HANDSOME YOUNG MAN : HIS UNIFORM AND MEDAL ARE MYSTERIES TO ME

A handsome young man poses for his portrait at an unknown studio. He is in uniform, but what kind of uniform is he wearing? Is he in the military? I don’t think so. There are no patches indicating rank; nor are there any other insignias revealing a military identity. However, there is the matter of the medal that he is wearing on the flap of his shirt pocket. It certainly looks military to me. Then again, he is wearing a bow tie which argues against his uniform being military issued. The clothing that he is wearing seems appropriate for someone who is spending time in a jungle or heavily wooded environment. His soft hat and the accessory that he is wearing above his shoes may be worn in such a setting. The tied wraps around the bottom of his pant’s legs are something that I have seen worn by bicyclists of this era. Its purpose was to keep one’s pant’s legs from becoming entangled in the spokes of the bicycle wheels and causing a nasty spill. Does the gentleman in this photograph use a bicycle in his work? If so, where is the bike? I have lots of questions, and unfortunately, no answers. I need some help on this one. Hopefully a Cabinet Card Gallery visitor will be able to provide more information about this photo. Guesses are welcome too. The AZO stamp box on the reverse of this postcard indicates that the card was published sometime between 1904 and 1918. This vintage photograph has excellent clarity and is in good condition (see scans).

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Published in: on March 24, 2021 at 12:00 pm  Comments (4)  
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WORLD WAR 1 MEDICS : A GROUP PORTRAIT

I could really use some help here. Who are these men? Which branch of the military are they from? What nation’s armed services do they serve in? The previous owner of this vintage real photo postcard stated that the men seen in this image are a group of World War 1 medics. I can not confirm his statement, but it is true, that the soldier sitting in the middle of the bottom row, has red cross patches on both of his upper sleeves. At least this man, seems to be in a medical unit. Another clue might be the observation that the gentleman, third from the left in the top row, appears to be wearing a World War 1 era uniform. Speaking of uniforms, why is it that all eight of the men wearing badges on their hats, have different badges. These men’s uniforms are certainly not uniform. I am eager to hear cabinet card gallery visitors opinions about the identity of this military group. This postcard is postally unused, has excellent clarity, and is in very good condition (see scans). ADDENDUM: A knowledgeable visitor to the Cabinet Card Gallery has shared some information concerning this postcard. The visitor confirmed that these are WWI soldiers (1914-1918). The men were serving in different battalions of the British Army. Most of the men are wearing uniforms reserved for wounded soldiers. The uniforms are called hospital dress. There is also confirmation that the soldier I identified as a medic is indeed a medic.

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Published in: on February 22, 2021 at 12:00 pm  Comments (2)  
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NELLY MARTYL : SINGER, NURSE, WAR HERO, AND PHILANTHROPIST

This vintage real photo postcard features French singer and nurse, Nelly Martyl (1884-1953). Nelly was born in Paris. Her mother was English and her father was French. She was trained as a singer at the Conservatoire de Paris. Martyl was a soprano opera singer in Paris who made her professional debut in 1907 at the Grand Opera in Paris. . She joined the Opera-Comique in 1909. She sang many parts there and performed in several premieres. She sang in London’s Covent Garden in 1910. She was a frequent model in fashion magazines (notably, Les Modes). She advertised gowns by famous Paris designers. She became a French heroine by working as a Red Cross nurse during World War I. She served in the 1916 Battle of Verdun and earned the nickname of “la fee de Verdun” (the fairy of Verdun). She also worked as a nurse during the Second Battle of the Aisne in 1917. She didn’t just do “cameo roles” at military hospitals. She heroically worked in dangerous, close to the front, hospitals. Her nursing career included being wounded and gassed several times. She was awarded the “Croix de Guerre” for her dangerous work during the war. After the war, she was a nurse to victims of the 1918 flu epidemic. Later, Martyl partnered with an automobile racecar driver in creating a charitable medical foundation Somehow, Nelly found time to have a personal life. She was married to French artist George Scott (1873-1942). This photo of Miss Martyl was taken by the studio of Boyer & Bert. Paul Boyer (1861-1908) operated his studio in Paris. He was very talented and won many awards. He produced many portraits of theater performers as well as other celebrities. This postcard was published by Societe Industrielle de Photograpie (SIP) of Rueil, France, as part of a series (no. 2075). It is in very good condition (see scans).

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Published in: on February 18, 2021 at 12:00 pm  Comments (1)  
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PORTRAIT OF THREE MILITARY MEN IN MARSEILLE, FRANCE (ONE IS HOLDING A SWORD)

This cabinet card portrait features three uniformed military men posing for their portrait at the Tully studio in Marseille, France. The soldier in the middle is holding a sword. The soldier on the right has a cigarette in his left hand. Each of the three men are wearing different style uniforms. I wonder if the men are in different branches of the military? These soldiers look squeaky clean. They certainly didn’t go directly from the trenches to the photo studio. The photographer, Marc Tully, did a fantastic job photographing these soldiers. The men are beautifully posed. SOLD

Published in: on January 16, 2021 at 12:00 pm  Comments (2)  
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THE J. HEEMSKEREK SAILS INTO CUBA’S HAVANA HARBOR (PHOTOGRAPH)

This vintage real photo postcard features a photograph of the “J. Heemskerek” sailing into Cuba’s Havana Harbor. The postcard is labeled a “Souvenir of Cuba”. The “HNLMS Jacob van Heemskerck” was launched in 1939. The ship was a Tromp-class light cruiser that sailed for Netherland’s navy. It was decommissioned in 1969 and sold for scrap in 1970. The cruiser was named after Admiral Jacob van Heemskerk (1567-1607). The ship was designed to be a torpedo cruiser. The ship had not yet been armed when Germany invaded the Netherlands in 1940. She escaped to Great Britain where she was completed as an air defense cruiser. Winston Churchill visited the ship in 1940 and 1941. She was used to protect convoys and the ship seemed to be charmed because it never lost a ship under her protection. In 1942 she was assigned to the Dutch East Indies to reinforce the defense fleet. After another reassignment, in 1942, the ship took part in an operation to retake Madagascar. She then joined allied navy forces in Australia and resumed convoy duty. Toward the end of 1942, accompanied by an Australian cruiser, she attacked and damaged a German supply vessel/blockade runner. The damaged ship eventually had to be scuttled by her own crew. At the end of 1943, the “J. van Heemskerk” worked in the Mediterranean doing convoy duty. In 1945, the ship was the first Dutch warship to arrive in Amsterdam post liberation. After the war, the ship served as a barracks ship for naval trainees. In 1069, after decades of service, the “J van Heemskerck” was decommissioned. SOLD

Published in: on December 13, 2020 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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EXCELLENT PORTRAIT OF A BELGIAN WORLD WAR I ERA SOLDIER (VINTAGE RPPC)

This vintage real photo postcard features a portrait of a Belgian (Possibly French) World War I era soldier. He is wearing a uniform and a helmet. He may be dressed like a soldier, and he may have been expected to act like a soldier, but the man in this portrait looks like a gentle soul. In addition, despite his mustache, he looks very young. Gentle and very young are not a combination that makes for good soldiers. This photo postcard is exceptional. The image has great clarity and the photographer did an excellent job of capturing the emotional state of the pictured young man. The photographer also used lighting well and utilized a terrific backdrop.  SOLD

Published in: on September 13, 2020 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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PORTRAIT OF A BULGARIAN FAMILY (FATHER IS WEARING A MILITARY UNIFORM)

This cabinet card portrait features a Bulgarian family. The seated man and woman may be the parents of the three individuals behind them. It is also possible that the five subjects in the photograph are siblings. The man in the image is wearing a military uniform. The previous owner of this image asserted that his uniform indicates that he holds the rank of sergeant. The little boy in the image is also wearing a uniform. It may be a school uniform or possibly he is dressing in this manner in order to imitate his older brother or father. The females in this image are wearing traditional clothing. Some words are penciled on the reverse of the photograph but I do not know their translated meaning. The cabinet card gallery has several Bulgarian photographs and they are quite interesting. To view these images, click on the category “Bulgaria”. This cabinet card is in good condition (see scans).

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Published in: on September 10, 2020 at 11:50 am  Comments (1)  
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A WORLD WAR I SOLDIER CARRIES A PIG TO “WHO KNOWS WHERE”

This vintage real photo postcard features a uniformed World War I soldier holding a piglet in his arms. The soldier’s smile makes me nervous. Does he have some culinary plans for this cute pigling? The soldier has two observers. A mustachioed military man stands behind him and a woman is peering through a doorway at the soldier with the pig. The piglet carrier is wearing a pin on his lapel. Is he an officer? What country does he represent? My guess is that he is a member of the Austro-Hungarian military. It is just my best guess based on insufficient research. This postcard is in good condition (see scans).

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Published in: on August 14, 2020 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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PORTRAIT OF A HANDSOME PRISONER OF WAR (POW) : WORLD WAR II : STALAG 1A 59

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This vintage real photo postcard features a portrait of an allied prisoner of war imprisoned at a German POW camp. The soldier in this photograph was being held at Stalag 1-A. The camp was located near the village of Stablack in East Prussia. Stalag 1-A was the furthest east German POW camp. The camp was built in 1939 by Polish prisoners of war. In 1940, Belgian and French prisoners were added to the camp and in 1941, the camp began to incarcerate Russian POWs. There were also British and Italian prisoners in the camp. It is important to note that tens of thousands of Stalag prisoners were sent to “kommandos” (subcamps) spread throughout East Prussia. In January of 1945, with Russian troops approaching, the camp was abandoned and all of the prisoners were evacuated to the west. Note the photograph below which shows the entrance to Stalag 1-A. The prisoner seen in this photograph is wearing a military jacket, stripped of all insignias. I am unable to determine his rank, branch of service, or the identity of the nation he fought for. Note the prisoner’s pants. They are too long and too baggy  Despite the ill-fitting uniform, he appears relatively healthy. He is holding a cigarette, which may represent “good treatment” by their German captors. One wonders why this photograph was permitted to be taken. Photographs, such as this one, were allowed because they served as a tool for positive public relations. A relatively content and healthy looking prisoner “advertised” that the Germans treated allied POWs well. Note the ink stamp on the reverse of  the card. It identifies the camp as Stalag 1-A and that the card was “Gepruft” (checked or censored). This photo postcard is from sometime between 1940 and 1945.   SOLD

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Published in: on June 1, 2020 at 12:00 pm  Comments (1)  
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PORTRAIT OF THE COMMANDANT : ARMED WITH A RIFLE AND HAND GRENADES : WEARING AN AMMO BELT

This vintage postcard features a well armed soldier ready for battle. He is wearing an ammunition belt and at least a couple of hand grenades. He also has a rifle although only the barrel of the gun is visible. What nation is this warrior fighting for? Who is he fighting against? I wish I had answers. An inscription on the reverse of the photo indicates that the soldier is the Commandant (Commander) of his unit. The year that this photo was taken, according to the inscription is 1942. I believe, though not very confidently, that the language on the reverse of the photo is Greek. Perhaps this is a Greek or Turkish officer. This photograph was trimmed from a postcard. It measures about 2″ x 3″ and is in very good condition.

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Published in: on May 9, 2020 at 12:00 pm  Comments (1)  
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