INTRIGUING IMAGE OF SIMPLY DRESSED BLACK WOMAN SITTING ON STEPS WITH TWO WHITE MEN (VINTAGE REAL PHOTO POSTCARD)

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This vintage real photo postcard is one of the most intriguing postcards that I have come across. What is the story behind this photograph? The image captures a simply dressed black woman flanked by two white men dressed in jacket and tie. Who are these men in relation to this woman? Why do the subjects of this photograph want their meeting photographed? One can imagine some interesting scenarios. Unfortunately the circumstances related to this image are lost to history. This AZO postcard was published between 1904 and 1918.   SOLD

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Published in: on October 11, 2015 at 12:00 pm  Comments (1)  
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TWO TEENAGE GYPSY GIRLS PREPARE FOR CARNIVAL IN CHALON SUR SAONE, FRANCE (VINTAGE REAL PHOTO POSTCARD)

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It appears that the two young women seen in this portrait are dressed and ready for the French Carnival. The festival occurs after the “Feast of Fools” and has been a tradition since the sixteenth century or earlier. The girls in the photograph of this vintage real photo postcard are dressed as gypsies and holding stereotypical tambourines. The girls are about in their teenage years. They were photographed by Monsieur Henry of Chalon-Sur-Saone, France. The city is located in the south of the Burgundy region of that nation. I wonder what the fascination is with gypsies? The obsession is apparent when one looks at postcards from around the turn of the century (1800’s to the 1900’s). An observer of these postcards will see gypsies here, there, and everywhere. Perhaps visitors to the cabinet card gallery would like to hypothesize about this cultural phenomenon. I would appreciate your input. Now, back to this postcard. The previous owner of this postcard translated the message as “Remember with affection your little girlfriend. A thousand kisses, Germaine”. My guess is that the shorter woman in this image is Mlle Germaine.  SOLD

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Published in: on October 6, 2015 at 12:00 pm  Comments (1)  
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FRENCH STAGE ACTRESS AND DANCER MLLE DERMINY: PRETTY WOMAN WITH ANTENNAS (REAL PHOTO POSTCARD)

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This vintage real photo postcard features a portrait of French stage actress and dancer Mlle. Derminy. I am unsure of her first name but she is listed in a number of sources as Marthe Derminy, who was an early film actress. The two performers may, or may not be, the same individual. Take a look at the headpiece that Mlle Derminy is wearing in this photograph. She looks like she has antennas coming out of the top of her head. It is as if she just walked out of a space ship. She is a pretty woman and is posed in relatively risque fashion. Derminy was photographed by many of the most celebrated photographers of her era. I have seen portraits of her by Reutlinger, Walery, and Stebbins. This postcard portrait was published by Societe Industrielle de Photograpie which was located in Rueil, France.   SOLD

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Published in: on October 1, 2015 at 12:00 pm  Comments (4)  
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GORGEOUS BORDER COLLIE SITS ON A BENCH IN PARIS, FRANCE

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A beautiful border collie sits on a bench and cooperates wholeheartedly with a photographer. The bright eyed dog displays an “eager to please” expression. A basket of flowers sits beside the adorable pooch. This vintage real photo postcard was produced by Marque “Etoile” (Star Brand) of Paris, France. The postcard is marked V B C Series (N. 3746).

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Published in: on September 25, 2015 at 12:00 pm  Comments (1)  
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TWO LOVELY YOUNG SISTERS WEARING INTERESTING AND UNUSUAL ATTIRE (VINTAGE REAL PHOTO POSTCARD)

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The two cute and gorgeously dressed girls featured in this vintage real photo postcard are presumably sisters. I am not sure how to best describe their dresses and hats so I will just label their attire as “unusual and interesting”. Hopefully, someone informed about fashion history, will leave a comment with further explanation. This photo postcard was produced in Spain.

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Published in: on September 19, 2015 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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ADORABLE LITTLE GIRL AND HER LOVING JACK RUSSELL TERRIER (VINTAGE RPPC)

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This vintage real photo postcard features a portrait of an adorable little girl posing with her cute dog. The dog is captured by the photographer in a loving pose with the canine’s paws atop the little girl’s shoulders. The postcard was published in France but has a Belgian stamp and postmark (La Louviere). The postmark and the message from the sender indicates that the postcard was written and sent in 1913. .

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Published in: on September 17, 2015 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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FRENCH AVIATION PIONEER ROGER SOMNER PILOTS HIS BIPLANE (VINTAGE REAL PHOTO POSTCARD)

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This vintage real photo postcard features a portrait of French aviator Roger Somner (1877-1965) sitting in the pilot seat  of his 1910 biplane. Somner was an aviation pioneer. The Washington Herald (1909) reported that he broke a world record in a Farman Biplane by flying one hour and fifty minutes at the height of 80 feet. This was a record due to the length of time logged in the air. The Oregon News (1909) described an international aviation contest involving at least five nations competing for about 401,000 dollars worth of prizes. Somner was representing France while the American competitor was Glenn Curtiss (another celebrated aviation pioneer). The Lewiston Evening Journal (1910) reported that Somner ad established a new world record by piloting a plane with three passengers for a total of five minutes. Somner was clearly a brave man. This vintage postcard has a postmark from the French city of Bordeaux in 1951.

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Published in: on September 15, 2015 at 12:00 pm  Comments (4)  
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PORTRAIT OF TWO YOUNG GIRLS AND A DOLL (VINTAGE REAL PHOTO POSTCARD)

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This vintage real photo postcard features a portrait of two young girls and a doll. One of the girls is sitting in a wicker chair with the doll on her lap but the second girl has her hand on the doll as if she is saying “this doll is mine too”. The photograph of the girls seems to have been taken outside or else the photographer has a great backdrop and is very good at setting a scene. The girl’s names are written on the reverse of the postcard. “Dorothy and Margirie Warfield” are probably sisters. A quick genealogical search discovered that the 1910 US census lists sisters named Dorothy (age 3) and Marjory (infant) Wharfield (also spelled Warfield). The sisters and the rest of their family lived in Portland, Oregon. The girl’s parents were Arthur (age 29) and Gertrude (age 28). Arthur worked as a merchant (furniture store). It is very possible that the girls in the census are the same as the girls in the photograph. This postcard has a CYKO stamp box which indicates that it was produced sometime between 1904 and the 1920’s.

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Published in: on September 14, 2015 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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YA GOTTA HAVE FRIENDS: FOUR YOUNG WOMAN POSE FOR THEIR PORTRAIT (VINTAGE REAL PHOTO POSTCARD)

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The celebrated American philosopher Bette Midler once said, “Ya Gotta Have Friends”. This vintage real photo postcard features a group of friends who posed together to create a tangible memory of their friendship. The four young women are well dressed and wearing corsages for their photo shoot at an unnamed photography studio. The postcard was made on AZO postcard paper which dates the image between 1904 and 1918.

Published in: on September 13, 2015 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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TWO GIRLS RIDING A LARGE TOY AIRPLANE: RARE IMAGE OF AN ANTIQUE TOY (VINTAGE REAL PHOTO POSTCARD)

toy plane

This vintage real photo postcard features two young girls playing with a large toy airplane. The plane is very detailed. Note the front wheel and propeller. This image of a vintage, possibly homemade toy airplane, is rare. The postcard’s AZO stamp box indicates that it was produced sometime between 1924 and 1949.

Published in: on September 11, 2015 at 12:00 pm  Comments (1)  
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