OSSI OSWALDA: BEAUTIFUL GERMAN SILENT FILM STAR

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The beautiful actress seen in the top vintage real photo postcard is named Ossi Oswalda (1897-1947). She was born in Germany and appeared predominately in silent films. She was a leading lady, popular comedienne,  dancer, and singer. Due to her popularity, she  was known as “the German Mary Pickford”. Ossi began her career as a ballerina and she danced in a chorus line for a theater in Berlin. She made her film debute in “Night of Horrors” (1916) and was noticed by actor/screenwriter Hanns Kraly, who introduced her to director Ernst Lubitsch. Oswalda’s early career began with appearances in several Lubitsch films. In 1921, she and her husband started a film production company that produced four films over four years, all starring Miss Oswalda. After 1925, she was under contract to UFA, a German film company. After the transition to “talkies”, Oswalda joined the ranks of actresses and actors, who’s career took a nose dive. She only acted in two sound films. Her final screen appearance was in “The Star of Valencia”. She then began acting on the stage. She appeared in operettas in Germany and Vienna. When the National Socialists took power in Germany, she emigrated to Prague with her “Jewish life partner”, Julius Aubenberg. In 1943, she wrote a story for a Czechoslovakian film. In summarizing Ossi’s career, the IMDb credits her with 51 film appearances,  producing 5 films, and 1 screen writing credit. It is reported that she frequently played child-like spoiled women. She appeared in drag in at least one film. Oswalda’s first marriage (1919-1925) was to a Hungarian baron. After her divorce, the actress began a highly publicized romantic relationship with Crown Prince Willhelm (1882-1951). Simultaneously, the actress Lily Damita, was having an affair with the Prince’s son. The royal family put a kibosh to both “inappropriate” relationships. In 1947, she died in Prague at age 48, bankrupt and suffering from multiple health problems. This German real photo postcard is published by Ross Verlag soemetime between 1919 and 1924. The photograph of Miss Oswalda was taken by Becker & Maass of Berlin. Note her pretty hat and fan. Hopefully, she wasn’t allergic to feathers. Oswalda was young when this photograph was taken. She was beautiful and no older than 27 years of age. The YouTube clip below features Ossie Oswalda in the “The Doll” (1919), directed by Ernst Lubitsch.               

Postcard 2 features Miss Oswalda in a very skimpy costume. Her feathered hat is quite showy . She has a wonderful smile and pretty eyes. This risque postcard was part of  a series (no. 1050/2) and published by Ross Verlag of Berlin, Germany. The logo of UFA, a German film company, appears on the lower right hand corner of the postcard. The reverse of the postcard reveals that that the photographer is Strobl J. Nandor of Budapest, Hungary. This postcard is in very good condition (see scans).

  Postcard 3 is a German real photo postcard that was published by Ross Verlag. Miss Oswalda’s photo was taken by celebrity photographer Alex Binder.   (SOLD)

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Published in: on January 24, 2023 at 12:00 pm  Comments (2)  
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MIA MAY : PRETTY AUSTRIAN SILENT FILM ACTRESS

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These vintage real photo postcards feature pretty Austrian actress Mia May (1884-1980). She was born in Vienna, the daughter of a baker. Her older sister was Mitzi Telmont (1879-1958), also an actress. Mia’s stage debut was when she was five years old. She played child roles until reaching age fourteen. As a teenager she appeared as Herma Angelot and performed as an actress and singer. While a high school student, she took ballet lessons. At age 18, she married Austrian, Julius Otto Mandl. The couple’s baby (Eva Maria Mandl) was born seven weeks later. Mia’s husband changed his name to Joe May, upon his entry into the film business. He became a successful film producer and director. This is how Eva adopted her performer name. She appeared in 44 films between 1912 and 1924. Mia’s daughter, Eva May, also became an actress. In 1912, Joe, Mia, and Eva moved to Berlin, where Joe worked as a film director. In 1912 he directed Mia in a film that launched her acting career. By 1914, little Eva May made her screen debut. Joe began his own film company, May-Film Gmb, in 1915. Mia took the position of Managing Director. In 1918, Mia wrote a screen play for “Your Big Secret”. Her movie career flourished in the 1910’s and early 1920’s. From 1919 to 1920 she was the star of an eight part film series (serial) called “Mistress of the World”. Mia reached a level of popularity equivalant to Asta Nielsen, Pola Negri, and Henny Porten. In 1923, she appeared in a film with a young Marlene Dietrich. Mia stated that Marlene Dietrich was “funny and engaging, attractive and original.” She added, “no man could resist her”. Mia May’s last film appearance was in “The Love Letters of Baroness S” (1924). She retired that same year after her daughter Eva committed suicide. In 1933, after seeing the Nazis gaining power, Mia and Joe May fled to America. The couple opened a restaurant (Blue Danube) in Los Angeles but it failed.

The photo portrait of Eva May seen Postcard 1 was taken by Alexander Binder.  The photographer of this terrific image was Alexander Binder (1888-1929). He had the largest photo studio in Europe during the late 1920’s and the 1930’s. Many of his entertainment star portraits appear on Ross Verlag postards. It is thought that Binder was of Swiss origin. He was of the Jewish faith. He studied engineering but did not complete his studies. From 1908 to 1910 he studied photography at a school in Munich, Germany. After the completion of his photography studies, he went to Berlin and in 1913 opened his first photography studio. Before long, he became one of the premier photographers in Berlin.  He primarily focused on fashion and celebrity photography. Since Berlin was the capital of the European film industry, Binder photographed all the stars of the European film industry including, Lilian Harvey, Conrad Veidt, and Lya De Putti. Many of his images were used in popular film portrait postcards. His photographs could be seen in postcards published by Ross Verlag and Photochemie. Binder died in 1929 but new photo cards bearing his signature continued to be published until 1937. It is thought that the real photographer of these new postcards was Hubs Floeter (1910-1974) who was employed at the studio as an operator. The studio continued to be owned by Binder’s widow, Mrs. Binder Alleman and their two daughters. The studio was managed by the Jewish Elisabeth Baroness Vonhedlis Stengel who was later deported to the Theresienstadt concentration camp. In 1938 the Nazi’s closed Binder’s studio and it was later taken over by an Aryan photographer, Karl Ludwig Haenchen . The postcard was published by Ross Verlag (Berlin) as part of a series (no533/3). Note the “May” logo in the lower right corner of the image. Miss May was working for May-Film at the time this photograph was taken. The stamp box seen on the reverse of this postcard has an interesting story attached to it. “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. A number of postcard publishing companies joined the cartel in an effort to stave off the effect of competition on the pricing of postcards. This vintage real photo portrait postcard has excellent clarity and is in very good condition (see scans).

Postcard 2 was also published by Ross Verlag. Once again, the photographer is Alex Binder. The postcard is part of the same series (533/2) as Postcard 1. The “May” logo can be seen on the bottom left corner of the image. This unposted postcard is in good condition (see scans).

Postcard 3 was published by Ross Verlag (Berlin) as part of a series (no230/3). Note the “May” logo in the lower right corner of the image. Miss May was working for May-Film at the time this photograph was taken. This vintage real photo portrait postcard has excellent clarity.  The postcard has small stains in it’s top right corner. Overall, the postcard is in Good Condition  (see scans)

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Published in: on November 3, 2022 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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BEAUTIFUL ANGLO-GERMAN FILM ACTRESS LILLIAN HARVEY

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This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is lillian-harvey-10194_0001.jpgPOSTCARD 8  (SOLD)

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A young girl, buttoned up in her fur trimmed winter jacket, poses with her sled in front of a painted winter scene. She is wearing a cute cap with a tassel and is pulling her sled by a rope. The photographer of this image is S. J. Dixon. Dixon’s Electric Light Photo Gallery  was located in Toronto, Canada. The studio was established in 1872. Dixon was very involved in the Photographic Association of Canada, holding a number of offices on the executive committee. He became the organization’s President in 1889. Dixon was a noted athlete and acrobat. The Photographic Times (1891) reported that he walked a three quarter-inch wire stretched across the Whirlpool Rapids at Niagara. “The cable was from 300 to 400 feet above the torrent, and stretched about 400 feet in length”. He completed the “perilous journey” in about 17 minutes. During his tight rope walk, he performed various antics, including lying at full length across the wire. Not surprisingly, Mr. Dixon insured that his feat would be recorded for posterity. J. C. Hemment, a well known instantaneous photographer, photographed Dixon during his mid-air walk.

 Real photo postcard #1 features Anglo-German actress and singer, Lillian Harvey (1906-1968). Her acting base was in Germany. Harvey was born in Hornsey, England to an English mother and a German father. During World War I her family was “trapped” in Magdeburg, Germany and Harvey was sent to live with her Swiss aunt. After the war she finished school in Berlin and than studied voice and dance at the Berlin State Opera. In 1924 she earned a role as a revue dancer in Vienna. This was followed by her first movie role which was in an Austrian film named “The Curse”. Thereafter, she starred in multiple silent films. Her first leading role was in “The Passion” (1925). Because of her voice training, Harvey was able to make the transition into “talkies”. She and actor Willy Fritsch became the “dream couple” of German movies. The pair acted together in eleven movies. In the 1930’s Harvey’s films appeared in both German and English and she became popular outside of Germany. She went to Hollywood and made four movies for the Fox Film Corporation (this postcard is from that period). In 1935, Harvey returned to Germany. She appeared in several more films and soon she was under the watchful eye of the Gestapo. Harvey had many Jewish friends in the film industry  and she was supportive of them. By 1939, Miss Harvey was forced to leave Germany, leaving behind valuable real estate holdings. She went to France where, in 1940, she made two movies for director Jean Boyer. In 1943 she was stripped of her German citizenship because she had performed for French troops. When southern France was occupied by the Nazis in 1942, she emigrated to the United States. During the war she did some theatre acting and also worked as a homeside volunteer nurse. After the war, Harvey relocated to Paris. She went on a world tour as a singer and in 1949 made appearances in West Germany. She spent her retirement on the French Riviera (Antibes) where she had a souvenir shop and raised snails for escargot. Harvey was married one time. Her four year marriage to theater director Hartvig Valeur-Larsen ended in divorce. Eventually she settled down with her female partner Else Pitty Wirth (1907-2007). Interestingly, the two women are buried together in Antibes. The imdb gives Harvey 54 acting credits between 1925 and 1940. Interestingly, Lillian Harvey’s name is mentioned in Quentin Tarantino’s film  “Inglorious Bastards” (2009). One of her songs is played on a phonograph and in addition one of the characters in the film mentions liking Harvey’s performance in a film and Joseph Goebbels becomes angry and insists her name never be mentioned in his presence. Click on the link below to hear the Lillian Harvey/Willy Fritsch duet used in the Tarantino movie. The 1936 song is titled “Ich Wollt Ich War Ein Huhn” (I Wish I Was A Chicken). Now would be a good time to discuss this postcard portrait of Miss Harvey. She is looking quite decorated in this photograph. She is wearing a garland of leaves in her hair, a very ornate necklace, a number of large bracelets, two giant rings, and a jeweled clasp on her dress near her cleavage. Note her very notable eye lashes. She is wearing a somewhat provocative dress and it is clear that the aim of the photographer is to emphasize Miss Harvey’s sexiness. The photographer and Miss Harvey succeeded in accomplishing this goal. The postcard was published by the German firm Ross Verlag and was part of a series (no. 8679/1). The postcard credits Fox films.                                                 SOLD                                                                                                                                                                          

The second postcard (postcard 2) features Miss Harvey in a risque costume. She is showing a “lot of leg” which is quite provocative for her time. It is likely that this image captures her in one of her film roles. The postcard was published by Argenta, which was located in Munich, Bavaria.                                                                                                                  SOLD        

The third postcard (postcard 3) presents Miss Harvey is a sexy pose. Note her dark gloves and large hoop earrings. The postcard was published by Ross Verlag and is part of a series (no. 4288/1). Note the advertising logo for the German film company UFA, located on the bottom right hand corner of the image.

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The fourth postcard (postcard 4) showcases Lillian Harvey’s beautiful smile. Miss Harvey’s not quite plunging neckline was clearly aimed to add a bit of a risque element to the photograph. This postcard was published by Ross Verlag (Berlin) and is part of a series (no. 1019/2). This portrait was taken by the talented photographer, Alex Binder. The photographer of this terrific image was Alexander Binder (1888-1929). He had the largest photo studio in Europe during the late 1920’s and the 1930’s. Many of his entertainment star portraits appear on Ross Verlag postards. It is thought that Binder was of Swiss origin. He was of the Jewish faith. He studied engineering but did not complete his studies. From 1908 to 1910 he studied photography at a school in Munich, Germany. After the completion of his photography studies, he went to Berlin and in 1913 opened his first photography studio. Before long, he became one of the premier photographers in Berlin.  He primarily focussed on fashion and celebrity photography. Since Berlin was the capital of the European film industry, Binder photographed all the stars of the European film industry including, Lilian Harvey, Conrad Veidt, and Lya De Putti. Many of his images were used in popular film portrait postcards. His photographs could be seen in postcards published by Ross Verlag and Photochemie. Binder died in 1929 but new photo cards bearing his signature continued to be published until 1937. 

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The fifth real photo postcard (postcard 5) features Miss Harvey wearing a bathing suit and sitting in a beach chair. Her shoes and stockings don’t seem very appropriate for the beach so it is a good thing that she is actually in a photographer’s studio and sitting in front of a beach backdrop. Obviously, the mission of the photographer was not to convince viewers that Miss Harvey was at the beach. The intent of photographer Alexander Binder was to present Lilian Harvey in a provocative and sexy pose. Mr. Binder certainly succeeded in accomplishing his goal. This photo postcard was published by Ross Verlag.  (SOLD)

Postcard #6 features a hand colored portrait of Miss Harvey published by Ross Verlag. The postcard is part of a series (no. 3543/4). She looks fantastic wearing her print dress and plaid long scarf. I’m not convinced the dress and scarf are matching, but her beauty overcomes any mismatch. As in Postcard #3, the logo for the German film company UFA, can be seen on the lower right hand corner of the image. This photo postcard is from the 1930’s and is in very good condition (see scans).

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Postcard #7 features Lillian Harvey leaning forward as she looks into a hanging bird cage. The photographer likely chose this pose to inject some sexuality into the image. The pose reveals a small amount of the actress’s cleavage. She is wearing a relatively low-cut dress for this time period. Print on the reverse of the postcard reveals that the photograph of Miss Harvey comes from the film “Congress Dances” (1931). Her costar in the film was Willy Fritsch. The postcard was published by Ross Verlag and is part of a series (no. 6738/1). On the right hand bottom corner of the postcard is the logo for “UFA”, a German film company. This postcard is in excellent condition.

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Postcard 8  was photographed by Alexander Binder and published by Ross Verlag as part of a series (no.1019/4). Ballerini & Fratini (Florence, Italy) are credited on the reverse of this postcard.   (SOLD)

Postcard 9 offers a pretty portrait of Lilian Harvey that was published by Ross Verlag as part of a series (no.5016/2). Note the logo for UFA, the German film company, in the bottom right hand corner of the image. This vintage postcard is in very good conditon (see scans).

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POSTCARD 8

POSTCARD 9

Published in: on November 2, 2022 at 11:47 pm  Comments (1)  
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PRETTY ITALIAN ACTRESS AND WRITER MARCELLA ALBANI

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Image 2 - MARCELLA ALBANI : PRETTY ITALIAN ACTRESS AND WRITER : RISQUE : RPPC

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Marcella Albani (1899-1959) was an Italian film actress that appeared in 50 films between 1919 and 1936. Albani was “discovered” by writer/director Guido Parish (Schamberg) when she was twenty years old. They became a very successful film couple until 1924 when they parted ways. Their movies were predominately tear jerkers and adventure stories. The actress also worked with other famous directors such as Joe May, Friedrich Zelnik, and Wilhelm Dieterle. Albani was a major star in the European cinema in the late 1920’s. Her films were made in five different European countries. Many of Albani’s roles were portraying elegant Latin beauties. At the advent of sound movies, Miss Albani turned to writing. One of her several novels was turned into a movie. She continued to act until 1936. Albani was married to director Mario Franchini in 1931.

Albani certainly looks elegant, sensual, and beautiful in this Postcard 1 portrait. She is dressed exquisitely. The postcard image is a bit risque for it’s era. This postcard was published by Ross Verlag of Berlin, Germany. The postcard is part of a series (no. 538/1). This portrait of Miss Albani was taken by celebrity photographer, Alexander Binder.   (SOLD)

In the photograph seen on Postcard 2, Albani again looks elegant, and beautiful. Her hat is a fashion statement in itself. The card is of German origin and published by Ross Verlag of Berlin. The postcard is part of a series (no. 1521/1). The photo is by Aafa film. According to one reliable source, the postcard was issued sometime between 1927 and 1928.  (SOLD)

Postcard 3 features a beautiful risque portrait of Miss Albani. The publisher of this postcard is also Ross Verlag of Berlin, Germany. The postcard is part of a series (no. 596/3). Printed on the postcard is the name “Albani Film”. The company was a film production and distribution firm and was active in 1934.  (SOLD)

Postcard 4 accentuates the beauty of Miss Albani. The portrait is artistic and risque. This postcard was published by Ross Verlag as part of a series (no.596/4). Print in the bottom right hand corner of the image states “Albani Film”.  (SOLD)

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Published in: on August 11, 2022 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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CLAIRE ROMMER : FILM ACTRESS :SAVED FROM NAZIS BY ARISTEDES De SOUSA MENDES

POSTCARD 1 (sold)
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This vintage real photo postcard features German film actress, Claire Rommer (1904-1996). Her filmography on IMDb credits her with 49 film appearances between 1922 and 1934. She made her film debut at the age of eighteen. She also began her career as a soubrette appearing in operettas and comedies on the Berlin stage. However, her fame came from her film work. She played both leading and supportive roles. She played in silent films and made a successful transition to sound films. She even sang in some of her talkies. She was married to a prosperous Jewih man, named Adolf Strenger. Because of her marriage, in 1938 she was banned from any participation in the German film industry. It was thought that she was probably not Aryan like her husband. The rise of the Nazis forced the couple to leave Germany and emigrate to the United States via Portugal.The pair left Europe with the assistance of Aristedes de Sousa Mendes. He was a Portuguese Consular stationed in France. Mendes defied orders from his government and issued thousands of visas to Jews, allowing them to escape with their families and their lives. He was a hero for his work as a Holocaust rescuer. Ultimately, Mendes was severely punished for his defiance. After leaving Germany, Rommer’s film career ended. In the US, she divorced her husband and married a meat industry multi-millionaire.

Postcard 1 was published by Ross Verlag as part of a series (No.1933/1). Claire Rommer’s photo portrait was taken by celebrity photographer, Alexander Binder. This vintage photo postcard is in excellent condition (see scans). (SOLD)

Postcard 2 was published by Ross Verlag as part of a series (No.1933/2). Claire Rommer’s photo portrait was taken by celebrity photographer, Alexander Binder. This vintage photo postcard is in very good condition (see scans). (SOLD)

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Published in: on April 8, 2022 at 12:00 pm  Comments (1)  
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SIX PORTRAITS OF PRETTY EUROPEAN STAGE ACTRESS LIANE HAID

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This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is haid10.jpgPOSTCARD 5

These vintage real photo postcards features European film star Liane Haid (1895-2000). In the top postcard she poses holding a tennis racket and wearing a hair band to keep her hair out of her eyes. She is quite beautiful but how can we interpret her facial expression. To me, it looks like she is rolling her eyes as if she is bothered by something. Who is Liane Haid? She was born in Vienna, Austria and received training in both dance and singing. She gained the nickname of “Sweet Viennese Girl”. Haid was a prima ballerina, dancer, singer and stage actress. She worked in Budapest and Vienna as a dancer. Her stage career was mostly in Berlin and Vienna. She became a popular pin-up star through the 1920’s and 1930’s. Her first movie role was in a World War I propaganda film. She was employed by UFA and appeared in a number of comedy films  alongside other movie stars including Willi Forst, Bruno Kastner, and Georg Alexander. UFA was a major German Film producer and distributor that operated between 1917 through the end of World War II. Liane Haid refused a number of Hollywood offers but in 1942, she escaped Nazi Germany and went to Switzerland according to Wikipedia, “because of the regime, because everything was bombed, and because all the good directors had left”. Soon thereafter she got married and retired from films. She was married three times. The IMDB web site states that she has 92 film credits from 1915 through 1953. Notable films include “Lady Hamilton” (1921), “Lucrezia Borgia” (1926), and “The Song is Ended” (1930). The photographer of this terrific image was Alexander Binder (1888-1929). He had the largest photo studio in Europe during the late 1920’s and the 1930’s. Many of his entertainment star portraits appear on Ross Verlag postards. It is thought that Binder was of Swiss origin. He was of the Jewish faith. He studied engineering but did not complete his studies. From 1908 to 1910 he studied photography at a school in Munich, Germany. After the completion of his photography studies, he went to Berlin and in 1913 opened his first photography studio. Before long, he became one of the premier photographers in Berlin.  He primarily focussed on fashion and celebrity photography. Since Berlin was the capital of the European film industry, Binder photographed all the stars of the European film industry including, Lilian Harvey, Conrad Veidt, and Lya De Putti. Many of his images were used in popular film portrait postcards. His photographs could be seen in postcards published by Ross Verlag and Photochemie. Binder died in 1929 but new photo cards bearing his signature continued to be published until 1937. It is thought that the real photographer of these new postcards was Hubs Floeter (1910-1974) who was employed at the studio as an operator. The studio continued to be owned by Binder’s widow, Mrs. Binder Alleman and their two daughters. The studio was managed by the Jewish Elisabeth Baroness Vonhedlis Stengel who was later deported to the Theresienstadt concentration camp. In 1938 the Nazi’s closed Binder’s studio and it was later taken over by an Aryan photographer, Karl Ludwig Haenchen . Haenchen continued to produce celebrity portraits for postcards. His publishers included Film-Foto-Verlag. After World War II the studio was taken over by the Hasse und Wiese company.               

 The second vintage postcard portrait of Miss Haid was also the work of Alexander Binder. The actress looks beautiful in her art deco lace headdress. Her eyes can be described as spell binding. The postcard was published by Germany’s Ross Verlag and is part of a series (no. 544/4). Also credited for this photograph is “Micco Film”. Before working for Micco Film, Haid was employed by Kunstfilm. She was very successful working for the company but in 1920 she sued the company for physically exploiting her (placing her in dangerous situations) and for making her financially responsible for her own makeup and costuming. Haid’s husband, industrialist Fritz  von Haymerle, built her a studio (Micco-Film) in Vienna to further promote her career.                         

 The third real photo postcard, seen above, was produced by publisher Ross Verlag (Berlin). Once again, Liane Haid appears beautiful in her portrait. The photograph was taken by the Ring studio in Vienna, Austria. A logo for Micco-Film appears in the lower right hand corner of the postcard.  SOLD                                                                                      

Postcard 4 is a vintage real photo postcard featuring  a young and long haired Liane Haid. She is flashing a very sweet smile. The postcard was published by Ross Verlag of Berlin, Germany. It is part of a series (No. 528/2). Miss Haid was photographed by Frieda Riess (1890-1955?), a female Berlin photographer. One of her photographs can be found in Great Britain’s National Portrait Gallery. The postcard has the logo for Micco-Film in the bottom right hand corner and is postmarked 1929. The card was mailed from Denmark to Estonia.  SOLD   

Postcard 5 features a vintage real photo of Miss Haid. As usual, she looks quite pretty. The actress is flashing a lovely smile. She is wearing a string of pearls and a hair band. This photograph was taken by the talented and prolific celebrity photographer, Alexander Binder. The postcard was published by Ross Verlag (Berlin) as part of a series (no. 545/1). The logo for Micco-Film can be seen on the bottom right hand corner of the postcard. The card was postmarked in 1925 and is in very good condition (see scans).                      

haid-1              REVERSE OF POSTCARD 1

haid-1     REVERSE OF POSTCARD 2

haid 3 2

 REVERSE OF POSTCARD 3

estonia3REVERSE OF POSTCARD 4

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$30.50

REVERSE OF POSTCARD 5
POSTCARD 6

Postcard 6 offers another view of Miss Haid. She looks beautiful as always. This photograph was taken by the Becker & Maas studio. The firm was located in Berlin Germany. The publisher of the card was Ross Verlag. The postcard is part of a series (No.4190/1). The postcard is in good condition (see scans). Note the crease in the lower left hand corner. The postcard’s image is unscathed. The card is priced accordingly to condition. (SOLD)

REVERSE OF POSTCARD 6

Published in: on July 26, 2021 at 12:00 pm  Comments (2)  
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ERNA MORENA : PRETTY AND SUCCESSFUL GERMAN FILM ACTRESS

POSTCARD 1
POSTCARD 1 (CLOSE-UP)

This vintage real photo postcard (Postcard 1) features pretty German film actress, Erna Morena (1885-1962). In addition to being a performer, she was also  a film producer and screen writer during the silent era. The IMDb reports that Morena appeared in 122 films between 1913 and 1951. Morena grew up in a middle-class family in Bavaria. At age 17, she attended applied art school in Munich. In 1909, after a short stint in Paris, she moved to Berlin where she worked as a nurse. She became a student at the German Theater’s drama school and in 1910 was hired as an actress by Max Reinhardt, Austrian-born theater and film director. She played a number of small theater roles and in 1913, Morena made her film debut in “The Sphinx”, produced by Leteraria Film. She was a “big time” actress. She worked under many well known directors and with some of the most well known actors in German film. Morena made a bid to become a film producer and formed her own film company which produced films in 1918 and in 1920. By the mid 1920’s, she was considered one of the biggest stars in German films. With the advent of talkies, her career declined. However, she did appear in supporting roles during the 1930’s.  Between 1915 and 1921, Morena was married to the German writer, Wilhelm Herzog. He was a historian of literature and culture, a dramatist, the author of an encyclopedia, and a well known pacifist. Their marriage ended in divorce. Morena appeared in the 1940 film “Jud SuB”. The movie was a Nazi Germany historical drama propaganda film. The film was produced on the order of Joseph Goebbels, the Nazi politician and trusted aide to Adolph Hitler. The movie is considered one of the most anti-semitic films of all time. Postcard 1 was published by Ross Verlag and is part of a series (no.1752/1). The company was located in Berlin, Germany. Morena was photographed by the German photographer, Ernst Schneider. Research about Mr Schneider yielded a great deal of information. He was considered to be one of the most celebrated studio photographers in Berlin during three decades (1900’s, 1910’s, 1920’s. He photographed many celebrities from the world of theater, opera, circuses, and film. He was also one of the most prominent fashion photographers in Berlin. In addition, he was well known for his nude photography and he published books showcasing his work in this domain. Sometime around 1908 Schneider began working with postcard publishers “Rotophot” and “Neue Photographische Gesellschaft” (NPG). In 1919 he began working with Ross Verlag. This postcard, a former resident of a postcard album, is in very good condition (see scans below).            

Buy this Vintage Real Photo Postcard (includes shipping within the US) #3173

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$25.50

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$34.00

Postcard 2
POSTCARD 2 (CLOSE-UP)

Postcard 2 also features the lovely Miss Morena. This postcard was published by Photochemie, located in Berlin, Germany. The card is part of a series (no.k149). Photochemie published postcards of only German film stars or European performers performing in German films. The postcards were published between 1914 and 1919. The firm also produced postcards of other subjects. The photographer of this terrific image was Alexander Binder (1888-1929). He had the largest photo studio in Europe during the late 1920’s and the 1930’s. Many of his entertainment star portraits appear on Ross Verlag postards. It is thought that Binder was of Swiss origin. He was of the Jewish faith. He studied engineering but did not complete his studies. From 1908 to 1910 he studied photography at a school in Munich, Germany. After the completion of his photography studies, he went to Berlin and in 1913 opened his first photography studio. Before long, he became one of the premier photographers in Berlin.  He primarily focussed on fashion and celebrity photography. Since Berlin was the capital of the European film industry, Binder photographed all the stars of the European film industry including, Lilian Harvey, Conrad Veidt, and Lya De Putti. Many of his images were used in popular film portrait postcards. His photographs could be seen in postcards published by Ross Verlag and Photochemie. Binder died in 1929 but new photo cards bearing his signature continued to be published until 1937. It is thought that the real photographer of these new postcards was Hubs Floeter (1910-1974) who was employed at the studio as an operator. The studio continued to be owned by Binder’s widow, Mrs. Binder Alleman and their two daughters. The studio was managed by the Jewish Elisabeth Baroness Vonhedlis Stengel who was later deported to the Theresienstadt concentration camp. In 1938 the Nazi’s closed Binder’s studio and it was later taken over by an Aryan photographer, Karl Ludwig Haenchen . Haenchen continued to produce celebrity portraits for postcards. His publishers included Film-Foto-Verlag. After World War II the studio was taken over by the Hasse und Wiese company. This postcard has a Hamburg, Germany postmark and is dated 1918. The postcard is in very good condition (see scans)

Buy this Vintage Real Photo Postcard (includes shipping within the US) #3253

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$19.50

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$28.00

POSTCARD 2

Published in: on October 24, 2020 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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LUCY DORAINE : HUNGARIAN FILM STAR OF THE 1920’S

doraine   POSTCARD 1  (SOLD)

doraine 1                                                         POSTCARD 1   (SOLD)

loraine                                   POSTCARD 2 (SOLD)     

loraine 1                                                             POSTCARD 2  (SOLD)                                                                                   

2020-04-14_214255 doraine 1   POSTCARD 3 

                                                     2020-04-14_214558 doraine 2                                                                       POSTCARD 3

The pretty young woman featured in this risque vintage real photo postcard (Postcard 1) is Hungarian actress, Lucy Doraine (1898-1989). She began her film career shortly after her teenage years. Her mentor was Hungarian director, Michel Curtiz. He was also the first of four husbands. The pair worked together for about five years in Budapest and Vienna. They had gone to Vienna in 1919 to flee the political and military morass in Hungary. Doraine remained a European film star until 1927. Eventually, Doraine left for Hollywood, but her career did not take off. She was confined to playing supporting roles and she was young for this loss of starring roles to occur (about 30 years of age). She retired from her film career in 1933, but remained in the United States. The IMDb lists her as having 31 acting credits between 1916 and 1931.This postcard is of German origin and was published by Ross Verlag as part of a series (no.572/2). The postcard was published between 1919 and 1924. The photograph was a publicity still for her appearance in Sodom and Gomorrah (1922), The youtube video below shows Lucy Doraine appearing in a 1922 film. 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. A number of postcard publishing companies joined the cartel in an effort to stave off the effect of competition on the pricing of postcards. (POSTCARD 1 SOLD)                                                            Lucy Doraine is also the subject of postcard 2. Once again Miss Doraine is adorned with an elaborate and large feathered head piece. Apparently, she was quite showy. This postcard was published by Ross Verlag and was part of a series (no. 3438/1). Doraine’s photograph was taken by Alex Binder who practiced his profession in Berlin, Germany.  A number of actress portrait postcards by Binder can be found in the Cabinet Card Gallery. To view those images, place his name in the site’s search box.  (POSTCARD 2 SOLD)                                                                                                                                         Postcard 3 features Miss Doraine in flamboyant attire. She is alluring, beautiful, and photogenic. Note her fur stole and pearls. Her hat is fantastic. This postcard was published by Ross Verlag and is part of a series (no.2046/2). The photographer of Miss Doraine’s portrait is Ernst Schneider.  Schneider was considered to be one of the most celebrated studio photographers in Berlin during three decades (1900’s, 1910’s, 1920’s). He photographed many celebrities from the world of theater, opera, circuses, and film. He was also one of the most prominent fashion photographers in Berlin. In addition, he was well known for his nude photography and he published books showcasing his work in this domain. Sometime around 1908 Schneider began working with postcard publishers “Rotophot” and “Neue Photographische Gesellschaft” (NPG). In 1919 he began working with Ross Verlag. This postcard is in very good condition (see scans).

Buy this Vintage Real Photo Postcard (includes shipping within the US) #3046

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$18.13

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$26.63

doraine 2            POSTCARD 1   (SOLD)

loraine 2POSTCARD 2     

2020-04-14_214823 doraine 3POSTCARD 3

Published in: on April 15, 2020 at 12:00 pm  Comments (1)  
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PORTRAIT OF ACTRESS GERDA MAURUS AND HER AIREDALE

cuban milkman 4

cuban milkman 5 The lovely actress seen in this vintage real photo postcard is named Gerda Maurus (1903-1968). She is posed next to a beautiful Airedale terrier. This unusual profile photograph was taken by celebrity photographer Alex Binder. His studio was located in Berlin, Germany. Maurus was active in film and television between 1928 and 1968. She was an Austrian actress of Croatian descent. Maurus was the daughter of an engineer/inventor. She grew up in Vienna and received training as a singer and dancer. She hit the stage at age fifteen. The IMDb biography of Maurus describes her as ” a strikingly beautiful blonde with high cheekbones an expressive blue eyes”. She began her career on the stages of Vienna. She was “discovered” by director Fritz Lang and he cast her in the female lead in the silent film “Spione” (1928). Lang was smitten by maurus and his marriage was destroyed. She then appeared in a number of German films during the Weimar and Nazi eras. Maurus married director Robert A. Stemmie in 1937. He directed her in  “Daphne and the Diplomat” (1937). Like many actresses of her time, her acting career was hurt by the introduction of “talkies”. Further complicating matters was her nebulous association with Nazi propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels. This relationship had negative impact on her career after World War II. Due to lack of film offers, Maurus retreated to the German stage. The IMDb filmography of Gerda Maurus lists 33 credits. Here is a side note about Airedales. The first World War increased the popularity of Airedales because they became famous for their bravery on the battlefield. In the US, Presidents Theodore Roosevelt, Calvin Coolidge, and Warren Harding all owned Airedales. In the 1920’s, Airedales became the most popular dog in the US. This postcard was published by Ross Verlag and is part of a series (no. A1320/1).  (SOLD)

cuban milkman 6

Published in: on March 12, 2019 at 12:00 pm  Comments (2)  
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LILLIAN ELLIS – DANISH STAR IN GERMAN FILMS

ellis

ellis2 This vintage real photo postcard features Danish actress, Lillian Ellis (1907-1951). She made fer film debut in 1928. Many of her roles were in German films. Her stardom in Germany peaked at the end of the 1920’s. The IMDb credits Ellis with 18 acting roles between 1928 and 1959. This vintage postcard was published by Ross Verlag and was part of a series (no. 5281/1). The photographer who took this photograph was Alex Binder, a celebrity photographer located in Berlin, Germany. This portrait postcard is in very good condition.

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$20.00

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ellis3

Published in: on March 3, 2019 at 6:21 pm  Leave a Comment  
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