![]()
18.00 USD
Welcome to "Idols of the 1920s," where we hope to provide a special, cozy place for those of you who long to linger among the stars of the early silver screen, the hoofers and songbirds of dear old vaudeville's fading hours, a few divas of the grand opera, and of the operetta too, flappers, flappers, more flappers, and of course, and perhaps especially, those femmes fatales who with one smoldering glance can melt a heart, or break it in two. Have fun!
Berlin photographer Alex Binder made this wonderful portrait of the Countess Agnes Esterhazy in about 1925.
Born Grafin Josika von Branyitska in Klausenburg, in what was formerly Transylvania (Yes, a real Transylvanian Countess), but was at that time a part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and is now in Romania, Agnes Esterhazy (1891-1956), was a stunning gal who when interviewed on the subject of ladies fashion admitted that although fabric the same shade as the wearer's flesh was the most erotic, her favorite color was still black. Well, we think she looks pretty marvelous no matter what she wears!
As a young lady, following World War One, she left her ancestral home, and relocated to Budapest Hungary, where she studied stagecraft, performed at the State Theater, and in 1920 made her first appearance in a Hungarian film. She soon received an offer from a film production company in Vienna, moved to Austria, and then on to Berlin, where she became quite popular, playing mostly supporting, but some leading roles as well.
Weimar era Berlin of the 1920s was, in terms of the wild "jazz baby" culture of the period, wilder than we ever could have imagined before doing a little research on the time and place. The "party" atmosphere of Paris, took on in Berlin a dark and manic character as its populace suffered through a horrible economic depression and chaotic political upheavals. We'll just say that "Cabaret," the hit Broadway show and popular film that was set in Weimar era Berlin, only barely scratched the surface of that atmosphere.
In "Voluptuous Panic," a book by Berkeley Drama Professor and historian Mel Gordon, that delves well beneath that surface, Mr. Gordon, while touching on a particular "black mass" (yes, really) and details of a wild orgy that followed it, suggests that a certain "countess" involved, may have been our Grafin Esterhazy, who apparently had quite a reputation.
We searched around for other sources confirming this, but with our limited time and resources found only that in 1930, she was the editor of a book titled "Das Lasterhafte Weib," or "The Vicious Woman," a collection of writings on women's sexuality and eroticism that was popularly received at the time, and is still sought after today. Incidentally, her book made the Nazi's "black list" in 1938, and any copies discovered by them would presumably have been added to those now infamous bonfires (or hoarded).
Grafin Esterhazy's film career lasted only for about ten years, until the talkies made their appearance.
Though she did make a couple of sound pictures, she was either unable to satisfactorily make that transition (or uninterested in doing so), and "silently" retired from the motion picture business, appearing in one film later in her life, in 1943. She was married to the well respected Czech actor Fritz Schultz.
In 1956 she passed away, either in Budapest Hungary, or Munich Germany. Sources are not in agreement on this.
Below, are two links to the 1925 Pabst film "Joyless Street" starring Greta Garbo and Grafin Agnes Esterhazy. The first link will take you to the full length version, in which Grafin Esterhazy's role as the young woman who chooses to "sell her virtue" in order to survive the depression is given a full showing. This version has the original German titles with subtitles in Spanish.
The second link is to an American cut, with English titles released some years later, which is basically a showcase for Miss Garbo, with very little of Miss Esterhazy's role remaining. American censors cut the original version by more than Half of its content!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZsbYIyRLPg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PsHu3F695s
A gorgeous unposted card by Ross Verlag. 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!
