SILENT FILM ADVERTISING POSTCARD : “THE BROKEN COIN” : FRANCIS FORD & GRACE CUNARD

This vintage lithographic postcard advertises the American adventure-mystery silent film, “The Broken Coin”. The film was released by Universal Motion Pictures in 1915 and it was part of a 22 episode serial. The “Broken Coin” was the first chapter in the series which included thirty reels over 15 weeks. The film starred Francis Ford and Grace Cunard. The film was directed by Francis Ford and Grace Cunard was one of the two writers of the screenplay. Francis Ford (1881-1953) was an early American film actor, writer, and director. He was the older brother and mentor of film director John Ford. Francis Ford is reported by IMDb to have appeared in 495 acting roles, directed 180 films, and wrote 31 different screenplays. Grace Cunard (1893-1967) was an American actress, screenwriter and film director. She starred in over a hundred films during the silent film era. She cowrote at least 44 of these film and directed at least 8 of them. Cunard also edited many of her films. It is unfortunate to note that no copies of the “Broken Coin” series appear to have survived. This vintage postcard is an excellent purveyor of American silent film history. 

Published in: on September 25, 2025 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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A VERY ADORABLE LITTLE GIRL : CONSTANTINOPLE : OTTOMAN EMPIRE : CABINET CARD

An extraordinarily adorable little girl holding a basket, poses next to a white chair. She is well dressed and wearing a ribbon (possibly a flower) in her hair. The child’s portrait was taken at the studio of Theodore Servanis. The studio was located in Constantinople, Turkey (Ottoman Empire). Servanis was a Greek photographer working in Constantinople from the 1900’s to the 1920’s. This photo is from the early stages of his career in the city. SOLD

Published in: on September 24, 2025 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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GENERAL FREDERICK WAYAND : VIETNAM WAR : CHIEF OF US FORCES : PRESS PHOTO 

This vintage press photo features General Frederick Carlton Weyand (1916-2010), the last commander of US forces during the Vietnam War (1972-1973). He oversaw the withdrawal of American troops from South Vietnam. He served as Chief of Staff of the United States Army from 1974 to 1976. He was born in California and graduated as a second lieutenant from ROTC at the University of California (Berkeley). He served during both World War II and the Korean War. This photograph shows General Weyand as a four star general. He earned that rank in 1970. This press photo was taken for Agence France-Presse Service. (SOLD)

Published in: on September 23, 2025 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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JAPANESE OIRAN COURTESAN : BEAUTIFUL GEISHA : FROM US NAVAL OFFICER : RPPC

This vintage real photo postcard features a beautiful Oiran Courtesan accompanied by her young assistants (kamaro). What is an Oiran? An Oiran is a high class, beautiful and esteemed prostitute in Tokyo. Her assistants are often apprentices; in other words, future Oirans. How are Oirans different from Geishas you may ask. Geishas are highly trained entertainers. They entertained via song, dance, or playing a musical instrument. Geishas were not necessarily prostitutes, though some were. This postcard comes from a collection that belonged to a US Navy officer. He likely acquired the card while in a Japanese port during his tour of duty. This postcard likely was issued in around 1908. SOLD

Published in: on September 22, 2025 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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VINTAGE PORTRAIT OF A UNIFORMED FOOTBALL TEAM

This vintage real photo postcard features a portrait of a football team. These eleven heroes of the gridiron are wearing their uniforms for this group photograph. Six of the young men are wearing their helmets. Unfortunately, these thin leather helmets didn’t offer much protection against concussions or Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE). At first glance, I thought this team may actually be a rugby team. I based my impression on the odd shape and size of the football. The ball looked more like a rugby ball than a football. A little investigating revealed that today’s football has evolved over time. Basically, footballs have gone from round, to watermelon shaped, to today’s shaped football. The modern football became commonly used in 1935. In 1869 (first collegiate football game), the ball used was round, resembling a soccer ball. In 1874, a rugby-type ball was introduced. Shaped like a watermelon, it was as difficult to throw as the round ball. In 1912, an oversized version of today’s football was introduced. This football gave the quarterback more control of the ball when passing. The football in this photo postcard appears to be the rugby style ball, and that is compatible with the AZO stamp box which indicates that this portrait was taken between 1904 and 1918. The players and their team are unidentified. SOLD

Published in: on September 21, 2025 at 12:00 pm  Comments (7)  
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BON VOYAGE : SS DEUTSCHLAND : ONBOARD FAMILY PORTRAIT : STRIKING PHOTO : RPPC 1910

This striking vintage real photo postcard features a family of five posing on board the passenger liner, SS Deutschland. The life buoy in front of the family reveals the name of the ship. The family is likely on a vacation cruise. The father and the daughter standing next to him appear to be genuinely happy about their ocean adventure. The SS Deutschland was launched in 1900 by the Hamburg America Line of Germany. The ship was able to cross the Atlantic Ocean in a little more than five days. Unfortunately, the ship had chronic engine problems and was removed from transatlantic service in 1910. We can safely determine that the photograph on this postcard was taken between 1900 and 1910.The ship later saw service in World War I and then was used as a immigrant ship (Hansa). The ship was scrapped in 1925. Printed on the reverse of the postcard is the name, “Leonar”. Leonar was a firm that produced postcard stock (paper), cameras, and other photographic supplies.  SOLD

Published in: on September 20, 2025 at 8:15 am  Leave a Comment  
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RUSSIAN FAMILY PORTRAIT : PHOTOGRAPHER KOZLOV : TBILISI, GEORGIA

russian family portrait

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This photograph appears to be a family portrait judging by the family resemblance seen among the subjects. There is something very special about this image. Each of the four subjects have a very striking appearance. The young woman, furthest on the right side of the image, is especially beautiful. She has piercing eyes and seems to have troubling thoughts. This photograph has an abundance of personality. I am uncertain about where the photograph originates from. Reading the name of the photographer which is embossed on the bottom right hand corner of the mat, suggests that this is a Russian photograph. However, I have a major deficit in recognizing foreign languages, and this image could be from one of many other places in eastern Europe.    SOLD

ADDENDUM: I have received feedback from a few readers of Russian about this photograph. There appears to be agreement that the embossed logo advertising the photographer’s studio reveals that the photograph was taken in the city of Tiflis, which became Tbilisi (the capital city of then nation of Georgia). There is also consensus that the photographers name is P. Kosloff or P. A. Kozlov.

ADDENDUM !!: I received the following message about this photograph on 5/4/23. The commenter saw the photo on another site. “the picture was taken very likely before 1917, because Koslov is written in old Russian orthography. There was no independent Georgia at that time, as Tiflis was Partner the Russian empire. And the family looks Armenian.”

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Published in: on September 19, 2025 at 12:00 pm  Comments (10)  
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JEWISH BAR MITZVAH BOY : BY FROOMKIN NYC : VINTAGE PHOTO : FOLDER STYLE c 1920

This vintage portrait photograph captures a poised young Jewish boy, likely taken around the 1920s, dressed formally for what appears to be his Bar Mitzvah. He sits confidently in a high-backed carved chair with lion-head arms, wearing a well-tailored three-piece suit. Draped over his shoulders is a traditional tallit (Jewish prayer shawl), a ceremonial item typically worn during religious rites of passage such as a Bar Mitzvah. In his hands he gently holds what appears to be a small prayer book or sacred text. His expression is one of calm maturity and seriousness, with just the faintest trace of a smile. His hair is neatly combed, and his polished shoes and well-fitted clothing reflect the importance of the occasion. The photograph was taken by Max Froomkin, a Russian-American professional photographer located at 85 Avenue B, New York—a neighborhood historically known for its vibrant Jewish immigrant community on the Lower East Side. The photograph is beautifully mounted in a decorative folder with an embossed Art Nouveau-style frame. This is a touching and visually striking example of early 20th-century Jewish portraiture in America, and it offers both historical and cultural value. (SOLD)

Published in: on September 18, 2025 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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LITTLE GIRL PAINTING : “PETITE ARTISTE PEINTRE” : SCHOOL ART SCENE : RPPC

This charming vintage photograph/postcard captures a young girl engaged in a painting activity, likely from the 1920s or 1930s. The handwritten caption on the reverse reads “Petite Artiste Peintre”, which translates from French to “Little Artist Painter.” The girl, who appears to be around five or six years old, has a sweet and confident expression as she looks directly at the camera. Her dark, wavy hair is adorned with a large bow, giving her a classic, period-appropriate appearance. She wears a checkered smock dress with ruffled shoulders, which was likely intended to protect her clothing while she paints. Sitting at a wooden school desk, she holds a paintbrush in her small hand, mid-stroke, as she creates her artwork. The paper in front of her shows a simple yet enthusiastic painting, possibly of a person and a fish. Around her, several small paint pots are scattered on the desk, with some open, revealing the rich tones she is using. The background features a set of shelves lined with neatly arranged objects, possibly classroom materials or art supplies, reinforcing the setting as a school or children’s art class. The overall composition of the image captures both the innocence and creativity of childhood. (SOLD)

Published in: on September 17, 2025 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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BOY ON SLED : BY MISS CLARKE : DOYLESTOWN, PA : VINTAGE PHOTOGRAPH c.1905-1912

This charming vintage photograph captures a young boy seated on a wooden sled, dressed in winter attire. The image is mounted on gray cardstock with a debossed border, a style prevalent between 1900 and 1915. The boy is dressed in a thick woolen outfit, high leather boots, and a wide-brimmed hat, typical of early 20th-century winter wear. He sits on a wooden sled, which resembles designs manufactured between 1895 and 1915, commonly used in Northern states. The photographer’s signature, “Miss Clarke,” is embossed in script on the lower right corner. The photographer is Miss Clarke, possibly the celebrated Sara Maynard Clark. The photograph was taken at Miss Clarke’s Doylestown, Pennsylvania studio. Various aspects of the photograph indicate that the photo was taken sometime between 1905 and 1912.  Sara Maynard Clark (1891–1973) was a prominent writer, editor, historian, and photographer based in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. After relocating to the area in 1933, she contributed extensively to local publications such as The New Hope, Bucks County Traveler, and New Bucks County Magazine, often incorporating her own photographs into her articles. She also collaborated with her husband, Harold (Hal) Clark, and their son, Maynard Clark, both photographers, to document the evolving character of Bucks County through photography. Her work is preserved in the Bucks County Artists Database and has been featured in exhibitions at the Michener Art Museum. If I have dated this photograph correctly, the photographer is likely a different woman than Sara Maynard Clark because she was likely living in Iowa, and not Pennsylvania, when this photo was taken. In addition, Clark is spelled Clarke on this photograph’s mount. Further research is required to confirm the identity of the female photographer who took this photo. (SOLD)

Published in: on September 16, 2025 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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