

This vintage real photo postcard features two young dandies viewing an open book. They are exquisitely dressed and look like perfect gentlemen. A script of their dialog is printed below the image. Bacarel states to Paul, “A superb point of view”. Paul responds “What an enchanting landscape”. The men are seated on outdoor furniture. The fabric of the chairs present a nice checkered pattern. In the distance are snowy mountain caps. This postcard image is from a studio, yet creates a pretty scene. The postcard is addressed to a central French town named Mezieres en Brenne. The postcard was published by “AS”. I have no exact identification of this company. Possibilities include “Alfred Schweizer” (Hamburg, Germany), Arthur Schurer & Company (Schoneberg, Germany), or A. Scheers (Brussels, Belgium). The postcard is part of a series (no. 747, no. 3228).
ADDENDUM : A viewer from New Zealand has provided more information about this postcard. He has advised me that this image is a scene from the operetta “Miss Helyett”. He adds that the ‘point de vue’ is the heroine fell over a cliff and displayed ‘what only a husband should see’.


















I do not think it is an exaggeration to state that the young woman seen in this cabinet card portrait, is exquisitely beautiful. She is well dressed and well coiffed. She has lace at her collar and at the bottom of her sleeves. Her hair was meticulously prepared for this portrait. She is wearing star earrings and a ring. She is holding a folded fan decorated with feathers. John L. McCormick and his partner Sumner B. Heald (1835-1900) operated the Boston studio that produced this excellent portrait. Both McCormick and Heald are no strangers to the Cabinet Card Gallery. The two photographers have a number of photographs in the gallery that can be accessed by placing their last name in the site’s search box. Take a look at their work and learn a little bit more about McCormick and Heald. Interestingly, Heald supervised the portrait studio operated by famed Boston photographer, George K. Warren (1824-1884). Warren also has a large presence in the Cabinet Card Gallery. Heald oversaw the celebrity and theatrical portraits produced by the Warren Studio. SOLD

