19.00 USD

Gorgeous, vibrantly hand-tinted Image of darkly beautiful stage performer identified, on some other images, by the name Lilliane, taken by Professor Edouard Stebbing of Paris. This card was published using the "emaillographie" method, about which we know absolutely nothing, I'm afraid, but which was used by a Monsieur G. Piprot, a photographer and, in this case, publisher, under the Etoile, or "star" label. The one thing we have observed in cards which M. Piprot identifies as having been produced using this method, is that they are often some of the most luminous, and in terms of coloration, the most strikingly vibrant, we run across. We will list this card in our risque category, because...wow! :)
Very nice unposted condition. Please examine our high res scans for detail.

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

And please come visit our blog at:

redpoulaine.blogspot.com

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

17.00 USD

Jean Agelou was a very sought after French photographer between the early 1900s and 1930, and is quite collectible today. He was responsible for a large percentage of risque and nude, or what became known as "french" postcards, during this period. 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!

14.00 USD

The very same slippery slope our mothers guarded against: Mlle. Andrea bringing new meaning to that old taboo against putting our elbows on the table! Great hand-colored image by Ogerau. Posted in 1904. A nice card in nice condition, but with wear to edges corners, and a few minor dings here and there.
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!

19.00 USD

Just exquisite! Beautiful technique. Card is marked Brom-Mosaik, and in attempting to research the process, printer or style, we came up with images of other similar cards, but no information, unfortunately.
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!

5.00 USD

Wonderful "Roaring 20s" image of Italian actress Pina Gioanna. No history available at this time. The card itself is not in the best of condition. Crease in bottom right corner, some spotting on reverse. 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!

22.00 USD

Les Danref is presumably the name of this dance duo, performing a danse d'Apaches number in which the young lady is apparently taking great delight in showing the audience just where she keeps her folding money, and causing no end of irritation on the part of "her man." Great fun, photographed by Paul Darby, about whom we can find very little apart from the fact that in 1902, a Paul Darby, photographer of Paris, took the graduation photos of young author James Joyce at the Royal College of Dublin, in 1902. Joyce would later spend the last years of his celebrated life as an expatriate in Paris. Please examine our high res scans for detail.

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

And please come visit our blog at:

redpoulaine.blogspot.com

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

9.00 USD

Very nice Spanish RPPC of a woman in dark clothing. Notice this outfit has short sleeves, as if she might work with her hands, and she also appears to be wearing an apron. Could she be a housekeeper in uniform? Or was this simply a common Spanish fashion at the time? She has a wonderful expression on her face. This was taken in Barcelona, and we're guessing in the 1910s. We can offer no information on this one, except that we love it :) Some edge and corner wear, but overall, in very nice unposted condition.
Please examine our high res scans for detail.

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

And please come visit our blog at:

redpoulaine.blogspot.com

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

3.10 USD

To upgrade your mail preferences from USPS First Class to USPS Priority (2-3 day), add this item to your purchase. Current cost of Priority mail envelope is $5.60 for domestic, so this upgrade will cover that increase in cost. Not for international orders.

We do not profit from shipping, shipping materials, or handling. Shipping as we normally do, first class, fully insured, and in secure packaging to prevent damage to our cards, we generally take a small loss whether shipping domestically or internationally.

16.00 USD

Elise De Vere (also Devere), born in Belgium, was English thru and thru. Her father, Herbert Shakespeare Gardiner Williams, took the name Charles Devere (sometimes De Vere) as a stage name. We include the image of one of his posters, in this case "Professeur De Vere." It is not in our possession, and is therefore *Not for Sale*, but shown for your enjoyment.

A very popular song and dance gal in Paris music halls of the early 1900s, Mlle De Vere was the daughter of English stage magicians who at the time this photo was taken, performed in Paris, and ran a magic shop. Her little sister Clementine, would later take after mum and dad, and become a famous stage magician herself, known as Ionia the Enchantress. We don't run across Mlle. Devere on English postcards all that often, but here she is, in her typical costume (wonderful, yes?) in a portrait by the great Parisian photographer Leopold Reutlinger.

This card was posted to, as far as we can make out, a Mademoiselle L. Luluin, or J. Juluin, who was at that time staying at Bletchley Hall in Buckinghamshire, England. The card's sender, who signs the card "con," writes, "I feel so cross. I have just taken the dogs for a run and they got all over mud." Haw haw....evidently one of the "horsey" set :) Downton Abbey, anyone?

Bletchley Hall was the home of Sir Herbert Stanley Leon and Lady Fanny Leon. If the name Bletchley Hall sounds familiar, perhaps you are a WWII history buff, or caught the wonderful BBC Mystery mini-series "The Bletchley Circle," about a group of women, formerly WWII codebreakers, who solve a murder mystery. Great stuff.

In any case, Bletchley Hall wouldn't become the British Secret Service Cypher and Code section for about 35 years, when, in 1938, Admiral Hugh Sinclair, (known as "C"), Chief of the SIS, saw war on the horizon, and bought the old gothic mansion with 58 acres of surrounding property with his own money before it could be demolished by a land developer named Faulkner. Funny where these wonderful old postcards (we call them time machines) can take you :)

One of the nicest portraits of Mlle. Devere we've run across. The pale vertical line running across the image at about head level is a scanner line and not on the card itself. (We have to get a new scanner!)
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!

16.00 USD

We cannot find any history on this performer. Sometimes images of Marie "Marville" are misidentified as "Merville," but these printing errors were not terribly uncommon, and the two women do not even resemble one another.

Wonderfully vibrant tinting by the colorist, who also decided to add in, with broad brush strokes, trunks of trees into the image background.

The card was published, probably sometime between 1905 and 1910 by the Imprimeries Reunies de Nancy, an organized union (not in the "labor" sense), or cartel, of printers from the Nancy area. Nancy is a city in Northeastern France, and this "IRN" was organized in part by the father of French postcards, Albert Bergeret, in about 1905

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

And please come visit our blog at:

redpoulaine.blogspot.com

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

16.00 USD

We cannot find any history on this performer, Mlle. Mervil, performing at the famous Parisian nightspot the Folies Bergere. Sometimes images of Marie "Marville" are misidentified as "Merville," but these printing errors were not terribly uncommon, and the two women do not even resemble one another.

Wonderfully vibrant tinting by the colorist, who also decided to add in, with broad brush strokes, trunks of trees into the image background.

The card was published, probably sometime between 1905 and 1910 by the Imprimeries Reunies de Nancy, an organized union (not in the "labor" sense), or cartel, of printers from the Nancy area. Nancy is a city in Northeastern France, and this "IRN" was organized in part by the father of French postcards, Albert Bergeret, in about 1905

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

And please come visit our blog at:

redpoulaine.blogspot.com

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

18.00 USD

Wonderful image of operatic soprano Lina Dilson, performing the part of Rosine in The Barber of Seville. From what we have been able to gather, from murky abstracts and jumbled pdfs, she performed this role at the opera house in Marseille, in 1913. She was described as an Andalusian beauty whose soft tones and trills were likened to the songs of a nightingale :)

3 years later, in the very midst of WWI, she was involved in the war relief effort. She appeared at a tea dance and lace exhibition at the Ritz-Carleton in New York, In aid of 30,000 destitute women and children of Belgium and northern France. In this brief mention in the New York Times, 1916, the following: "Mlle. Lina Dilson, from the De La Monnaie Opera House in Brussels, performed songs in French and English."

This card appears to have been printed in Belgium, and not far from Brussels is the town of Dilson, so possibly she was a Belgian singer.
Outside of these brief snippets, we've found nothing, but will continue the search!

A very nice 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!

14.00 USD

Semi ironic humorous image of WWI era Belgian Army officers armed with flatware, (or, one might say, "armed to the teeth?" . RPPC of nice quality. Corner and edge wear. 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!

22.00 USD

The brothers Neurdein had a studio in Paris from 1863 until just before the outbreak of WWI. So though pre-dating it by a few years, their careers pretty much spanned the whole of La Belle Epoque. Etienne Neurdein stayed primarily in Paris, taking portraits in the studio, while his brother Louis traveled widely, spending much of his time in Algeria, Morocco, Egypt and Tunisia. This image, then, is one of Louis'. Louis was born in 1830, which makes him at least 70 years old when he took this photograph of a young Jewish woman in local costume.

This is a fantastic card in marvelous condition, one of those it is difficult for us to let go of, but if we kept all of these for our collection, we simply wouldn't be able to keep a shop! Such wonderful detail of costume. 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!

18.00 USD

Thérèse-Marie Rosine Géraldy (1886-1965) was trained by her aunt, Magdeleine Real-Del Sarte.
Thérèse-Marie was a member of the Société des Artistes Français. In 1939 she was made a Knight of the French Legion of Honor for her contributions to the arts. More biographical info is available at :

http://philippybucellyestrees.blogspot.com/2013/08/therese-marie-rosine-geraldy-1886.html

This lovely example of her work was photographed and published by the Brothers Neurdein of Paris.
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!

4.00 USD

Great image of French performer onstage. Fun costume. Photo by Professor Stebbing of Paris. Card in nice condition, posted in 1904, some writing in a nice hand. 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!

14.00 USD

Remember when as children we would pass around Valentines from school desk to school desk saving the nicest one for our sweetheart? Ah, first love :) Remember when, on the first of April, you would pin a paper fish to your friend's back without them knowing and call out "Poisson d'Avril," or "April Fish?" No? Well. not being older French persons, (just really ancient Americans), we don't either. But it sounds like such fun!
In Belle Epoque France, this was a standard, and we think charming, April Fool's Day prank--in Italy and Belgium also, apparently. Also common was to post, or to secretly slip into a friend's or sweetheart's possession, a paper fish upon which the following phrase would be written: " Qui vous l'envoie?" or, "Who sent this?" ***Please Note*** That is exactly the phrase inscribed on the back of this card! Well it's a bit late for April Fool's Day, but this Belle Epoque artiste holding aloft a huge blue-green fish was just too wonderful to resist no matter what the season. Clearly, postcard publishers do not seem to have been slow to put to use any type of newfangled gimcrackery. After all, why would their customers go to the effort of snipping a fish out of colored paper, when for a few coppers they could obtain an amazingly designed Poisson d'Avril image of just the right size to slip between the pages of someone's book, or into someone's handbag? And, come to think of it, what an awesome collection a few of these wonderful "April Fish" cards would make, and how obviously tasteful and discerning would be the proud possessor of such a collection! Why, they would be the envy of all their friends! What an idea! Hmmm... :) Nice condition, posted in 1907.
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!

3.00 USD

Charming, hand-tinted can-can image by Walery, but unfortunately with some surface damage about two thirds of the way up, right side. Our price reflects this. 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!

14.00 USD

Such a great costume! We offer a loose translation of the text printed at the bottom of the card:

Cat!

"Tenderly ungrateful carnivores,
their momentary soft caress, a trap.
See them sharpening their charming nails.
Women,
often,
are like cats."

Oh, really?......well.....mreaaaow!

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!

18.00 USD

This charming image of a maiden in the woods, just at the moment she crosses the magical boundary of a stream, is imbued with a Fae spirit. Surely the famous Belle Epoque performer known as "Doll," could be a wood nymph, or some similar sort of magical being. We love the way in which the magical is suggested in this Reutlinger image, as in so many other images from this time period, without the introduction of a single truly fantastic element. These images make us feel much as we might when reading a fairy tale, as if, at any moment, something truly marvelous will happen.

Nymphs, Naiads, Dryads, and Faerie folk so often cropped up in La Belle Époque imagery, and Leopold Reutlinger of Paris was responsible for bringing many of these “fantaisies” into being. These images reflected a blossoming of a fairy and folklore revival, and a fascination with the western occult tradition as in the case of writers like Dion Fortune, Madame Blavatsky of the Theosophical Society, and others, but on a more basic level, a popular yearning for the magical, for myth made manifest.

Card published by the prolific company, Societé Industrielle de Photographie. Minor wear on this one.

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!