POSTCARD 2 
POSTCARD 4A (SOLD)
POSTCARD 4B (CLOSE-UP) (SOLD)
POSTCARD 5 (SOLD)
These vintage real photo postcards feature beautiful stage actress Marie Studholme (1872-1930). The English actress and singer was known for her supporting and starring roles in Victorian and Edwardian musical comedies. Her theater career spanned from 1891 through 1915. Her roles included appearances in “An Artists Model” (1895), “The Messenger” (1900), and “Lady Madcap” (1906). Marie Studholme’s beauty made her one of the most popular postcard models of her time.
Postcard 1 is a wonderful portrait of Miss Studholme in costume for the stage production of “Miss Hook of Holland). The play was an English musical comedy. It opened at the the Prince of Wales Theatre in 1907 and ran for 462 performances. It originally starred Isabel Jay and Harry Grattan. The play also ran on Broadway. Studholme starred in the title role in “Miss Hook of Holland” on a long provincial tour from 1907 to 1910. This vintage photo postcard was published by Rotary Photo (no. 4890 A) and the photo was taken by the Foulsham and Banfield studio. This postcard has an interesting message. Rather than signing the card, the writer left his identity a secret by signing it with one word, “Guess?”. The postcard is postmarked “1908”. The card is in excellent condition (see scans).
Postcard 2 is part of the Rotary Photographic Series (no. 4188 A) and was printed in England. Miss Studholme’s portrait was photographed by the celebrated Foulsham & Banfield studio. Although photo postcard portraits of Miss Studholme are common , this particular photograph is uncommon. (SOLD)
Postcard 3 is also part of the Rotary Photographic Series (no. 348 K). This photograph highlights the beauty of Miss Studholme. The postcard is also aimed to be erotic judging by the generous view of the actress’s cleavage. The photography studio that produced this image is W & D Downey of London, England. This studio was well known and highly respected in England. They advertised themselves as photographers specially appointed to photograph the imperial and royal families of Europe and they photographed many other celebrities. Although Studholme posed for many postcard portraits, this particular photo postcard is uncommon. The postcard is in excellent condition (see scans).
Postcard 4 is a member of the Rotary Photographic series (No. 24 L), just like Postcard 1 and Postcard 2. In this portrait, Miss Studholme flashes a beautiful smile. The low cut dress that she is wearing is a bit risque for the era. It appears that she was not adverse to the idea of suggestive poses. The photographer who took this portrait photo of Marie Studholme is a well known female photographer named Lizzie Caswall Smith. Smith (1870-1958) was a British photographer who operated in the early 1900’s. She specialized in photographing members of society and celebrities. Many of her photographs were used for postcards. She was involved in the Women’s Suffrage movement and photographed many of the leading suffragettes. She also photographed many actors including Billie Burke and Maude Fealy. She operated the Gainsborough Studio from 1907 through 1920 (309 Oxford Street) and moved to a new location (90 Great Russell Street) where she remained until she retired in 1930 at the age of 60 years-old. Her most famous photograph is a portrait of Florence Nightingale taken in 1910. It was auctioned in 1908 and sold for 5500 pounds which is an equivalent today of nearly 8,000 dollars. The National Portrait Gallery has 84 portraits associated with Lizzie Caswall Smith. The postmark stamped on this postcard indicates that it was mailed in 1907. The message on the card is written to a 13 year-old girl. The writer of the card apologizes for not sending a letter sooner and explains “but I’m so busy”. It is interesting to note that “excuses” have not changed much over the last hundred years. SOLD
Postcard 5 features a fashionably dressed Marie Studholme. This postcard was published by Rotary Photo and is part of a series (no.229W). This particular postcard is uncommon. SOLD
Buy this original Vintage Real Photo Postcard (includes shipping within the US) #2800
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$23.50
Buy this original Vintage Real Photo Postcard (includes International shipping outside the US) #2800
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$32.00
Buy this Vintage Real Photo Postcard (includes shipping within the US) #3517
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$31.50
Buy this Vintage Real Photo Postcard (includes International shipping outside the US) 3517
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$40.50
POSTCARD 5 (SOLD)
This vintage real photo postcard features a pretty young woman holding an adorable Yorkshire Terrier. The young lady has a terrific smile. This postcard is part of the British Beauty series (no.A 436-6) published by the London company, Rotary Photo. The postcard is hand tinted and from the 1910’s. SOLD
This vintage real photo postcard is a member of the Rotary Photo “British Beauty” series (no. A.141-6). The Cabinet Card Gallery has a number of “British Beauty” cards in it’s collection. This postcard was printed in Britain and is hand tinted. This postcard is in very good condition (see scans).
Margaret Leahy (1902-1967) was a British actress. She was born in London. At the age of eighteen, she set up a costume shop and designed women’s clothing. She also modeled her designs for her customers. The story of how she got her start in acting is an interesting one. After winning a beauty contest, she seemed destined for stardom. Unfortunately, despite her rapid launch into filmdom, her career quickly crashed. She made only one film in her short-lived career. The beauty competition occurred in 1922. Actresses, Constance and Norma Talmadge, Joseph Schenck (film studio executive), and Edward Jose (film director) held a beauty contest in England. It’s purpose was to find a new leading lady. The “Daily Sketch”, an English newspaper, offered a starring role in a major Hollywood film to the winner of the contest. Eighty thousand women entered the contest and three girls were chosen to the final competition. The finals were held in Hollywood and Miss Leahy was the winner. Norma Talmadge described Leahy as “the most ravishing girl in England”. Leahy’s start in films was a disaster. She was dismissed from “Within the Law” (1923). The film’s director found her acting talent was nearly non-existent. He threatened to quit unless Leahy was terminated. The year 1923 wasn’t all bad for Miss Leahy. She was named one of thirteen WAMPAS Baby Stars. Evelyn Brent, Eleanor Boardman, and Laura La Plante were among the thirteen. All but Leahy became successful film actresses. Between 1922 and 1934, WAMPAS association supported a promotional campaign that named thirteen young actresses thought to be destined to become stars. Margaret’s next stop was an appearance in a Buster Keaton comedy, “Three Ages” (1923). Leahy received little attention for her role in the movie and her career was stopped in it’s tracks. Leahy did not return to England. Instead she got married and remained in California. She became an interior decorator and was known to despise the movie industry. In fact, she burned all her movie related scrap books. Sadly, Leahy committed suicide at the age of sixty-four in California. This vintage postcard was published by Rotary Photo and printed in England. The postcard is part of a series (no. 5.76.2). The postcard is in very good condition (see scans). SOLD
This vintage real photo postcard features theater actress Miss Lydia Flopp (1877-1963). “Flopp” is an unfortunate name for a stage performer. However, it did not get in the way of her success on the stage. Lydia was one of the five “Rudge Sisters”. The women were British actresses and dancers. Some of them were quite successful. The sisters performed as Letty Lind, Millie Hylton, Adelaide Astor, Fanny Dango, and the aforementioned Lydia Flopp. The sisters were primarily dancers but over time developed their singing ability. They performed in pantomime, variety, music hall, and Victorian burlesque realms of theater. Their venues included the Gaiety and Daly theaters in London. Letty Lind was a popular skirt dancer and star of musical comedies. Hylton worked in music halls and theatre and had much success appearing in varieties as a male impersonator. Miss Astor was a West End actress and Fanny Dango worked in London and then launched a successful career performing in Australia. Lydia Flopp’s specialty was pantomime. She was a sitter for two photo portraits in the collection of the National Portrait Gallery. The photographer of Miss Flopp’s portrait is Alexander Bassano (1829-1913). Bassano) was a leading royal and high society photographer in Victorian London. This postcard was published in England by the Davidson Brothers. Davidson Brothers was located in both London and New York City. The firm operated between 1901 and 1911. This postcard is published by Rotary Photo as part of the Rotary Photographic Series (no.1594 B). This vintage postcard portrait has excellent clarity and is in excellent condition (see scans). (SOLD)
This real photo postcard features a pretty performer named Miss Marjory Moore. She looks quite young, possibly in her teenage years. My preliminary research into the background of Miss Moore produced “bupkis”. Perhaps a visitor to this blog can provide some biographical details about this performer. Miss Moore’s portrait was taken by Lewis R. Protheroe who operated a studio in Bristol, England. He was working as a photographer, at least between 1901 and 1917. His father, Thomas Protheroe found the studio between approximately 1876 and 1900. I was unable to locate any other photographs of Marjory Moore. This rare photo postcard was published by Rotary Photo. (SOLD)
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