22.00 USD

Superb photo of dancer and accompanist, published by the Cairo Postcard Trust, a company founded by Joseph Max Lichtenstern (1876-1958) in 1899. Lichtenstern emigrated to Egypt from Vienna in 1893 during the time when Vienna was a part of the Austro Hungarian Empire. In our continuing research we have found that although he is often credited as a photographer, he is usually mentioned as a publisher, and we can't say that he was the photographer of this image. Further, he apparently sold the company in 1912, and as this card was posted in 1917, though the image might well have been from backstock produced during his tenure, it might just as well have been taken after he had returned, for a time, to Austria.

Cairo, in the late 19th, early 20th century was a tremendous tourist mecca and soon after his arrival there, the demand for quality picture postcards was huge. The Cairo Postcard Trust published original photographs in a postcard format, rather than postcards as an afterthought, or a sideline, which was sometimes the case with other companies So, as far as we know, this photograph did not appear originally in a larger format, or as a cabinet card, but as a postcard only.

Herr Lichtenstern was an Austrian Jew, but should not be confused with another person of a similar name and birth date, who often surfaces in research, and was murdered at Theresienstadt by the Nazis during the holocaust. After serving in WWI, our Max Lichtenstern returned to Egypt, where he maintained a home and family (as well as other businesses, though apparently he did not continue with postcard publishing) and passed away there in the late 1950s.

There is some creasing in the upper right, and lower right, corners of this card, and minor wear to edges and corners. A truly wonderful image!
Please examine our high res scans for detail.

The item you are considering for purchase is, unless otherwise noted, a vintage postcard of approximately 5 and 1/2, by 3 and 1/2 inches. Postage is for fully insured, first class, shipping in a secure photo mailer (to avoid any damage to your purchase in the mails), and we happily combine shipping on all paper goods. If you purchase two cards, we will refund the postage on the second card, and when you purchase three or more cards from us at the same time, your shipping will be entirely free, except for international orders which, because of increases in international shipping rates will still be charged one card's shipping fees on orders of three or more. We do not charge for insurance or shipping materials, and as of the date of this listing are still charging below our overall cost on shipping.

And please come visit our blog at:

redpoulaine.blogspot.com

where we post biographical and historical tidbits, images of cards and photographs for sale, some already sold but remembered fondly, related images of historical interest and sometimes even images of items that have not yet arrived in the shop, but that are expected to arrive soon, as well as coupon codes, links to other related sites, and more!

22.00 USD

Welcome to "Idols of the 1920s," where we hope to provide a special, cozy place for those of you who long to linger among the stars of the early silver screen, the hoofers and songbirds of dear old vaudeville's fading hours, a few divas of the grand opera, and of the operetta too, flappers, flappers, more flappers, and of course, and perhaps especially, those femmes fatales who with one smoldering glance can melt a heart, or break it in two. Have fun!

Hanni Weisse was born Johanna (Hanni), Klara Theresa Weisse in 1892. She was a cellist, who while on tour in the 1910s met film director Max Mack and as a result of this meeting entered the early silent film industry. She became a huge star, making over 100 films, but did very little after the talkies entered the picture. Later in life, she and her husband became restauranteurs and apparently were successful in this line, providing a meeting place for people in the arts community. Fraulein Weisse passed away in West Germany, in 1967. Below is a brief quote translated from an early interview with her.

" I experience my role and live through it. And when I later see myself in the movie, so I experience it all again, what I felt while playing the role. It is for me the most beautiful consciousness, to have a role given all that, what the author has put into them, only one who has experienced and lived through their role, can create this experience for others."

Now grab some popcorn and watch "Der Andere," or The Other, a psychological mystery wherein Fraulein Weisse plays the wronged maid, Amelie. Directed by Max Mack in 1913, this film was made in the second year of her career, when she was already taking important roles. English subs, but no soundtrack whatsoever, so you need to be a dedicated watcher :) Youtube link below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJ919AY6FHI

A very nice, unposted, card.
Please examine our high res scans for detail.

The item you are considering for purchase is, unless otherwise noted, a vintage postcard of approximately 5 and 1/2, by 3 and 1/2 inches. Postage is for fully insured, first class, shipping in a secure photo mailer (to avoid any damage to your purchase in the mails), and we happily combine shipping on all paper goods. If you purchase two cards, we will refund the postage on the second card, and when you purchase three or more cards from us at the same time, your shipping will be entirely free, except for international orders which, because of increases in international shipping rates will still be charged one card's shipping fees on orders of three or more. We do not charge for insurance or shipping materials, and as of the date of this listing are still charging below our overall cost on shipping.

And please come visit our blog at:

redpoulaine.blogspot.com

where we post biographical and historical tidbits, images of cards and photographs for sale, some already sold but remembered fondly, related images of historical interest and sometimes even images of items that have not yet arrived in the shop, but that are expected to arrive soon, as well as coupon codes, links to other related sites, and more!

22.00 USD

Beautiful operatic diva Lina Cavalieri on an Imperial Russian card from around 1900. Possibly by Reutlinger, there is no photographer attribution. On others in this series, the Folies Bergere is sometimes in the text, and the image may have originally been published by C. Jeangette of Paris, who also worked with Leopold Reutlinger. This particular card was apparently printed by Manes and Co., of Berlin.
Please examine our high res scans for detail.

Postage is for first class shipping in a secure photo mailer, and we happily combine shipping on all paper goods. If you purchase two cards, we will refund the postage on the second card, and when you purchase three or more cards from us at the same time, your shipping will be entirely free, except for international orders which, because of sudden increases in international shipping rates will still be charged one card's shipping fees on orders of three or more.

And please come visit our blog at:

redpoulaine.blogspot.com

where we occasionally post biographical and historical tidbits, images of cards and photographs for sale, some already sold but remembered fondly, related images of historical interest and sometimes even images of items that have not yet arrived in the shop, but that are expected to arrive soon, as well as coupon codes, links to other related sites, and more.

19.00 USD

No ideas on who these two lovely dancers are, unfortunately. Great pose, great costumes. Just generally wonderful and in very nice, unposted condition.
Please examine our high res scans for detail.

Postage is for first class shipping in a secure photo mailer, and we happily combine shipping on all paper goods. If you purchase two cards, we will refund the postage on the second card, and when you purchase three or more cards from us at the same time, your shipping will be entirely free, except for international orders which, because of sudden increases in international shipping rates will still be charged one card's shipping fees on orders of three or more.

And please come visit our blog at:

redpoulaine.blogspot.com

where we post biographical and historical tidbits, images of cards and photographs for sale, some already sold but remembered fondly, related images of historical interest and sometimes even images of items that have not yet arrived in the shop, but that are expected to arrive soon, as well as coupon codes, links to other related sites, and more!

6.00 USD

This card was damaged, and has a long, diagonal crease in it. Great image though, of the "Trio Katssap" by Louis Martin. We've found no history on these dancers. Don't know if this is actually a family name, or possibly intended to be humorous, as the word "katsap" (note that there is one fewer "s"), is a slang term for a "Russian," specifically a Muskovite, that is sometimes used as a pejorative.

Monsieur Martin is one of our favorite photographers. Unlike Leopold Reutlinger, he was not often very playful with his images, and the cards were not often hand-colored either. Pretty much straight forward portraits of theater people, who were then identified by name, and sometimes by act, such as "Danseuse Eccentrique," with a white ink pen on the negative. So no frills, but very professionally accomplished portraits of often lesser known acts, which is just a lot of fun, but because he was, perhaps, a less well known photographer, and his subjects less well known, it makes research into them more difficult.

His studio was located at 52 Rue de Faubourg Saint-Martin, in Paris, about 10 minutes walk from the Moulin Rouge, and 15 minutes walk from the Folies Bergere, so he was certainly in a prime spot at that time, in what is now, according to hotel reviews, a culturally diverse neighborhood with lots of yummy ethnic restaurants and clubs. Wanna go? :)
A wonderful card.
Please examine our high res scans for detail.

Postage is for first class shipping in a secure photo mailer, and we happily combine shipping on all paper goods. If you purchase two cards, we will refund the postage on the second card, and when you purchase three or more cards from us at the same time, your shipping will be entirely free, except for international orders which, because of sudden increases in international shipping rates will still be charged one card's shipping fees on orders of three or more.

And please come visit our blog at:

redpoulaine.blogspot.com

where we post biographical and historical tidbits, images of cards and photographs for sale, some already sold but remembered fondly, related images of historical interest and sometimes even images of items that have not yet arrived in the shop, but that are expected to arrive soon, as well as coupon codes, links to other related sites, and more!

24.00 USD

Emilia Bruzzone, Belle Epoque Performer, Autographed Card, Posted in Argentina, 1904

The dedication on this card translates as, "Blessed be the music that lets us forget our sorrows." Great fun! Emilia holds aloft a bird's nest, contemplating...well, whatever you'd like her to contemplate :)
She's wearing a rather daring floral embroidered peek-a-boo top over her sheer mermaid gown, and is generally bedecked with flowers. Gorgeous clarity in this image. Very minor wear to corners.
Please examine our high res scans for detail.

Postage is for first class shipping in a secure photo mailer, and we happily combine shipping on all paper goods. If you purchase two cards, we will refund the postage on the second card, and when you purchase three or more cards from us at the same time, your shipping will be entirely free, except for international orders which, because of sudden increases in international shipping rates will still be charged one card's shipping fees on orders of three or more.

And please come visit our blog at:

redpoulaine.blogspot.com

where we post biographical and historical tidbits, images of cards and photographs for sale, some already sold but remembered fondly, related images of historical interest and sometimes even images of items that have not yet arrived in the shop, but that are expected to arrive soon, as well as coupon codes, links to other related sites, and more!

26.00 USD

A superbly naive image of an unidentified model "en collant" (in a body stocking) with a really great snake! One has to wonder, when viewing an image of this kind, whether the goal was humor, titillation, gender politics, a biblical reference of any kind, or a mix of oh, so many things, but the quality of the image is undeniable. Her facial expression seems to us to say, "Et alors! You think I can't handle this?" :)

Talk about a time machine.... The feel of the period derived from a card like this one is sensational. We sold one of these last year that was hand-tinted, to a very pleased customer, and we loved that one too, but there is something about a fine photograph in natural sepia tones that is just so...wonderful.

This card was published by SIP (the Societe Industrielle de Photographie), one of the most prolific French postcard publishers at that time. The image was photographed by Henri Manuel, and given the age of the card (its production date, by its undivided back, is likely to have been before 1904), the photo would have been taken not long after Monsieur Manuel and his brother, Gaston (about whom we can find no information whatsoever), opened their first portrait studio in Paris, in 1900.

Henri Manuel's name appears on many of the cards we bring into our shop, and though most of the subjects we deal in are very light-hearted, Manuel himself was a serious photographer, and an astute business man. He became well known not only for his portraits of theatrical personalities, risque nudes, and romantic fantaisies, but more, for his portraits of famous politicians, art, architecture, and in 1910, "Manuel's studio began providing a commercial service to news agencies for photographs known as "l’Agence universelle de reportage Henri Manuel."" (see Wikipedia) His studio grew to be the largest in Paris, a recognized center for the development (forgive the pun :) of the photographic arts, and for the three decades between 1914 and 1944, Henri Manuel held the post of official photographer for the French government. Because we know his studio operations were shut down during WWII, we wonder if during the last years he held that government post (when France was under German occupation), he worked for "Free France," but we haven't yet found a lot of history on that period. Henri Manuel passed away in 1947.

Just to give you an idea of the broad scope of the man's work, below is a link to a site showing a few of some 2500 photographs Manuel's studio produced of French prisons and juvenile facilities between the years 1929 and 1931, for the French Department of Justice. Pretty grim stuff, but though Red Poulaine is very much about the frolicsome fun, we feel it's important to give you background on our photographers and artistes when possible, and well...we just love the stories :).

http://prisonphotography.org/2010/01/02/henri-manuel-and-the-national-museum-of-prisons-archive-france/

Our "Lady Eve and the Snake" is a truly wonderful card in nearly perfect, unposted condition. Please examine our high res scans for detail.

Thanks as always to Wikipedia!

Postage is for first class shipping in a secure photo mailer, and we happily combine shipping on all paper goods. If you purchase two cards, we will refund the postage on the second card, and when you purchase three or more cards from us at the same time, your shipping will be entirely free, except for international orders which, because of sudden increases in international shipping rates will still be charged one card's shipping fees on orders of three or more.

And please come visit our blog at:

redpoulaine.blogspot.com

where we post biographical and historical tidbits, images of cards and photographs for sale, some already sold but remembered fondly, related images of historical interest and sometimes even images of items that have not yet arrived in the shop, but that are expected to arrive soon, as well as coupon codes, links to other related sites, and more!
Fabulous French Faux Nude with Snake, circa 1900, by Henri Manuel

19.00 USD

Welcome to "Idols of the 1920s," where we hope to provide a special, cozy place for those of you who long to linger among the stars of the early silver screen, the hoofers and songbirds of dear old vaudeville's fading hours, a few divas of the grand opera, and of the operetta too, flappers, flappers, more flappers, and of course, and perhaps especially, those femmes fatales who with one smoldering glance can melt a heart, or break it in two. Have fun!

Lya Mara, 1897-1960, was born Aleksandra Gudowicz to Polish parents. When the family moved to Warsaw at the beginning of WWI, Aleksandra studied stagecraft, soon began dancing professionally, and eventually became a hugely popular star of German silent films. She did not, however, make the transition to the talkies. Her career faded, and when Hitler came to power in '33, she and her husband, director and producer Frederic Zelnik, with whom she had enjoyed great success in earlier years, left Germany for London, where Zelnik continued to direct and produce films.

Thanks Wikipedia for much of our biographical info!

Here, Fraulein Mara is dressed to the nines in luminously extravagant costumery!

A fantastic card in very fine unposted condition. Please examine our high res scans for detail.

Postage is for first class shipping in a secure photo mailer, and we happily combine shipping on all paper goods. If you purchase two cards, the price is the same as for a single card, and when you purchase three or more cards from us at the same time, your shipping will be entirely free, except for international orders which, due to the costs of international shipping will still be charged one card's shipping fees on orders of three or more. We do not charge for insurance or shipping materials, and as of the date of this listing are still charging below our overall cost on shipping.

And please come visit our blog at:

redpoulaine.blogspot.com

where we post biographical and historical tidbits, images of cards and photographs for sale, some already sold but remembered fondly, related images of historical interest and sometimes even images of items that have not yet arrived in the shop, but that are expected to arrive soon, as well as coupon codes, links to other related sites, and more!

22.00 USD

Mlle. Jeanne Provost (born Jeanne Edmonde Guéneau, 1887-1980) was a very well respected actress both on stage and screen. She was a sociétaire of the famed Comedie Francaise, a silent film actress, and also made a number of talkies, the last in 1961.
In 1953, she gave a reading of poetry and drama at Columbia University for the French Department there, presumably while visiting in New York on other business, or pleasure.

Given her long life, stage and film roles, it is surprising that so little information on her is available. It is just that way with time, we suppose. Most articles merely reference what she wore in such and such a production, singing the praises of her figure, charm and grace, but then we can easily see here why these were so often mentioned. What an absolutely gorgeous portrait by one of our favorite portraitists, Henri Manuel, and what a turban! Since most references to her are from the 1910s, and the turban she wears was popularized in French fashion by Monsieur Paul Poiret in 1910, or so, we date this card to the 1910s, though she could easily be, by her appearance, still in her 20s, dating the image to the earlier 1900s.
The fourth image in this listing, is *not for sale* (not even in our possession), but we thought it would be fun, just for the heck of it, to give you a peek at Mlle. Provost's cottage by the sea, Barnville sur Mer.
Extraordinarily nice, unposted condition. Please examine our high res scans for detail.

Postage is for first class shipping in a secure photo mailer, and we happily combine shipping on all paper goods. If you purchase two cards, we will refund the postage on the second card, and when you purchase three or more cards from us at the same time, your shipping will be entirely free, except for international orders which, because of sudden increases in international shipping rates will still be charged one card's shipping fees on orders of three or more.

And please come visit our blog at:

redpoulaine.blogspot.com

where we post biographical and historical tidbits, images of cards and photographs for sale, some already sold but remembered fondly, related images of historical interest and sometimes even images of items that have not yet arrived in the shop, but that are expected to arrive soon, as well as coupon codes, links to other related sites, and more!

18.00 USD

Welcome to "Idols of the 1920s," where we hope to provide a special, cozy place for those of you who long to linger among the stars of the early silver screen, the hoofers and songbirds of dear old vaudeville's fading hours, a few divas of the grand opera, and of the operetta too, flappers, flappers, more flappers, and of course, and perhaps especially, those femmes fatales who with one smoldering glance can melt a heart, or break it in two. Have fun!

Born Vilma Koncsics (1901-1991) Miss Banky was the daughter of a highly placed government official in Emperor Franz Joseph's Austro-Hungary.
Growing up in Budapest, she was fascinated by film from a young age, and won a part in a film at age 19.

In 1925, Samuel Goldwyn visited Budapest, and signed her to a contract. Her family, and her fiancee were already unhappy with the idea of her being an actress, but she ignored all of their wishes, and ran off (hardly running off, really, she was 24 years old :) to Hollywood, where she was called the Hungarian Rhapsody, and became a tremendous success.
She was leading lady to Rudolf Valentino in "The Eagle," and "Son of the Shiek," and made many more films before the talkies reared their head, and her heavy Hungarian accent apparently stood in the way of her continued success.

She married silent movie star Rod La Rocque (Wait, we know what you're thinking, but that was the name this French-Canadian fellow was actually born with, and no, he never starred in an episode of the Flintstones :) to whom she stayed happily married until his death in 1969.
Miss Banky sold real estate with her husband, played a lot of golf, and established an educational foundation. Sounds like a relatively uneventful, happy later life. I think we can say that is a very nice thing.
Almost all of our bio information was drawn from a wonderfully concise article on Wikipedia. Thanks Wikipedia!

A visit to Youtube will produce numerous clips from her film career, allowing you to see why she was so greatly loved. A very beautiful woman, and a gifted actress. I think, through Youtube, we were able to enjoycomplete copies of both "The Winning of Barbara Worth" (early Gary Cooper too!), and "Son of the Sheik."

Beautiful atmospheric image. A very nice, unposted card.
Please examine our high res scans for detail.

Postage is for first class shipping in a secure photo mailer, and we happily combine shipping on all paper goods. If you purchase two cards, we will refund the postage on the second card, and when you purchase three or more cards from us at the same time, your shipping will be entirely free, except for international orders which, because of sudden increases in international shipping rates will still be charged one card's shipping fees on orders of three or more.

And please come visit our blog at:

redpoulaine.blogspot.com

where we post biographical and historical tidbits, images of cards and photographs for sale, some already sold but remembered fondly, related images of historical interest and sometimes even images of items that have not yet arrived in the shop, but that are expected to arrive soon, as well as coupon codes, links to other related sites, and more!

22.00 USD

Welcome to "Idols of the 1920s," where we hope to provide a special, cozy place for those of you who long to linger among the stars of the early silver screen, the hoofers and songbirds of dear old vaudeville's fading hours, a few divas of the grand opera, and of the operetta too, flappers, flappers, more flappers, and of course, and perhaps especially, those femmes fatales who with one smoldering glance can melt a heart, or break it in two. Have fun!

Wonderful early Ross Verlag card of Lucy Doraine, popular star of the silent screen. She was born Ilona Kovacs in Budapest, Hungary in 1898. Between 1918 and 1931, she appeared in 24 films. First in Hungary, then Germany, and finally in Hollywood. She was married to Hollywood director Michael Curtiz for a short time between 1918, and 1923. He was also Hungarian, and incidentally directed some really HUGE films, like "The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood" with Errol Flynn and Claudette Colbert, and "Casablanca" with ... we don't even have to tell ya that! :)

Many thanks to Wikipedia for most of our biographical info!

A very nice, unposted card. Please examine our high res scans for detail.

Postage is for first class shipping in a secure photo mailer, and we happily combine shipping on all paper goods. If you purchase two cards, the price is the same as for a single card, and when you purchase three or more cards from us at the same time, your shipping will be entirely free, except for international orders which, due to the costs of international shipping will still be charged one card's shipping fees on orders of three or more. We do not charge for insurance or shipping materials, and as of the date of this listing are still charging below our overall cost on shipping.

And please come visit our blog at:

redpoulaine.blogspot.com

where we post biographical and historical tidbits, images of cards and photographs for sale, some already sold but remembered fondly, related images of historical interest and sometimes even images of items that have not yet arrived in the shop, but that are expected to arrive soon, as well as coupon codes, links to other related sites, and more!

14.00 USD

So precious! This card has sustained some damage over the nearly 100 years that have passed since it was printed, but we still had to have it for the shop. Just a wonderful image, but it looks as if some glue used for attaching the card to an album page was spilled onto the image surface. There are a few other nicks and bumps, so please examine the scans closely. We would like you to be happy with your purchase.

André Dirler of St.-Dizier was the photographer, and from the hairstyles of the little girls, we are placing this image in the late teens or early 20s.
We visited his shop address at 12 Avenue de Verdun via the magic of Google, and the business is no longer there, although Dirler Photo Video does business in St. Dizier at another location...no idea if the Dirler who operates it is related to Monsieur André.

The unique thing about this card? It is quite possibly the only one of its kind in existence! Unlike most of our postcards that were commercially published by large companies, this was a studio portrait image printed on postcard stock in a very limited run, probably just for friends and family.

Please examine our high res scans for detail.

The item you are considering for purchase is, unless otherwise noted, a vintage postcard of approximately 5 and 1/2, by 3 and 1/2 inches. Postage is for fully insured, first class, shipping in a secure photo mailer (to avoid any damage to your purchase in the mails), and we happily combine shipping on all paper goods. If you purchase two cards, we will refund the postage on the second card, and when you purchase three or more cards from us at the same time, your shipping will be entirely free, except for international orders which, because of increases in international shipping rates will still be charged one card's shipping fees on orders of three or more. We do not charge for insurance or shipping materials, and as of the date of this listing are still charging below our overall cost on shipping.

And please come visit our blog at:

redpoulaine.blogspot.com

where we post biographical and historical tidbits, images of cards and photographs for sale, some already sold but remembered fondly, related images of historical interest and sometimes even images of items that have not yet arrived in the shop, but that are expected to arrive soon, as well as coupon codes, links to other related sites, and more!

19.00 USD

as per convo

22.00 USD

Just so charming. Six young ladies in costume for a theatrical production, and beautifully posed for this RPPC (Real Photo Post Card). RPPCs are postcard images produced from local studio, or even amateur "home," photographer's negatives in extremely limited runs, often for friends or family only. They are, by their very nature, the rarest postcard images of all. Interesting RPPCs are prized by collectors, and also by artists who might make use of such images in their art work, and appreciate that an original print of such an image is often as close to unique as one can practically get.

R. Guilleminot, Bœspflug et Cie, was not a publisher of postcards, or a photography studio, but rather a company, founded in the 1850s, that manufactured photo print paper and plates. They distributed their print stock and plates internationally. Nord et Pas de Calais is probably where this image was taken. It is the northernmost of the 27 French regions, and shares a border with Belgium.

A lovely, unposted card circa 1910s. Please examine our high res scans for detail.

The item you are considering for purchase is, unless otherwise noted, a vintage postcard of approximately 5 and 1/2, by 3 and 1/2 inches. Postage is for fully insured, first class, shipping in a secure photo mailer (to avoid any damage to your purchase in the mails), and we happily combine shipping on all paper goods. If you purchase two cards, we will refund the postage on the second card, and when you purchase three or more cards from us at the same time, your shipping will be entirely free, except for international orders which, because of increases in international shipping rates will still be charged one card's shipping fees on orders of three or more. We do not charge for insurance or shipping materials, and as of the date of this listing are still charging below our overall cost on shipping.

And please come visit our blog at:

redpoulaine.blogspot.com

where we post biographical and historical tidbits, images of cards and photographs for sale, some already sold but remembered fondly, related images of historical interest and sometimes even images of items that have not yet arrived in the shop, but that are expected to arrive soon, as well as coupon codes, links to other related sites, and more!

16.00 USD

Very cute, very sexy! Outfit looks like something inspired by Dolores Del Rio, from the darling off-shoulder look, to the scarf tied around the waist, a blending of the "Spanish Gypsy," and flapper look. These images weren't only produced for postcards, as popular as postcards may still have been in the 20s, but often they were fashion photos of current styles, unsigned on the postcard, but photographed by studios like Henri Manuel's in Paris, and appearing in newspapers and magazines (where the photographer's name would often appear), probably before they appeared as postcards.

The bottom right corner of this card looks (from the back side) as if it suffered some moisture damage, but there is absolutely no hint of any discoloration in the bottom right corner of the image. Actually, these monochrome tinted cards that were all the rage in the 20s, do occasionally show signs of moisture on the back sides without any bleed through on the image, and because these patches are often colored as if by the tint that was applied to the image surface, it seems probable this was just a sometime bi-product of production.

Please examine our high res scans for detail.

The item you are considering for purchase is, unless otherwise noted, a vintage postcard of approximately 5 and 1/2, by 3 and 1/2 inches. Postage is for fully insured, first class, shipping in a secure photo mailer (to avoid any damage to your purchase in the mails), and we happily combine shipping on all paper goods. If you purchase two cards, we will refund the postage on the second card, and when you purchase three or more cards from us at the same time, your shipping will be entirely free, except for international orders which, because of increases in international shipping rates will still be charged one card's shipping fees on orders of three or more. We do not charge for insurance or shipping materials, and as of the date of this listing are still charging below our overall cost on shipping.

And please come visit our blog at:

redpoulaine.blogspot.com

where we post biographical and historical tidbits, images of cards and photographs for sale, some already sold but remembered fondly, related images of historical interest and sometimes even images of items that have not yet arrived in the shop, but that are expected to arrive soon, as well as coupon codes, links to other related sites, and more!

19.00 USD

Lovely theatrical costume RPPC of a queen and her attendants. RPPCs (Real Photo Post Cards) are postcard images produced from local studio, or even amateur "home," photographer's negatives in extremely limited runs, often for friends or family only. They are, by their very nature, the rarest postcard images of all. Interesting RPPCs are prized by collectors, and also by artists who might make use of such images in their art work, and appreciate that an original print of such an image is often as close to unique as one can practically get.

R. Guilleminot, Bœspflug et Cie, was not a publisher of postcards, or a photography studio, but rather a company, founded in the 1850s, that manufactured photo print paper and plates. They distributed their print stock and plates internationally. "Guerre de 14," was written in what looks like modern ink, by a previous owner of this postcard, a family member perhaps, and though such notations are notoriously unreliable, suggests that this image was made during the First World War (1914-1918), and indeed, by its appearance, this image feels like it was made in the 1910s.

A lovely, unposted card circa 1910s. Please examine our high res scans for detail.

The item you are considering for purchase is, unless otherwise noted, a vintage postcard of approximately 5 and 1/2, by 3 and 1/2 inches. Postage is for fully insured, first class, shipping in a secure photo mailer (to avoid any damage to your purchase in the mails), and we happily combine shipping on all paper goods. If you purchase two cards, we will refund the postage on the second card, and when you purchase three or more cards from us at the same time, your shipping will be entirely free, except for international orders which, because of increases in international shipping rates will still be charged one card's shipping fees on orders of three or more. We do not charge for insurance or shipping materials, and as of the date of this listing are still charging below our overall cost on shipping.

And please come visit our blog at:

redpoulaine.blogspot.com

where we post biographical and historical tidbits, images of cards and photographs for sale, some already sold but remembered fondly, related images of historical interest and sometimes even images of items that have not yet arrived in the shop, but that are expected to arrive soon, as well as coupon codes, links to other related sites, and more!

22.00 USD

We do love Downton Abbey, and so many of those wonderful BBC, Edwardian setting dramas. I mean we REALLY love 'em! (Seen Anzac Girls yet? Great Australian WWI 6 parter!) But I have to say, that after fervently watching decades of the stuff, if there is one little thing that gets kind of old, it is when (at a point in the story nearing the year 1914) one of the "upstairs" or "downstairs" characters slips into the " Woe is me, my way of life is changing, and soon there will be no place for me at the manor, and I'll have to move to London and become a pastry chef," or "Woe is me, soon there will be no one left to answer the ringing of this little silver bell, and I shall have to boil the water for my own tea," monologue. Certainly it was a dramatic cultural shift for that percentage of society whose lives were changed by it, and for each new generation of viewers, it is possibly a fresh idea that offers historical insight, but I guess I'm getting old and crabby :)

Anyway, we have a fantastic image here, of a well to do family and their servants, and wow, what a lot of servants! Of course, already, the skies over Europe darken prophetically. Political and social upheaval are on the horizon! Soon the lives of these good people will be changed unalterably...thrown into chaos! The social barriers will crumble...commoner will wed aristo...and their mingling will produce a new class of people!!! They will dance strangely...the jazz age approaches!!! Nice girls will trim their locks and don cloche hats!!! Anarchy threatens the status quo!!! And did we mention boudoir dolls? How "uncanny valley" can you get???

We had you going, huh :)

In the foreground, on the right, is the little princess (how cute is she!) with her governess, and on the left, the "pretty maids, all in a row," possibly the cook is the woman in the less frilly uniform towards the back, or she may be head of the household staff. Perhaps that is the chauffeur, further back on the left, and in shadow, stand Mother and Father, king and queen of all they survey. It isn't often we come across an image offering such a fine example of this sort of "old world" household. Wonderful stuff.

Note that the card had a stamp fixed to it, but there is no writing on the back, and no apparent cancellation. It was never posted. Why was it never posted? Of course we know why this is....the chauffeur at the back left, is actually no chauffeur at all, but a crazed lunatic who in 1974, accompanied by his wife, a loving, simple, and vulnerable woman, and his odd, psychically sensitive child, accepted the position of caretaker at the old house....he was trying to finish a novel, you see...the deepening shadow of a bitter winter crept across the land, a darkening chill, like an endless night, and...

Please examine our high res scans for detail.

Postage is for first class shipping in a secure photo mailer, and we happily combine shipping on all paper goods. If you purchase two cards, we will refund the postage on the second card, and when you purchase three or more cards from us at the same time, your shipping will be entirely free, except for international orders which, because of sudden increases in international shipping rates will still be charged one card's shipping fees on orders of three or more.

And please come visit our blog at:

redpoulaine.blogspot.com

where we post biographical and historical tidbits, images of cards and photographs for sale, some already sold but remembered fondly, related images of historical interest and sometimes even images of items that have not yet arrived in the shop, but that are expected to arrive soon, as well as coupon codes, links to other related sites, and more!

17.00 USD

Elise De Vere (born Constance), was one of the premiere stars of her time. Born in Belgium, she was the daughter of Herbert Shakespeare Gardiner Williams (aka Charles De Vere) and Julia Ferrett, his wife. Both of them were ex-pat British stage magicians, who wandered the world, when not running magic shops! Though they spent years away, she and her family maintained their "British-ness," and never gave up their citizenship. In the Paris of the time (of today, for that matter), there were numerous communities of residents from "away" who maintained close ties to their cultural origins. The Deveres, for example, regularly attended services at a local Anglican church, or so we have been told. The fact is, that a number of big French music halls were owned by English theatrical promoters during this period, some of whom exported English performers to France (early "British invasion" :), just as France exported theirs to England. After all, the channel is not so wide.

A wonderful card for our Marvelous Maenad section. How like a pagan priestess she is :)
Please examine our high res scans for detail.

Postage is for first class shipping in a secure photo mailer, and we happily combine shipping on all paper goods. If you purchase two cards, we will refund the postage on the second card, and when you purchase three or more cards from us at the same time, your shipping will be entirely free, except for international orders which, because of sudden increases in international shipping rates will still be charged one card's shipping fees on orders of three or more.

And please come visit our blog at:

redpoulaine.blogspot.com

where we post biographical and historical tidbits, images of cards and photographs for sale, some already sold but remembered fondly, related images of historical interest and sometimes even images of items that have not yet arrived in the shop, but that are expected to arrive soon, as well as coupon codes, links to other related sites, and more!

12.00 USD

Beautifully tinted image of Belle Epoque artiste Marthe Derminy.

Image circa 1905. We have not been able to find any biographical info on Mlle. Derminy yet, still looking, but it does appear that later in her life, she made appearances in a number of French musical romance films in the 30s and 40s, though it is possible that this was another Marthe Derminy.

Postage is for first class shipping in a secure photo mailer, and we happily combine shipping on all paper goods. If you purchase two cards, we will refund the postage on the second card, and when you purchase three or more cards from us at the same time, your shipping will be entirely free, except for international orders which, because of sudden increases in international shipping rates will still be charged one card's shipping fees on orders of three or more.

And please come visit our blog at:

redpoulaine.blogspot.com

where we post biographical and historical tidbits, images of cards and photographs for sale, some already sold but remembered fondly, related images of historical interest and sometimes even images of items that have not yet arrived in the shop, but that are expected to arrive soon, as well as coupon codes, links to other related sites, and more!

22.00 USD

This is one of those precious ones it is difficult for us to let go of :) an RPPC that breaks the "fourth wall." Do you see how along the right edge of the photograph, through careless cropping, the actual environment is visible beyond the painted, trompe l'oeil background? Does this hurt the magic of the image for you? If it does, we understand, but frankly, it makes it all the more special for us :) And what about the wonderful mule? Painted wood, or early cast plastic?

Grand-mama, mother and daughter (or son, because in those days, as very young children, even tough guys like Humphrey Bogart were often dressed in what we see today as little girl clothes). They stopped to get a portrait taken at a fair or fete, or perhaps wandering along a boardwalk while on holiday. In any case, the picture appears to have been made outdoors and not in a studio.

Wonderful image in very nice, unposted condition.

"Buy land. They ain’t making any more of it." Whether this phrase originally came from Mark Twain or Will Rogers (it has often attributed to one or the other of those two famous American humorists), the basic idea can certainly be applied to vintage postcards. Whether through the ravages of time, or by being bought up by collectors, these wonderful old pieces of history are vanishing away.

"Rare" postcards? Like any collectible, there are certainly some hard to find postcards, but it is difficult to apply the term "rare" to many cards printed in large runs by the major European or American printers of the early 1900s. At best, the term is a subjective one, that will mean something different from person to person.

One rule of thumb sometimes applied by dealers in this trade is that if you see a card only becoming available once in a year's time, that is a rare card, but in our experience, as soon as we label such a postcard rare, we're liable to find two of them in some other dealer's collection the next week. Such is life :)

But, there is one category of vintage postcards for which the term "rare" is almost always an accurate one by any standard, and that is the "Real Photo Postcard," or RPPC.

Even though most of the postcards in our shop are arguably "real photographs" (having been developed from a negative onto postcard sized photo print paper), actual RPPCs (in the generally accepted sense), are photographic prints produced on postcard stock by home photographers, or independent studios, in extremely limited runs of usually no more than a few to mail off to friends and family. This means that, given the age of the RPPC (in this case, about 90 years), it is likely that this is a one of a kind, absolutely irreplaceable, card. Rare, indeed!

Please examine our high res scans for detail.

Postage is for first class shipping in a secure photo mailer, and we happily combine shipping on all paper goods. If you purchase two cards, we will refund the postage on the second card, and when you purchase three or more cards from us at the same time, your shipping will be entirely free, except for international orders which, because of sudden increases in international shipping rates will still be charged one card's shipping fees on orders of three or more.

And please come visit our blog at:

redpoulaine.blogspot.com

where we post biographical and historical tidbits, images of cards and photographs for sale, some already sold but remembered fondly, related images of historical interest and sometimes even images of items that have not yet arrived in the shop, but that are expected to arrive soon, as well as coupon codes, links to other related sites, and more!