This vintage real photo postcard is part of a series named “Les Plus Belles Femmes de France” (The Most Beautiful Women of France). This series is titled “L’Emeraude” (The Emeralds). There were a number of different series published associated with “Les Plus Belles Femmes de France”. As advertised, the model for this portrait is truly beautiful. This postcard was published by well known and acclaimed photographer, Alfred Noyer. His Paris studio operated between 1910 and the 1940’s. Many of the postcards he produced featured nudes or risque images. ADDENDUM: The beautiful woman in this photograph has been identified. I stumbled upon her name while researching another postcard portrait (Miss Hungary) from the 1930’s. This enchanting woman is Agnes Souret (1902-1928) and she was “Miss France” in the inaugural Miss France contest of 1920. She was a actress and a dancer.She was French-Basque and born in Biarritz. She was the daughter of a former ballet dancer. The 5″ 6″ dark haired, brown eyed Souret became “Miss Midi-Pyrenees” in 1919 and then won the “La Plus Belle Femme de France” contest in 1920. This contest morphed into the “Miss France ” competition. The photo on this postcard is from the “La Plus Belle Femme” contest. She was just seventeen years old when she was in this contest. There were over two thousand entrants. Le Figaro stated that she was a “dazzling beauty”. The New York Times called her “the fairest in France”. The publicity about her pageant victories resulted in her becoming very popular in France. Photographs of her appeared in many journals and magazines. She also was covered by the gossip columns of the 1920’s. She appeared as a dancer in the Paris music hall, Folies Bergere and at the Opera de Monte-Carlo. She also acted in two “forgettable” films (1920 & 1921). Souret travelled to England and was in Revues at the Gaiety Theatre in London. She was invited to Hollywood for an audition to appear in films in 1922. No film offers were made. She published a book in 1922. It was entitled “The Famous Book of Beauty Secrets” and published by a Chicago company. Souret led a short life. She died of peritonitis at the age of 26 while touring Argentina. SOLD

This vintage real photo postcard features Miss Tatyana Maslova photographed while she was participating in the 1933 Miss Europe Contest. She was representing Russia. Her entry into the Miss Russia pageant was in a roundabout way. A journalist from Vilnius, Tayana’s hometown, had entered her in the contest. Along with her photo, the reporter wrote a message stating that Tatyana was the “daughter of a Black Sea Fleet officer who was shot during the Civil War in the south of Russia”. The writer also added that Tatyana was nineteen years of age, fluent in five languages, and “represents the image of the classical Russian beauty”. After winning the Miss Russia title, she went on to the Miss Europe contest in Madrid, Spain, where she was crowned Miss Europe. Tatyana won a trip to Portugal for her victory. She participated in a film in Warsaw and than returned to Vilna where she lived a modest life. Not much is known about her life after winning the Miss Europe contest; though the consensus is that she died at an early age. This postcard was published by well known and acclaimed photographer, Alfred Noyer. His Paris studio operated between 1910 and the 1940’s. Many of the postcards he produced featured nudes or risque images. This postcard was part of the Miss Europa series (no. 13G). (SOLD)

This vintage real photo postcard is part of a series of cards capturing portraits of contestants in the Miss Europa (Europe) contest. This beauty pageant includes only European contestants. The contest was established by a French journalist in 1927. The first contest was held at the Paris Opera and 18 countries were represented. The winner in 1927 was from Yugoslavia. The latest winner (2019), is from Spain. Most of the women in this contest won their own country’s national beauty contest, and used the Miss Europa contest as a warm-up for the Miss World pageant. This postcard features Miss Italy and Miss Belgium enjoying the outdoors. They are dressed beautifully and are expert smilers. This postcard was published by well known and acclaimed photographer, Alfred Noyer. His Paris studio operated between 1910 and the 1940’s. This postcard is a product of the 1930’s. (SOLD)

This vintage real photo postcard provides a portrait of a very pretty woman. She has a wonderful smile and beautiful eyes. The photographer/publisher of this postcard is Alfred Noyer. The celebrated photographer supervised a large photo studio in Paris. The Noyer Studio operated from 1910 until the 1940’s. Many of the postcards he produced of women were nudes or risque images. Some of his postcards list his name while others are simply marked “AN”. Noyer did a number of series of postcards concerning the prettiest women of France. He did a set of postcards that presented pretty women from each province of France. He also did a series of cards that presented women representing different precious stones. This postcard is part of a series (no. 20) in which the prettiest women of France represent a color of the rainbow. The young woman subject of this postcard is repping the color red. This vintage postcard is in very good condition and has excellent clarity.


This vintage real photo postcard features a pretty nude woman She is delicately reaching for a conch shell. This tastefully done image was published by well known photographer Alfred Noyer as part of a series (No. 4136). The celebrated photographer supervised a large photo studio in Paris. The Noyer Studio operated from 1910 until the 1940’s. Many of his early postcards were reproductions of artworks. He also produced illustrated patriotic postcards during World War I. With the onset of the 1920’s he began producing postcards of children and women. Many of the postcards he produced of women were nudes or risque images. Some of his postcards list his name while others are simply marked “AN”. This photo postcard is in very good condition (see scans). 















