This vintage real photo postcard features Russian ballerina, choreographer, and silent film star, Vera Karalli (1889-1972). She was born in Moscow. Her father was an entrepreneur and her mother was an actress. Karalli was active between 1914 and 1921. Karalli was a graduate of the Moscow Theatre School in 1906. She performed in the Ballets Russes company in 1909, and then again, in 1919 and 1920. She was a soloist with the Bolshoi Theater and after two years became a ballerina in 1915. She often danced with ballet star, Mikhail Mordkin. Karalli becan acting in 1914 and she became one of Russia’s most celebrated film actresses. From 1914 to 1919, Karalli appeared in about sixteen Russian silent films. One of these films was an adaptation of Tolstoy’s “War and Peace”. Her last film was a German drama released in 1921. Karalli was a mistress of the Grand Duke Dmitri Pavlovich of Russia. He was the cousin of Nicholas II. It was reported that she was a co-conspirator in the 1916 murder of Grigori Rasputin. After the October Revolution, she fled to the West. Between In the 1920’s she taught dance in Lithuania. Between 1930 and 1935 she was ballet mistress of the Romanian opera in Bucharest. She lived in Paris between 1938 and 1941. She later settled in Baden, Austria. (SOLD)
This vintage real photo postcard presents an interesting ethnological portrait of a Romanian couple dressed in traditional garb. It is notable that this couple was not concerned about public displays of affection. The young man has his right arm wrapped around the woman’s shoulder/back. The young lady’s hand is resting on the gentleman’s shoulder. The pair give an appearance of a proud loving couple. Could this be a wedding portrait? Note the woman’s purse. It has a design that includes someone holding a leash attatched to a dog. An inscription on the reverse of this postcard reveals that the photograph was taken in 1937. The postcard is in very good condition.
This is an adorable vintage real photo postcard. The little girl and her dog are both very cute. This postcard is sweet. The postcard was published by Alfred Noyer. It is part of a series (no. 9387). He was a well known and acclaimed photographer. His Paris studio operated between 1910 and the 1940’s. (SOLD)
This vintage photo postcard features three contestants in the 1930 Miss Europe contest. Most of the women in the competition had won national beauty contests in their own country and progressed to the Miss Europe contest as a warm-up to competing for the Miss World title. This photographic postcard presents Miss Russia, Miss Austria, and Miss Holland. The three contestants are beautiful and marvelously dressed. This postcard was published by Alfred Noyer. His Paris studio operated between 1910 and the 1940’s. He was very talented and well respected. (SOLD)
This vintage real photo postcard features a snake charmer doing his charm in Benares, India. Ophidiophobics should think twice before adding this postcard to their collection. This photograph is a snake phobics nightmare. The photo was taken in Benares, which in India is known as Varanasi. The city is on the banks of the Ganges river. Benares is a major religious hub in India. In fact, it is the holiest of India’s seven sacred cities. What is the point of snake charming. It is the practice of hypnotizing snakes by playing and waving around an instrument called a “pungi”. A popular species of snake used in this practice are cobras. The snake charmer handles the snakes and performs dangerous acts with them. They also do other types of street performances (ie juggling or sleight of hand). India is considered the center of snake charming but the practice is also common is Pakistan, Thailand , Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and other Asian and North African countries. The popularity of snake charming is on the decline. 
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A nicely dressed man poses next to a stool in this vintage real photo postcard. His hat is “strategically dipped” and his the large chain of his pocket watch is very prominent on the lapel of his coat. The gentleman’s photograph was taken by the Peeraer-Janssen studio which was located in Oostmalle, Belgium. The photographer’s stamp is on the reverse of the card. This postcard portrait is in good condition.
This vintage real postcard features three very adorable little girls. They are wearing bows, lace, and pigtails. The children’s names are Jeanne, Marguerite, and Lucy Fontague. They are wearing identical dresses. The photo portrait was taken by E. Malavas. The photograph was shot sometime around Christmas, 1915. This vintage postcard is in very good condition.
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