PORTRAIT OF TWO AFFECTIONATE YOUNG GIRLS AT THE BEACH

TWO GIRLS BEACH

TWO GIRLS BEACH 1 Two young girls pose for a vintage snapshot photograph as they sit on the sand at the beach. One girl has her arm affectionately around the shoulder of the second girl. The recipient of the affection is displaying a sour expression. Are the girls sisters? Could they be close friends? The answer is lost to history. The girls names are written on the reverse of the photo. I can only decipher one of the names. It is “Ingrid”. A stamp on the reverse of the snapshot indicates that the photograph was developed in Dresden, Germany. Dresden is the second largest city in Saxony. It is situated on the banks of the River Elbe. It is near the border of the Czech Republic. There are beaches along the Elbe and perhaps this image captures one of them.  SOLD

TWO GIRLS BEACH 2

Published in: on August 16, 2025 at 12:00 pm  Comments (4)  
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SEBASTOPOL, CALIFORNIA : BUSY STREET SCENE : OLD CARS: GREAT SIGNAGE : RPPC c1934

This real photo postcard features a street scene in Sebastopol, California. The postcard pictures a street in the business district. This postcard view includes a number of shops, old cars, and much signage. Note the signs advertising a drug store, two bakeries, the Fleming Market, and a clothing store. Sebastopol is in Sonoma County and is located a little more than an hour north of San Francisco. 
This postcard’s photograph was taken by Peck Photo. The card’s stamp box indicates that it was published sometime between 1925 and 1942.  SOLD

Published in: on August 15, 2025 at 1:10 pm  Leave a Comment  
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KITTY COLYER – ENGLISH TRIPLE THREAT (SINGER, DANCER, ACTRESS) – PLAYED CINDERELLA

kitty coyler

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The pretty actress seen in this vintage real photo postcard, is Miss Kitty Colyer (1897-?). Here are some biographical facts that I discovered in preliminary research about the English actress. She started her career at age eleven. In addition to being an actress, she was also a dancer. She has also been described as a music hall singer and a comedian. Her dance routines were varied but her favorites were acrobatic, toe, buck, and national dancing. She performed primarily in the 1920’s. She played the role of Cinderella in “Cinderella” (1920).  As the roaring twenties came to a close, her career fizzled out and she left the entertainment business. A review of Miss Colyer can be found in John Culme’s “Footlight Notes” (website). A writer from “The Era” (1911) wrote “Miss Kitty Colyer’s sensational dancing reaches its climax in some very energetic handsprings and her lissomness and activity are quite irresistible in her rendering of “By the Light of the Silvery Moon”. Look below to see an example of sheet music (1920) featuring Kitty Colyer. Now, back to the vintage postcard. It was published by Rotary Photo and is part of the Rotary Photographic Series (no. 11522 C). The photographer is unknown.   SOLD

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Published in: on August 14, 2025 at 12:00 pm  Comments (1)  
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U.S. NAVY SAILOR : LANE STUDIO : BROOKLYN, NEW YORK : CABINET CARD 1890’s

This original cabinet card photograph, measuring approximately 4¼ x 6½ inches, features a striking portrait of a young U.S. Navy sailor, captured in formal studio attire. The sailor wears a traditional dark naval jumper with a wide collar and a neatly tied neckerchief. His uniform displays the eagle and chevron insignia on his right sleeve, identifying him as a petty officer in the United States Navy, likely from the late 1880s to 1890s, based on the style of dress and photograph mount. He also wears a flat, round sailor’s cap with a trailing ribbon, typical of American naval uniforms from this period. The sailor has a composed, thoughtful expression, with a full mustache and clear eyes gazing slightly off camera, conveying quiet confidence and professionalism. The photograph was taken by Lane Studio, located at 461 Fulton Street in Brooklyn, New York, a prominent address in the borough’s thriving commercial and photographic district during the late 19th century. The word “Carbonette” on the card refers to a photographic printing process used around the 1890s, known for its rich tonal quality and lasting image stability. It was considered a premium finish for portrait photography during that era.  (SOLD)

Published in: on August 13, 2025 at 12:50 pm  Leave a Comment  
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MADAME KIRKBY LUNN : ENGLISH OPERA DIVA : METROPOLITAN OPERA HOUSE : RPPC

This vintage real photo postcard features English mezzo soprano, Louise Kirkby Lunn (1873-1930). She appeared in many French and Italian operas. She was best known for singing operas by Richard Wagner. She had many appearances at the Royal Opera House, Convent Garden as well as at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. This postcard was published by Rotary Photo as part of a series (No.2025B) The card was produced around 1905.  SOLD

Published in: on August 12, 2025 at 11:51 am  Leave a Comment  
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FASHIONABLE WOMAN IN PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA

MORRIS MORRIS 1A pretty woman, wearing a fashionable, but unusual dress, poses for a photographer named Joseph G. Morris, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The studio was located at 16 Sixth Street, in Pittsburgh. She is wearing a collar pin. On the reverse of the photograph is the handwritten name, “Hillz”. One imagines that Hillz is the last name of the subject of this photograph. United States census data reveals some biographical information about the photographer of this cabinet card. Morris was located in the 1880 census. Morris was about 29 years old and he and his father (David Morris) were both working as photographer agents. In 1900, Morris and his 18 year old son, Harry, were boarders, and the older Morris was working as a photographer while the younger Morris was employed s a photographer apprentice. The 1910 U.S. Census finds Morris  still working as a photographer and living with his wife, Mary P. Morris.  SOLD

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Published in: on August 11, 2025 at 12:00 pm  Comments (5)  
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BARNUM AND BAILEY CIRCUS : LARGE GROUP OF CLOWNS UNDER THE BIG TENT : RPPC (1902)

This undivided back his vintage real photo postcard features performers of the Barnum & Bailey Circus. A large group of clowns and acrobats stand under the Big Top for this group photograph.The postcard was souvenir of the cirucs and was published by Courmont freres of Paris, France. The postcard was postmarked in Romont and Fribourg, Switzerland, in 1902. The card has a Swiss stamp. This postcard is in excellent condition (see scans).  SOLD

 

Published in: on August 10, 2025 at 12:00 pm  Comments (1)  
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MADAME LE GAI : PANTOMIMIST : VAUDEVILLE : PIN-UP : HOLLYWOOD PHOTO 1918

This is a stunning and rare sepia-tone glamour portrait of a woman identified as Mme Le Gai, described on the reverse as a “Pantomimist” and “Vaudevillian.” Believed to date from around 1918, this photograph showcases an elegant, mysterious woman in elaborate costume—perhaps a stage or cabaret performer—gazing confidently into the camera. She wears a richly adorned hat with plumes, a beaded glove-like bracelet, and a delicately embroidered gown with satin and lace textures. Her theatrical pose and sensual expression make this image a prime example of early Hollywood pin-up photography, though its style is also heavily influenced by European cabaret traditions. The handwritten inscription on the back appears to read: “Mme Le Gai / Pantomimist / Vaudevillian.” There is some ambiguity—“Mme” could stand for Madame or Mademoiselle, and the surname may also be interpreted as Le Gai or Le Gaï. The elegant script suggests a deliberate stage name, possibly borrowed from the famed Parisian pantomime houses of the same name. “Le Gai” (French for “the merry” or “joyful”) was also used in naming French performance venues such as Le Théâtre Gai or variations like Le Gai Paris. This connection strengthens the possibility that the subject either performed in or took inspiration from these Parisian theatrical traditions. Though solid biographical confirmation of Mme Le Gai has not yet been found, the visual evidence, style, and inscription point to her role as a vaudeville-era pantomime performer, likely active in the United States or France around World War I. Her alluring presence and costume are consistent with the kind of studio portraiture used for performer promotion, possibly circulated as publicity or collectible pin-up material during the silent film and vaudeville boom.  (SOLD)

Published in: on August 9, 2025 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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MISS ALEX: PARISIAN ENTERTAINER : PHOTOGRAPHED BY LUCIEN WALERY (1903)

This vintage real photo postcard was mailed in 1903 and features Miss Alex, a lesser known actress or dancer of the Belle Epoque era. She was quite pretty. Many entertainers such as Miss Alex, were more or less prostitutes or “kept women”. Certainly, not all of these women were involved in such a lifestyle, and it is unknown how Miss Alex supported herself. The “Ambassadeurs”, a Paris music hall, is printed on the top right hand corner of the front of the postcard. Miss Alex was probably part of the Ambassadeur’s company of entertainers. This portrait postcard was photographed by Lucien Walery. He was a celebrated Paris photographer known for his portraits of artists and cabaret dancers from the city’s music halls. He is very well known for his portraits of Mata Hari and Josephine Baker. Walery did a lot of work in the genre of nude/erotic photography. He photographed the beautiful women of Paris between the early 1900’s and the 1920’s. This “risque” postcard is part of the Etoile 11 series.  SOLD 

Published in: on August 8, 2025 at 12:00 pm  Comments (1)  
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ANITA PAGE w/ CAT : SILENT FILM STAR : MGM : ROSS VERLAG : RPPC 1920s

This sepia-toned publicity postcard features Anita Page (1910-2008), an iconic silent and early sound film actress, posing with a tabby cat. She cradles the cat gently in her lap, both arms encircling it protectively. The cat appears calm, eyes half-closed in contentment or sleep, nestled into Page’s arms. Anita is styled with soft, sculpted blonde curls typical of late 1920s-early 1930s glamour. She wears a tailored dress or top with a broad, satin-trimmed collar and decorative slashes on the cuffs, along with a double-stranded pearl necklace and a bracelet on one wrist. Her expression is wistful—perhaps intentionally melancholy or dreamy—a popular aesthetic in studio portraits of the era. Her makeup emphasizes the eyes with dark liner and curved brows, enhancing her expressive gaze. The presence of the cat lends the portrait an intimate and slightly whimsical tone, softening the glamorous studio setting and humanizing the star. It was not uncommon for stars to be photographed with animals to add charm or relatability. The publisher of this postcard is Ross Verlag, a German company based in Berlin. The card is identified as (No.6247/1). The circular logo in the bottom right corner of the card belongs to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), the major Hollywood studio with which Anita Page was under contract. The message on the reverse of the card is written in Czech (or possibly Slovak). A rough translation reads: “Your devoted, Wishes you everything good – Your dear Miloš,  I send you this card for memory. The card is dated 1929. Anita Page was a major screen star in the late 1920s and early 1930s, often called “the girl with the most beautiful face in Hollywood.” She rose to fame starring alongside Joan Crawford in Our Dancing Daughters (1928) and appeared in The Broadway Melody (1929), which won the Academy Award for Best Picture. She retired young in the 1930s but returned sporadically to the screen in later years. She was one of the last surviving stars of the silent film era.  (SOLD)

Published in: on August 7, 2025 at 6:55 pm  Leave a Comment  
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