8.50 USD

We found a small cache of 1920's Ross Verlag postcards depicting scenes from Fritz Lang's German Expressionist film masterpiece "Die Nibelungen" and so we've created a temporary section to show off these wonderful cards.

Also, below are three Youtube links to the film. The first (as indicated) offers English subtitles and combines parts one (Siegfried) and two (Kriemhild's Revenge), but the print quality is a little poor.

The two links below that one are for parts one and two separately, offer no English subs, but are the magnificent restoration version accomplished by the F.W. Murnau Society in 2010. For this restoration, a photo-chemical rather than digital process was employed, resulting in something as close to the original film-goer's experience as possible.

If you're not a German speaker (reader) this requires some dedication and focus on context, to say nothing of an almost five hour time investment! But do check it out for a few minutes at least. It's truly gorgeous.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TnXruo9FlQ (English Subtitles)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNa74OevW_c
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jhb2mjjx-E (photo-chemical restoration)

Lang's "Die Nibelungen" was based on the 13th century (or earlier) epic poem, the Nibelungenlied, and is often, though shouldn't be, confused with Wagner's "Ring Cycle." Wagner certainly drew upon the Nibelungenlied as one of his sources, but the stories really aren't the same. The film's script was written by Thea von Harbou, a screen writer, novelist and actress.

Thea von Harbou and Lang were a married couple incidentally, and were also the writer and director of the German Expressionist classic "Metropolis" in 1927 and the chilling "M" in '31.

Fritz Lang was one of many in the German film industry who left Germany after the Nazis came to power. He went on to direct films in Hollywood, some of which are now classics in the "Film Noir" genre. (Our favorite of those we've seen is definitely "The Big Heat." Awesome movie! )

Each of these cards is in really very nice condition! Spectacular!
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!

9.50 USD

We found a small cache of 1920's Ross Verlag postcards depicting scenes from Fritz Lang's German Expressionist film masterpiece "Die Nibelungen" and so we've created a temporary section to show off these wonderful cards.

Also, below are three Youtube links to the film. The first (as indicated) offers English subtitles and combines parts one (Siegfried) and two (Kriemhild's Revenge), but the print quality is a little poor.

The two links below that one are for parts one and two separately, offer no English subs, but are the magnificent restoration version accomplished by the F.W. Murnau Society in 2010. For this restoration, a photo-chemical rather than digital process was employed, resulting in something as close to the original film-goer's experience as possible.

If you're not a German speaker (reader) this requires some dedication and focus on context, to say nothing of an almost five hour time investment! But do check it out for a few minutes at least. It's truly gorgeous.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TnXruo9FlQ (English Subtitles)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNa74OevW_c
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jhb2mjjx-E (photo-chemical restoration)

Lang's "Die Nibelungen" was based on the 13th century (or earlier) epic poem, the Nibelungenlied, and is often, though shouldn't be, confused with Wagner's "Ring Cycle." Wagner certainly drew upon the Nibelungenlied as one of his sources, but the stories really aren't the same. The film's script was written by Thea von Harbou, a screen writer, novelist and actress.

Thea von Harbou and Lang were a married couple incidentally, and were also the writer and director of the German Expressionist classic "Metropolis" in 1927 and the chilling "M" in '31.

Fritz Lang was one of many in the German film industry who left Germany after the Nazis came to power. He went on to direct films in Hollywood, some of which are now classics in the "Film Noir" genre. (Our favorite of those we've seen is definitely "The Big Heat." Awesome movie! )

Each of these cards is in really very nice condition! Spectacular!
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!

98.00 USD

as per convos. Six of seven cards shown. Un-shown is bathing beauty card with minor damage @ 8.

18.00 USD

This superb couples romance postcard was published by Rotophot of Berlin sometime between 1906 and 1908. We know this because the printer was a member of P.R.A. “Verein Photographischer Reproduktions-Anstalten GmbH" a convention, or cartel, whose members were concerned with maintaining costs in the silver bromide photo card industry. The convention was born in '06, died in '08, and so when we find its logo as we do here, in the stamp box on the obverse of our card, it gives us a handy-dandy means of dating the card!

The coloring on this card is amazing. Check out the Art Nouveau (Jugendstil) design on the coverlet draped over the divan, and the condition is almost perfect.

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

This superb couples romance postcard was published by Rotophot of Berlin sometime between 1906 and 1908. We know this because the printer was a member of P.R.A. “Verein Photographischer Reproduktions-Anstalten GmbH" a convention, or cartel, whose members were concerned with maintaining costs in the silver bromide photo card industry. The convention was born in '06, died in '08, and so when we find its logo as we do here, in the stamp box on the obverse of our card, it gives us a handy-dandy means of dating the card!

The coloring on this card is amazing. Check out the Art Nouveau (Jugendstil) design on the coverlet draped over the divan, and the condition is almost perfect.

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

Great flapper RPPC. Don't know who this gal was, but she certainly had something! Wouldn't be surprised to discover that she was a film actress. Love the 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

Great flapper RPPC. Don't know who this gal was, but she certainly had something! Wouldn't be surprised to discover that she was a film actress. Love the 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

Great flapper RPPC. Don't know who this gal was, but she certainly had something! Wouldn't be surprised to discover that she was a film actress. Love the 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!

9.00 USD

Faye Templeton (1865-1939) was a much loved star of Broadway musicals, light opera and Vaudeville from the 1870s into the 1930s...yep, her career spanned 60 years! She was born into the theater on Christmas morning 1865 to parents who were themselves old troupers, performing with their own company in Little Rock Arkansas just a few short months after Lee's surrender at Appomattox in April of that year.

Some of our visitors might remember the classic James Cagney musical "Yankee Doodle Dandy" (1942 Michael Curtiz), a bio-pic about the life and times of George M. Cohan, in which Cagney played Cohan, and Irene Manning played the part of Faye Templeton. It was a pivotal role, in a hinted at love triangle. We've never come across any actual details to support the idea that Cohan and Templeton had an affair, but she was, in fact, hired by Cohan to star in his musical "45 Minutes from Broadway" (1906), a huge success.

Below is a link to a Youtube clip of Miss Manning, as Faye Templeton, singing a couple of numbers in "Yankee Doodle" that were from the original musical "45 Minutes." Of course the style and choreography will have been tempered by early 1940s aesthetic, but it's still fun :)

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

So, here is the real Faye Templeton shaking her ruffles at us. Lots of history, lots of fun, and a near mint American postcard from around 1900, printed in Hamburg, Germany.
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!

8.50 USD

Miss Ivy Close (1890-1968) turned 18 in 1908, the year the British magazine, The Daily Mirror (Yes, the same Daily Mirror, though only a few years old at that time, and a very different creature), held a beauty contest in which Miss Close beat out 1500 other contestants to emerge with the title, "The Most Beautiful Woman in the World."

Certainly she was a beauty, and of a very "English type" for the period, ethereal, arsenically pale and lustrous (Yeah, we're sort of like fans :).

This lovely photo-engraving (our personal favorite out of the images of her we've seen) was probably produced shortly after 1908.

In 1910, she married society photographer Elwin Neame with whom, in 1914, she founded "Ivy Close Films." Even before that, in 1911 or '12, Elwin Neame wrote and directed her in her first short film, one of 47 films total that she appeared in over the course of her career.

Miss Close did not last into the talkie era, her film career coming to an end in 1929.

Though her husband Elwin died was killed in a motorcycle accident in 1923, he and Miss Close founded the "Neame dynasty," which has lasted through four generations of screenwriters, directors and producers.
*Thanks to IMDB and Wikipedia for the bulk of this listing's bio information!*

Lovely image, lovely card, in very nice unposted 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!

12.00 USD

Rita Sacchetto (born Margherita Sacchetto) in 1880 (sometimes a year or two earlier, depending on source), Munich, Germany, was the daughter of a Venetian painter and an Austrian woman. (Our online sources must have drawn their information from the same fount, since they all refer to Fraulein Sacchetto's mother simply as "an Austrian woman" and much as we'd like to, we can't improve on this :)

As the story goes, her decision to become a dancer immediately followed her seeing a performance by Isadora Duncan, in 1902.

Apparently she studied hard, and three years later, in 1905, she made her debut performance at the Münchner Künstlerhaus.

We think it's very much worth noting that in Fraulein Sacchetto we have not so much one of the early pioneers of that modern, interpretive solo work that changed the way the west looked at dance, but rather one of the early inheritors of that popular movement.

The notion that a woman in her early twenties would suddenly decide to become a dancer, take lessons for three years, and then embark on a career in dance, would have been unthinkable a few decades before, but by 1902, the way had been opened by dancers like Loie Fuller and Isadora Duncan.

Like Fuller, Duncan, Mata Hari of course, and yes, Cleo de Merode too, Rita Sacchetto developed an "angle," or schtick, if you will, that her audiences responded to with enthusiasm. We don't for a moment intend to slight the effort, talent and imagination involved in the process, but point out that in moving away from what many of these modern dancers considered to be the stifling atmosphere and constraints of the long established companies and traditions, the solo interpretists approached the art of dance from a "popular," or "populist," perhaps even "proletariat" direction! We can't forget that these dancers were very well aware of just how "revolutionary" some of their work was. Think of Isadora Duncan and her long red scarf.

Rita Sacchetto called her dances Tanzbilder (literally dance pictures), in the tradition of the already popular Tableaux Vivants, in which, using carefully arranged sets, she performed scenes from famous works of art, making those paintings, already loved by much of her audience, come alive through movement and music.

She was very successful internationally, was brought to the Met in New York by Loie Fuller, appreciated by artists like Gustav Klimt, collaborated with designers like Paul Poiret in Paris and also starred in a number of early silent films in the 1910s.

Our card's image was produced by one of the many successful woman photographers of the time, Marie Reiser, a talented portraitist of Prague. Photography was a relatively new art form and as a profession, because it was not closely guarded by century old guild rules, was a wide open field, unrestricted and welcoming to anyone, including women, and Jews. Marie Reiser was both.

We discovered in a genealogical post online that tragically, sometime after Germany invaded Czechoslovakia, Mme. Reiser (if it was the same Marie Reiser which seems likely) was deported to the death camp Treblinka, where she, along with countless other victims, was murdered by the Nazis.

A gorgeous photo of a gifted artist, by a gifted artist. Very nice unposted 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!

24.00 USD

Rita Sacchetto (born Margherita Sacchetto) in 1880 (sometimes a year or two earlier, depending on source), Munich, Germany, was the daughter of a Venetian painter and an Austrian woman. (Our online sources must have drawn their information from the same fount, since they all refer to Fraulein Sacchetto's mother simply as "an Austrian woman" and much as we'd like to, we can't improve on this :)

As the story goes, her decision to become a dancer immediately followed her seeing a performance by Isadora Duncan, in 1902.

Apparently she studied hard, and three years later, in 1905, she made her debut performance at the Münchner Künstlerhaus.

We think it's very much worth noting that in Fraulein Sacchetto we have not so much one of the early pioneers of that modern, interpretive solo work that changed the way the west looked at dance, but rather one of the early inheritors of that popular movement.

The notion that a woman in her early twenties would suddenly decide to become a dancer, take lessons for three years, and then embark on a career in dance, would have been unthinkable a few decades before, but by 1902, the way had been opened by dancers like Loie Fuller and Isadora Duncan.

Like Fuller, Duncan, Mata Hari of course, and yes, Cleo de Merode too, Rita Sacchetto developed an "angle," or schtick, if you will, that her audiences responded to with enthusiasm. We don't for a moment intend to slight the effort, talent and imagination involved in the process, but point out that in moving away from what many of these modern dancers considered to be the stifling atmosphere and constraints of the long established companies and traditions, the solo interpretists approached the art of dance from a "popular," or "populist," perhaps even "proletariat" direction! We can't forget that these dancers were very well aware of just how "revolutionary" some of their work was. Think of Isadora Duncan and her long red scarf.

Rita Sacchetto called her dances Tanzbilder (literally dance pictures), in the tradition of the already popular Tableaux Vivants, in which, using carefully arranged sets, she performed scenes from famous works of art, making those paintings, already loved by much of her audience, come alive through movement and music.

She was very successful internationally, was brought to the Met in New York by Loie Fuller, appreciated by artists like Gustav Klimt, collaborated with designers like Paul Poiret in Paris and also starred in a number of early silent films in the 1910s.

A gorgeous photo of a gifted artist. Very nice unposted 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!

24.00 USD

Rita Sacchetto (born Margherita Sacchetto) in 1880 (sometimes a year or two earlier, depending on source), Munich, Germany, was the daughter of a Venetian painter and an Austrian woman. (Our online sources must have drawn their information from the same fount, since they all refer to Fraulein Sacchetto's mother simply as "an Austrian woman" and much as we'd like to, we can't improve on this :)

As the story goes, her decision to become a dancer immediately followed her seeing a performance by Isadora Duncan, in 1902.

Apparently she studied hard, and three years later, in 1905, she made her debut performance at the Münchner Künstlerhaus.

We think it's very much worth noting that in Fraulein Sacchetto we have not so much one of the early pioneers of that modern, interpretive solo work that changed the way the west looked at dance, but rather one of the early inheritors of that popular movement.

The notion that a woman in her early twenties would suddenly decide to become a dancer, take lessons for three years, and then embark on a career in dance, would have been unthinkable a few decades before, but by 1902, the way had been opened by dancers like Loie Fuller and Isadora Duncan.

Like Fuller, Duncan, Mata Hari of course, and yes, Cleo de Merode too, Rita Sacchetto developed an "angle," or schtick, if you will, that her audiences responded to with enthusiasm. We don't for a moment intend to slight the effort, talent and imagination involved in the process, but point out that in moving away from what many of these modern dancers considered to be the stifling atmosphere and constraints of the long established companies and traditions, the solo interpretists approached the art of dance from a "popular," or "populist," perhaps even "proletariat" direction! We can't forget that these dancers were very well aware of just how "revolutionary" some of their work was. Think of Isadora Duncan and her long red scarf.

Rita Sacchetto called her dances Tanzbilder (literally dance pictures), in the tradition of the already popular Tableaux Vivants, in which, using carefully arranged sets, she performed scenes from famous works of art, making those paintings, already loved by much of her audience, come alive through movement and music.

She was very successful internationally, was brought to the Met in New York by Loie Fuller, appreciated by artists like Gustav Klimt, collaborated with designers like Paul Poiret in Paris and also starred in a number of early silent films in the 1910s.

A gorgeous photo of a gifted artist. Very nice unposted 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!

29.00 USD

A risque flapper by the Riverside. This card puts us in mind of Jacques Biederer's campy "up-skirt" imagery, but it was done by another Parisian photographer.

We are very pleased to share with you a wonderful small collection of postcard images by Parisian photographer Albert Wyndham. This is one of several we got into the shop a short while ago.

Most of these probably date to the mid 1920s and early 30s.
There is little information available on Wyndham himself. A few auction listings of his work give his birth and death as 1903-1977, but nothing yet as to Wyndham's place of birth or death. We'll keep looking.
Undoubtedly, Wyndham did commercial work for Parisian lingerie manufacturers, as did so very many Paris photographers, and those glamor cards we so love often originated as fashion images in French magazines.
Wyndham's focus on undergarments and stockings though, moved beyond the commercial fashion view, into fetish, and he had (still has) a tremendous following as a photographer of "risque" images.

In his book, "Erotic Photography," Alexandre Dupouy mentions Albert Wyndham.
Dupouy writes that Wyndham worked for several minor magazines in the 1930s, and also produced catalogues "called Poupees Parisiennes or Camera Prints, which were published in English and aimed at an Anglo-Saxon clientele."
He writes that prints of catalogue images could be ordered through the mail and that this end of the business was very successful.
The postcards were sometimes signed "Film Art," or sometimes "Wyndham" but were in our experience always marked by a lower case "c" in a circle accompanied by a series number.

Monsieur Dupouy also put forth the very interesting theory that Wyndham may have actually been the photographer, Grundworth, another Parisian photographer (or group of photographers, as has been suggested elsewhere) about whom almost nothing is known, but whose work was produced on the same paper and whose style was very similar to Wyndham's, with the major difference being that while Wyndham's work was merely risque (and barely so, by modern standards), Grundworth's often entered the realm of what many would label pornography.

We hope you enjoy these classic lingerie images!
Some of the cards in this collection show minor wear to edges and corners. If we find any with major defects, we will, as always, list them, but please do 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

Anita Stewart (1895-1961) was born Anna May Stewart in Brooklyn, New York. She was a very popular star of the silent screen throughout the 1910s and 20's, beginning her screen career while still in high school, in 1911. She was one of so many huge stars who did not make the transition from the silents to the talkies.
Great 1910's ringlets in this image and what an expression :)

A very nice card 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!

11.00 USD

To pick a peck of Pierrots,

To make of Pierrots a posset,

One twists the spigot,

Just like so,

And they'll come tumbling

Out the faucet!


Well, a posset of Pierrots sounds a little unlikely, but we had a jumble of them here, and needed a word that began with a P :)

Lovely RPPC from somewhere around the 1920s, of a children's theatrical production, a bit like a photographic version of something Maxfield Parrish might have dreamed up :)

Some wear at the corners and edges of this wonderful old moment in time.
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!

9.00 USD

Such a charming image, and a gorgeous print! This card is pretty rough around the edges though, so if you want to adopt this precious RPPC, please examine our high res scans for detail. We want you to be happy with your purchases here at Red Poulaine!

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!

9.50 USD

We love the composition of this strange little RPPC. If it was just a snapshot of a man dancing in a brassiere, it might still be interesting, or not, depending on the context. After all, although we've never attended one personally, word is that this is a pretty common practice at "frat" parties! :)

But the way this image really works for us, is not even at center stage, where the obvious action is taking place, but rather diagonally, between the two other men.

We have first the spectator, in what was presumably modern, conventional dress (for circa 1940 Algeria, Morocco, or Egypt, just guessing), and then the seated man in the checked pants and loose white tunic, whose singing (and perhaps hand clapping) directs the dance.

This might have been nothing more than a silly stunt, or these might be street entertainers, or the scene might have a cultural significance immediately apparent to someone more familiar with that place and time, but for us, the diagonal line between the two not-dancing men is a direct path through the looking glass, as it were. We become the spectator, standing outside, and peering into a place where up is down, standing is sitting, man is woman, and conventional dress becomes brightly patterned and ostentatious. Very weird and dream-like, and we love it!

As with so many RPPCs, this is very possibly the only remaining example of this wonderful image in existence! We know nothing about any of the subjects, the photographer, or even the geographical location of this card's origin, only that it was produced on Agfa print stock (Actien-Gesellschaft für Anilin-Fabrikation). This was a very big German producer of photo chemicals and print paper that shipped worldwide, so no country of origin help there, but by the style of the "Agfa" mark on the back of the card, we can at least date the paper to pre-1945. Finally, the brassiere helps us narrow it down a bit. Apparently the "bullet" bra first surfaced in the late 1930s, but didn't really become popular until after WWII, so our photograph was probably taken sometime between 1939, when the bullet bra appeared, and 1944, the last year Agfa paper bearing the particular mark on the back of our card, was produced.
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

"Pigeon vole!
Aérogyne Elle ment avec son corps
Mieux que l'esprit n'imagine
Les mensonges
du decor."

Jean Cocteau

Miss Aérogyne, La Femme Volante, or "the Flying Woman"

From her costume, and stage name, you might think Miss Aérogyne was a trapese artist, or even a human cannonball, and at some point in her career, who knows? She may have done those things as well.

But for this act, she was a stage magician, an illusionist, and making use of careful set design, and no doubt some daring acrobatics as well, she would appear to be flying through the air, much to the delight of the audience, one of whom, writer and film director Jean Cocteau, composed a poem about her in the early 1920s.

"Fly pigeon," he writes, and though we won't attempt a poetic translation here, he seems essentially to say that with her body, and with the lie supported by the stage decor, she creates the illusion of flight, better than he can imagine in his own mind.

Apparently he was so enchanted with the produced special effect, that he reproduced it in 1924, in his film "Roméo and Juliette." This, according to a scholarly article by Professor Jennifer Forrest, follow link to read more.

http://newprairiepress.org/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1544&context=sttcl

Full disclosure: Professor Forrest gives the name of Miss Aérogyne as Marie Fourrier, but also writes that she cannot be certain the "Miss Aérogyne" whose performance Monsieur Cocteau so enjoyed, was necessarily the same one. Apparently she had many imitators.

A very nice circus/vaudeville card. Like many cards of this genre, it was a cheaply produced souvenir, a photolithograph, not a photograph, but captures the era and the feel of the circus ring beautifully :)

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!

7.00 USD

Gabrielle Debrives, also called Gabrielle De Brives (1883-1974), was an actress and singer who was among the regulars at Théâtre des Variétés. In this image, a publicity shot for the 1904 opera Barbe Bleue, in which she played "first page," Mlle. Debrives is costumed in a sumptuously embroidered satin outfit. The sharpness of the image is such that one can practically feel the texture of the cloth, just by looking at it. Her hat is equally amazing, with beautiful plumage. We're certain this image will be of interest to Renaissance costumers. Based on the mentions we have found of her, Mlle. Debrives appeared to specialize in supporting roles, and she seems to have been well-known and respected for her work during her lifetime, although little information has come down to us.

Bibliothèque nationale de France includes in their collection a copy of "Barbe-Bleue : opéra-bouffe en 3 actes." This was an operetta written by Jacques Offenbach and set to a French libretto by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy. The story is based on the 1697 fairy tale "La Barbe bleue," or "Bluebeard" as it's known to most English speakers, by Charles Perrault, one of his darkest and most chilling stories.

The operetta is a bit lighter than the story upon which it was based, centering on the plight of two lovers, Prince Saphir and the flower-girl Fleurette, who were not part of the original fairy tale, and replacing the outright murder of Bluebeard's wives with a potion that Bluebeard believes kills the women, but which in fact only puts them in a deep sleep. Bluebeard, even before he has "killed" his newest wife, sets his sights upon Fleurette, who has been revealed as the Princess Hermia.

You can hear the overture to the opera on YouTube at:

http://youtu.be/XUoH6AIC6Zs?list=RDXUoH6AIC6Zs

or even listen to the entire opera at:

http://youtu.be/vmOTOdyxzp0

There are snippets of the opera from a more modern performance, but we have not been able to find a full production in video.

Wikipedia tells us that "Jacques Offenbach (20 June 1819 – 5 October 1880) was a German-born French composer, cellist and impresario of the romantic period. He is remembered for his nearly 100 operettas of the 1850s–1870s and his uncompleted opera The Tales of Hoffmann. He was a powerful influence on later composers of the operetta genre, particularly Johann Strauss, Jr. and Arthur Sullivan. His best-known works were continually revived during the 20th century, and many of his operettas continue to be staged in the 21st. The Tales of Hoffman remains part of the standard opera repertory."

The extremely prolific Jacques Offenbach wrote a large number of opéras bouffes, a genre of late 19th-century French operetta that is closely associated with him. Opéras bouffes are often comedic or farcical. Barbe Bleue is one of the most famous examples of the genre.

We are music lovers with very eclectic tastes, which include opera, and this work is new and delightful for us. It is very lively and sweet in it's opening passages, which are playing as we write this.

You may also be interested to know that Mlle. Debrives appeared in several silent films between 1910 and 1918, one of which, a short comedic film under 10 minutes, "Les timidités de Rigadin," which translates to "A Shy Youth," is available on YouTube at:

http://youtu.be/aoaxfkzTbZI

In the film, Mlle. Debrives plays a servant who leads the other servants in partying after their employers leave for a party, ensuring that there is merriment for all.

******

This enchanting image is sharp and clear, with a glossy finish. There is minor wear to the edges and corners, with some slight creasing of the corners, and some tiny dents in the surface of the card which do not detract from the figure, itself. 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!