This vintage real photo postcard features American film and stage actress, model and vaudeville player, Lila Hyams (1905-1977). Her parents were vaudeville comedy performers and her mother was also a well thought of actress. Her parents also appeared together in a number of films. Leila began acting on stage as a child. In her teenage years, she worked as a model and became nationally known. She modelled for the first ad for Listerine. Leila’s film career was during the silent film and early talkie era and spanned from 1924 through 1936. Often playing leading lady roles, she appeared in more than fifty films. “Freaks” (1932) was one of best known movies. Leila married her talent agent in 1927 and they stayed together for 50 years. The New York Times wrote in her obituary that she was “an attractive blonde actress who was eminently successful at playing ingenues. This vintage postcard portrait is in very good condition (see scans). SOLD
MRS FISKE : THEATER STAR : ROTOGRAPH : BY MORRISON CHICAGO : RPPC
This vintage real photo postcard and this cabinet card features acclaimed theater actress, Minnie Maddern Fiske (1865-1932). When performing, she was often billed as “Mrs. Fiske”. She was one of America’s leading actresses during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. She performed in several Henrik Ibsen plays and is recognized as introducing American audiences to the Norwegian playwright. She was born in New Orleans, Lousiana, to parents that worked in the theater world. Her first professional acting gig was playing a role in a Shakespeare play. She was only three years old. By the age of four, she made her New York debut. Much of her childhood was spent touring with theater companies. At age sixteen, she played leading lady roles. She was recognized for her acting, but also for her beauty and singing voice. In 1890, she married Harrison Grey Fiske, successful playwright and Broadway producer. After takin three years off from acting, she returned to the theater in 1893 as an actor, playwright and director. The IBDb reports that she had 55 Broadway credits, combining her acting, writing, and directing. Among her successes on Broadway were “Tess of the d’Urbervilles (1897), “A Dolls House” (1902), “The Rose” (1905), and “The High Road” (1912). Her Broadway credits spanned from 1871 through 1930. In the mid 1910’s, Mrs Fiske starred in film adaptations of two of her stage successes. Although the films were well received, she believed she was more suited for theater than film. Despite her success in the theater, the talented actress died poverty stricken. Her financial downfall was realted to her battling against a group of producers that organized the Theatrical Trust (or Syndicate). The Syndicate controlled the nation’s best theaters and dictated what plays would appear and which actors would be in the cast. They relegated Mrs Fiske to appear in third rate theaters, churches, and skating rinks. Mrs. Fiske was not to be intimidated. She also was an advocate for animal welfare. She was involved in the activities of the ASPCA and other human leagues. She fought against the fashion craze of decorating hats with bird feathers. Many bird lives were sacrificed, and entire species were nearly wiped out as a result of this fad. She also educated the public about the cruelty involved in trapping animals. Because she was well known, respected and popular, she was able to influence animal reform. Mrs Fiske won a number of humanitarian awards. She was a strict vegetarian and was anti vivisection. During World War II, there was a liberty ship named the “SS Minnie M Fiske”. Minnie Maddern Fiske was a woman born before her time. She was a feisty activist.
This cabinet card portrait features acclaimed theater actress, Minnie Maddern Fiske (1865-1932). The photograph captures her in her role in “Tess of the d’Urbervilles (1897). Mrs. Fiske’s photograph for this cabinet card was taken by eccentric celebrity photographer, Napoleon Sarony. (SOLD)
Mrs. Fiske’s photograph on this postcard was taken by William Morrison of Chicago, Illinois. The card was published by Rotograph as part of a series (no.B 627). This vintage postcard is in excellent condition (see scans).

Buy this Vintage Real Photo Postcard (includes shipping within the US) #3820
To purchase this item, click on the Pay with PayPal button below
$21.50

Buy this Vintage Real Photo Postcard (includes International shipping outside the US) 3820
To purchase this item, click on the Pay with PayPal button below
$31.00


SALI LOBEL : ACTRESS, DANCER, SINGER, MUSICIAN, ATHLETE, AUTHOR & LECTURER
D’Shoara Sali Lobel is the subject of this vintage real photo postcard. She is often cited as “Sali Lobel”. Preliminary research yielded only a small amount of information about this very well rounded woman. She was Romanian born and became known as an actress and dancer. She was also the leader of the Everywoman’s Health Movement. She taught dancing at the movement’s headquarters in London. She was the author of “Glamour and How to Achieve It” (1939). This postcard features a photo of Ms Lobel and on it’s reverse, provides an advertisement for the Sali Lobel School. The school was located in Manchester and offered classes to day, night, and residential students. The curriculum included dancing, elocution, singing, piano, violin, fencing, swimming, and gymnasium. This postcard was postmarked in 1944. This is a rare postcard. In fact, I was unable to locate any other postcard portraits of Sali Lobel. (SOLD)

The Complete Life of Lena Horne, Pocket Magazine, 1955, Celebrity Scrapbook
This Pocket Magazine is entitled “The Complete Life of Lena Horne” (Celebrity Scrapbook). Lena Horne (1917-2010) was a very talented African American dancer, actress, and singer. She was also a civil rights activist. The 66 page magazine was published by Pocket Magazines in 1955. The publication is chock full of Black/lWhite photographs. The magazine measures 4″ x 6″. SOLD



G. W. GAIL & AX’S NAVY LONG CUT TOBACCO CARD : PRETTY ACTRESS : ANTIQUE
This antique tobacco card was issued by G. A. Navy Long Cut Tobacco company. The card was given to customers as a premium when they bought the company’s tobacco. Featured on the card was a photograph of an actress of that era. SOLD

PRETTY TURKISH ACTRESS : CARTE de VISITE : CONSTANTINOPLE : R CARACACHIAN
This carte de visite photograph features a young unidentified Turkish actress. She was photographed by Rober Caracachian at his studio in Constantinople, Turkey. This cdv is in good condition (see scans).

Buy this Carte de Visite Photograph (includes shipping within the US) 3788
To purchase this item, click on the Pay with PayPal button below
$28.39

Buy this Carte de Visite Photograph (includes International shipping outside the US) #3788
To purchase this item, click on the Pay with PayPal button below
$37.39

PORTRAIT OF AN ACTRESS : DRAMATICALLY DRESSED : EYE MAKE-UP : CABINET CARD
This cabinet card portrait features a pretty young woman who is probably an actress. She is wearing a theatrical type dress and the area around her eyes appear to have been enhanced by make-up. Her hair is up and adorned with a small string of pearls. Note the pin used to close the top of the front of her dress. This woman’s portrait was taken at the Elite Studio, 838 Market Street, in San Francisco, California. The studio was operated by a Mr Jones and Mr Lotz. (SOLD)

YOUNG ACTRESS WITH SAD HAUNTING EYES


A pretty young actress with sad and haunting eyes and a polka dot dress poses for her portrait. She exudes a dramatic air and its likely no coincidence that this photograph was found in a collection of theatrical cabinet cards. The photographer of this image was the Murillo studio of St. Louis, Missouri. One source reports that the Murillo studio was operated by Jesse J Ferguson and existed at least between 1910 and 1919. To view other photographs by Murillo, click on the category “Photographer: Murillo”. Note the reverse of this photograph, seen below, because this is your opportunity to see a ghost. Well maybe not a ghost, but a ghost image for sure. I am guessing that the image formed by being pressed tightly against the front of another cabinet card creating the ghost like image. However, photography historians have written that some photographers purposely created ghost images for their clients. Why? Sometimes they were asked to, and sometimes they had their own nefarious reasons. SOLD


A PRETTY WASP WAISTED ACTRESS NAMED HATTIE IN CHICAGO, ILLINOIS (HATTIE HARVEY: A MYSTERY AND A STORY OF INFATUATION)
CABINET CARD 1 (SOLD)
CABINET CARD 1 (SOLD)
CABINET CARD 1
A pretty corseted actress poses for this cabinet card portrait by theatrical photographer, J. B. Scholl, in Chicago, Illinois. The wasp waisted actress is posed a bit provocatively by the photographer. She has her hands on her hips and her head is slightly tilted. She is also exhibiting a mischievous grin.The reverse of the image is inscribed and dated. The cabinet card is signed “As ever yours, Hattie”. There is a possibility that her name is “Nattie” because the first letter of the name is not very legible. The back of the card is dated 1892. In addition to the State Street address, during his career, Scholl also had studios at two locations on South Halsted in Chicago. Perhaps a visitor to the cabinet card gallery can identify this actress. It is my opinion that this actress is Miss Hattie Harvey. The opinion is formulated by viewing other images of Miss Harvey and by her connection to Chicago. An article about Hattie Harvey appeared in the New York Times (1892). The article was entitled “Hattie Harvey’s Infatuation”. It seems the young Chicago actress had developed an infatuation for an Englishman in her company named Brooks (now we know why she has such a mischievous grin in this photograph). Her parents were not pleased and when the company’s production closed, her father promised to arrange more engagements for the company if his daughter would give up Mr Brooks. She refused his manipulative offer and there were some “exciting scenes” that occurred in the Grand Hotel concerning this family conflict. In addition, Hattie’s mother had two fainting spells “over the affair”. The newspaper article described Harvey as a “very pretty girl of nineteen” and reported that she declared she would marry the fifty year-old Brooks. However, public speculation was that Brooks, who was recently divorced, still had another wife back in England. Hattie Harvey’s parents threatened to “cast her off” if she continued the relationship with the”adventurer”. (SOLD)
The second photograph produced by Newsboy (#379) as part of a series of tobacco premiums, is a portrait of “Miss Infatuation”, Hattie Harvey. Compare the photograph with the one above and decide whether the two women are one and the same. It is my view that the portraits both feature Miss Harvey. Please leave a comment if you have an opinion about this matter. In the second photograph, Miss Harvey appears to be in wardrobe for one of her stage appearances. She certainly was an attractive woman.
