60.00 USD

as per convo

33.00 USD

Really a lovely nude! Because of the overall style and appearance of this postcard and its image we're guessing it was printed in the 1890s, but because it is blank backed and lacking any identifying marks, we can't go beyond a guess in determining age or origin. We would also guess that the photograph from which this postcard was made was probably taken before the 1890s, the postcard printed later.

Wonderful unposted condition. Note the pressure marks at the corners caused by album storage. Please examine our high res scans for detail.

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

And please come visit our blog at:

redpoulaine.blogspot.com

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

18.00 USD

Walter Grave and Therese Wiet, posing for a photo while in costume for "Der Dumme August," an operetta produced in the early 1910s in Leipzig, Germany.
Gorgeous costumes and we almost always love a healthy dose of silvering as we see in this image! It feels like a moment out of the past pushing through layers of time, like dust, or in this case, particles of metallic salts of silver that have risen to the surface of the photograph and oxidized.
Der Dumme August is actually a technical term pertaining to performance clowning. It refers to a particular type of clown character, we think the pathetic one that is made a fool of, not the malicious one doing the teasing. This would make sense within the context of Pierrot and that character's origins in the 16th century Italian Commedia dell'arte, in which he is regularly cuckolded by Harlequin.
Anyway, great card!

Please examine our high res scans for detail.

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

And please come visit our blog at:

redpoulaine.blogspot.com

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

19.00 USD

Beautiful portrait of the two talented Gish sisters. Dorothy is not as well known today as Lilian, though in their heyday, the two sisters were both huge stars of the silver screen. They got their start through a close friend from childhood, Mary Pickford, who introduced them to D.W. Griffith.
If you'd like to see the two of them together, follow the Youtube link below and enjoy a grand romance of the French Revolution, "Orphans of the Storm," 1921. Lots of fun :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEz1RHItExA

Lovely card!
Please examine our high res scans for detail.

The item you are considering for purchase is, unless otherwise noted, a vintage postcard of approximately 5 and 1/2, by 3 and 1/2 inches. Postage is for fully-insured, first class shipping in a secure photo mailer (to avoid any damage to your purchase in the mails), and we happily combine shipping on all paper goods. If you purchase two cards, we will 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

Silent Film Star, Lily Damita, as Pierrette, circa 1920s. A Cinemagazine Edition.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!

Great turban image! As a child, French born Lilianne Carré (1904-1994) was educated in convents, and studied ballet. By 14, she was a dancer in L'Opera de Paris. By 16, she was a dancer in the revue at the Casino de Paris. By 1925 she was a star in the silents, married to Hungarian Director Michael Curtiz, and by 1935, she was living in Hollywood, and married to Errol Flynn! We heartily recommend the Wikipedia article from which we lifted these snippets of her history. You don't hear a lot about her today, but Miss Damita's films pop up now and then, and there are some really stunning images of her floating around.
A very nice, unposted card with a bit of rounding at the corners. Please examine our high res scans for detail.

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

And please come visit our blog at:

redpoulaine.blogspot.com

where we post biographical and historical tidbits, images of cards and photographs for sale, some already sold but remembered fondly, related images of historical interest and sometimes even images of items that have not yet arrived in the shop, but that are expected to arrive soon, as well as coupon codes, links to other related sites, and more! Practically mint. Such lovely, crisp and unposted, condition. We are always very happy when we can showcase a card like this one.

44.00 USD

What an image! Great risque postcard from the early 1900s. No information on models or photographer. Sorry. This card has a few faults, but as a type it is classic!
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

Truly a fantastic card by NPG (Neue Photographische Gesellschaft) of Berlin. We are going to guess that though published in Germany, the hub of the picture postcard industry at that time, this photo was taken in Paris. Why do we think so? Just the style of it, and we might well be mistaken. We've had a couple versions of this wonderful card over the last few years, but only a couple. This is one of our very favorite dance images, and this card is very hard to find.
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!

28.00 USD

Wow, but what a stunner! Beautiful soft-focus study of dancer Carla Steffens. Card is dated July 28th, 1928. We find no history on this dancer. Lovely card.
Please examine our high res scans for detail.

The item you are considering for purchase is, unless otherwise noted, a vintage postcard of approximately 5 and 1/2, by 3 and 1/2 inches. Postage is for fully-insured, first class shipping in a secure photo mailer (to avoid any damage to your purchase in the mails), and we happily combine shipping on all paper goods. If you purchase two cards, we will 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

One from the A. Noyer (some say Alfred, some say Armand, we haven't gotten to the bottom of that yet) series "Les Plus Belles Femmes de France" (The Most Beautiful Women of France). This was a very popular series of cards and only one of the "Les Plus Belles Femmes" group of series. There was another series, for example, depicting women in traditional costumes of their particular provinces, while this series named each model for a different precious, or semi-precious, gemstone. The artful photography and quality of the prints on these, as with so many Noyer cards, is truly amazing!
Lovely, 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!

22.00 USD

Born Jeanette Anna MacDonald in 1903 Philadelphia, PA, Jeanette MacDonald was one of America's most popular stars of cinema musicals. If the films she appeared in weren't always musicals in the strictest sense, then she was likely to be playing the role of a professional singer, as she did opposite Clark Gable, in W.S. Van Dyke's 1936 period drama "San Francisco."

During the 1920s, she enjoyed a lot of success on Broadway. It wasn't until 1929 that she began appearing in film, in the early talkies where her lovely voice could shine.

She entertained America during the dark years of the early 40s, and later, even did television work. Miss MacDonald passed away in 1965.

This wonderful card pictures her in what we're guessing was one of her earliest film roles. She made quite a splash on the screen at the very start, and this glamorous image for us suggests the style of the late twenties. 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!

49.00 USD

Isadora Duncan (1877-1927) is often called the "Mother of Modern Dance." Born in San Francisco, she was the youngest of four children. Her father had been wealthy and cultured—a dabbler in poetry and music, and an art connoisseur—who made his money in banking and mining, but his fortune crumbled and he was forced to sell the family home in 1878. Duncan's parents divorced in 1880 following an affair between her father and Ina Coolbrith (California's first poet laureate), who was working as a librarian at the time.

Following the divorce, Duncan's mother moved the children to Oakland, where she struggled to support them by working as a seamstress and a piano teacher. The children had no contact with their father. Despite the family's poverty, the children continued to be exposed to music, dance, and literature. A few years later, Duncan met Coolbrith at the public library and discovered in her a mentor, as did many others, including the writer Jack London.

Like her contemporary, Ruth St. Denis (for information on Miss St. Denis, follow link below this paragraph), Duncan studied Delsarte and skirt dancing. She also studied ballet for a short time, but quickly rejected it's formality for movements that felt more natural. And it's clear that movement did come very naturally to her for, at least by some accounts, she began to teach dance to other children when she was as young as six. Certainly, by the age of fourteen, she was much sought after as a dance teacher.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/385538420/ruth-st-denis-pioneer-of-modern-dance?ga_search_query=ruth+st+denis&ref=shop_items_search_1

Rebellious against the restrictions of her small world, and frustrated by the constant sacrifices required by poverty, Duncan longed to travel the world to the places she had, by then, only read about in her books. We can only imagine what passion and persistence it must have taken, but she finally convinced her mother to take her to Chicago in 1895.

Theatrical producer Augustin Daly "discovered" her there, sending her on to New York, but she enjoyed only limited success. So once more, she convinced her family to move, this time to London. At first, London seemed more of the same, until the famed stage actress Mrs. Patrick Campbell spotted her dancing under the stars in a garden with one of her brothers and took the family under her wing.

After being celebrated in London and honored by British royalty, Duncan danced to cheers in Paris, Berlin, and Munich. While in Europe, she studied Greek myth and art, basing her dance costumes on Classical Greek attire. Eventually, she found her way to Athens, where she noted the similarity between the poses she took and those of classical statues. She vowed to build a temple to art on a hill facing the Acropolis. She started teaching Grecian peasant boys to dance as she imagined the dances of ancient Greece and Byzantium to have been, but could not sustain herself and her family that way. On she went to Vienna, and back to Berlin. Her Bohemian lifestyle and celebrity status brought her in contact with the intelligentsia and cultural elite of the time. Rodin, Nijinsky, Gertrude Stein, and Bourdelle, all paid her tribute.

While in Berlin, Miss Duncan opened a school and taught her new style of dance, perhaps thinking of herself as a Grecian priestess, passing ancient glory on to her pupils. Her students became known as the Isadorables and eventually grew into a touring company.

An atheist and bisexual, Duncan constantly challenged social norms. Eschewing marriage, she gave birth to two children, a girl in 1906 and a boy in 1910, whom she adored, fathered by two different lovers.

In 1908, she started working with pianist James Skene, called Hener, of whom she wrote enthusiastically that he was "a pianist of great talent and indefatigable energy." Hener was a follower Aleister Crowley, and in 1910 or 1911, he invited Crowley to a party where Duncan and her closest friend, Mary d'Este (later called Desti, the mother of film director Preston Sturgess) were introduced. Duncan was, apparently, not particularly taken by Crowley. However, Mary was instantly fascinated, sitting on the floor with him and "exchanging electricity" before leaving with him for Zurich's National Hotel. (Desti would later be known as Crowley's "Scarlet Woman.") For the record, whatever Duncan may have thought of him, Crowley waxed rhapsodic over her dancing, which he characterized as a form of “magical unconsciousness.”

In 1913, a terrible accident took the lives of both of Duncan's children. According to Wikipedia, "The children were in the car with their nurse, returning home after lunch with Isadora and Paris Singer. The driver stalled the car while attempting to avoid a collision with another car. He got out to hand-crank the engine, but forgot to set the parking brake. The car rolled across the Boulevard Bourdon, down the embankment and into the river. The children and the nanny drowned." Although Duncan took a few months to mourn quietly with her family, and even tried having another child, only to lose him just days after the birth, stillness was not a natural state for her. Soon she was back on stage, expressing her grief through the dances Mother and Marche Funebre.

By 1916, Duncan was touring across Europe and America, even traveling to South America. She completed her tour in 1920, and in 1921, moved to Moscow. Believing that the Soviet Union was "a free and heroic society," Duncan founded a new school of dance with the support of the new government. In Moscow, she met the young poet Sergei Esenin. Wanting to take him with her on a tour that was to include America, she broke a vow she'd made when she was just twelve and married him. The two traveled together, touring both Europe and America. In America, at the height of the 1920s "Red Menace" scare, Duncan and her husband were labeled Bolshevik agents, a criticism she rejected. As she left America once more, she declared, "Good-bye America, I shall never see you again!"

Duncan and Esenin soon separated, then divorced. By 1925, he was dead, either of suicide or murder. Two years later, in Nice, France, Duncan died of what might be called misadventure. Once more, an automobile was involved. Duncan, heading off in a sporty two-seater convertible driven by French-Italian mechanic Benoît Falchetto, refused her friend Mary Desti's advice to wear a cloak, insisting that her exorbitantly long, red scarf, a gift from Desti that had come to be something of a signature item of clothing for Duncan, was sufficient. Duncan's last words were said to have been, "Adieu, mes amis. Je vais à la gloire!" ("Farewell, my friends. I go to glory!"). Later, Desti shared privately with a friend that Duncan's words had actually been, "Je vais à l'amour" ("I am off to love"), Desti explaining that she had been embarrassed to share with the authorities the more salacious phrase. As the car pulled away, Desti called out to her friend, concerned that the scarf, fluttering in the wind, was a danger. Her fears, sadly, were all too well founded. The scarf became caught in one of the open-spoked wheels and wrapped around the rear axle. Duncan was pulled violently from the car, nearly decapitated, and bashed against the pavement.

The great dancer and much beloved teacher of so many was cremated, her ashes placed beside those of her children.

A 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!

16.00 USD

In terms of history and identification, we completely strike out on this wonderful card. With a name like Lola Orleans (isn't that great? :), we had hoped we'd stumble onto a variety review or biography, but nothing yet. We can assume she was a stage performer of some kind. The printer/publisher (BP), likewise no reliable info, so we're in the dark for country of origin. Always a fair shot in the dark though on a nice quality card like this one would be that it was printed in Germany and because it doesn't really look like an American or British published card, probably a French or German photographer, and or publisher. Of course there are numerous possibilities, but we think these the most likely.

Wonderful outspoken expression on Mlle. Lola's face and great coiled hair, circa 1910. Gorgeous velvet top with attached lace collar trim and epaulets, delicate corsage, and skirts, also of velvet, in a different color or shade.

Notice the studio editing, quite skillfully done, lending her waist a slightly more "hourglass" appearance and the hand-painted swirling cigarette smoke emanating from the unlit cigarette :) These decorative additions (and subtractions) were not at all untypical for the era.

Very nice condition on this card.
Please examine our high res scans for detail.

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

And please come visit our blog at:

redpoulaine.blogspot.com

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

65.00 USD

René Péan (1875-1940) was a master poster artist, an illustrator, and painter of Belle Epoque Paris. He was a contemporary of Jules Cheret, and in fact worked with him at the Chaix Printing shop. Like other artists of the period, an important part of his living was earned creating cover art for local Parisian magazines, one of which was Soleil du Dimanche, which produced occasional color covers like this one. Incidentally, Alphonse Mucha also produced cover art for "Soleil," and those original covers are even more highly collectible, auctioning sometimes for well over 1000.00 dollars (yes we are definitely looking out for those as well :).

Printed in 1901, this lovely piece of Belle Epoque art captures in beautiful color lithograph the Carnaval celebration! In addition to the cover, this listing includes 14 attached pages of interior advertisements, illustrations, articles, and engravings.

Visible age tanning (it is 114 years old!) and some wear at edges and corners. The dimensions are 15 and 1/2 by 11 inches. Our first scan is somewhat smaller and is just our view of a potential "to be matted" size.

We hope this wonderful artifact finds its way onto your wall very soon, beautifully matted and framed behind glass :)
Please examine our high res scans for detail.

Postage is for securely packaged, fully-insured, first class shipping, and we happily combine shipping on all paper goods. If you purchase two items, we will not charge for postage on the second card, and when you purchase three or more items from us at the same time, your shipping will be entirely free, except for international orders which, because of increases in international shipping rates will still be charged one card's shipping fees on orders of three or more. We do not charge for insurance or shipping materials, and as of the date of this listing are still charging below our overall cost on shipping.

And please come visit our blog at:

redpoulaine.blogspot.com

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

22.00 USD

Vintage Italian postcard by G. B. Falci of Milan promoting the 1929 D.W. Griffith film "La Canzone del Cuore," or Song of the Heart. In the United States it was released as "Lady of the Pavements."

Starring Lupe Velez (1906-1944), a gorgeous, vivacious, actress who had begun her career in Mexican vaudeville, "Lady of the Pavements" was a relatively typical "prince/pauper" class oriented romance that is still very highly spoken of today. It was largely silent, with a limited soundtrack including Miss Velez singing a song by Irving Berlin.

The sun was setting on D.W. Griffith's career, and just rising on Miss Velez, but she was already taking Hollywood by storm. She had the reputation of being a wild gal, a real firecracker, with unquenchable appetites and a temper to match. She had affairs with a number of Hollywood's leading men, a long running affair with Gary Cooper who, according to Wikipedia, "eventually ended the relationship in mid-1931 at the behest of his mother Alice who strongly disapproved of Vélez. By that time, the rocky relationship had taken its toll on Cooper who had lost 45 pounds and was suffering from nervous exhaustion."

The gossip columns loved her, and apparently she encouraged scandal by calling reporters, feeding them tidbits from her personal life. Unfortunately as one might expect, this seems to have resulted in an available history lacking in her "soft side" but citing example after example of scandal. Tragically, she took her own life at the age of 36.

Below, you can follow a link to one of her earliest film appearances, a silent Laurel and Hardy short from 1927 that is credited with giving her a start in Hollywood. Uncredited, she is playing the role of the countess. Hope you enjoy it. We did, though this Youtube offering lacks any soundtrack.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hWf9c7jdF0

A very nice card, with great Art Deco highlights, in lovely 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!

33.00 USD

We are still searching for history on Mlle. Nina Barkis. Sometimes described by modern postcard sellers as a dancer and an opera singer, many of her postcards are of the "Poses Plastiques" variety so popular at the time, but apparently she played onstage as Salomé, too. Images of her as Salomé by Herr Gerlach, suggest that she performed that role in Berlin, and so probably in the Strauss version of the opera, rather than Mariotte's. The trick is to discover if she was actually an opera singer, or a dancer who stood in for the opera singer during the dance of seven veils. Not all opera stars were particularly fine dancers, and the use of a stand-in was fairly common in various productions of that opera. Chances are that this lovely image by Georg Gerlach is one of her in costume for Salomé. Though we've seen others of her in different costume, identified as Salomé, in this image she is wearing what appears to be the same necklace worn in those other identified images, so we're guessing this costume was from the same production.

It's a bit surprising that more information is not available on Mlle. Barkis. She was certainly prolific as a postcard queen. What a fine print and in very nice, unposted condition! We've read that she posed for nude images by the renowned "french postcard" photographer, Jean Agelou and we've sold a number of images of her by Monsieur Walery of Paris too, usually in a faux-nude, elastic, body suit, or what is sometimes in French referred to as "en collant."

That close-fitting elastic costume came into popularity (though not originally in risque postcard images or public performances) in the United States during the mid 1800s.

The common fashion of wearing tight-laced corsets was viewed by many in the women's movement not only as unhealthy and potentially dangerous, but as yet another way in which women were held in thrall by an inflexible, patriarchal society. At the same moment in history, the movement toward the emancipation of slaves was coming to a head, and that cause was viewed by women activists as walking hand in hand with their own.

The introduction of elastic undergarments as a replacement for corsets found great support (excuse the pun :) among those women, and these garments were given names like liberty suit, emancipation suit, or union suit, associating the garment with personal emancipation, a woman's right to make decisions regarding her own body, its health and appearance, and the "Union" side in the Civil War, which was fought in large part, over the issue of slavery. These garments became a personal statement made quietly, a choice, or determination, that was worn underneath one's exterior clothing, so that the wearer was safe from the sort of ridicule suffered by many who went "against the grain" publicly.

So, what we have come to think of as a union suit, that funny, old-fashioned, red woolen get up with the tent-flap backdoor that is worn by gnarled and be-whiskered prospectors in period films, was not originally designed for men at all, but for women.

In 1900, Oneita, a major manufacturer of the "elastic ribbed union suit" advertised their "Venus" (trimmed with silk ribbon and mother of pearl buttons), using images of a shapely gal posing on a pedestal, like a statue of that goddess, and very much like many of the risque faux nude postcards we sell in our shop. It's just a little ironic that a costume worn in images that can be said to objectify women, originally found popularity in the women's movement as an expression of practical feminism!

We'll continue researching Mlle. Barkis, hoping to find more concrete information.

A wonderful card and so beautifully tinted! 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!

26.00 USD

Monsieur Louis Martin is one of our favorite photographers. Like Reutlinger, Walery, and other Parisian competitors, he was a celebrity portraitist, but probably far less expensive to work with and was less playful with his images. His cards were not often hand-colored either--pretty much straight forward portraits of theater people, who were then identified by name, and sometimes by act in hand-lettered white script. So no frills, but professionally accomplished promotional portraits of often lesser known acts, offering us glimpses of performers we've never met before and often will never meet again, which is just a lot of fun.

Our dancer, Mlle. Lyonelle, poses in this image as Salomé. Her costume is simple; likewise, her pose. Her expression is as sweet as new wildflowers in a Spring meadow, but then, when would Salomé have been at her most dangerous :) She signed this card on the obverse, offering friendship, in the ubiquitous violet ink of the period. Such fun :)

Louis Martin's studio was located at 52 Rue de Faubourg Saint-Martin in Paris, about 10 minutes walk from the Moulin Rouge, and 15 minutes walk from the Folies Bergere, so he was certainly in a prime spot at that time.
A wonderful card.
Please examine our high res scans for detail.

The item you are considering for purchase is, unless otherwise noted, a vintage postcard of approximately 5 and 1/2, by 3 and 1/2 inches. Postage is for fully-insured, first class shipping in a secure photo mailer (to avoid any damage to your purchase in the mails), and we happily combine shipping on all paper goods. If you purchase two cards, we will 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

Great dance image, Weimar era. No history on the dancer and no photographer attribution, but we sure love this one :)
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!

17.00 USD

Wonderful card by Albrecht and Meister, circa 1909-1914. The young lady enjoys treasured memories written in her diary (we hope it's "her" diary!! :) by a lovely fire and at a presently safe distance from the tiger skin rug.
Subtext? Animal skin rug plus fire equals passion, all caution cast to the winds :) Sitting in a chair above the rug equals safety and distance, so we have a young woman of passionate nature, but with those fiery emotions under control.
This card sent to a beau might say, "I'm thinking of you, remembering our walk in the woods and that kiss and clutch beneath the trees."
Postcards offered the sender a safe way of expressing things we often take for granted nowadays as being of little importance or easily talked about. We love their unspoken language.

Why is it important to offer scans showing all the edges and corners of a card? Because you, the collector, deserve an honest, complete preview of the card! Closely cropped scans can disguise damage and flaws.

This card is a great example. Our first listing image shows the card off in the most flattering way we can manage. Our second listing image shows clearly that the card was imperfectly trimmed. A common fault in cards produced during the early 1900s.

Someone will fall in love with this card and buy it for what it is, but they really do deserve to be made aware of its flaws!

Please examine our high res scans for detail.

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

And please come visit our blog at:

redpoulaine.blogspot.com

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

22.00 USD

Lovely, lovely RPPC. Féte, birthday party, Easter celebration? In any case, wonderful costumes, action and environment. Rare, absolutely, because RPPCs of this kind were personal photos, printed in very limited runs for sharing with friends and family.

As to the age of this card, 1915 is only a guess. It looks like a 1910s image to us, though it certainly could have been made in the '20s. The stamp is no help, this version of the "sower" having been released sometime around 1907 and still being used in the '30s.
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

We've had one of these in the shop perhaps three times in the past. Love this series! Goddess stuff is wonderful, the hand tinting is so vibrant, the model is triple cute :) Also, with Croissant of Paris, the printer/publisher, we enjoy the added bonus of the wonderful Art Nouveau decoration on the card's obverse! It's like two cards in one!

Astarte is the Greek form of the Babylonian goddess Ishtar. She eventually became both the Greek goddess of love, Aphrodite, and in other cultures, the evil demon Ashtaroth! You know how that goes, right? Two cultures clash in war, they sometimes turn their enemy's gods into devils.

Can't find out a lot about the photographer, Arjalew (probably pronounced Ar-ya-lev). Much of their work we've come across is like this, playful, light and fun with an Art Nouveau foundation shining through.

Interesting suggestion by one of our customers, though. The photographer, Monsieur Walery of Paris (Walery was a pseudonym), aka Stanislaw Julian Ignacy, Count Ostorog (1863-1935), liked to play around with his name creating additional pseudonyms. Our customer suggested that Arjalew was actually a word play on Walery! Fun idea, though we've found nothing yet to support it.

Please note the very gentle bend in the upper right quadrant. Kinda hard to see in person. You need to know these things! The card says, "Love me, love my bend!" :) It's just the way it is.
Believe it or not, there are vintage postcard dealers who actually photoshop out flaws like this one in their listing images so when you receive it in the mail you get a surprise! No no. Not good.
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!