BRIDESMAIDS FOR RENT IN REDWING, CORNWELL, ENGLAND (GILBERT AND SULLIVAN, “RUDDIGORE”)

This vintage real photo postcard features twelve identically dressed bridesmaids standing in a row. These young women are not ordinary bridesmaids; they are professional bridesmaids. The women are professional bridesmaids. These professional bridal party stalwarts are for hire. This photo was taken in 1931 and the women resided in the fishing village of Redwing in Cornwell, England. In reality, the women in this photograph are actresses appearing as the bridesmaids chorus in the Gilbert and Sullivan comic opera, “Ruddigore”. The words “Sutton Coldfield” are written in pencil on the reverse of the postcard. Sutton Coldfield is a suburban town in Birmingham, England. Perhaps this is the venue where the comic opera appeared. A penciled inscription on the reverse of this postcard indicates that James Speight (1879-1977) is the photographer of this image. His father was the headmaster of a school in Rugby but later established a successful photography business. In 1897, at age 18, James went to work at H M Whitlock’s photography studio in West Bromwich. Speight’s interest in photography must have been in his genes. All 5 of his brothers became photographers. After working for a few more photographers, James decided to go to Paris for a few months, and once there, he worked for the celebrated photographer, Reutlinger. In his diary, James wrote that his retouching work for Reutlinger included making waists smaller. James returned to England and in around 1902, opened his Sutton Coldfield studio. He continued to operate the studio until he retired in 1950. This vintage postcard was published by K Ltd sometime between 1918 and 1936. This vintage postcard is in very good condition (see scans).

Buy this Vintage Real Photo Postcard (includes shipping within the US) #3200

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$38.50

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$47.00

JUNE CAPRICE : SILENT FILM STAR : FOX’S PICK TO COMPETE WITH MARY PICKFORD

June Caprice started life named Helen Elizabeth Lawson. She was born in 1895 in Arlington, Massachusetts. June was a silent film actress. She attended school in Boston. Her acting career began on the stage. In 1916, she signed with the Fox Film Corporation to make films. William Fox had been searching for an actress to compete with Mary Pickford. Caprice had won a Boston Mary Pickford look-a-like contest. When he discovered Caprice, he boldly predicted that she would become the best known female on the screen within the upcoming six months. A press release introducing her to film fandom, stated that she was seventeen years of age. In fact, she was about twenty years old at the time. Caprice made her screen debut in a move entitled “Caprice of the Mountains” (1916). A film critic, writing in the New York Times described her as “young, pretty, graceful, petite, with an eloquence of gesture that augurs a bright future in the movies”. Her first film provided her with her stage name, “June Caprice”. June became quite popular. She received a lot of attention from fan magazines and was one of Fox’s most profitable stars toward the end of the 1910’s. She made sixteen films while with Fox. Her director for half of the movies was Harry F. Millarde. The pair began a relationship and eventually married. Caprice also worked at one time for Pathe studios. She left the film industry to begin a family and in 1922 she gave birth to a daughter. Caprice’s career took a downturn after World War I. The sweet, pure and innocent look lost popularity and was replaced by the jazz age flapper look. She later returned to working on stage and modelling. In 1931, her husband died at the young age of 46. Five years later, Caprice had a fatal heart attack while in Los Angeles. At the time, she also was suffering with cancer. She was just 40 years old at the time of her death. Caprice’s daughter was only aged 14 when she was orphaned. She was raised by her grandparents on Long Island, New York. She became a “cover girl” and actress. She used the name Toni Seven. Her photo and brief biography can be found elsewhere in the Cabinet Card Gallery. Seven inherited three million dollars from her family. The IMDb credits June Caprice with 22 film appearances between 1916 and 1921. This vintage real photo postcard was published by Pictures Ltd which was located in London, England. It was published with the perimission of the Fox Film Co. The card is part of a series (no.12) labeled “Pictures” Portrait Gallery. (SOLD)

 

 

 

 

 
 
   
   
   
   
   
   

CHRISTIANE JANSEN : GERMAN FILM ACTRESS (1952)

The pretty actress seen in this vintage real photo postcard is Christiane Jansen (1929-?). She was born in Germany. The IMDb credits her for 26 film performances between 1951 and 1972. Christiane appears very relaxed in this photograph. The logos from two film companies can be seen on the front of this card. “Berolina” was a film production company which operated in West Germany between 1948 and 1964. The second company is “Herzog Film”. Jansen was clearly employed by these conpanies at some point in her career. The photographer of this photo is K. L. Haenchen and it was taken while she was making “Mikosch Rockt Ein” (1952). The English translation of the movie title is “Mikosch Rocks On”. Christiane was 23 years of age when this photo was taken. The postcard was published by Kunst and Bild as part of a series (no.A636).  This vintage postcard is in very good condition (see sans).

Buy this Vintage Real Photo Postcard (includes shipping within the US) #3195

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$4.50

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$13.00

AN ADORABLE LITTLE GIRL POSES WITH HER KITTEN

This vintage real photo postcard features an adorable little girl, with mussed hair, posing for her photo alongside her kitten. The darling child has a wonderful grin as she gets as close as she can to he pretty cat. The kitten is perched on a table and is looking directly at the camera. This postcard is part of a series (70 no7676). This card was published by Rotophot GmbH of Berlin, Germany. The postcard is in good condition (see scans and note wear on bottom left-hand corner).

Buy this Vintage Real Photo Postcard (includes shipping within the US) #3090

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$28.00

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$36.50

Published in: on September 17, 2020 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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PORTRAIT OF THREE RABBITS AND THEIR FASHIONABLE KEEPER (EXTREMELY RARE RPPC)

This is a fantastic vintage real photo postcard. I am not spouting hyperbole. I have seen many postcards featuring rabbits, but usually the rabbits are dead. The bunnies had met their demise from the guns of hunters. Typically the rabbits are strung on a line and joined by several of their furry colleagues. This rare postcard features three live rabbits posing on a fabric covered table. What is the story behind this photograph? Are these bunnies show bunnies waiting to be judged? Are they for sale to be someone’s pet, or worse yet, someone’s dinner? The gentleman standing behind the rabbits is well dressed. He looks sharp in his three piece suit, high collared shirt, and large cap. This studio photo is in excellent condition (see scans).          SOLD

Published in: on September 14, 2020 at 12:00 pm  Comments (2)  
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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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GENEVIEVE FELIX : PRETTY FRENCH POSTCARD MODEL AND SILENT FILM ACTRESS

This vintage real photo postcard features French postcard model and silent film actress, Genevieve Felix (1901-?). Her filmography includes 23 acting credits including “Three Musketeers” (1932). Her acting career spanned from 1917 through 1932. This postcard was published by Leo as part of a series (no76).  The firm was located in  Pradot, France.  The Leo firm operated in the mid 1920’s and published many types of real photo postcards. They were especially noted for producing a large amount of nude postcards. This postcard is in very good condition (see scans).     

Buy this original Vintage Real Photo Postcard (includes shipping within the US) #3186

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$25.50

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$34.00

Published in: on September 12, 2020 at 12:00 pm  Comments (3)  
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PORTRAIT OF AN ADORABLE LITTLE GIRL HUGGING HER TORTOISE SHELL TABBY CAT

This vintage real photo postcard features an adorable little girl hugging her tortoise shell tabby cat. The child appears entranced by the gorgeous feline. This postcard was published by Alfred Noyer. He was a well known and acclaimed photographer. His Paris studio operated between 1910 and the 1940’s. This postcard is dated in the year, 1920. The card is color tinted and part of a series (no1352). I used an online translation app to learn the meaning of the caption at the bottom of this photo postcard. The translation is “kiss the mistress – he turns a deaf ear: have we, I ask you, such demands“. The quotation puts a spotlight on the strong independent nature of house cats. This real photo postcard is in very good condition (see scans).   

Buy this Vintage Real Photo Postcard (includes shipping within the US) #3087

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$42.50

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$51.00

Published in: on September 11, 2020 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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CHARLOTTE SUSA : GERMAN STAGE AND FILM ACTRESS : SIGNED BY MGM AS RIVAL TO GRETA GARBO

This vintage real photo postcard features German actress, Charlotte Susa (1898-1976). Sosa was very pretty and the “look” she gives the camera indicates that she knew it. She certainly has a sultry appearance in that dress. Susa was born in Memel, East Prussia. One of her parents was Italian and the other was Swiss. Her first stage appearance was in 1915. She began a successful career as both a singer and an actress. She played in a number of German opera and operetta venues. Her film debut occurred in 1926 with an appearance in a German silent movie. She became a popular actress and appeared in many femme fatale roles. After the advent of sound films, Susa began assuming leading roles.  In 1932 she signed with MGM, relocated to the United States, and started an international film career. One newspaper columnist of the time wrote that Susa, Lilian Harvey, Anna Sten, and Henry Garat were all important “foreign talents” that were joining Hollywood pictures. Susa was projected to be a rival to Greta Garbo. Success in Hollywood did not come to fruition. She cancelled her contract in 1934. She stopped acting  in films but returned to the stage after World War II.  Susa, like many film stars, had multiple marriages. Susa stopped replacing husbands after her third marriage. Her third husband was Andrews Engelmann (1901-1992), a Russian born German actor. He appeared in German and British films during his career. Charlotte Susa died in Basel, Switzerland. The IMDb reports Susa had thirty-six film credits ranging from 1926 to 1941. This postcard portrait was photographed by H. Gartner and published by Ross Verlag as part of a series (no.5309/1). Eichberg Films is credited on this postcard. Richard Eichberg (1888-1952) began his career as an actor but became a succssful film director and producer in the German film industry. He directed 87 films and produced 77 films. At the time that Susa’s photograph was taken for this postcard, she was employed by Eichberg’s company.  (SOLD)

RISQUE PHOTOGRAPH OF A PRETTY WOMAN (1920’s PC PARIS)

This vintage risque real photo postcard features an attractive woman sitting on a chair. The straps of her lingerie are off her shoulder, she is wearing visible stockings, and she is showing a lot of skin. This is a pretty suggestive photo postcard. The young woman is wearing earrings and a bracelet. She is holding a photo album that appears to contain real photo postcards. The photos in the album could possibly be cabinet cards. Note the interesting and unusual lamp in the background. I view the lamp as gaudy which is a perfect fit for this risque photograph. The card was published in France by P. C. Paris.  The P. C. logo is an abbreviation for Papeteries de Levallois-Clichy. The firm published a variety of real photo postcard topics including portraits of women, nudes, views, and holiday cards. The company was active in the 1920’s. This postcard shows a bit of wear but it is in good condition (see scans).

Buy this Vintage Real Photo Postcard (includes shipping within the US) #3179

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$28.50

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$37.00

Published in: on September 2, 2020 at 12:00 pm  Comments (1)  
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