These vintage real photo postcards feature French actress and dancer, Anne Regina Badet (1876-1949). She was a major star of the Opera-Comique in Paris. She made her debut at the Grand Theatre de Bordeaux where she became a principal dancer She received much acclaim for her portrayal of Conchita Perez in “The Woman and the Puppet (1910)”. Postcard 1 shows her in this role. Her stage acting led her to a brief film career (eleven movies between 1908 and 1922). The Los Angeles Herald (1906) described Badet as the “new Paris pet” and that her dances in the Opera “Aphrodite” had “caused a furor among theater goers. A critic wrote that he went to see the performance because the opera was a “masterpiece” and because he wanted to see the star soprano, Mary Garden, interpretation of her role. Instead, he reports he was most drawn to the performance by Regina Badet. Miss Badet retired from stage and screen in the early 1920’s.
The photographer of the image on Postcard 1 is listed as “Bert”. I believe that this is a photographer who partnered with celebrated photographer Paul Boyer, renowned for his celebrity and theater images. This postcard was published by F. C. & C.
Postcard 2 offers a second portrait of Miss Badet. The pretty actress is wide eyed and wearing a lot of jewelry. The photograph was taken by Henri Manuel (1874-1947). In 1900, Manuel opened a portrait studio in Paris with his brother Gaston. He quickly became well known for his portraits of politicians, artists, and athletes. His images were used by news agencies . His studio became the largest studio in Paris and it attracted many young photographers who sharpened their skills there. In 1925 the brothers expended their business to include fashion photography. They worked for such designers as Chanel, Patou, and Lanvin. The studio shut down during World War II and many of their photographic plates were destroyed. Manuel was the official photographer for the French government from 1914 through 1944. SOLD Postcard 3 features a photograph of Miss Badet that was taken by celebrated photographer, Paul Boyer. SOLD
Postcard 4 features a photograph of Badet taken by the Oricelly studio. SOLD
This vintage real photo postcard features the celebrated soprano Mary Garden (1874–1967), one of the most renowned opera singers of the early 20th century. The card was photographed by Reutlinger of Paris, one of the premier portrait studios of the Belle Époque, known for capturing glamorous and artistic images of actors, actresses, dancers, and opera stars. The postcard is numbered 970 and published by S.I.P. (Société Industrielle de Photographie), a company that issued countless high-quality portrait postcards of stage and musical personalities. The card is captioned “Op Comique”, referring to the Opéra-Comiquein Paris, one of the city’s most important opera houses. Founded in 1714, the Opéra-Comique specialized in works that combined spoken dialogue with music, and it played a central role in shaping French opera tradition. Mary Garden was strongly associated with this venue, as it was here that she established her reputation as a daring and charismatic performer. Mary Garden, born in Scotland in 1874 and raised in the United States, became a dominant figure in French opera. She was especially famous for her collaborations with composer Claude Debussy, creating the role of Mélisande in the opera Pelléas et Mélisande in 1902. Known for her expressive acting, striking beauty, and captivating stage presence, Garden became not only a star of the Opéra-Comique but also a celebrated figure on the international opera stage. Later in her career, she brought her fame to the United States, where she sang at the Chicago Opera and served as its director for a time. She was remembered as much for her dramatic interpretations and independence as for her voice. In this portrait, Garden gazes softly at the camera, her hair elegantly coiffed and adorned with a ribbon, while she wears a shimmering gown and pearl necklace. She holds a fan or handkerchief delicately in her hand, displaying rings that add to her aura of sophistication. The subdued background and rich tonal quality of the Reutlinger photograph highlight her poise and timeless beauty. SOLD
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