36.00 USD

Jean Agelou and his brother George made use of a number of postcard logos throughout their careers. Apparently this GP logo was one of them. Indeed we've found cards out of commonly JA Paris marked series also tagged with this GP logo.

A particularly fun bit of "insider" info: It has been suggested that if you look at the GP logo a little cross-eyed, the dark negative space within the white GP initials takes the shape of JA! Try it! Are we having a "Paul is Dead" moment? I know I am :)

Great image. We love this model. The scene is set beautifully and we just never get tired of the infinite varieties of garters stockings and shoes :)

Hmm...you know, when we get home, the first thing off is the shoes! Why is it that these Fin de Siecle French gals always seem to leave them for last? Any idea?

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!

36.00 USD

Wonderful white garters over black stockings!!! This is such a classic "french" postcard. The word french in this context, like "french" bread, remains uncapitalized by us when referring to these early 1900s nude and risque images. Here in the USA at least, "french postcard" was a common term in the early 1900s and beyond, for nude or risque postcard images whether they originated in France, or not.

Jean Agelou is practically notorious for his risque and erotic postcard images of the early 1900s. Born in Alexandria Egypt to French parents in 1878, he was active as a photographer in France from at least the early 1900s.

He and his brother George produced "legitimate" work as well, and though we've read in a few places that George was not himself the photographer, but only handled the business end of their partnership, we've come across plenty of cards with the identifying logo "G A Paris" (G for George rather than J for Jean) and also a few marked Cliché George Agelou which might suggest that George took a more active role in the actual photography than is sometimes supposed, even perhaps striking out on his own for a time.

Jean Agelou and his brother George both died in an automobile accident in 1921.
A great card. Minor wear to edges and 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 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!

17.00 USD

Mlle. Xaviere De Léka, also Deléka, or Deleka, posing in a really wonderful Art Nouveau costume for famed theatrical portraitist Walery of Paris.
We've done a good bit of digging in our attempt to provide some biographical background on this performer. She performed at the Moulin Rouge in about 1900-1904* (approximately the time at which this portrait was made).
In 1907, she was mentioned in an article which appeared in the Kansas City Star, on the subject of tight-lacing, or what was often termed the wasp-waist fad. According to this article, Mlle. Jane Dirys did not wear a tight-laced corset. Mlle. De Léka did. And famed sculptor, Auguste Rodin, did not approve :)

Thanks to a wonderful thesis by Joseph Albert North, for Durham University in which Mlle. De Léka figures briefly, we know she was performing on stage a "danse d'apaches" routine in Rome in about 1912, and was then hired to appear in a number of Italian silent films produced that same year, before returning to Paris, where she was to appear, again, at the Moulin Rouge.

Then, finally, we came across a short obituary in Variety Magazine, for April, 1914, which states that, "Xaviere De Leka, cafe concert chanteuse, and also Mlle Lambell, comedienne, died in Paris, April 6th." Unfortunately, it says nothing about how, or if together or separately.

It always feels a little sad to us when we come across marvelous images of these brightly shining stars of human beings, but can learn so little about them. In this case we are actually luckier than in many, where virtually nothing turns up.

An uncommon image of this performer, at least in our experience. Photo by Walery. Though posted in 1907, the card itself was probably published before 1905, given the undivided back, and the fact that she is billed as performing at the Moulin Rouge* (see above).

A lovely image of this performer. 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!

19.00 USD

Probably printed in 1900 0r 1901, this "Private Mailing Card" was mailed in 1902 to Constantinople.

Private Mailing Cards when introduced in 1898 represented a major change in American postcard publishing. Prior to this point, the federal government had enjoyed a monopoly on the printing of all postcards in the US, but following this act of congress, these postcards could be published by companies in the private sector. Government regulations stipulated that the cards needed to be about a quarter inch narrower (5 and 1/2 by 3 and 1/4, instead of 3 and 1/2), and that the "Private Mailing Card" text (as seen on the back of this card) be printed on all of them. This, in addition to lowering the cost of mailing such cards to one penny, even when personal messages were written on the cards, opened up the postcard trade in the USA and encouraged a boom in picture postcard production and collectibility.

Do notice that although this card was published by an American company, it was printed in Germany. This would be the case with the vast majority of high quality picture postcards up until 1914 and the beginning of WWI.

Florodora was a Broadway musical production imported from London's west end that opened in the year 1900 at the Casino Theater on East 39th Street. It was a huge hit that ran for over 500 showings into 1902.

This card offers us an image of the original six American "Florodora Girls," who created quite a stir with their aura of charm, grace, and innocence. In fact, they became the real stars of the show, stealing it from the leads.

Why then were these six actresses replaced in the line-up, and over the course of the show's run more than 70 girls needed to perform in this sextette? Well, it was because throngs of wealthy men kept proposing to them, marrying them, and carrying them off, requiring sudden replacements in the cast. Seriously.

A myth has arisen surrounding the first six Florodoras, that all six of them met and married millionaires while under contract at the Casino Theater. Though this is not strictly true, at least a few of them did exactly that (who knows how many of the next 70 did also), and all of the original six wound up being very comfortably wealthy indeed, apparently as a direct result of their association with the show.

The six originals, as pictured on our card, were from left to right Margaret Walker, Daisy Greene (who was only 15 on opening night), Vaughn Tex-smith, Marjorie Relyea, Agnes Wayburn, and Marie Wilson.

In the process of researching this card, we ran across a site offering some quotes from a review of the show on opening night. The review describes the show, in so many words, as scandalous, immoral, offensive and deserving the attention of the police! The problem here is that the site we visited quoted a review of the wrong show, a review that happened to have been printed on the same page of the paper as the review of Florodora. We only mention this in case some of our more curious friends do further research and run into the same review repeated elsewhere. These Florodora Girls were popular in part because of their very sweet, chaste, and winsome (what exactly is "winsome," anyway? jk :) appearance and behavior, and probably never showed more than an inch of ankle during their graceful promenades before the footlights. Apparently very little was required of them beyond this--certainly nothing that would have compromised their reputations.

We hoped to contact the site's manager to point out the error, but weren't able to. Oh well, just another example of how important it is to double check information gleaned on the web, a lesson we've learned more than once (oh, how it stings), and one that keeps us on our toes, we hope :)

For more details on Florodora, follow the link below to a great post from which we drew much of our information!

http://vitaphone.blogspot.com/2007/02/are-there-any-more-at-home-like-you.html

This card definitely shows some wear, but is a wonderful piece of history that would fit beautifully into an American Theatrical, Broadway, or Gilded Age, card collection.

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

Remarkably beautiful costume! Gorgeous turban, and that velvet vest! Just lovely.

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

The Dagmaroff Company! The International Dance Attraction!! What costumes! What fun! :) Excellent promotional RPPC.

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!

18.00 USD

Great couples romance image starring one of our very favorite nude models whose career definitely reached back at least to the late 1910s. One of her professional names may have been Mireille, or "miracle," and she is almost always recognizable by her smile and, with no offense intended (because we do love her), her goofy, ever-unmanageable hair! :)

So here she is, at least ten years after her time posing in her birthday suit on Moroccan carpets with hookas and all bedangled with bedazzling beads and ibis crowns, now dressed in very ordinary attire out on a hot date with a well-dressed man!

Another thing is that many of these so-called glamor shots of the 1920s came out of really big commercial studios that sold the images first to fashion magazines to advertize the latest styles, and later used them as postcards like this one.

So we've often wondered, if WE, nearly a hundred years later, recognize her easily with her clothes on, how did the French postcard buyer feel about a "Happy New Year" card featuring one of the most ubiquitous nude postcard models? It would seem she hadn't suffered from type casting!

Finally, and we've mentioned this before, wouldn't it be fun to compile a collection of the more recognizable nude postcard models of the period, but fully clothed? Sheer irony :)

Anyhow, lots of fun, in nice posted condition with minor wear and what looks like a tiny scratch on the man's face that the scan shows off marvelously, but that in person, is barely noticeable. 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

When it comes down to Monsieur Reutlinger's famous photo-montages, this series is definitely one of our favorites. Collectors may recognize the series as being one in which Mlle. Polaire also appeared. We love the mixing of elements, the flowers, the "porthole" view of landscape, and the artiste's portrait overlaid. Just a beautiful combination. And what a costume! Pearl-strand slave bracelets, a tiny belly-scarf for the "danse du ventre" and a great turban with plume.

nice condition on its face, but a bit the worse for wear on the obverse, with the careless removal from an album page, and a fair amount of foxing. 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!

14.00 USD

Leopold Reutlinger, the Belle Epoque photographer, took thousands of photographs of famous Parisian actresses. These were published in cartes de visite or cabinet card formats, later as postcards, cropped to close up and republished, hand tinted, glittered, sequined, published again, and when every imaginable possibility had been explored, he superimposed these images onto wonderfully fantastic, often surreal backgrounds. The "Artiste with Bird" series is one of our favorites, quite collectible, and we've seen a fair number of them pass through our shop, though not usually in condition this fine.

One of the issues with Reutlinger's "fantaisies," is that although the artiste's name was usually printed on the face of the card in its early incarnations, by the time they evolved into these dramatically imaginative versions, the artiste's name would often be left off the card. This was fine at the time, since their faces were very well known, just as we sometimes see 1970s era posters of unidentified movie stars, like Paul Newman and Robert Redford dressed up as cowboys.

But, of course, their having left off the names on some of these old postcards gives us the opportunity to play the "Name That Face" game, one of our favorite pastimes :).

The beautiful actress in this image is Marguerite Brésil. Born in 1880, she made her first appearance on the stage of the Théatre Gymnase in Paris, in 1899, and within a few years was a tremendously successful star.
This card was published by NPG (Neue Photographische Gesellschaft) of Berlin, and utilized the extremely effective Oranotype method for photo reproduction. Very nice condition on this one, dated on the back 1906.
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!

11.00 USD

Splendid image of beautiful young woman posing with urn. Puts us in mind of paintings by Pre-Raphaelites like Dante Gabriel Rosetti. Stamp on the card face is postmarked 1907.

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!

11.00 USD

In Mlle. Miéris' era, well known actresses were frequently referred to by last names only, in much the same way as were "Garbo" and "Dietrich" in the 1930s. Even in those theatrical notices, from periodicals of the time, that we came across in our research, she is identified only as Miéris, or Mlle. Miéris. We can find no biographical information on her, but enough theatrical history to suggest that she was, at least primarily, a serious stage actress rather than a singer/dancer (not to suggest that those mediums are necessarily exclusive of one another). In fact, in 1906, she enjoyed the distinction of appearing not only with Coquelin aîné (Coquelin the elder) one of France's most loved actors at that time, and only three years before he passed away, but also with his son, Jean Coquelin, in Alfred Capus' "L'Attentat" at Théâtre de la Gaîté in Paris.
From our image oriented perspective, she had one of the sweetest faces appearing on postcards at that time. Just lovely. And very nice hand-coloration on this one, as well.
Please examine our high res scans for detail.

Postage is for first class shipping in a secure photo mailer, or in a padded envelope reinforced for protection of the merchandise. 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 recent increases in international shipping rates will still be charged one card's shipping fees on orders of three or more.
We do not profit from shipping, shipping materials, or handling. Shipping as we normally do, first class, fully insured, and in secure packaging to prevent damage to our cards, we generally accept a small loss in shipping expenses, whether domestically or internationally.

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

Most of the images of Mlle Fleuron we find were made by the Parisian photographer J. Oricelly, for whom we have found no biography as yet.

From the little we've learned, Méaty seems to have enjoyed most of her popularity during the1890s, and perhaps not so much after the turn of the century. Many images of her were produced during the time she was performing at the Caf'Conc Parisiana, but like her better known sister, Lise Fleuron, she probably traveled and performed internationally.

What is a Caf'Conc? With the ending sound of the word probably comparable to that lettre muette that ends the name Fleuron, The Caf'Conc (short for Café Concert) was an establishment that combined stage shows, and sometimes ballroom dancing, with drinking and dining (apparently with an accent on the drinking). The difference between the traditional Caf'Conc and the Parisian Music Hall is in the revenues from entertainment, versus the revenues from refreshments. Apparently the Music Hall was an idea imported by English entrepreneurs, who moved out the tables, and moved in the rows and rows of seats, to accommodate a larger audience, key being a "paying" audience, whereas with the Caf'Conc, admission was often free, but the food and drinks cost you. The decline of the Caf'Conc began in earnest in about 1900, and by the end of la Belle Epoque (around 1914), they had largely gone the way of the era. In keeping with that trend, the Parisiana was relatively short lived as a Caf'Conc, and was closed in 1908, becoming an early cinema house by 1914.

The name of Méaty's sister, Lise Fleuron, was actually Marguerite Raucher, but we don't know if Méaty shared that name, or not. It may have been Lise's name after marriage. It is said that Lise was known for her ample bosom and low necklines which were apparently much talked about at the time, and if anything Méaty was more "ample," but what we love most about her are her intense facial expressions, and, of course from this particular series of Oricelly images, with such wonderful lighting and contrast, her absolutely bizarre coiffure :)

A very nice, unposted card, with minor foxing on the reverse side.

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

Au Bord du Puits, or At the Well, a truly lovely image of a young woman drawing water. This is an unidentified photogravure of actress Lilian Greuze by Reutlinger of Paris, and one of five cards, out of a series of probably six, that we recently acquired for the shop.

After initially listing this card, we were contacted by one of our wonderful customers with the information that the model in this image is none other than Mlle. Lilian (also Lillian) Greuze, French stage actress, model, and later, film actress. We have no bio on her unfortunately, but we know she was associated with both Sarah (la Divine) Bernhardt, and Polaire, appeared in several silent films, and went on to appear in the talkies as well, into the 1930s!

The "woman at the well" as a theme, can easily be counted as its own sub-genre of picture postcards. Though perhaps not as collectible today as Pierrot, or paper moon images, at the time this card was printed, the "woman at the well" was a theme that resonated deeply.

Though technology and industry were moving forward with lightning speed by the year 1900, it was more part and parcel of the urban experience. Village life was still, in many places, not terribly different for the average villager than it had been a hundred years before.

Indoor plumbing was not the norm (actually, even in the 1970s, in the USA, though the "village well" may have been a forgotten fixture of the past, indoor plumbing was still a stranger to many rural American households) and the village, or shared, well in turn of the century France was, as it had always been, an important gathering place, a hub of village life.

In addition to those ancient mythical concepts of the well as a source of life, of wisdom, and so on, there is also a common association of the water jug, urn or vase, with womanhood, motherhood, and fertility. Add to that the fact that the well was often that place in the village where a young man or woman might first have begun a shy courtship with their future mate, and it is no wonder this theme was so very popular.
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

Au Bord du Puits, or At the Well, a truly lovely image of a young woman drawing water. This is an unidentified photogravure of actress Lilian Greuze by Reutlinger of Paris, and one of five cards, out of a series of probably six, that we recently acquired for the shop.

After initially listing this card, we were contacted by one of our wonderful customers with the information that the model in this image is none other than Mlle. Lilian (also Lillian) Greuze, French stage actress, model, and later, film actress. We have no bio on her unfortunately, but we know she was associated with both Sarah (la Divine) Bernhardt, and Polaire, appeared in several silent films, and went on to appear in the talkies as well, into the 1930s!

The "woman at the well" as a theme, can easily be counted as its own sub-genre of picture postcards. Though perhaps not as collectible today as Pierrot, or paper moon images, at the time this card was printed, the "woman at the well" was a theme that resonated deeply.

Though technology and industry were moving forward with lightning speed by the year 1900, it was more part and parcel of the urban experience. Village life was still, in many places, not terribly different for the average villager than it had been a hundred years before.

Indoor plumbing was not the norm (actually, even in the 1970s, in the USA, though the "village well" may have been a forgotten fixture of the past, indoor plumbing was still a stranger to many rural American households) and the village, or shared, well in turn of the century France was, as it had always been, an important gathering place, a hub of village life.

In addition to those ancient mythical concepts of the well as a source of life, of wisdom, and so on, there is also a common association of the water jug, urn or vase, with womanhood, motherhood, and fertility. Add to that the fact that the well was often that place in the village where a young man or woman might first have begun a shy courtship with their future mate, and it is no wonder this theme was so very popular.
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!

Reutlinger,vintage postcard,french postcard,photogravure,art print,belle epoque,1900s,well,fertility,woman,village life,au bord du puits

16.00 USD

Au Bord du Puits, or At the Well, a truly lovely image of a young woman drawing water. This is an unidentified photogravure of actress Lilian Greuze by Reutlinger of Paris, and one of five cards, out of a series of probably six, that we recently acquired for the shop.

After initially listing this card, we were contacted by one of our wonderful customers with the information that the model in this image is none other than Mlle. Lilian (also Lillian) Greuze, French stage actress, model, and later, film actress. We have no bio on her unfortunately, but we know she was associated with both Sarah (la Divine) Bernhardt, and Polaire, appeared in several silent films, and went on to appear in the talkies as well, into the 1930s!

The "woman at the well" as a theme, can easily be counted as its own sub-genre of picture postcards. Though perhaps not as collectible today as Pierrot, or paper moon images, at the time this card was printed, the "woman at the well" was a theme that resonated deeply.

Though technology and industry were moving forward with lightning speed by the year 1900, it was more part and parcel of the urban experience. Village life was still, in many places, not terribly different for the average villager than it had been a hundred years before.

Indoor plumbing was not the norm (actually, even in the 1970s, in the USA, though the "village well" may have been a forgotten fixture of the past, indoor plumbing was still a stranger to many rural American households) and the village, or shared, well in turn of the century France was, as it had always been, an important gathering place, a hub of village life.

In addition to those ancient mythical concepts of the well as a source of life, of wisdom, and so on, there is also a common association of the water jug, urn or vase, with womanhood, motherhood, and fertility. Add to that the fact that the well was often that place in the village where a young man or woman might first have begun a shy courtship with their future mate, and it is no wonder this theme was so very popular.
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!

Reutlinger,vintage postcard,french postcard,photogravure,art print,belle epoque,1900s,well,fertility,woman,village life,au bord du puits

16.00 USD

Au Bord du Puits, or At the Well, a truly lovely image of a young woman drawing water. This is an unidentified photogravure of actress Lilian Greuze by Reutlinger of Paris, and one of five cards out of a series of probably six, that we recently acquired for the shop.

After initially listing this card, we were contacted by one of our wonderful customers with the information that the model in this image is none other than Mlle. Lilian (also Lillian) Greuze, French stage actress, model, and later, film actress. We have no bio on her unfortunately, but we know she was associated with both Sarah (la Divine) Bernhardt, and Polaire, appeared in several silent films, and went on to appear in the talkies as well, into the 1930s!

The "woman at the well" as a theme, can easily be counted as its own sub-genre of picture postcards. Though perhaps not as collectible today as Pierrot or paper moon images, at the time this card was printed the "woman at the well" was a theme that resonated deeply.

Though technology and industry were moving forward with lightning speed by the year 1900, it was more part and parcel of the urban experience. Village life was still, in many places, not terribly different for the average villager than it had been a hundred years before.

Indoor plumbing was not the norm (actually even in the 1970s, in the USA, though the "village well" may have been a forgotten fixture of the past, indoor plumbing was still a stranger to many rural American households) and the village, or shared, well in turn of the century France was, as it had always been, an important gathering place, a hub of village life.

In addition to those ancient mythical concepts of the well as a source of life, of wisdom, and so on, there is also a common association of the water jug, urn or vase, with womanhood, motherhood, and fertility. Add to that the fact that the well was often that place in the village where a young man or woman might first have begun a shy courtship with their future mate, and it is no wonder this theme was so very popular.
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!

29.00 USD

In almost perfect condition, an uncommon card out of a much beloved series of German postcards by Rotophot of Berlin.

Rotophot (Rotophot Gesellschaft fuer photographischen Rotationsdruck m.b.H.) was one of the top competitors in the production of high quality picture postcards during the first decade of the 20th century, surpassed in production only by NPG (Neue Photographische Gesellschaft).

Heinrich Ross, who would later become the largest publisher of "film star" postcards in the world (Ross Verlag), joined Rotophot in around 1908, and this card was published after he became a moving force within that company. We know this by the horse positioned atop the Rotophot logo. Ross, in German, means horse, and this was Heinrich Ross's personal logo.

On the card's obverse, we see the triangle mark of NBC (Neue Bromsilber Convention), a cost and quality control organization of postcard printers and publishers (said to be a price fixing cartel) that came into being in the last half of 1909. This mark lets us date this card to sometime between 1909 and about 1914, when WWI began and the production of German postcards for export ground to a halt.

So our card was printed just a few years before the end of the picture postcard's golden era and typifies the sort of fanciful imagery so popular at the time.

Beautiful, beautiful 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!

36.00 USD

as per convo

11.00 USD

We love this image so much we've made it our Facebook cover image.

As one of our wonderful customers shared with us in arranging for a shipment of postcards, an empty mailbox, or one that holds only bills and ad flyers, can be woefully lackluster.

There's just something wonderful about receiving something real in the mail. No matter how anticipated it may be, the pleasure of opening the mailbox and finding a handwritten letter or postcard, or a package of treats (even the kind you've bought for yourself), just can't be topped. This is even more true today, we think, than it was a hundred years ago. Yes, our virtual mailboxes are full (sometimes too full!), but electronic mail is just lacking in the magic of receiving something a bit more personal.

Lots of fun! Great image, and wonderful contrast and resolution. Probably a German card, posted in Austria in the early to mid 1910s (guesswork, but I think we're close :)

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!

11.00 USD

Just a very lovely image! Posted to the Cafe de la Gare in Lunel, Herault.
Minor wear to 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 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!