EMMA ALBANI : CANADIAN-BRITISH OPERATIC STAR

This vintage real photo postcard features Dame Emma Albani (1847-1930). She was a Canadian-British operatic soprano during the 19th century and the early 20th century. She became an international star focusing on the operas of Mozart, Rossini, Bellini, and Wagner. She performed in many venues across Europe and North America. (SOLD)

Published in: on May 3, 2023 at 9:23 pm  Leave a Comment  
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LAURA RUSSELL : PRETTY PERFORMER : METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART : UNCOMMON RPPC

This uncommon vintage real photo postcard features actress, Laura Russell.  Very little biographical information about Miss Russell could be found during my preliminary research. I was able to find her image on three different tobacco cards. The Metropolitan Museum of Art has at least two of them in their collection. This is an undivided back postcard. It was likely published between 1901 and 1908. The card was published by Neue Photographische Gesellschaft AG,(Berlin) as part of a series (No.A 14). This portrait postcard is in very good condition (see scans). 

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Buy this Vintage Original Real Photo Postcard (includes shipping within the US) #5043

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$26.00

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Buy this Vintage Original Real Photo Postcard (includes International shipping outside the US) #5043

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$35.00

PRETTY ACTRESS : IN COSTUME : VIENNA, AUSTRIA : VINTAGE PHOTOGRAPH

This vintage photograph features a pretty woman wearing a fancy dress. The dress has sheer material as well as sequins. The woman appears to be an actress. She seems comfortable in front of the camera. This photograph was taken by the Mertens, Mai & Company studio in Vienna, Austria. The photograph was taken circa 1900. This date was determined by viewing dated comparable photographs by this studio. This vintage portrait photograph measures 4.25 x 8 inches. (SOLD)

Published in: on May 1, 2023 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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A TURN OF THE CENTURY MAGIC PONY : AMAZING LONG TAIL AND MANE : CABINET CARD

This cabinet card is not a high quality photograph. It is out of focus and poorly posed. However, don’t complain because as the saying goes,  never look a gift horse in the mouth. Speaking about horses, what do you think about this fancy equine?  It is likely a horse from a circus or carnival. Although the hair extensions on the horse could not be more gaudy, it is important to note that someone went to a great deal of trouble and spent a lot of time to dress up this horse. The man handling the horse may be a trainer or perhaps a barn worker. The photograph was taken outside. There is no available information pertaining to the identity of the horse or photographer. The location where the photograph was taken is also unknown. This cabinet card photograph is in fair condition (see scans).

Buy this Vintage Original Cabinet Card (includes shipping within the US) #5201

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$75.00

Buy this Vintage Original Cabinet Card (includes International shipping outside the US) #5201

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$84.00

Published in: on April 30, 2023 at 12:01 pm  Comments (5)  
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PORTRAIT OF A UNIFORMED : ELEVEN PIECE BAND : DRESSED IN BLACK : CABINET CARD

This cabinet card portrait features eleven members of a band. They are wearing dark uniforms and with the exception of the drummer, they are holding small instruments. This musical gourp could be a community band, a religious band, or possibly a school band. Given the available evidence; there is no way of knowing. SOLD

Published in: on April 28, 2023 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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SWEET DREAMS ARE MADE OF THIS : A LITTLE GIRL AND HER DOLL LIE IN BED : RPPC

This gorgeous vintage undivided real photo postcard captures a smiling little girl lying in bed and lovingly looking at her doll beside her. Sweet dreams are made of this. This vintage postcard is in good condition (see scans).

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Buy this Vintage Real Photo Postcard (includes shipping within the US) #5049

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$28.79

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Buy this Vintage Real Photo Postcard (includes International shipping outside the US) 5049

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$39.00

Published in: on April 27, 2023 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  

ATTRACTIVE FAMILY : PRAGUE, CZECHOSLOVAKIA : PORTRAIT BY LANGHANS : CABINET CARD

This cabinet card features an attractive family posing for their portrait at the studio of J. F. Langhans in Prague, Czechlosvakia. Mother, father, and their two sons are all beautifully dressed. Father appears to be small of stature and looks quite austere with his hands folded across his chest and his stern facial expression. The children in this photograph seem significantly more relaxed than their parents. Take note of the style of father’s eye glasses. In regard to the photographer, Jan Langhans (1851-1926) is the best known figure in Czech photography and his gallery is still in existence. There is a wealth of information about Langhans online at the  “Langhans Archive”. The site provides biographical and historical information as well as the “Gallery of Personalities”. The gallery has photographs of many prominent Czech citizens as well as well known visitors to Czechoslovakia.. These portraits date from 1890 through 1948. The studio was founded by Jan Langhans, who was a food chemist by training but developed a passion for photography. He opened his first studio in 1876 and was the preeminent portrait photographer of the region. He opened a number of branch studios throughout Czechoslovakia. He photographed many celebrities and aristocrats. After World War I the gallery possessed over a million negatives. He gave the studio to his daughter Marie and her husband Viktor Meisner.  After World War II, his grandson Viktor Meisner took over the studio. In 1948, soon after the Communist take-over, the studio was nationalized and most of the negatives were destroyed. Fortunately, more negatives were discovered and they comprise the Gallery’s current collection. This cabinet card has corner wear. The photograph has excellent clarity and is in overall good condition (see scans).

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Buy this Vintage Original Cabinet Card (includes shipping within the US) #5199

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$54.00

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Buy this Vintage Original Cabinet Card (includes International shipping outside the US) 5199

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$63.00

Published in: on April 26, 2023 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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MISS FYFE ALEXANDER : BRITISH ACTRESS : THE BLUNDERS OF A BASHFUL MAN : 1906

“The Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News (1903) has a short article about Miss Fyfe Alexander. The magazines theater critic writes about her after seeing her perform in J M Barrie’s comedy “Little Mary”. The writer describes Alexander as “a pretty and charming young actress” and “she has the good qualities that go towards the making of a good actress, and is likely to take a prominent place in her profession”. She was not yet twenty years old at the time of this review. The article also reveals that Alexander was from a theatrical family and that she made her stage debut in 1901. The message on this postcard is interesting. The writer states that “Oh! How the tears did come” when she read a book entitled “The Blunders of a Bashful Man” (1881). This postcard was published by Rapid Photo and Miss Alexander’s photo was taken by female photographer, Lizzie Caswall Smith. The card was postmarked in 1906.  (SOLD)

OCTAVIA KENMORE :BRITISH THEATER ACTRESS: SHAKESPEARE : BROADWAY : CLAUDE HARRIS

This vintage real photo postcard features British actress, Miss Octavia Kenmore. Kenmore was an actress who performed in many productions of Shakespeare’s and Ibsen’s plays. She also was a Broadway actress. She was in eight Broadway shows from 1921 through 1947. Her appearances included a role in Hedda Gabler. Kenmore received many fine reviews in her long theatrical career. In a review of her London debut performance, one critic was not totally impressed. He states that she had a pleasing voice, intelligent and pretty features, and a good presence. He continues with the comment that she should have had more experience before taking on the difficult role in W. S. Gilbert’s fairy comedy, “The Palace of Truth” (1888). The critic’s final assessment of Miss Kenmore was biting. He declared that “Her performance was emphatically one of promise, not of fulfillment.” This vintage portrait postcard is unique in that the reverse of the postcard has a message from Kenmore. She has also signed the postcard. Her signature has not been authenticated. The photograph of Miss Kenmore seen on this card, was taken by Claude Harris (1883-1961). He has 61 photographs in the collection of the National Portrait Gallery. His studio was located in London. He fought in the Boer War and World War I.  He produced and directed a film “The Sanctuary” (1916). He photographed many celebrated theater celebrities. Harris was considered a master of lighting.

NILES AND GRACE AND THEIR PET PUG IN LOWVILLE, NEW YORK (1889)

This cabinet card portrait of two children and their pet pug, illustrates the power of the internet in identifying subjects in antique photographs. The reverse of this photograph has some identity clues in an inscription that states “Niles 3 years  Grace 6 years  Jan 3rd 1889”.  Since the photographer of this image (W. G. Mandeville) worked out of Lowville, New York, it was assumed that  the children in the photograph lived in, or around, Lowville (located in the western foothills of the Adirondack Mountains). A search of the 1900 U.S. census (Lowville) was done for siblings named Niles and Grace. A listing for Niles and Grace Bateman was found and their ages were a match for the age information on the reverse of the cabinet card. Once establishing their identity, additional biographical data was obtained. At the time of the 1900 census, Grace was seventeen years old and Niles was thirteen. Their father was Carroll Bateman and he was a proprietor of a hotel. Their mother was named Jennie Ruggles Bateman. The 1910 U. S. census found Niles working as a clerk in his father’s hotel. The 1920 U.S. census reveals that Niles had become an “Automobile Agent” and was married to a woman named Vera. The 1930 census discloses some major changes in the life of Niles Bateman. He had two children (Walter and Barbara) and had become an “Automobile Dealer”. The photographer of this image, William Garrett Mandeville (1865-1944), is one of the subjects of Robert Ogden’s book, “Exposing the Wilderness: Early Twentieth Century Adirondack Postcards” (1999). Ogden considers Mandeville one of the best photographers of the genre of scenic postcards. Mandeville was born in New York, dropped out of school at sixteen years of age, and in 1883 went to work for photographer, Ogden Hotchkiss. Hotchkiss had a studio in Norwich, New York. In 1886 Mandeville joined George W. Carter in operating a photography studio but he left the partnership that same year to run his own gallery.  He married his wife, Bertha in 1886 and had a daughter (Dorothy). In the 1930 U. S. census, Mandeville, at 65 years of age, was still listed as a photographer. In regard to condition, note the tiny pinhole under “Lowville” at bottom of card. Note bent top right corner of card. Overall Good Condition (See Scans).

Buy this Vintage Original Cabinet Card (includes shipping within the US) #5190

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$88.00

Buy this Vintage Original Cabinet Card (includes International shipping outside the US) 5190

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$98.00

Published in: on April 23, 2023 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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