CROWN PRINCE WILHELM AND PRINCESS CECILIE OF GERMANY (PRESS PHOTO)

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This vintage press photograph features Crown Prince Wilhelm and his wife, Crown Princess Cecilie. The photo was taken by George Grantham Bain in 1915 and it likely appeared in a number of newspapers.Some readers may be wondering about these Royals. Who are these people? Prince Wilhelm (1882-1951) was the last Crown Prince of Prussia and the German Empire. He married Duchess Cecilie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (1886-1954) in 1905. The pair’s marriage wasn’t rock solid. The Crown Prince had affairs with both American opera singer Geraldine Farrar and dancer Mata Hari. The photographer of this photograph was a pioneer news photographer. George Grantham Bain (1865-1944) was a New York City photographer known as “the father of photographic news”. He was a chemistry graduate of St Louis University and also received a law degree there. He then became a reporter for two St. Louis newspapers in succession and one of his assignments was Washington DC correspondent. He then worked for United Press International and in 1898 started the Bain News Service. Forty thousand of Bain’s glass negatives are in the collection of the Library of Congress. This vintage press photo was published by the Bain News Service.  SOLD
220px-Ggbain                                                 Photo of George Grantham Bain

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Published in: on July 27, 2025 at 12:00 pm  Comments (1)  
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GROUP OF RAILROAD WORKERS : ANTIQUE TOOLS : WORK CLOTHING : TRAINS : DEPOT : RPPC

This vintage occupational real photo postcard features a group of railroad workers wearing their work clothes. Note that three of the men are holding antique tools. The fellow standing on the right is holding a giant wrench. Next to that same gentleman is a large rack holding railroad construction equipment. Behind the men is a small depot building. The AZO stamp box indicates that this postcard was published between 1904 and 1918. This postcard has excellent clarity and is in good condition (see scans). This occupational railroad postcard is likely one-of-a-kind.  SOLD

Published in: on July 26, 2025 at 12:42 pm  Leave a Comment  
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PORTRAIT OF A FRENCH INFANTRY OFFICER AND HIS PRETTY WIFE


This vintage real photo postcard features a lovely young couple. The husband is a French non-commissioned officer of the the 156th infantry regiment. The pin on his hat reveals his specific regiment. The soldiers pretty wife apparently likes ruffles. Her long sleeve dress is riddled with ruffles. I’m certainly no fashionista, but I think her dress is lovely as well as interesting. SOLD

Published in: on July 25, 2025 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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BLACK PHOTOGRAPHER : PRETTY YOUNG WOMAN : NEW BEDFORD, MASS : CABINET CARD

This cabinet card portrait features a fun looking vivacious young woman. She looks pretty and fashionable in her spring like clothing. She is wearing a wonderful hat and a beautiful smile. She shows an excellent and relaxed presence in front of the camera. Perhaps she was a local or touring actress. This young woman’s photograph was taken by the Headley & Reed studio in New Bedford, Massachusetts. The Headley & Reed partnership was an interracial one. Phineas Camp Headley (1858-1921) was a white man while James E. Reed (1864-1939) was an African American man. They operated a studio at 5 Purchase Street. Reed was an important figure in New Bedfords early history. He took photos of city streets, whaleships and people. His human subjects were both white and black. He had a passion for the field of photography and was prolific in his work. By 1895, he was making enough money to open his own studio, which he did with his partner, Mr. Headley. Headley, a white man, besides being a photographer, was a successful cotton broker. Headley & Reed were the premier studio in New Bedford and operated successfully from 1890 until 1896. One of Reed’s claims to fame was that he photographed Frederick Douglas. It is not known why Headly left the business. Reed continued running the business until 1914. Reed moved on to become the first Photostat (photocopier) Operator for the Massachusetts State Archives, a position he held until he retired. During Reed’s photography career, his wife, Anna Jourdain, colorized and tinted his photographs. She also worked on tiffany style lampshades. She was educated in art at the Swain School of Design (New Bedford).  SOLD

Published in: on July 24, 2025 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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PORTRAIT OF A WOMAN WEARING STARS IN NEW YORK CITY

This vintage photograph features a woman who seems intent on making a fashion statement. Unfortunately, it is difficult to interpret the message she is trying to deliver. Certainly she is dressed in a very feminine manner. Some may argue that her attire is very juvenile. The bows on her shoes and her large and frilly bonnet might be expected to be seen on a little girl rather than someone this woman’s age. The woman in this photograph displays an air of confidence and a tight smile. She has a long braid hanging down to her waist decorated by a hair bow. She is holding a fan and wearing a beaded necklace and a bracelet. Perhaps the most striking aspect of this photograph is the pattern on the woman’s dress. The dress has a pattern that consists of five-pointed stars. These stars may have some meaning. Historically five pointed stars have been associated with certain religious, cultural, and fraternal groups. This vintage photograph was taken by a studio located on Strand Avenue in New York City.  SOLD

Published in: on July 23, 2025 at 12:00 pm  Comments (3)  
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EDITH STOREY : AMERICAN SILENT FILM ACTRESS

This vintage real photo postcard features American silent film actress, Edith Storey (1892-1967). She was born in New York City and began acting when she was still a child. Her first film was “The Two Brothers” (1908). By 1913, she had appeared in 75 films and between 1908 and 1921 she performed in nearly 150 films. She performed in many Westerns and was noted for her excellent horseback riding skills. She also did her own stunts. She worked for Vitagraph Studios (New York) for the majority of her career. Storey also acted on stage and was noted for acting in a number of male impersonation roles. She appeared in two Broadway plays. The first was in 1903 and the second was in 1904. She retired at the age of 29 in the year of 1921. During the Spanish Flu Epidemic, Storey drove an ambulance in New York City for the National League for Women’s Service. It is also reported that she worked as a hospital night nurse at the height of the epidemic. After retiring she served almost 30 years as village clerk for Asharoken, Long Island. She died at the age of 75 in Northport, Long Island, New York. Within the message on the this postcard, Daisy (the sender) tells Lucille (the recipient) that Edith Storey is her favorite movie actress. A caption on the front of this card states that Storey has brown eyes and dark brown hair. This postcard was published by Kraus Mfg. Co. of New York.  (SOLD)

Published in: on July 22, 2025 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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DOROTHY TENNANT : AMERICAN STAGE & SCREEN ACTRESS : “THE COLLEGE WIDOW” STAR RPPC

This undivided back vintage real photo postcard features American stage and screen actress, Dorothy Tennant (1865-1942). She is best known for her stage roles in the first ten years of the twentieth century. Her most prominent starring role was in the 1904 comedy, “The College Widow”. She performed in this play both on Broadway and on tour. She first appeared on stage in 1901 in the New York production of “White Roses”. The IBDb reports that she appeared in eight Broadway plays between 1902 and 1932. The IMDb states that Tennant acted in eight films between 1929 and 1938. This postcard was published by the Rotograph Company of New York City as part of a series (No.B936). The photo of Tennant seen on this card was taken by esteemed photographer Jacob Schloss.  SOLD

Published in: on July 21, 2025 at 12:00 pm  Comments (2)  
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THE SCANTILY CLAD BELLY DANCING HARRISON SISTERS CAVORT TOGETHER

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Meet the Harrison Sisters, or the “Sisters Harrison” if you prefer the title on this vintage real photo postcard. The sisters are dressed like belly dancers and perhaps that is their trademark talent. Judging by their expressions, the young women don’t appear to be too interested in their career choice. Note the dancer’s sheer skirts and abundance of jewelry. The provocative skirts and the performer’s bikini top certainly makes this a risque photograph for it’s era. Postcard images such as this often appeared with a Salome theme. Salome, the daughter of Herod II and Herodias is involved in the story of John the Baptist, or more specifically, the head of John the Baptist. Salome was a popular subject in literature, theater, and art around the time that these images were produced. Salome became a symbol for dangerous female seductiveness. To make a long story longer, I am not sure if the inspiration of this postcard’s image is Middle Eastern belly dancing or the temptress Salome. Preliminary research uncovered nothing about the “Sisters Harrison” and clearly more extensive investigation is required. Perhaps the Cabinet Card Gallery’s research department (it’s visitors) have some information to share about these dancing siblings.  SOLD

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Published in: on July 20, 2025 at 12:00 pm  Comments (2)  
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ACTRESS ON A SWING IN PARIS, FRANCE (PORTRAIT BY SAZERAC)

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This cabinet card portrait features an unknown actress in a provocative pose sitting on a swing. An exposed leg and lacy undergarments propel this photograph into risque territory. The curly haired young woman flashes a terrific smile at the camera. The photographer of this image is the Sazerac studio which was located at the “Hotel Prive” in Paris, France. No information could be located about Mr. Sazerac but one can easily find real photo postcard portraits of French show girls that were produced by his studio. Sazerac cabinet cards are less common.  SOLD

 

Published in: on July 19, 2025 at 12:01 pm  Comments (2)  
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TWO INTERESTINGLY DRESSED GUYS ARM IN ARM IN VIENNA, AUSTRIA

This interesting oversized cabinet card was photographed by L. Grillich in Vienna, Austria. The subjects are two very interesting looking young men. One man is wearing a tuxedo and top hat. He is holding a cane and wearing eyeglasses. The second young man appears to be wearing a formal military uniform. He is holding white gloves and wearing a sword. There is likely an interesting story attached to this photograph but that story is lost to history. The photographer of this image was Ludwig Grillich (1855-1926). Grillich was a portrait photographer  located in Vienna and in Franzensbad. Included in the list of famous subjects of his portraits, are Johann Strauss, Johannes Brahms and Sigmud Freud. Grillich is also known for a series of postcards he published that displayed many of  Vienna’s famous buildings of that era.  SOLD

Published in: on July 18, 2025 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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