CLARITA VIDAL : PRETTY STAGE ACTRESS : WWI NURSE : ROTARY PHOTO : RPPC

POSTCARD 1

POSTCARD 2 (SOLD)

The pretty actress seen on these vintage real photo postcards is Clarita Vidal (1883-1919). She was an actress in Edwardian musical comedies. She was also known for her work in wartime Italy. She did this volunteer work as Countess Chiquita Mazzuchi. She once told a reporter that she did not know her nationality. There were varying stories about her background. She said she was born in Singapore and that her father was a Spanish Ambassador and her mother was from England. Vial also said that she was raised in Algiers among Spanish diplomat families. She stated her name there was Chiquita Saavedra de Cervantes. Vidal was a “Florodora girl”, a stage beauty.  “Florodora” was an Edwardian musical comedy that became one of the first successful Broadway musicals of the twentieth century. The show opened in London in 1899. Actresses Evie Greene and Ada Reeve were among the show’s performers. The Broadway production was performed at the Casino Theater in 1900 and ran for 552 performances. The show achieved some of its success from it’s chorus line of “Florodora Girls”. A Wikipedia entry describes the six female performers comprising the line as being ”tall, gorgeous damsels, clad in pink walking costumes, black picture hats and carrying frilly parasols (who) swished onto the stage and captivated New York for no other reason than they were utterly stunning”. The IBDB credits Vidal with two Broadway appearances; “The Silver Slipper” (1902) and “Cynthia” (1903). These appearances were followed by roles on the London stage, including “The School Girl” (1903). Renowned actress Billie Burke said of Vidal, “I remember Clarita Vidal, famous and smick-smack, who posed as if she were made of wax, with just one expression of sheer beauty”.  She left the stage after marrying in 1909. The press rediscovered her by late 1915. She was using the name “Countess Chiquita ‘Chick’ Mazzuchi” and was working as a nurse and ambulance driver during World War I. In 1917 she spoke at war relief fundraisers in New York City. She spoke about wounds she sustained during her service in Italy. Apparently, Miss Vidal was prone to exaggeration, or lying, depending on your perspective. The Italian Consul objected to her using the title of “Countess” and embellishing her nursing experiences in the war. The New York district attorney investigated her claims and she agreed to stop speaking and collecting money for the war effort.

The content of the message on Postcard 1 is interesting. The sender is wishing the addressee luck on her music performance exams. This postcard was published by Rotary Photo and is part of a series (no.1707). The postcard is in good condition (see scans).

Postcard 2 was published by Rotary Photo and is part of a series (no.1707C).  (SOLD)

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POSTCARD 1

POSTCARD 2

FRANCESCA BERTINI : INTERNATIONALLY ACCLAIMED ITALIAN SILENT FILM STAR : RPPC

POSTCARD 1

POSTCARD 1 (CLOSE-UP)

POSTCARD 2 (SOLD)

These vintage photo postcards feature Italian silent film actress, Francesca Bertini (1892-1985). She is thought to be one of the leading silent film stars in the history of this movie form. Bertini was internationally acclaimed. She began her stage career at age seventeen and soon was performing on Italy’s silent screen. By 1915, she had made more than fifty films. She was thought to be beautiful, elegant, and charming. Hollywood’s Fox Film offered her a contract but she turned down the opportunity. She was married to Paul Cartier, a wealthiy Swiss banker, and wanted to move with him to Switzerland.

Postcard 1 measures about 3 3/8″ x 5 1/2″ and is in very good condition (see scans).  

Portrait Postcard 2 was taken by G. Vettori of Bologna, Italy. The card is part of a series (No.1050). (SOLD)

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POSTCARD 1

POSTCARD 2

UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS OR SOCIETY WOMAN IN NEW YORK CITY (PORTRAIT BY SARONY)

This cabinet card portrait, by celebrity New York City photographer Sarony, features an unidentified attractive young woman. She is likely an actress or a society woman. Her V-neck dress is very revealing for the era that the image was produced. In fact, this is somewhat of a risque mode of dressing. To view other photographs by Sarony, click on the category “Photographer: Sarony”. This cabinet card has an extremely mild curl and is in overall very good condition (see scans). 

 

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Published in: on June 16, 2024 at 1:49 pm  Leave a Comment  
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PORTRAIT OF A BOY AND HIS VIOLIN

This vintage real photo postcard features a serious boy and his violin. At least, I think it’s a violin. In the past, I have not been particularly accurate in my identification of musical instruments. This photo was taken by Williams’ Pioneer studio which had locations in the English communities of Holloway, Wood Green. Stoke Newington, Tottenham, and Hackney. This postcard portrait is in good condition.   (SOLD)

LILIAN BRAITHWAITE : ENGLISH STAGE & FILM ACTRESS : “THE VORTEX” : RPPC

POSTCARD 1

POSTCARD 2

These vintage real photo postcards feature pretty English stage actress Lilian Braithwaite (1873-1948). Lilian’s major focus was the stage but she did appear in both silent and talkie films. Her father was a Vicar (member of the clergy). She first acted with amateur companies and when she decided to become a professional actress, her parents were opposed. Despite the parental opposition, in 1897, she joined a professional Shakespearean company. She married one of her fellow actors, Gerald Lawrence. They divorced in 1905 due to Lawrence’s adultery and desertion. Her first professional London appearance was in “As You Like It” in 1900. She joined a series of other stage companies over the years. Her major noted appearance was as the alcoholic mother in Noel Coward’s drama, “The Vortex” (1924). In 1927, she appeared in Alfred Hitchcock’s film “Downhill”.

Postcard 1 was published by Philco. The card is part of a series (No.3067F). This unposted postcard is in Very Good condition (see scans).

Postcard 2 features Lilian in her role in the play, “If I Were King”. The publisher of this portrait postcard is Rotary Photo (No.3032). This unposted postcard is in Very Good condition (see scans).

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POSTCARD 1

FLORENCE METTA YOUNG PONDERS IN MOUNT VERNON, OHIO

Florence Mette Young poses for her portrait at the studio of Fred S. Crowell, in Mount Vernon, Ohio. Florence is well dressed and apparently likes jewelry. She is wearing two rings, two bracelets and a necklace. Florence appears to be deep in thought. What might she be pondering about? The 1880 U.S. census reveals that she was born in 1862 and at the time of the census, she was living with her parents, Charles and Angelina Young. Her father was a farmer and her mother was a homemaker. The photographer of this cabinet card, Fred S. Crowell, can also be found in the 1880 census.He was born in 1844 and lived with his wife Ella, and their three children. Other research reveals that there was a Fred Crowell from the Mount Vernon area who enlisted in the 142nd Regiment of the Ohio Infantry during the Civil War.. He served only during 1864. Crowell trained as a photographer under Anna Payne, and worked in the profession in Norwalk, Sandusky, and Cleveland, Ohio. He then opened his own studio in Fredericktown in 1866. In 1869, he moved to Mount Vernon where he established another  photography studio that was in business until at least 1889. To view other photographs by Crowell, click on the category “Photographer: Crowell”. This cabinet card portrait is in good condition (see scans).

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MOTHER READING TO THREE DAUGHTERS : BIXIO : BUENOS AIRES : ARGENTINA : RPPC

This scallop edged vintage undivided real photo postcard features a pretty young woman sitting in an unusual chair. She looks studious in her stylish glasses. As a collector and seller of vintage real photo postcards, I have found several photographers that I favor. The photographer of this postcard portrait, Florencio Bixio, is one of those photographers. Over many years I have collected and sold many of his photo postcards. Bixio was a talented photographer who operated photo studios in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He was active between at least 1900 and 1930. He died in Buenos Aires in 1933. Bixio specialized in studio portraits, wedding portraits, and photos of entertainers. He also was a correspondent for the magazine “Caras and Caretas”, as well as a producer of photo postcards. Between 1900 and 1930 he opened photography studios in partnership with two other photographers. These studios were called “Bixio and Merlino” and Bixio and Castiglioni”. He was of Italian descent and emigrated to Argentina in 1896. He died in Buenos Aires in 1933. This vintage portrait postcard was made on thicker card stock than most postcards. The card measures about 4 x 5.5 inches. SOLD

HARVARD LACROSSE : PRETTY WOMAN : ALICE LUELLA FIDLER (ARTIST) : POSTCARD 1908

This undivided back vintage printed postcard features a pretty young woman holding a lacrosse stick and wearing a Harvard Sweater. The artist  The artist has created a fun postcard with vibrant colors. The artist of this card, Alice Luella Fidler (1883-?), is well known and famous for her talent. In the early twentieth century, Alice and her two sisters, Pearle Eugenia Fidler LeMunyan (1880-?), and Elsie Catherine Fidler (1892-?); specialized in creating drawings of beautiful girls and women. This postcard is from the “College Lad and Lassie” series, produced in 1906. The sisters were wonderful illustrators and most of their drawings were published as postcards. This postcard was published by M. T. Myers & Son. The card was postmarked in 1908. SOLD

Published in: on June 11, 2024 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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MYSTERY ACTRESS AT THE HAYMARKET THEATRE IN CHICAGO, ILLINOIS (MYSTERY SOLVED)

A pretty and nicely dressed woman poses for her portrait from celebrity photographer, William McKenzie Morrison, at the Haymarket Theatre in Chicago, Illinois. The subject of this photograph looks very much like actress, Lily Hanbury (1874-1908). An inscription on the reverse of this image states “to my darling brother Mike, from Lily”. The card is dated “Aug   8, 1894”. There were many actresses in 1894 named Lily; Lily Langtry was likely the most famous of them all. Research failed to provide evidence that this cabinet card photograph features Ms. Hanbury. It is not certain that she ever appeared at the Haymarket, nor is there data to confirm that she had a brother named Mike. To view a confirmed photograph of Lily Hanbury, type her name in Cabinet Card Gallery’s Search Box and click the search button. To view other photographs by Morrison, click on the category “Photographer: Morrison”. ADDENDUM: I am grateful to a cabinet card gallery visitor who left a comment (click comment below) identifying the actress who is the subject of this photograph. Her name is Hattie Williams (1870-1947) and another photo of her can be seen in the form of the photograph found below. Miss Williams was an American stage actress, comedienne, and singer. She was born in Boston. She began her career in the farcical plays of Charles Hoyt. She was a popular actress in vaudeville and with the Charles Frohman Theater Company. At one point in her career she was considered an arch rival to Ethel Barrymore. A photograph of Miss Barrymore is posted in the cabinet card gallery and can be viewed by putting her name in the search box. Williams appeared in one motion picture (1915).   SOLD

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HEDDA VERNON : PRETTY GERMAN SILENT FILM ACTRESS, WRITER AND PRODUCER : RPPC

This vintage real photo postcard features pretty German actress, screenwriter and film producer, Hedda Vernon (1888-1925). She was an important actress in Germany during the days of the early Weimar Republic. Hedda’s father was the owner of a brewery and her mother minded the home. In 1912, Hedda was signed by the German Bioscope as an actress. She made her screen debut that same year, acting in the silent film “The Paper Trail’. This was the beginning of a prolific screen career. In 1914 she began her own production company in Berlin and began to produce her own films. Her husband, Hubert Moest was a film director and also founded his own production company. Hetta wrote two screen plays that Moest turned into films. She acted in a silent film, The Women House of Brescia (1920), which was banned by the British Board of Film Classification. The reason for the banning was that the film depicted prostitution. In the 1920’s Hedda’s film career began to wane. New actresses became the hot commodity in the film industry. She began to act in film supporting roles. In total, Hedda acted in over 70 silent films between 1912 and 1925. Hedda was married three times. Her first two marriages ended in divorce. Hedda died in 1925 but the details of her death are shrouded in mystery. The stamp box of this postcard has an interesting story. “NBC” (Neue Bromsilber Convention) was a price cartel established in 1909 that continued until the 1930’s. The purpose of the cartel was to ensure that the minimum price charged for postcards was kept at a sufficiently profitable level. This photo postcard is in very good condition (see scans).

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