted.  SOLD

Published in: on May 4, 2024 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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