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)
THE CABINET CARD GALLERY 