PRETTY NUDE WOMAN : PC PARIS : ART NOUVEAU : FRANCE : REAL PHOTO POSTCARD

This striking real photo postcard features a confident young woman posing against a neutral backdrop, dressed in a decorative fringed shawl that is elegantly wrapped around her hips. Her bare torso and boldly direct gaze give the portrait a sense of intimate glamour, common to the French “nude étude” genre of the early 20th century. Her hair is neatly parted and styled in a sleek, classic fashion, and she wears distinctive looped earrings that accent her graceful neck and shoulders.  The woman’s expression is both engaging and relaxed, her slight smile inviting and warm. Her stance—turned slightly in profile yet facing the camera with a sense of ease—demonstrates a poise that suggests she may have been a dancer or performer. The use of light and shadow on the wall behind her adds visual depth, while the soft focus enhances the romanticism of the image. Interestingly, the woman modeling on this postcard has been described by some commentators as Arab and other observers have hypothesized that she is Hispanic. This postcard was produced by P.C. Paris, one of the leading French publishers of glamour, artistic nude, and theatrical postcards during the 1920s and 1930s. The postcard is numbered 1887 in the lower corner, part of a large series of posed studio portraits often issued in sequential sets. The reverse reads “Made in France” and bears the P.C. Paris publisher’s mark, indicating it is an original continental European issue—not a later reproduction. P.C. Paris (Phototypie C. et Cie), based in Paris, was known for creating refined studio portraits of women, including risqué and erotic studies, often with exotic or theatrical styling. Many of their models were dancers, actresses, or professional models. Their cards were sold widely across Europe and were sometimes considered collectible art photography.  SOLD

Published in: on September 4, 2025 at 12:00 pm  Comments (2)  
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ACTRESS ON A SWING IN PARIS, FRANCE (PORTRAIT BY SAZERAC)

SAZERAC FRONT

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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FOUR CHILDREN WITH KITTENS : BY MARTINOT FRERES : GRENOBLE, FRANCE : CABINET CARD

This enchanting cabinet card portrait captures a tender domestic scene from the late 19th century. The image features four children—three girls and a boy—posed formally in a studio setting. Their expressions are a blend of poise and innocence, with a touch of curiosity and seriousness common in portraits of the period. Each child is neatly dressed, their attire reflecting the middle-to-upper-class fashion of the Victorian era. The two older girls, seated on a stone bench, gently cradle small kittens in their laps, adding a heartwarming, spontaneous touch to the otherwise composed image. Their delicate white dresses are adorned with ruffles and lace, and they wear matching striped stockings and black shoes. Their hair is neatly styled, with ribbons typing it back, creating a soft angelic appearance. Beside them stands their older brother, dressed in an immaculate dark nautical outfit, complete with a wide sailor collar, decorative buttons, and a silk tie. His right hand holds a large straw hat, and his confident posture suggests a protective older sibling role. The youngest child, a toddler, stands in front on a miniature chair, wearing a ruffled white dress with puffed sleeves and a curious expression. Her chubby cheeks and tousled bob haircut lend her a particularly charming presence. The photographer of this beautiful image is Martinot Frères, whose studio was located in Grenoble, France..The elaborate typography and decoration on the back of the card advertise the studio’s prestige, including a mention of awards received at the Exposition de Bordeaux in 1882. The inclusion of this medal suggests a respected reputation and hints at the high quality of the photography.  (SOLD)

Published in: on June 29, 2025 at 12:44 pm  Leave a Comment  
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MOST BEAUTIFUL WOMEN OF FRANCE : LA MALOUINE : PHOTO BY JEAN AGELOU

This vintage real photo postcard is part of a series devoted to the provinces and possessions of France.. This card represents “La Malouine” (The Falkland Islands). Note that the woman in this photograph is wearing an interesting hat and a pretty smile. This postcard is no.8 in the series. There were a number of different series published by this publisher. The Noyer Studio operated from 1910 until the 1940’s in Paris, France.  Many of the postcards he produced of women were nudes or risque images. The photographer of this postcard portrait is Jean Agelou (1878-1921). Agelou was a French photographer of the 1910’s and 1920’s who is best known for his erotic and nude photographs. He was born in Egypt and not much is known about his private life. Agelou generally used models between the age of 20 and 24 years-old. He had a favorite model. Her name was “Fernande” and in addition to modeling, she was Agelou’s lover. Although the 1900’s was the “golden age” of erotic photograph, photographers who took such risque photos had to use discretion. As a result, Agelou signed his work “JA”. In 1908, nudity in photographs was banned in France and photographers had to cover nude women images with strategically placed undergarments or other materials. Nude images had to circulate on the down low. They were sent in the mail inside of envelopes. Jean Agelou died in 1921; the result of a car accident. His brother George, who managed Jean’s business, also was killed in the crash. SOLD

Published in: on April 14, 2025 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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PAULETTE DEL BAYE : CUBAN : FRENCH ACTRESS, SINGER, DANCER, & VAUDEVILLE RISQUE

POSTCARD 1

POSTCARD 2

Postcard 1 features actress Paulette Del Baye (1877-1945).This French actress, singer, dancer and vaudevillian was born in Cuba. In 1904 she performed in the production of “Sleeping Beauty” at the Moulin Rouge. She received excellent reviews. She performed on stage at least from 1906 through 1918. She also appeared in four silent films in 1921. One of these films was a Sherlock Holmes adventure. In 1909 she was accused of being involved in a plot to restore the French monarchy. This risque photo postcard was published by SIP as part of a series (no.1322). Miss Del Baye’s portrait was taken by esteemed celebrity photographer Paul Boyer. His studio was located in Paris, France. SOLD

Postcard 2 was published by VBC as part of a series (no.3036). Miss Del Baye’s portrait was taken by esteemed celebrity photographer, the Sazerac studio.The studio was located in Paris, France. This image was created by a photographic process called “Emaillographie”. It is interesting that the first five letters of the technique is “Email”.  SOLD

POSTCARD 1

POSTCARD 2

GENERAL HORACE PORTER, CIVIL WAR HERO, PRESIDENTIAL ADVISOR, AND DIPLOMAT

 The subject of the photograph is Horace Porter, who was quite an accomplished man who played an integral part in American history. Horace Porter (1837-1921) is most well known for his activities during the civil war. He served as a Lieutenant Colonel, Ordnance Officer, and Staff Officer in the Union Army. In 1866 he was appointed brevet Brigadier General in the U. S. Army. He was also personal secretary to General and President Ulysses S. Grant and to General William Sherman. Later, he was the Vice President of the Pullman Palace Car Company and the United States ambassador to France (1897-1905). Horace Porter was born in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania. He was the son of David R. Porter who who served as Pennsylvania’s Governor. His cousin, Andrew Porter was a Mexican-American War veteran and Union Army Brigadier General. Horace Porter was educated at Harvard University and graduated from West Point in 1860. He was distinguished in the Battle of Fort Pulaski (Georgia), Chickamauga, the Battle of the Wilderness, and New Market Heights. He received the Medal of Honor for his efforts at Chickamauga. He later wrote a memoir “Campaigning With Grant” (1897). The photographer of this cabinet card portrait is Joseph G. Gessford.  Gessford (1875-1925) operated a prominent New York City studio located at 288 Fifth Avenue. Gessford was best known as a photographer of celebrities and socialites during the first two decades of the twentieth century. He photographed Mark Twain in 1904, and when the author requested gratis copies of the portraits, Gessford famously replied, “I could no more afford to give you these pictures than you can afford to write books for free.” SOLD

A PICTURE OF FAITH : RELIGION : FRANCE : UNDIVIDED BACK POSTCARD : 1902

This vintage real photo postcard features a portrait of a lovely young woman with a caption stating “The Faith”. This postcard has a religious theme. An inscription below the image indicates that the card dates back to 1902. This undivided back postcard was published by F. Pacalet (P.F.). The firm was based in Lyon, France. This postcard is in good conditIon (see scans). 

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Buy this Real Photo Vintage Postcard (includes shipping within the US) #5066

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$24.00

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Buy this Vintage Real Photo Postcard (includes International shipping outside the US) #5066

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$34.00

Published in: on May 19, 2023 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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POSTMORTEM PHOTO : YOUNG GIRL : PARIS, FRANCE : CABINET CARD

This cabinet card is a postmortem photograph of a young girl. The image is upsetting and sad, but served as a remembrance of a family member for their grief stricken family. Note the flowers and cross lying on the child’s bed and the religious statues and candles on the side table.   The photographer of this cabinet card was R. Dechavannes, whose studio was located in Paris, France. To view other photographs by Dechavannes, click on the category “Photographer: Dechavannes”. Hopefully, visitors to the cabinet card gallery will not find this image offensive. A website  called “Ostrobogulous Cackleberries”, has an interesting article about the practice of postmortem photography. The writer states that during the Victorian era, photographing the recently deceased was “extremely prevalent”. The author points out that the practice existed before the invention of the camera. Instead of photographing the dead, artists painted their portraits immediately following their death. In many cases, the postmortem photo was the only image a family possessed of the departed family member. Many of the Victorian memorial photographs were of infants and children. The mortality rate of children during that time was very high. The writer offers a description of how the dead were posed and there seems to be a great deal of approaches to the practice. Postmortem images could be full body or facial close-ups. Coffins were not frequently included in the picture. The dead were often posed as if they were sleeping and sometimes were presented as life-like. In some photos they were braced or tied into chairs or propped up against other family members to look as alive as possible. According to the article, the popularity of postmortem photography faded in the early twentieth century. Funerals moved from the home parlor to the funeral parlor. Society stopped “embracing mortality” and we became the death denying culture of today.   SOLD

PHRYNE : NINA BARKIS : GREEK COURTESAN : EMAILLOGRAPHIE : RPPC

This color tinted vintatge real photo postcard features actress, Nina Barkis playing the ancient Greek courtesan, Phryne. She has very long hair and she is shielding herself with a transparent lacey fabric. Miss Barkis was an opera singer and dancer. She was known for playing “Salome” and for modelling for photographer Jean Agelou. She also appeared on cards by postcard publisher, Gerlach. This image was created by a photographic process called “Emaillographie”. It is interesting that the first five letters of the technique is “Email”. This vintage postcard is of French origin. SOLD

A DOZEN WORKING MEN HAVING LUNCH : DOGNEVILLE, FRANCE : VINTAGE PHOTOGRAPH

This vintage photograph features a group of twelve men posing for their photo as they eat a meal. The men have bowls and cups and one of the men is holding a ladle for a large bowl or pot that sits on the table. The men are dressed similarly. Six of them are wearing berets. These guys are certainly expressive. The gent in the middle of the top row looks shocked and fearful; as if he saw something disturbing. The fellow in the middle of the middle row looks impish. What brings these men together? Perhaps, they are workers at a factory having lunch. They may also be soldiers or even prisoners. An inscription on the reverse of the photo indicates that the picture was taken in Dogneville, a town located in northeastern France. This photograph has excellent clarity.  The photo is trimmed and measures about 4.25 x 3.25 in. The image is in overall good condition (see scans). (SOLD)

Published in: on April 25, 2022 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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