This vintage photo postcard documents a fascinating time in world history. In addition, the postcard is rare. An online search was unable to find a duplicate of this interesting postcard. The postcard features the SS Prinz Eitel Friedrich, a German passenger liner which also saw service in World War I. The ship served as an auxiliary cruiser of the Imperial German Navy. It was the second most successful of Germany’s first wave of auxiliary cruisers. Between August (1914) and March (1915), the Prinz Eitel Friedrich sank 11 ships. The ship was built in 1904 for a shipping company by the AG Vulcan shipyard in Stettin. Stettin is located near the Baltic Sea and the German border. The city is a major seaport. For the ten years prior to World War I, the Prinz Eitel Friedrich operated within Far East trade routes. Just before the war, the ship was converted into an auxiliary cruiser. Guns and gunboat crews were added to the ship and Max Therichens took command. In 1914, she joined the German East Asia Squadron. She was then detached and went to the coast of Australia. She operated in the Pacific and South Atlantic. The Prinz Eitel Friedrich sunk ships from Britain, France, Russia, and America (ship named William P Frye). The sinking of the William P. Frye was the first instance of a neutral American ship being sunk by the German Navy. By 1915, the ship was “played out” and sought haven in the United States, a neutral nation at that time. She sailed into Newport News harbor where she was interned. She had 342 prisoners onboard, taken from the ships, she had destroyed. It was reported that Therichens treated his prisoners kindly and had in fact become friends with the captured captain of the William P. Frye. This postcard documents the Prinz Eitel Friedrich after it arrived in Newport News. According to the photograph, it appears that many people came to the harbor to view the ship. The ship and it’s crew became media sensations with local and national newspapers. There were many accounts of the ship’s exploits and interviews with the captain. It was learned, remarkably, that in all of the ship’s exploits, not a single life was lost by the Germans nor their foes. In 1917. the United States declared war on Germany, and the Prinz Eitel Friedrich was transferred to the US Navy. She was refitted to become a troop transport and commissioned the USS DeKalb. The ship operated on the trans Atlantic route and survived the war. After the war, 1920 specifically, the ship became an immigrant ship for the United American Line of New York. It’s last voyage in that capacity was in 1925. She then was retired and finally scrapped in 1934. You probably just read more about the Prinz Eitel Friedrich than you wanted to know. However, I have more to add to complete the saga. Interestingly, the ship’s captain, Max Thierichens of the Imperial German Navy, was placed on trial in 1917. The trial occurred in Philadelphia and received much national attention. Thierichen had become a popular figure in the US during his two years prior to becoming a prisoner of war. He was considered a celebrity by many US citizens and a hero by German Americans. Apparently he had a number of amorous adventures in America. The result was felony charges of sex trafficking (white slavery). He was convicted and imprisoned. He received a fourteen month sentence. Facts of the trial are unclear but to be certain, the trial had political purposes. This rare and historic postcard is in very good condition. It’s AZO stamp box indicates that the postcard is from between 1904 and 1918. The card is marked with a copyright of 1915. (SOLD)
Isabelle Pia (1931-2008) was a French theater and film actress. She was known for her film roles in Madame du Barry (1954), Marianne of My Youth (1955), and “Love at Night” (1955). Pia was also a painter. The IMDb reports that she appeared in seven films between 1953 and 1955, She is also credited with two theatre appearances between 1956 and 1957. She mysteriously retired after turning down a MGM contract. The lensman who photographed Miss Pia for this postcard was Sam Levin, a respected and well known celebrity photographer. The postcard was published by the “Globe” as part of a series (no. 413). SOLD
This vintage real photo postcard features two young children sitting on a garden wall. The boy and girl are adorably dressed and are very cute. The girl is holding a bouquet of pink flowers. Note the boy’s fantastic curls and terrific cap. The postcard’s message is dated 1902. This postcard was likely published by Felix Korn & Co. (F.K.) which was located in Stuttgart, Germany. I am unable to confirm the publishers name. This postcard lists F.K. as being located in Paris, not Stuttgart. Further complicating matters is that there also was another company that went by the F.K. initials (F. Kehrhan & Co of Bexley Heath, England). This card’s postage stamp is German and the postmark is from the city of Mulhausen. Mulhausen is a city located in eastern France, near the Swiss and German borders. However, at the time of the mailing of this postcard, Mulhausen belonged to the German Empire and was part of the Alsace-Lorraine territory. (SOLD)
This vintage real photo postcard features a close-up view of four uniformed Viennese tea room waitresses. The three standing women are dressed nearly identically while the seated woman is dressed notably different. Is the seated woman the tea room’s manager or owner? You may be wondering how I know that these ladies are tea room employees? Actually, I don’t. I am just repeating what I was told by the previous owner of this photo postcard. Of course, I may be wrong about the women’s occupation. However, I am certain about the identity of the photographer of this portrait. I am also certain that he was very talented. The Cabinet Card Gallery has three of his photographs in it’s collection. They are beautiful cabinet card portraits. The photographer’s name and address are embossed near the bottom right hand corner of this postcard. The photographer is S. Weitzmann and his studio was located in Vienna, Austria. The studio won medals at exhibitions Paris, London, and Grand Prix. Weitzmann is mentioned in a book entitled “Hitler’s Silent Partners : Swiss Banks, Nazi Gold, and the Pursuit of Justice” (2011). The book states that Weitzmann was the foremost portrait photographer in Vienna and worked for the Austrian Royal Court before it’s demise in 1918. SOLD]
This vintage real photo postcard features two young children sitting in a faux automobile. Most likely, the pair are siblings. The youngest of the two is behind the wheel. Judging by the facial expression of the driver, the roads must have been very treacherous that day. The little girl in the photo is flashing a wonderful smile. This studio photograph was taken by the Mage studio, located in Grand-Montrouge, France. Grand-Montrouge is a southern suburb of Paris. This vintage portrait postcard is probably from the 1910’s era. SOLD
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