MOTHER AND SON POSE FOR THEIR PORTRAIT IN PORTO, PORTUGAL (MOM IN TRADITIONAL CLOTHING)- VINTAGE PHOTO

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This striking early 20th-century cabinet card captures a poised woman and a young boy, likely mother and son, standing in a studio setting. The photographer, Foto Belleza of Porto, Portugal, has staged them against a painted backdrop of a garden scene with balustrades, creating an elegant yet intimate portrait. The woman, standing tall with one hand resting on her hip and the other lightly touching the boy’s shoulder, exudes confidence and warmth. She wears a richly embroidered skirt with intricate geometric patterns and a decorative trim, a thick fur-trimmed shawl, and a white blouse with voluminous sleeves. Her dark hair is neatly styled, and she gazes directly into the camera with a composed expression. Beside her, the young boy stands formally dressed in a well-tailored suit, complete with a crisp white shirt, tie, and pocket handkerchief. His neatly combed hair and serious expression suggest the importance of the occasion. In his small hands, he clutches a cap, a common element in children’s attire of the era. The vintage photograph measures approximately 5 1/2 x 8 inches on the mount, with the image itself measuring 4 7/8 x 3 1/4 inches. The mount is textured with minor foxing, but the photograph remains clear. On the reverse, an elegant handwritten inscription in Portuguese reads:“Aos meus bons tios. Offereço como prova de amizade. Guya 24/6/1922. Adelaide Augusta Teixeira”. Translated it means: “To my dear uncles. I offer this as a token of friendship. Guya 24/6/1922. Adelaide Augusta Teixeira”. This personal dedication adds sentimental value, suggesting that the photograph was given as a cherished keepsake. (SOLD)

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Published in: on September 10, 2026 at 12:30 pm  Comments (2)  
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YOUNG GIRL WEAVING : INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OF QUIPONGO, ANGOLA : COLONIAL AFRICA

This vintage real photo postcard features a young girl occupied with her weaving. She is wearing traditional native clothing as well as traditional jewelry. This portrait postcard is from 1934. The photograph was taken in Quipungo, located in Cuanza Sul, Angola. The card is from a series aimed at exhibiting Colonial Portuguese Africa (no. 140 “The Indigenous People of Quipungo). The postcard was postmarked in 1934 in Torres Vedras, Portugal. The card is addressed to a doctor in that municipality. SOLD

CLAIRE ROMMER : FILM ACTRESS :SAVED FROM NAZIS BY ARISTEDES De SOUSA MENDES

POSTCARD 1 (SOLD)
POSTCARD 2 (SOLD)

POSTCARD 3 (SOLD)

These vintage real photo postcards feature German film actress, Claire Rommer (1904-1996). Her filmography on IMDb credits her with 49 film appearances between 1922 and 1934. She made her film debut at the age of eighteen. She also began her career as a soubrette appearing in operettas and comedies on the Berlin stage. However, her fame came from her film work. She played both leading and supportive roles. She played in silent films and made a successful transition to sound films. She even sang in some of her talkies. She was married to a prosperous Jewih man, named Adolf Strenger. Because of her marriage, in 1938 she was banned from any participation in the German film industry. It was thought that she was probably not Aryan like her husband. The rise of the Nazis forced the couple to leave Germany and emigrate to the United States via Portugal.The pair left Europe with the assistance of Aristedes de Sousa Mendes. He was a Portuguese Consular stationed in France. Mendes defied orders from his government and issued thousands of visas to Jews, allowing them to escape with their families and their lives. He was a hero for his work as a Holocaust rescuer. Ultimately, Mendes was severely punished for his defiance. After leaving Germany, Rommer’s film career ended. In the US, she divorced her husband and married a meat industry multi-millionaire.

Postcard 1 was published by Ross Verlag as part of a series (No.1933/1). Claire Rommer’s photo portrait was taken by celebrity photographer, Alexander Binder. This vintage photo postcard is in excellent condition (see scans). (SOLD)

Postcard 2 was published by Ross Verlag as part of a series (No.1933/2). Claire Rommer’s photo portrait was taken by celebrity photographer, Alexander Binder. This vintage photo postcard is in very good condition (see scans). (SOLD)

Postcard 3 was published by Ross Verlag as part of a series (no.3010/1). Miss Rommer’s portrait was taken by famed celebrity photographer Alex Binder, who operated his studio in Berlin. The postcard was postmarked in 1928. (SOLD)

PORTRAIT OF AN ADORABLE LITTLE GIRL WEARING TRADITIONAL CLOTHING (PORTUGAL / BRAZIL)

This vintage photograph features a beautiful young Portuguese or Brazilian girl wearing traditional clothing. Her dress is very detailed and pretty. She is well accessorized. Her jewelry includes a number of necklaces and a ring. I find her head covering fascinating and unusual. The writing on the reverse of this photograph is Portuguese. It is written that this girl’s name is “Maria Amelia Porto” and that the photo was taken in either 1910 or 1916. An illegibility issue does not allow distinguishing which of the two years are written. SOLD

Published in: on February 23, 2021 at 4:22 pm  Leave a Comment  
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YOUNG AND ATTRACTIVE BRIDAL COUPLE IN NEW BEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS

This photograph has significant damage but it finds it’s way to the cabinet card gallery because it features an attractive and very young looking bride and groom as well as an interesting photographer. Both of the subjects are holding formal gloves.  The photographer of this image is M Goulart of New Bedford, Massachusetts. Manuel Goulart is a noted historical figure in American photography. In fact, he and his brother Jose Goulart were the subject of a book, “Two Brothers Goulart: Photography in New Bedford and the Azores” (1996). The Azorean brothers became interested in photography in the 1870’s. They were from the Portuguese island of Faial in the Azores and came to New Bedford in 1889. Between 1892 and at least 1899, Manuel Goulart’s studio was located at 109 South Sixth Street in New Bedford.  New Bedford had a significant population of people of Portuguese ethnicity. It is likely that the bride and groom in this portrait were part of that Portuguese community. The brothers are noted for their late 19th century and early 20th century photographs from the Azores, Madeira, and Portugal. The New Bedford Whaling Museum has a large collection of Goulard photographs.

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PORTRAIT OF A PORTUGUESE FAMILY IN BOMBAY, INDIA (THE WORLD WAS FLAT EVEN BACK IN THE 1880’S)

Thomas Friedman’s best selling book “The World is Flat” was published in 2005. This cabinet card photograph demonstrates that the world has been flat for a number of centuries. This image features a Portuguese family and their maid, posing for their portrait in Bombay, India. It is likely that their maid is Indian, given their location at the time of the photograph. The family consists of parents and their three sons. Five first names are written on the reverse of the cabinet card, but they can not be listed, because of legibility and language barriers. The photograph is dated 1888. The photographer is Joseph D. Coutinho of Bombay, India.