This vintage real photo postcard features a famous German opera singer who met a tragic end. In 1906, hours before she was to go on stage as Carmen, at the Opera Comique, Walter was murdered in her own home. She was killed by her ex boyfriend, Karl August Hesse, who suspected that Walter was planning on becoming engaged to Juan Raventos, a Spanish Tenor. Hesse committed suicide after killing the 21 year-old Miss Walter. Hesse was a frustrated opera singer who could not find success. He had a history of being jealous of other men. He also had a history of physically abusing Walter in his jealous tantrums. Walter had tried to end the relationship with Hesse but he would not comply. The police found letters from Raventos in Hesse’s apartment. Raventos had written to Hesse telling him that he would not end his relationship with Walter. This postcard was published by Georg Gerlach & Co.. The firm was a real photo card publisher and printer based in Berlin, Germany. This antique postcard is in good condition (see scans).
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This vintage real photo postcard features beautiful and sensuous actress Miss Vilma Banky (1901-1991). She was born in Hungary but was an American silent film actress. She began her acting career in Budapest and later France, Austria, and Germany. In 1925, Banky was plucked from Europe by Hollywood film producer Samuel Goldwyn. American audiences fell in love with her and she earned the moniker of “The Hungarian Rhapsody”. In a review of her first film, “The Dark Angel” (1925), the New York Times (1925) described Banky as “a young person of rare beauty”. In the mid and late 1920’s she was Goldwyn’s biggest money maker. Some of her most famous roles were in the films “The Eagle” (1925) and the “The Son of the Sheik” (1926). She played romantic roles opposite Ronald Coleman and Rudolph Valentino. The advent of sound films is believed to have short circuited her acting career. Apparently her thick Hungarian accent was unacceptable. However, around the time of the introduction of sound films, it is thought that she had lost her enthusiasm about films and was more interested in settling down with actor Rod La Rocque (1898-1969), whom she married in 1927. Goldwyn gave the bride away and Cecil B. DeMille was the best man. By 1928, she was talking of retirement. In all, she made 24 films of which only eight remain in existence in their complete form. Her filmography begins in 1919 and ends in 1933. After leaving filmdom, she and her husband had a career in real estate and she pursued the sport of golf. The Chicago Tribue (1993) entitled Banky’s obituary “Silent Film Star Makes Dramatic Exit”. It is interesting to note that the article appeared nearly two years after her death. It seems that the press and Hollywood watchers never noticed her death. Apparently she lay sick in bed for the last ten years of her life, at home, and later in a nursing facility, without any visitors. The author of the article asserts “She died the nightmare death of every elderly person, alone, her life unremembered, her passing unlamented”. Banky was upset and angry about being abandoned, that she instructed her attorney to inform no one, including the newspapers, upon her passing. The attorney followed her instructions but when the press eventually learned of her death, the lawyer stated to reporters that Banky had no visitors because none of her friends or family still survived. She left a $600,000 trust fund to her sister’s two children in Hungary. After a difficult search the attorney found the two nieces in rural Hungary “living in peasant squalor”. The women had never met their Aunt and the last letter exchanged with Banky had been thirty years earlier. Banky’s lawyer had his hands full because a German heir hunting company had found them first and got them to sign over twenty percent of their inheritance for a finding-fee. At the time of the articles publication, the lawyer planned to pay off the company with a smaller fee and set up distant banking for the nieces who lived in an area that had no banks. Although after her death, the lawyer turned out to be a committed and wonderful friend to Vilma Banky and her family. This vintage postcard was produced by the Iris Verlag company. Iris Verlag was the most important Austrian publisher of film star postcards. It operated from Vienna during the 1920’s and 1930’s. The postcard is part of a series (no.695/3). The photographer of this portrait of Banky is Halasz of Budapest. The postcard was made for Fanamet-film which was a Austrian film distribution company. (SOLD)
This lovely vintage real photo postcard (Postcard 1)features Spanish dancer and pantomimist, Rosario Guerrero (1880-1960). She was an international star who is most associated with the role of “Carmen”. She was not a singer. Instead, she performed in the ballet version of the opera. This performance occurred in 1903 at the Alhambra Theatre in London. In 1903 and 1904, she performed in New York. She had been brought to New York City by Florenz Ziegfeld. In 1905 she returned to the stage in London. It was reported that she had a breakdown from “excessive dancing” and was hospitalized in Vienna, Austria (1906). After that episode, she performed in US cities including New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and Indianapolis. She owned an estate in France. Guerrero was noted to be quite beautiful. She modelled for well known artists of the day. Her sister, Enriqueta was also a dancer, and she performed in London in the 1900’s. When compared to Spanish dancer, Otero, Guerrero is considered a purer Spanish dancer. Otero’s spanish dancing was alongside her exotic dances. Otero’s fame also came from being a courtesan. However, Guerrero is said to have had an affair with King Leopold of Belgium. One article reports that he gave her over a million dollars worth of jewels. It is interesting to note that King Leopold also had a dalliance with Otero. A brief biographical article reports that Guerrero’s dancing career appears to have ended in 1912. This postcard was published by Rotophot (RPH) as part of a series (2209/3). The company was based in Berlin, Germany. (SOLD)
Postcard 2 was published by Rotophot (RPH) as part of a series (2209/2). The company was based in Berlin, Germany. This postcard is in very good condition (see scans).
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This vintage real photo postcard features German soprano, Erna Sack (1898-1972). Her nickname was the “German Nightingale” due to her high vocal range. She looks pretty in her dizzying attire and her feathered hat. Her blonde hair has been styled into ringlets. Sack was a very successful opera star. She toured all around the world. She also made many radio appearances and recordings. She performed in two movies, Flowers from Nice (1936) and Nanon (1938).This postcard was published by Ross Verlag as part of a series (no. A1930/1). The logo for the film company, UFA can be seen in the right hand lower corner of the image. Miss Sack’s photo was taken by the Hammerer studio. She also toured in the United States and one of the venues in her tour was Carnegie Hall. (SOLD)
This vintage real photo postcard features the theater at Lakewood, Maine. The theater gives the appearance of a large colonial home. The marquee on the front porch is displaying the photograph of the actors and actresses appearing in the current show. Note the two 1940’s automobiles parked in front of the theater. The postcard’s message states that the writer is at the theater for an afternoon matinee. The postcard is addressed to a couple living in Port Washington (Long Island). New York. The card’s postmark reveals that it was mailed in 1950. The postcard has a small chip on the left side of the top border but is in otherwise good condition (see scans). The Lakewood theatre is the official state theater of Maine. It received that title in 1967 from the state legislature. Before that time, the theater was known as “Broadway in Maine”. It began as a vaudeville play house. It was originally built as a hall for Spiritualist Camp Association meetings. The building was built in 1882. In 1884 it was converted into a roller skating rink. In 1898, it became a theater. (SOLD)
This lovely vintage Rotophot real photo postcard features dancer and postcard model, Violet Palferay. She appears on more than 40 Rotophot series postcards. Palferay was a member of the very popular Tiller Girl woman’s dance troupe. The group began in London in the 1890’s and kept growing until there were dozens of Tiller Girl troupes spread around the world. Palferay appears on a Getty image taken in 1908 entitled “Girls of Berlin”. Variety Magazine described the Tiller Troupe of Girls as very American, even though they were English; and that they were “good to look upon, well dressed and a good show”. This postcard was published by Rotophot (RPH) as part of a series (1577/78). The company was based in Berlin, Germany. Rotophot eventually morphed into Ross Verlag. (SOLD)
This vintage real photo postcard features a pretty costumed performer. She is a dancer or actress or both. There seems to be a wardrobe malfunction evident in this photograph. The young woman’s skirt is a bit short of material. It is not providing complete coverage of her derriere. The photo was taken by Belle Epoque photographer, Arjalew. His studio was located in Paris, France. He is known for producing many beautiful Art Nouveau images. This postcard was published by Iris (Theojac, Theo Bachellery). The firm was located in Limoges, France. (SOLD)
A lovely African American woman poses for her portrait as she sits in a wicker chair. She is wearing a long coat and a white hat. She is wearing a ring on the middle finger of her right hand. She does not look particularly comfortable in front of the camera. In fact, she looks a bit apprehensive or afraid. The photographer and the location of the studio are unknown. The woman’s name is written on the reverse of the postcard. Research found too many women named “Eva Withers” which prohibited positive identification of the woman in this photo. Therefore, biographical information about Miss/Mrs Withers is unobtainable. This vintage real photo postcard has an “AZO” stamp box which indicates it was produced between 1918 and 1930.
This vintage real photo postcard features beautiful French theater and music hall performer Mlle. Nalugb. The portrait was expertly taken by the celebrated French photographer, Paul Boyer (1861-1908). He photographed many famous people during his career. This postcard is published by Societe Industrielle de Photograpie (SIP) of Rueil, France and was part of a series (no. 1381). The postcard dates back to circa 1904-1908.
This vintage real photo postcard features pretty French film actress, Jeanne Helbling (1903-1985). She was known for “The Three Sided Mirror: (1927), “Nuit d’Espagne” (1931), and “Three Waltzes” (1938). The IMDb credits her with 63 film appearances between 1936 and 1946. This postcard was published by S. Bluet as part of a series (no.367). A caption indicates that the photograph was taken in Paris, France. Bluet was a postcard publisher in Vienna, who became a subsidiary of Rotophot (Berlin). Rotophot developed branches in Vienna and Cologne (with F Manger). The companies used the same group of models for many of their sets. (SOLD)
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