12.00 USD

Very nice monochrome glamor image by P-C Paris, circa 1920s.
Nice condition.
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 not charge for 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

Lovely condition and brilliant color on this 1920s era risque flapper image. Inking and coloration are in many ways reminiscent of golden age comic book art! Sorry, but we cannot make out the artist's name, so can offer no information. If you recognize the work, or the signature, please let us know! We learn from you guys every day :)
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!

11.00 USD

Lovebirds. Couples Romance image by Alfred Noyer, circa 1920s

Lovely couples romance card by Alfred Noyer, circa 1920s. Writing on the back is a little odd, as if painted on, in two shades of ink, alternating.
A nice card, but showing minor wear.
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 not charge for 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

The theatrical production this card represents, can't be confused with the Ballet d'Orphée set to the Stravinski score, since that one wouldn't exist for another 50 years, or so. Probably this depicts a scene out of the late 18th century opera Orphée et Eurydice, by Gluck, for which a French libretto was rewritten, from the Italian, in the 1770s. Slightly different versions of that opera, with lots of ballet routines, were still very popular in 1900.

Anthony's of Paris was a photographic studio in business from, at least, the 1890s, into the early 1930s. We can say that much for certain, having located cabinet cards, cartes de visites, and later postcards, that were produced over that time. The photographer (presumably Monsieur "Anthony") never gained the kind of notoriety enjoyed by Leopold Reutlinger, Henri Manuel, or the other major French photographers whose work we often list in our shop, and perhaps this is why we can find no biographical data on him, whatsoever.

Today, the images most often recognized as his, are probably of the Sisters Lorisson, those five young ladies with the tall chignons, who appeared in dramatic tableau images, in "costumes greques," and often hand-tinted. The images are a little over the top, and the "Sisters," like these young women, were usually posed a little woodenly. Please don't mistake us, though. While admittedly "stagey," and perhaps naive when compared to say, Manuel's work, we find these "Anthony's" images extremely charming, and very evocative of the era. In fact, some readers who have visited our blog, may have noticed that our background image is from a wonderful Sisters Lorisson card.

This Anthony's image is lots of fun, really kind of magical, we think, and in wonderful condition! 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

Mlle. Lo in a body stocking and veil. Weirdly ethereal image with a variety of experimental coloration that was popular during that time, and which sometimes achieved amazing results. We'll place this card in our risque section. Not risque by our modern standards, of course, but certainly in its day. 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!

24.00 USD

Belle Epoque Artiste, Mlle. Conti, in Sheer Costume, circa 1905

18.00 USD

Beautiful, and oh-so-delicately colored Art Nouveau decoration on this wonderful old deckled-edge card. Image design itself appears to have been initially printed (possibly from a copper plate engraving?) or simply by lithograph (but there is no evident dot matrix), in shades of gray, and then tinted with watercolor. At least that's how it looks to us. It seems that we are fated to be almost always enthusiasts, but never experts, so we admire, adore, and raise questions, but seldom have definite answers :) If you know by what technique this beautiful effect was achieved, please enlighten us!

Posted in 1902, probably towards the end of the year since the message along the bottom edge translates roughly as, "A thousand (good) wishes for 1903 my dear Eva," and was signed Suzanne. Some age discoloration, but overall in very nice condition. 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 not charge for 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

In addition to being a very nice image of a woman in a cloche hat, this is also a wonderful artifact of the early cinema! It may not be a postcard at all, but possibly a trade show giveaway card from the late 1920s promoting a color motion picture film process. It is just about a quarter of an inch shorter in length than most postcards produced in the period, making it 5 and 1/4 inches by 3 and 1/2 inches, and has no postcard markings on the reverse side.

The text that runs along the left edge of the card roughly translates as, "A reproduction of an instantaneous color photograph produced through the Splendicolor process." The "instantaneous" aspect of this is key. This card then is not hand-tinted, like so many we see from that era, but a direct reproduction of a color photo.

Splendicolor was a relatively early subtractive color film process (the earliest having been used in the 1910s). These, like the even earlier additive color processes (some dating back to the late 1800s) "also used black-and-white film to photograph multiple color-filtered source images, but the final product was a multicolored print that did not require special projection equipment." (Thanks Wikipedia!) We found a detailed description of it online at http://zauberklang.ch/filmcolors/timeline-entry/1242/#/

“The French Splendicolor process was shown to the Académie des Sciences early in 1929; it used a triple-lensed camera, the negatives from which were printed onto a film coated on one side with ordinary photographic emulsion and on the other with a clear gelatin layer. The gelatin layer was sensitized with a bichromate solution, and was then printed from a positive print made from the blue recording negative. The exposure selectively hardened the gelatin layer, which then took up yellow dye only in the unhardened, or less hardened areas. The film was coated with a second bichromated gelatin layer, which was exposed to a positive print from the green exposed negative and was dyed magenta. The conventional emulsion on the other side was printed from the red recording negatives, and dye-toned cyan. The process does not appear to have passed much beyond the stage of trade demonstrations.”

(Coe, Brian (1981): The History of Movie Photography. Westfield, N.J.: Eastview Editions, p. 131.)

Wow. Maybe too much info? :) If not, and you want more, follow the link below to a simple explanation of the subtractive process with visual examples. Pretty fascinating stuff!

http://www.widescreenmuseum.com/oldcolor/subtract.htm

A very nice image that in addition to image alone, is very much an artifact of film history, reflecting that era during which motion picture film, and the film industry, were on the cusp of seriously transitioning into color. Very nice condition.
Please examine our high res scans for detail.

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 not charge for 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!

49.00 USD

Born William Julian Dalton, near Boston Mass., Julian Eltinge (1881-1941), was one of the most famous female impersonators of the 20th century. Making his Broadway debut in 1904 just a few years before this portrait was made, he soon rose to international stardom, both in vaudeville, and on the silent screen.

At the height of his fame, he starred with a young Rudolph Valentino (not as a woman, but as a man, a la Jack Lemmon's character opposite Tony Curtis in "Some Like it Hot"), had stage sets for one of his reviews designed by Erté, a theater named after him on 42nd Street in NYC, and luxuriated in one of the more palatial mansions of Southern California.

As to the most often asked question, it remains unanswered. No lover of either sex ever emerged, though he himself (those days being what they were) is said to have adopted a hyper-masculine demeanor when out of character, going so far as to physically attack stage hands, or even members of the audience, who were careless enough to suggest out loud that he might be homosexual. When stars of the period who knew him well were asked what they believed his private inclinations were, it seems that as often as not, they could go either way...oops :)

As vaudeville faded, so did his star, and by the late 1930s, Mr. Eltinge was reduced to working nightclubs, a far cry from the fame he'd enjoyed just a decade previously. One night in 1941, he grew too ill to finish a set, and just 10 days later, died at home of a cerebral hemorrhage.

This wonderful image though, takes us back to his salad days.
What a fantastic card. We're so pleased to have found such a gem of theatrical history to share, particularly since the image pre-dates the most successful period of his career (the late 1910s). Very nice condition, with only minor wear to edges and 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!

9.00 USD

Great Reutlinger image of one of our favorite Belle Époque dancers, Mlle. Lucy Gerard. This image has received a classic Art Nouveau treatment in which Mlle. Gerard was separated from the background by white space and decorative designs were added, including a diagonal ribbon and a turned up corner. Lots of fun, and very typical of the Belle Époque era.

Leopold Reutlinger was a prolific photographer with a wide range of subjects who was very respected in the field of photography. His images included artistic sets and costumes, as seen here, portraits of theatrical performers and the cream of society, and advertising shots. By the time this image was taken, circa 1900 and definitely before 1904 when divided backs came into use, Leopold Reutlinger had been the proprietor of Reutlinger Studio for about ten years; the studio itself, however, had been in existence far longer, having been founded by Leopold's uncle, Charles Reutlinger and passed through Emile Reutlinger, Charles' brother and Leopold's father, before coming to Leopold.

*******

This is a sweet unposted card with minor wear to edges and corners. There is a noticable crease in the bottom left corner. 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!

18.00 USD

Wow, does this one ever take me back! I can remember how, at Sunday social gatherings, when Father would ask, "Who wants ice cream?" she would wave her hand in the air, just like that, and shout, "Mi! Mi!"

That was really terrible, huh :) but If you can't even believe we just wrote that...how do you think we feel??

Great image though, of Mlle. Mimi Fritz, who, according to another listing of one of her images online, was a mistress of King Constantine I of Greece. He had a reputation for a wandering eye, true enough, and certainly, a number of Parisian artistes made the occasional royal conquest, but we have not been able to find any account of that relationship anywhere else, so If anyone has a link or two to help us out, we'd certainly appreciate it!

La Zinkarella? Probably from the Italian Zingara (Gypsy woman), and so the diminutive, Zingarella, would be Gypsy girl. The text on these old cards is notorious for frequent alternative phonetic spellings, and we just have to roll with it :)

In any case, a wonderful Gypsy dancer image by Louis Martin of Paris. Monsieur Martin is one of our favorite celebrity photographers.
Unlike Leopold Reutlinger, he was not often very playful with his images, and the cards were not often hand-colored either. He seems to have produced what were pretty much straight forward portraits of theater people, who were then identified by name and act in white text (just as we have here). So no frills, but very professionally accomplished portraits of often lesser known acts, which is just a lot of fun.
Doing what we do, we mostly encounter images of the top hundred, or so, stage personalities of the time, and we love it, but when Monsieur Martin throws us a curve ball, it's always a pleasure.

His studio was located at 52 Rue de Faubourg Saint-Martin, in Paris, which is a 10 minute walk from that famous red windmill, the Moulin Rouge, and about a 15 minute walk from the Folies Bergere, so he was certainly in a prime location at that time, for making portrait appointments with stage performers. Nowadays, according to hotel reviews, this is a culturally diverse neighborhood with lots of yummy ethnic restaurants and clubs. Wanna go? :)

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!

14.00 USD

Lovely Camilla Horn (1903-1996) was trained, as a young girl, for a career as a dressmaker, but longed to be an actress. In the mid 1920s she found work, as an extra, in the silent film "Madame Doesn't Want Any Children." Also working as an extra on that film was a young Marlene Dietrich!
In 1926, Fraulein Horn got her career making break, when she replaced Lillian Gish as Gretchen, in F.W. Murnau's Expressionist Masterpiece "Faust."

Soon after this, she traveled to the U.S., where she made a few films (starring opposite John Barrymore in "Tempest" to name one), but returned to Europe at about the same time sound arrived on the scene. It wasn't the advent of sound that was the problem, though, as she continued to make talkies in Europe, had a very nice singing voice, and was quite successful, but we will guess it was the language barrier that was the obstacle to her success in Hollywood.

***One of the great things about the silent era, we think, was the ability of fine actors and actresses to make films in countries far from their own, with language never being a great obstacle. An excellent example of this would be Sessue Hayakawa, a Japanese actor who, early on, with a very heavy accent, and not a lot of English, was a popular leading man in silent film, cast romantically opposite actresses of European descent. His skilled dramatic performances, dark good looks, and moody, brooding expressiveness broke many hearts in an era when ethnocentricity and predjudice against difference of any sort was rampant, so really, silent film was bridging that gap, but once sound displaced it, that bridge all but collapsed for decades.***

Camilla Horn's unwillingness to toe the political line during the 1930s in Germany, made her unpopular with the Nazis, but she waited them out, and her popularity as an actress continued into the 1950s.

Below is a link to a Youtube clip of a short, very early, ballad by the Boss (Bruce Springsteen), called Camilla Horn. We thought you might find that fun, and another Youtube link to a clip from the Murnau film "Faust," with the focus on Fraulein Horn's character, Gretchen.

Springsteen link : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfZ4RyReDXI

Murnau link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIrn-BxfAYI

Thanks as always, Wikipedia, for all the info, and to Youtube, where we so often find pertinent and wonderful clips! Verily, admits this antique seller of olde tyme curiosities, this series of tubes, this interwebs, is a most remarkable invention! :)

A very nice, unposted card, with some rounding of the 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!

17.00 USD

as per convo

12.00 USD

Gorgeous hair! Here we have one of three beautifully hand-tinted "Mignonesque" images printed and published by Arthur Schwarz's NPG (Neue Photographische Gesellschaft) of Berlin. This was one of the very first, and for many years the largest, printers of silver-bromide photo postcards. We say Mignonesque because unlike so many Mignon images, the word "Mignon" is not present on the card itself, so we can't know for certain whether or not that was the intent. The image itself looks very much like something the famous postcard printer Bergeret of Nancy might have produced, and it may well have been, since we often run across images printed by a French company, and later by NPG. Whether this was by agreement or not, we cannot say, but many of these early postcard companies were very closely tied, and so we think in most cases these were straightforward business arrangements.

What makes this image look particularly like a Bergeret, is the comical expression on the model's face, so typical of Bergeret images. She looks, in one of these three cards at least, almost as if she is performing in a comic satire of Mignon, rather than a straight take on Thomas' opera.

A very nice posted card. We love the detail in her costume!
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 not charge for 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!

12.00 USD

Gorgeous hair! Here we have one of three beautifully hand-tinted "Mignonesque" images printed and published by Arthur Schwarz's NPG (Neue Photographische Gesellschaft) of Berlin. This was one of the very first, and for many years the largest, printers of silver-bromide photo postcards. We say Mignonesque because unlike so many Mignon images, the word "Mignon" is not present on the card itself, so we can't know for certain whether or not that was the intent. The image itself looks very much like something the famous postcard printer Bergeret of Nancy might have produced, and it may well have been, since we often run across images printed by a French company, and later by NPG. Whether this was by agreement or not, we cannot say, but many of these early postcard companies were very closely tied, and so we think in most cases these were straightforward business arrangements.

What makes this image look particularly like a Bergeret, is the comical expression on the model's face, so typical of Bergeret images. She looks, in one of these three cards at least, almost as if she is performing in a comic satire of Mignon, rather than a straight take on Thomas' opera.

A very nice posted card. We love the detail in her costume!
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 not charge for 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!

24.00 USD

Do you remember the old Warner Bros. Bugs Bunny cartoons? Do you remember the ubiquitous use of the paper-covered hoop that characters like Porky Pig would pop through to say, "That's all folks!" ? Well, unless you're a good bit older than us, you probably just thought it was a feature of the cartoon, and didn't give it much thought. But back in the early days of the cartoon, when Warner was vying with Disney for predominance in the field, and sound/voice synchronization was a new thing, the biggest slot in the entertainment industry was still vaudeville. So it was only reasonable that Warner Bros. incorporated elements of vaudeville into their cartoons. "On wit da show, dis is it!" :)

As you may have noticed with a number of our cards, the paper-covered hoop was a "schtick" oft' used by some of our favorite performers, way before Bugs and Daffy. Possibly originating out of routines inspired by the games children played with the hoop and stick from way back when, stage performers used the hoop as a prop in all kinds of ways. The paper covered hoop one could pop through, was just one of them, but it would seem it was always a hit.

We have no history on Smeralda and Amélie, but we certainly wish we could take a trip back and take in their show! Notice that there is no publisher logo on this card, and that their names are not even scratched onto the negative. This was a publicity RPPC (Real Photo Post Card) of the sort that was often printed up at the expense of the artistes themselves. Printed in limited runs, the least expensive way of producing such a card was to contract with a local printer for a certain number, foregoing the added, and considerable, expense of having your names printed with the photograph onto the card, and simply rubber-stamping your act's name onto the back (in this case, in the wonderful violet-colored ink so popular at the time).

Such cards would certainly have been posted to theater managers, agents, etc., but we know that in many cases, performers sold postcards of their act (almost like passing the hat) to the audience, and even if the theater took a cut, it was still extra income, and an accepted part of the theatrical experience!

A magnificent historical artifact, tremendous fun, and by its "limited production run" nature, a rare postcard, since we have no way of knowing how many of these even remain in existence.
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!

12.00 USD

Amazing curls! Particularly charming image of Reta Walter, who was probably best known for her performances with the Berlin Comische Opera Company in the title role of the hugely popular opera, Mignon, the tale of a tragic Gypsy girl that captured and held the collective imagination of Europe for some decades.
Mlle. Walter, though any real biographical material is very difficult to come across, was apparently the victim of very real tragedy herself.
The story we've found on a number of blog sites, though we've yet to find one offering citations, is that Reta was involved in a long term romance with one Karl Hesse, a wealthy man who at some point lost his fortune and to whom she gave financial support.
Apparently in the year 1906, the relationship turned sour, Reta fell in love with a Spanish singer, and Mr. Hesse, in a fit of rage, shot her to death and then turned the gun on himself.
We'll no doubt run across more of her history in the future, and update her biography in future listings.
Card is in nice, posted, condition, with some very minor creasing in upper right corner.
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

We tend to specialize in photo postcard portraits of Belle Epoque era theatrical performers, but within that broad category, one of the most sought after types is that one depicting the performers in action. Here we have one that creates the feeling of the vaudeville, or variety show, performance, in which the two artistes clown around while performing a handstand, or a series of cartwheels :)

We have no history on these two cuties, in fact we're not 100% certain we have the spelling of their names right. This card was posted to the Count B. Tyszkiewicz in 1907 Paris, a Polish/Lithuanian nobleman from what was once one of the most powerful families in Europe, and who apparently was a collector of antiques, and yep, the same sort of postcards you collect!

We buy many of our cards from European collectors and dealers, and have been finding many cards from "the count's" collection lately. We'll guess they've surfaced due to a recent estate auction of one of his descendants.

Because of the implied action, and comedy, in this image, we'll file it in our "Under the Big Top" heading.

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!

18.00 USD

Beautiful hand-tinting on this card by Parisian photographer Camus. We have asked ourselves what clown character had their hair done in a pointy tuft, and found no answers in our research, but thinking about the way so many clowns classically wore a pointy hat, realized that if one wears a pointed hat, and upon removing it uncovers a dramatic tuft of pointed hair....well....that is just funny, after all :)
Wonderful card in very nice condition. Please examine our high res scans for detail.

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

Lovely example of Angelo Asti's work. A woman, possibly intended to be a Gypsy? in red. Signor Asti (1847-1903) was born in Italy, emigrated to America as a young man, found work in a print shop, and there discovered he had an aptitude as an artist.

From there, he developed a dream of becoming a painter that he followed to Paris, and spending countless hours at the Louvre studying the works of masters, taught himself. Apparently his first completed work won recognition at the Salon de Paris. We love these romantic success stories :)

This is certainly a lovely image, and we're pleased to list it in our shop! This card with its divided back would have been printed a few years after the artist's death in Paris, where by that time he had, we hope, found the kind of success and recognition he sought as a painter. Minor wear and rounding of the corners.
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 not charge for 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!